Victorians should be disturbed by the ongoing centralisation of planning power by the Allan Labor Government, with third-party rights being stripped away from many parts of the State.
Yesterday, we saw a further step in the Labor Government’s agenda to take away the rights of the community from having a say in planning decisions, with environmental renewable projects being exempted from the traditional planning system.
Under Labor’s approach, the Minister will be the final decision-maker over projects, without involving affected communities. This is undemocratic and poses a dangerous risk as it removes the checks and balances that protect our system from improper influence or corruption.
The stripping away of third-party rights follows the decision, hidden during the Christmas period, to strip away the rights of 150,000 people that live within two kilometres of future Suburban Rail Loop stations.
In the final weeks of last year, the Labor Government gave the Suburban Rail Loop Authority planning power decisions for approximately 45 square kilometres of land across five suburbs along the rail corridor.
Third-party rights have also been taken away near designated growth and economic zones, public housing sites, and school and childcare locations.
Shadow Minister for Planning, James Newbury, said: “Labor has a secret plan to strip away the rights of the community in having a say over decisions that affect their own streets, suburbs and towns.
“What is more concerning is that the centralisation of power is removing the checks and balances that protect our system from improper influence and the potential for corruption.
“A transparent system has integrity. A system of private collusion is dangerous. Labor is taking Victoria’s planning system down a dangerous pathway.”
