Ms O’CONNOR question to MINISTER for LOCAL GOVERNMENT, Mr VINCENT
Congratulations, minister, on your appointment. Minister, the government you are part of has unilaterally taken Chambroad’s proposed Kangaroo Bay Hotel development out of the hands of Clarence Council while it is in court with the developer, and declared it a major project. As we now know, the state planning office in DPAC disagreed with the assessment of Treasury in relation to job number claims from the developer and used artificial intelligence to verify the developer’s claims.
Minister, as a well-respected former mayor, who has strongly and professionally represented your community’s interests, do you support this heavy-handed overriding of the Clarence Council, the community and the courts?
ANSWER
I will seek some advice on this.
It is definitely something I have not been briefed on yet but, as most former mayors, I show interest in that. It is a matter for the planning minister. Until I have discussions with him, I cannot make further comment. Sorry.
SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTION
Ms O’CONNOR (Hobart) – Minister, I appreciate that you have not been briefed, but you have extensive experience in local government, so given your previous answer, as local government minister, as a matter of principle, will you stand up for councils as planning authorities, as well as the public’s right to participate in planning decisions, and resist your colleagues’ attempts to sideline councils? Will you be the Minister for Local Government or the minister against local government?
Mr VINCENT – Mr President, I can guarantee the member for Hobart that I am the local government minister and take my role very seriously, but until I have been briefed further on some of the intricate natures of the planning scheme in this situation, I do not have an opinion. I can say for those that have not been involved with council in recent years that the planning scheme is a nightmare for all people involved in it, in understanding all the delicate nature of it.
Ms O’Connor – Just after 10 years of your colleagues reforming it.
Mr VINCENT – I will be looking further at it, out of interest. Thank you.
