Report confirms need for continued reform

The Property Council of Australia has released the 2015 Development Assessment Report Card (3rd Edition), showing that while Queensland’s planning system has improved over the past three years, there is still more work to do.

Property Council of Australia Queensland Executive Director Chris Mountford said that the report showed that there has been a noticeable and very welcome change in attitudes towards planning and reform.

“It is very pleasing that in the three years since the last report card was released a consensus has emerged across stakeholders and political divides that a better planning and development assessment system is a priority for Queensland,” Mr Mountford said.

“Positive changes have been made over this period, and this looks set to continue following the Government’s release last week of the Better Planning for Queensland – Directions Paper.

“In 2012, the Development Assessment Report Card scored Queensland’s system 5.8 out of ten. That placed Queensland as the worst system in mainland Australia.

“Over the past three years Queensland has implemented a number of reforms which have seen the State’s score increase to 6.8. This makes Queensland the biggest improver over the period.

“There is no question that there is a real positive momentum behind planning reform now in Queensland, and this is a credit to all of the stakeholders involved and both sides of politics.

“Importantly the report also shows that the efforts made by state and local government to improve the system in recent years have been noticed and welcomed by industry.

“Off the back of this work, Queensland is now well positioned to achieve the aim of having the best planning and development assessment system in the country in the coming years.

“But the job is not done yet. There is a need to maintain the momentum that has been established if planning reform is truly going to be a tool to drive economic growth and address housing affordability in Queensland.

“We look forward to being a constructive participant in the ongoing reform process.”

The Property Council’s media release and the report can be found at the PDF links below.