The Tasmanian government has proposed a controversial change to its planning appeal system, aiming to restrict appeals to only those directly affected by a planning decision. This move has drawn criticism from environmental groups and opposition parties who argue it undermines public accountability and democratic processes.
The Tasmanian government has proposed a significant change to its planning appeal system, aiming to limit who can lodge appeals to the state's appeals tribunal. The proposed change would only allow parties directly affected by a planning decision to appeal, effectively preventing external groups like NGOs and activist organizations from challenging decisions made on public land.
This move has sparked strong criticism from environmental groups, the Greens, and Labor, who view it as an 'undemocratic' step that could undermine public scrutiny of development projects.Planning Minister Felix Ellis defended the proposal, arguing that it would 'prevent baseless objections that tie projects up in delays and red tape'. He stated that the legislation would ensure appeals are lodged only by individuals directly and adversely impacted by the decision, rather than 'well-funded activist groups and anti-everything organizations set up to oppose Tasmania moving forward'. However, critics argue that this change would significantly reduce public accountability in planning processes. Scott Jordan, a campaigner with the Bob Brown Foundation, condemned the move, calling it 'another step in a long line of anti-democratic measures by this government'. He emphasized that removing third-party appeal rights would hinder the ability to challenge decisions made based on inadequate information. The government maintains that it is still consulting on the proposed changes and that it is too early to say whether third-party appeals of proposals on public land would be entirely eliminated. Recent information obtained under right-to-information laws reveals that the government previously considered abolishing third-party appeals in 2018-19 but ultimately abandoned the plan due to the low number of appeals lodged at the time.The Tasmanian government's efforts to streamline the planning system have faced further setbacks. The government's plan to shift some planning decisions from councils to development assessment panels has been rejected by the parliament's upper house. This rejection highlights the ongoing debate surrounding the balance between promoting investment and ensuring public participation in critical decisions affecting land use and development
PLANNING APPEALS TASMANIA GOVERNMENT ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS DEMOCRACY DEVELOPMENT PUBLIC LAND
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