Our organisations do support legislation to make the RAA process a statutory process to address a range of existing problems we have been raising for over eight years.What our organisations are calling for is a transparent statutory process for assessment of developments in National Parks and Reserves, that includes merit-based planning appeal rights.
“Developers and the community
will face a peacemeal system with
no consistency from one municipality
to the next.”
The Mercury: Cloud Hanging Over Protection Of Our Coasts Read More »
“At a time where we should be thinking more about how and where we build, this will most likely increase the risk to buildings in the coastal zone. It will have implications around liability for local councillors, rate payers, and also implications for the insurance sector around insurability and potentially increase premiums.”- Sophie Underwood, State Director Planning Matters Alliance Tasmania
The Mercury: Sun, Sea and Scepticism Read More »
A Tasmanian State election is being held on 19 July 2025 for all House of Assembly seats. Of the 161 candidates announced by the Tasmanian Electoral Commission, PMAT managed to obtain email contact details for 120. Five substantive questions (Questions 5, 6,7,8 and 9) were asked of candidates.
2025 State Election Survey Results Read More »
Legislative Council (Upper House of Tasmanian Parliament) elections are being held on 24 May 2025 in the seats of Montgomery, Nelson and Pembroke. All 13 candidates across the three seats were contacted by PMAT with an email inviting them to undertake a survey on their position on DAPs (Development Assessment Panels).
DAP Survey Results: Legislative Election Candidates Position on DAPs 2025 Read More »
The Tasmanian Government’s renewed push for DAPs is another demonstration they don’t care about the community or Local Government,” says Ms Underwood, “In 2024, we saw huge opposition against the DAPs Bill with 92% of submissions (444/482) against, every local Council opposed, and the Legislative Council voted it down. This Bill is not significantly different to last time.
“Underpinning the DAP [Development Assessment Panel] proposal and the curtailment of appeal rights is the undermining of democracy. And there is also the fact that given Tasmania’s appalling propensity for conflicts of interest and weak political donation laws, the risk of undue influence, to put it mildly, cannot be ruled out.” Greg Barns piece published in the Mercury – Some disturbing developments for democracy (3/3/2025).
The Mercury: Some Disturbing Developments for Democracy Read More »
Planning legislation critics say new bill is very similar to last year’s failed attempt. Written by David Killick in The Mercury 01/03/2025.
The Mercury: DAPs ‘undemocratic’ Read More »
A DAP proposal represents a very elitist view that would fundamentally undermine our councils, writes Professor David Adams.
“The Government has brought back this highly contentious Bill, despite 92% of the almost 500 submissions received on the first version of the anti-democratic Bill in 2024 were opposed. The DAPs Bill was so flawed, every council in Tasmania voted against it and it was voted down in the Legislative Council on the last sitting day of Parliament last year,” said Sophie Underwood, State Director of the Planning Matters Alliance Tasmania (PMAT).
