PMAT wants strategic, visionary land use planning where communities have a voice.

PMAT is unapologetically non-partisan.  We want politicians elected who have strong planning credentials.

Table 1 scores each main party with regard to PMAT’s key election issues and voting record in Parliament on the Major Projects Bill. We strongly recommend that you also look at your independents’ position on planning.

What do we know from the main parties?

Greens

The Greens fully support PMAT’s key election issues and they voted against the controversial Major Projects Bill. Their strong 2021 planning policy (which can be seen here and a summary here) aligns the best with PMAT’s Platform, when compared with all parties. Highlights are:

·         A push for strategic planning and State Policies for climate change, biodiversity, settlement/public transport, health well- being and cultural preservation.

·         Affordable and accessible planning appeals system.

·         Centralisation of powers to the Minister to be wound back.

·         Community involvement and local voice enshrined in legislation.

Labor

Labor is to be commended for releasing a detailed planning policy for the 2021 Tasmanian State election, see here. The highlights include:

·         Actions to use the planning system to help address the housing crisis by making housing affordability an objective of Tasmanian Planning Policies.

·         To review residential planning standards to deliver a greater array of affordable housing options including infill housing and better design.

·         Support for strategic planning by creating a standalone State Planning agency to provide advice on planning regulations and policies.

Liberals

PMAT understands that the Tasmanian Liberals have not released a comprehensive planning policy for the 2021 Tasmanian State election. In our view they are continuing to dismantle Tasmania’s planning system with their recent proposed changes to Tasmania’s key planning Act and appeals process. By not releasing a comprehensive policy, we consider they are being less than transparent.

Please Continue to Contact your State Election Candidates – It will take less than on minute

Many thanks to all of you who have emailed your State election candidates asking them to commit to PMAT’s key election issues – commitments to keep planning within Local Councils, to allow the current implementation of the Tasmanian Planning Scheme to run its course and to maintaining a robust planning appeals tribunal, and in particular, to refuse the proposal for security for cost orders. If you have not done so, you can email them here now – it will take less than one minute. Emailing your candidates, will help keep our elected representatives to account.

Table 1 – PMAT Score Card – 2021 Tasmanian State Election.