More affordable housing and new jobs are expected on the back of sweeping reforms which deliver on the Queensland Government’s election promise to provide better planning.
In an address at the Queensland Planning Forum in Brisbane today, Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning Jeff Seeney said significant changes to legislation would help make Queensland’s planning system the best in the nation.
“Clearer, less complicated planning laws will help to kick-start the construction industry, boosting jobs and delivering more affordable housing for Queenslanders,” Mr Seeney said.
“We have already introduced significant reforms in the planning space, such as the new State Planning Policy and one-stop-shop State Assessment and Referral Agency, but I think the best is still to come.
“Under the former Labor government the construction sector wasn’t living up to its full potential, but we are now unlocking that.
“This year a raft of sweeping reforms will come to fruition and I thank the industry for its input and continued goodwill in working with the Government on them.
“The changes will provide greater certainty for developers and greater confidence for councils, giving them the capability and discretion they need to make assessment applications.
“At last year’s inaugural Queensland Planning Forum, our government was 12 months old and our reforms to the system were in their infancy.
“Now a further 12 months down the track, our planning reform agenda is set.
“The Regional Planning Interests Bill will soon be debated in Parliament and the Planning for Queensland’s Development Bill will be introduced later this year.
“The Planning for Queensland’s Development Bill will significantly simplify Queensland’s planning and development system and will replace the cumbersome Sustainable Planning Act 2009.
“Importantly, this new Bill ensures Queensland’s planning system focuses on supporting economic growth, a key election promise of the Newman Government.”
