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Canberra Today 14°/16° | Friday, March 29, 2024 | Digital Edition | Crossword & Sudoku

Auditor-general slams planning, again

OPPOSITION Leader Zed Seselja said there’s little wonder why Canberra is too expensive for many first home buyers, after the release of the auditor-general’s report into Canberra’s building development and approvals.

The “Development Application and Approval System for High Density Residential and Commercial Developments” report was presented for tabling in the ACT Legislative Assembly today by the Auditor General, Dr Maxine Cooper.

According to the report three of  the 22 audit recommendations made in the previous auditor-general’s office report in 2005, “still prevail”.

“The recommendations that are still relevant from the 2005 audit relate to improvements to administration of the entity referral process and the adoption of Ecologically Sustainable Development principles to individual development assessments,” the report reads.

“Further weakness identified through this 2012 audit relate to governance  arrangements and urban design.

“The ACT development application and approval system for high density residential and commercial  developments should be improved to support a more transparent and timely process and to achieve more  efficient and effective development outcomes for industry, Government and the ACT community.”

Seselja said the report is a “damning assessment of ACT Labor’s inability to manage the planning system”.

“The fact that ACT Labor can’t even meet the legislated development processing timeframes shows just how shambolic the system has become under their governance,” he said.

“Building is an important local industry which should be fostered by the ACT Government, but ACT Labor’s severe mismanagement of the planning system has left the industry with little certainty. Coupled with ACT Labor’s $50,000+ per unit tax, it’s clear why the ACT’s building approvals are slumping so badly.”

For copies of the report visit, www.audit.act.gov.au.

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