COAG’s Reform Council today released a review that revealed the ACT Government  needs to better its cooperation with the National Capital Authority and that the private sector should play a bigger role in the Territory’s infrastructure.

The Review of Capital Cities Strategic Planning Systems was based on three tasks: a review of State and Territory capital city strategic planning systems against nine agreed criteria; support for continuous improvement in strategic planning; and, building and sharing knowledge of best practice planning approaches.

Overall the ACT ranked well in seven of the nine criteria. However in “Criterion seven: frameworks for investment and innovation” and “Criterion nine (a): accountabilities, timelines and performance measures”, the ACT only ranked “partially consistent”.

According to the review, the current communication structures between the Governments and local government authorities “allow the relationship to continue despite divergent opinions on some issues”.

“Better cooperation between the ACT Government and the National Capital Authority is required. More clearly defined roles and responsibilities, as recommended in the recent Hawke Review of the National Capital Authority, may help,” the report says.
“These issues are not entirely within the remit of the ACT Government, so it may not be able to act unilaterally to resolve them. The Commonwealth and NSW governments will also need to play a part in resolving them.”

The review also said, “owing to the microeconomic reforms of the last 20 years, the private sector is able to play a larger role in infrastructure provision”.

“However, these reform efforts, at this stage, are focused on addressing specific constraints caused by elements of the planning system,” the review said

According to the review, the ACT Government had reported it will examine the barriers to private sector involvement done  through the Economic Directorate.

“This is  intended to address the gap in information about the cumulative effect of ACT’s various  regulatory and taxation frameworks on the incentives and risks facing the private sector in  trying to deliver infrastructure,” the review says.

Minister for Environment and Sustainable Development Simon Corbell said Canberra’s result was excellent and highlighted the strengths in the Territory’s strategic planning system.

“It reflects targeted improvements to strategic decision making and budgeting processes in the ACT that are have been implemented over the past twelve months and ongoing reforms. It also gives us some clear insights in where we can continue to improve,” Mr Corbell said.

Mr Corbell said the COAG Reform Council had “noted a range of existing and future work to consolidate the strengths of the ACT’s planning system and improve the ACT’s alignment with the criteria over time”.

“The ACT Government is committed to a program of work that will continuously improve our strategic planning systems,” he said.