The planning industry has taken the unprecedented step of confirming that Victoria’s economic growth is being obstructed by the Minister for Planning, Sonya Kilkenny.
Peak industry organisations, the Planning Institute of Australia and the Property Council, have called out the risk to the State of decisions sitting on the Minister’s desk for years.
Victorian Executive Director of the Property Council, Cath Evans, said that the Minister’s delays: “impose additional holding costs on the developer and introduce uncertainty and risk..” and “creates an environment where developers and investors are less likely to initiate projects they view as likely to suffer from planning approval delays”.
Despite the Minister’s inaction risking Victoria’s future economic prosperity, the Labor Government plans to further centralise planning decisions with the Minister.
Victorian Vice President of the Planning Institute of Australia, Jane Keddie, expressed concern over further decision-making centralisation, saying “there is not a lot of transparency in terms of all the applications”.
Shadow Minister for Planning, James Newbury, said: “Our State’s future economic prosperity is being put at risk by the incompetence of the Planning Minister.
“Industry has taken the unprecedented step of confirming that the Minister for Planning is sitting on piles of briefs she has yet to rule on, which is damaging Victoria.
“Despite failing to address the current backlog, the Allan Labor Government is pushing ahead with further centralising the planning system into the Minister’s office. It will only hurt our State further.”
