| Focus: | Regulation of development in Queensland |
| Services: | Property & Projects |
| Industry Focus: | Property |
This article highlights opportunities for you to take part in shaping the regulation of development in Queensland and to provide feedback on your experiences of major project development assessment.
- Let's talk about 'SARA' – having your say on Queensland's State Assessment and Referral Agency
- Opportunity to comment on Major Project Development Assessment Processes
Let's talk about 'SARA' – having your say on Queensland's State Assessment and Referral Agency
The Queensland Government is calling for stakeholders to help shape the design of its State Assessment and Referral Agency (SARA) which is set to go live by the end of June 2013.
SARA is part of a raft of planning reforms introduced in 2012 to streamline the development assessment and approval process in Queensland.
SARA will be a single point of reference for all developments where a state government agency is an assessment manager or referral agency. The Department of State Development, Infrastructure and Planning (SDIP) will perform the SARA role, consolidating the interests of multiple state assessment agencies across the development approval process.
Under the current process, when considering referred development applications, state agencies only have regard to matters within their own jurisdiction. This raises the potential for conflicting responses and contradictory conditions of development.
The goal of SARA is to resolve the conflicts, decrease inefficiencies in the assessment process and increase certainty of development outcomes, as well as ensure that the state's interests are properly represented. SDIP will coordinate the responses from state agencies and ensure that all inconsistencies are resolved before the issue of the decision notice or referral response.
The final details of the SARA model are a work in progress. SDIP is working with other state agencies and local governments to develop the most effective prototype for providing SARA and SDIP is currently calling for stakeholders to complete a short survey based on feedback on the current processes of referrals to state agencies to inform its design. The survey will close on 29 March 2013. Click here to participate.
Opportunity to comment on major project development assessment processes
The Productivity Commission has been charged with benchmarking Australia's major project development assessment and approvals processes against international best practice and to make recommendations for improvements. This follows the Commission's 2011 benchmarking report into regulation in different states and territories of planning, zoning and development assessments.
The Commission is acting upon industry concerns that lengthy, duplicative and complex development approval processes across all levels of government impose significant burdens on Australian business.
The focus of the Commission's study will be on the unnecessary regulation faced by the proponents of large-scale private and public sector projects across a wide range of industry sectors including resources, infrastructure and commercial development.
The Commission is interested in receiving submissions from stakeholders with direct experience in negotiating the development assessment processes associated with getting a major project off the ground.
It is important for stakeholders to make submissions and potentially shape the future agenda for the reduction of green tape associated with major projects. The Commission's 2011 report into development assessment systems was heavily relied on in setting the reform agenda for New South Wales' planning laws.
Submissions to the Commission may be made until 25 March 2013. To assist stakeholders to make their submissions, the Commission has released an issues paper which is available by clicking here.
The Commission is due to submit its report and recommendations in December 2013.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.