Tasmanian Planning Scheme

Question without notice

Ms ARMITAGE question to DEPUTY LEADER of the GOVERNMENT in the LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, Ms HOWLETT

[2.51 p.m.]

Ms ARMITAGE - Will the Deputy Leader please advise -

(1) What specific progress has been made towards bringing the statewide planning scheme applicable to Tasmanian local councils to fruition?

(2) Per the local planning schedules, how many of the 29 Tasmanian councils have lodged their assessments with the Tasmanian Planning Commission? Which councils are yet to submit one, and is there a set time frame by which they must be submitted?

(3) Given this process has been going on for a number of years now, does the Government have plans to expedite the progress being made towards enacting the Tasmanian Planning Scheme?

(4) Does the Government have a date at which it expects the Tasmanian Planning Scheme to be fully implemented and functional? If not, why not?

ANSWER

Mr President, I thank the member for Launceston for her question.

A total of 27 out of 29 councils have lodged their draft Local Provisions Schedules with the Tasmanian Planning Commission for consideration. Ten councils' Local Provisions Schedules have been publicly exhibited and five of these have been subject to public hearings.

The Burnie Local Provisions Schedules have been gazetted and the Tasmanian Planning Scheme is in effect in that local government area. The Devonport Local Provisions Schedules are expected to come into effect in coming weeks, and it is expected that the Tasmanian Planning Scheme will come into effect in a number of other local government areas in the coming months. The King Island and Dorset councils are yet to lodge their draft Local Provisions Schedules with the Tasmanian Planning Commission. A set time frame for these councils to lodge has not yet been imposed.

In terms of expediting the implementation of the Tasmanian Planning Scheme, the Government has already taken steps. The Tasmanian Planning Commission has been provided with additional resources to assist in the assessment of draft Local Provisions Schedules. Both the Tasmanian Planning Commission and the Department of Justice’s Planning Policy Unit have provided councils with assistance in the preparation of their draft Local Provisions Schedules through the LPS acceleration project, implemented last year.

The Government intends that the Tasmanian Planning Scheme will be fully implemented and operational during 2021.