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| Ian Gilfillan Australian Democrats Member of the Legislative Council |
News Release |
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| Ian Gilfillan Australian Democrats Member of the Legislative Council |
News Release |
DEVELOPMENT ASSESSMENT MUST BE TRANSPARENT
The Australian Democrats have called on Onkaparinga Council to change its development assessment procedures, to ensure greater transparency and accountability.
Democrats Shadow Minister for Local Government, Ian Gilfillan says Onkaparinga Council has been circumventing the spirit of the Local Government Act by taking all of these decisions behind closed doors.
The Democrats last year forced amendments to the Local Government Act, limiting the occasions on which Council (and Council committee) meetings could be closed to the public.
Yet under the Development Act 1993, any Council can delegate all its assessment decisions to bodies which may comprise entirely unelected, unaccountable members.
"This is clearly not what Parliament intended when it approved the new Local Government Act 1999.
"It is vital for Councils to have expert assistance, and it is appropriate that most routine development assessment is delegated to individual officers, or even to committees of experts.
"But granting development approval is an exercise of public power. It is elected Councils who retain the final responsibility, and have the ultimate accountability to the public.
"For larger or controversial projects, Councils should take the formal step of final approval, in a public manner, as the Local Government Act 1999 envisages.
Democrats Leader Mike Elliott is presently examining the Development Act to consider possible amendments, when Parliament resumes later this month.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Ian Gilfillan
