- Opinion Piece
Mercury Opinion Piece: Bill diminishes critical checks and balances
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Sophie Underwood
PMAT State Director
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“Australia’s High Court has recognised that it is in the “nature” of the business activities of property developers that they ‘might seek to influence [decisions] in their self-interest.’ One of the important roles for merits review is to create a second opportunity to ensure primary decision-makers have appropriately balanced common values like clean water and healthy environments against development interests. The government’s proposal would remove that opportunity.”
Please read this informative piece on DAPs published in today’s Mercury 07/11/24. Writers include Anja Hilkemeijer and Dr Phillipa McCormack who spoke at PMAT’s #SCRAPTHEDAP Public Meeting last year. You can watch the livestream here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nlee6srLT-s&t=1s
Anja Hilkemeijer – Lecturer in law at the University of Tasmania, with a focus on foundations of public law, constitutional law and human rights law.
Dr Phillipa McCormack – Adjunct Lecturer in Law, University of Tasmania & researcher with the University of Adelaide with expertise in environmental regulation & administrative law. MAKE A SUBMISSION:
To #SCRAPTHEDAP in 6 simple steps via our website: https://planningmatterstas.org.au/take-action-daps/ SUBMISSIONS CLOSE:
Next week – 12th November 2024 @ 5pm.

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