Protecting and Advocating for Tasmania's Future through Better Planning.

Planning Matters Alliance Tasmania is a peak body and growing network of almost 70 diverse community groups from across lutruwita/Tasmania. Our Alliance members recognise land use planning impacts every inch of Tasmania. They are united in common concern over the current Tasmanian state planning laws and what they will mean for Tasmania’s future.

PMAT works to raise community awareness about planning and encourages community engagement in the planning process. 

We hold that good planning is fundamental to supporting both people and nature to thrive and underpins a healthy democracy and how we respond to climate change. 

PMAT’s vision is for Tasmania to be a global leader in planning excellence. We work to achieve best practice planning and a healthy democracy that incorporates the following values:

  1. Embrace and respect all Tasmanians
  2. Enhance community well-being, health and prosperity
  3. Enhance the liveability of cities, towns and rural areas
  4. Nourish and care for Tasmania’s outstanding natural values
  5. Recognise and enrich our cultural heritage
  6. Integrate good design principles
  7. Through democratic and transparent processes, deliver sustainable, integrated development in harmony with the surrounding environment. 
Scrap the DAP

#ScrapTheDAP

Say Yes to Healthy Democracy & Say NO to The Liberals Development Assessment Panels.

Thank you to everyone who helped us take action against the Liberals Development Assessment Panels (DAPs). Submissions closed on the 29 March 2024. We received almost 500 submissions! 

The State Government is proposing a developer friendly development assessment and approval process for World Heritage Areas, National Parks and other Reserves as well as for all urban/private land across Tasmania.

There are two current ‘consultation’ processes: 

DAPs on reserved/public land – The State Government is proposing a developer friendly development assessment and approval process for World Heritage Areas, National Parks and other Reserves. Submissions closed on the 29 March 2024.

DAPs on urban/private land -The Draft Land Use Planning and Approvals (Development Assessment Panel) Amendment Bill 2024 was expected to be released for public comment in March 2024 before being tabled in the Tasmanian Parliament. PMAT will be in contact after the 23 March 2024 State Election if the Bill is released for public comment.

A State election is being held on 23 March 2024 for all House of Assembly seats.  Of the 167 candidates announced by the Tasmanian Electoral Commission, PMAT managed to obtain email contact details for 160.  The remainder did not have email details provided.  Only 25 candidates completed the survey.  The survey was open from Sunday 3 March 2024 until midnight Saturday 9 March 2024.

View PMAT’s State Election candidate survey results regarding Development Assessment Panels – where do your candidates stand on DAPs?

Our Work

The Our Work section is a work in progress. New topics will be progressively added covering issues such as State of the Environment Reporting, the Tasmanian Planning Scheme, State Elections, climate change and mitigation, housing, residential standards and urban amenity, transparency and democracy, geodiversity, population, Regional Land Use Strategies, heritage buildings and landscapes. 

Keeping Local Councils Local

PMAT supports keeping local councils local - looking after local planning decisions and services for local people with local jobs. PMAT does not support the State Government takeover of local councils or the bypassing of councils by property developers.

National Parks & Reserves

Commercial tourism development, along with many other Permitted uses, can be approved in most national parks and reserves with no guarantee of public consultation and rights to appeal over public land on almost 50% of Tasmania.

Aboriginal Heritage

The Tasmanian Planning Scheme does not mandate the consideration of impacts on Aboriginal Heritage, including Cultural Landscapes, when assessing a new development or use that will impact on Aboriginal cultural heritage.

Community Guides

PMAT works to educate, raise awareness and inspire engagement in planning and Local Government issues and processes in Tasmania via the development of free community guides.

Healthy Landscapes

Landscape, biodiversity & scenic landscape protection.

Local Government Elections

Democracy cannot function without communication. In order for voters to make informed choices among candidates, voters must learn about candidates’ policy positions. During the last two Local Government elections PMAT surveyed candidates to ask their position on planning.

Support Us

Make a donation to Planning Matters Alliance Tasmania. By supporting us you are ensuring that we can continue to advocate and protect Tasmania's future through better planning.
PMAT’s vision is for Tasmania to be a global leader in planning excellence. We believe best practice planning must embrace and respect all Tasmanians, enhance community well-being, health and prosperity, nourish and care for Tasmania’s outstanding natural values, recognise and enrich our cultural heritage and, through democratic and transparent processes, deliver sustainable, integrated development in harmony with the surrounding environment.

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Stay informed on what’s happening locally and statewide within Tasmania, and join our community in advocating to protect Tasmania’s future.

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