Question – Consultation with local government sector over DAPS Draft Bill 2025?
The Hon Meg Webb MLC asked the following questions regarding the DAP Draft Bill Mark-2 of the Minister for Local Government, the Hon. Kerry Vincent MLC, during Legislative Council Question Time on Wednesday, 2 April 2025.
Development Assessment Panels Bill – Public Consultation
Ms WEBB question to MINISTER for LOCAL GOVERNMENT, Mr VINCENT
As you would recall, last year during public comment on the government’s Land Use Planning and Approvals Amendment (Development Assessment Panels) Bill, it became clear that the state’s local government sector opposed that particular bill.
Further, on 21 November last year, LGAT issued a media release stating representatives from all 29 councils had voted unanimously to reject last year’s bill, stating extreme disappointment with the government’s approach, and urging professional consultation and collaboration to occur with the local government sector.
In light of that strong feedback from your key stakeholders, have you ensured the local government sector has been professionally consulted and collaborated with during the current public consultation on the revised DAP bill?
Can you detail the steps you have taken to reassure yourself, as the Minister for Local Government, that all 29 councils are being consulted with appropriately in relation to that bill?
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ANSWER
Mr President, since taking on the local government ministry, I have fostered, developed and encouraged a very close working relationship with people that used to be my colleagues for a lot of years. That has been hugely successful, I believe, in discussing many and varied things affecting local government, but mainly along the lines of directly under local government.
I believe they have a general meeting today in Hobart where the DAPs is being discussed. Quite shortly, some of them might be here to chat with me as well. I do not know where their feeling is at the moment. They still have some reservations about it. I have spoken with the minister Mr Ellis’s office and he, himself, about the sensible way of discussing that with local government, but I am not directly involved with the DAPs discussions with Local Government Association or individual councils.
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Development Assessment Panels Bill – Public Consultation
Ms WEBB question to MINISTER for LOCAL GOVERNMENT, Mr VINCENT
Thank you for that answer. The question was not so much whether you knew what their view was at this time on that bill, but what you had done to reassure yourself that consultation had occurred appropriately with them, given that feedback from last time. Can you clarify whether you have confidence that appropriate consultation has occurred, and how you have gone about ensuring or giving yourself that confidence?
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ANSWER
Mr President, I can assure the member that my office has had quite a few conversations in how things should be and could be communicated, but it is up to the individual minister on how they may do that. The local government and the variety of mayors in the position, there are a lot of strong wills in amongst them that will have their own say, and I am sure they are doing that this morning and this afternoon. I will re-examine that when I have a bit more information, for the little bit that I may have influence over. A different minister is looking after it. Thank you.
