ACT Greens leader Shane Rattenbury has criticised the ACT government's planning bill, setting off a process which mean the Greens will not be part of cabinet discussions about the bill's development.
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The long-awaited planning bill was introduced into the Legislative Assembly on Wednesday, which, if passed, promises to be the most significant change to the territory's planning system since self-government in 1989.
Planning Minister Mick Gentleman, who introduced the bill, said it was an "important day" for planning in Canberra.
The new bill will place a greater emphasis on project outcomes and will create specific plans for each of Canberra's districts.
The act will also drop controversial "call in" powers but the government will still be able to bypass regular development application procedures when a project is deemed a "territory priority project".
The bill was first released earlier this year for consultation.
But Mr Rattenbury issued a statement to say his party, which is the junior Coalition partner to ACT Labor, welcomed the introduction of the bill but said further issues needed to be addressed before it could be passed.
"We believe that further changes are needed, particularly around ensuring that the new Planning Act strengthens environmental protection and action on climate change and includes clear measures to improve community consultation and engagement through key planning decisions, including territory priority projects," Mr Rattenbury said.
"Compared to the draft bill released in March, there have been good improvements, for example it is pleasing that the bill has been updated to incorporate the principles of community consultation and the development of community consultation guidelines."
Mr Rattenbury said the Greens would continue to work with ACT Labor and stakeholders to deliver a planning system that fully met the expectations of the community and the environment.
"We are confident that continuing our good collaboration on this important reform will achieve this," he said.
A spokesman for ACT Labor said the party respected the Greens ministers' decision to put forward amendments to the planning bill when it is debated in the Legislative Assembly.
The party spokesman said the government would engage constructively with all members of the Assembly to deliver an improved planning system for Canberra.
The parliamentary and governing agreement struck between Labor and the Greens allows the Greens to amend government legislation they support "in principle", but this means the Greens cannot participate in cabinet discussions about the legislation.
The agreement says cabinet decisions would be by consensus "wherever possible".
Mr Rattenbury's statement is the first time the Greens have used this provision of the governing agreement in this term of government.
Signs of a strained working relationship between Labor and the Greens have emerged in recent months over particular issues.
The cabinet split of the issue of government funding provided to the ACT's horse racing industry in June, which prompted the Greens to announce they would seek to amend the appropriation bills in the Assembly, setting off a no-confidence motion in Chief Minister Andrew Barr, who the opposition said could not guarantee supply. Mr Barr survived the motion.
The Greens in May voted against a Liberal motion reaffirming the Assembly's support for defence industry companies in Canberra, splitting with Labor, which supported the motion in an amended form.
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Meanwhile, the opposition said it was concerned the new planning laws did not have the best interests of Canberrans at heart.
The opposition spokesman on planning and land management, Peter Cain, said the new system proposed in the bill would not be adequately accountable or transparent.
"The people of Canberra deserve better than an expansive and expensive legislative reform package that only seems to advantage an unelected and unaccountable planning bureaucracy," Mr Cain said in a statement.
"Despite this prolonged process of review and reform, there are still far too many question marks over this legislation."
The Assembly's planning, transport and city services standing committee will hold an inquiry into the planning bill, with submissions due by November 16, meaning it will not be debated in the Assembly until next year.
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Lucy Bladen
Lucy Bladen has been a journalist at The Canberra Times since 2019. She is an ACT politics and health reporter. Email: l.bladen@canberratimes.com.au
Lucy Bladen has been a journalist at The Canberra Times since 2019. She is an ACT politics and health reporter. Email: l.bladen@canberratimes.com.au
Jasper Lindell
Jasper Lindell joined The Canberra Times in 2018. He is a Legislative Assembly reporter, covering ACT politics and government. He also writes about development, transport, heritage, local history, literature and the arts, as well as contributing to the Times' Panorama magazine. He was previously a Sunday Canberra Times reporter.
Jasper Lindell joined The Canberra Times in 2018. He is a Legislative Assembly reporter, covering ACT politics and government. He also writes about development, transport, heritage, local history, literature and the arts, as well as contributing to the Times' Panorama magazine. He was previously a Sunday Canberra Times reporter.
