This taxpayer-funded project before it was abandoned.
Just a few of the battles between developers and communities in recent years in Perth.Composite image
The project arose out of agreements between the Commonwealth government and the states to streamline environmental approvals for new urban land development in our capital cities while ensuring the highest level of protection for endangered species such as,in the case of Greater Perth,the Carnaby’s black cockatoo.
Sneakily,the media release about WA Labor’s cancellation went out on December 23 when most people were focused on Christmas shopping and heading off for that well-earned break. This Government isn’t shy about usingYes Minister skulduggery to avoid scrutiny! The release didn’t once mention either Carnaby’s cockatoos or land affordability – both hot-button topics in the community.
The announcement,led by Mark McGowan and co-signed by Rita Saffioti and Reece Whitby,provided very little comfort to those developers who have already invested into a project which was.
The announcement will no doubt cause concern for those who care about endangered species and should be of concern to the general community who universally support the delivery of sustainable,affordable housing in our state.
This project had its genesis under the Labor Carpenter Government in 2007 and 2008 where I had the privilege of representing the state as a member of a working group advising the Council of Australian Governments on reducing red tape and improving housing affordability.
One proposal debated was the delegation of federal environment approvals for urban land to the states,to avoid duplication of approval processes,reduce timeframes,reduce developers’ holding costs and therefore costs to home buyers.
The Rudd federal government wanted more assurance from the states,and this led to Strategic Assessments being recommended as an alternative to enable high-level oversight by the Commonwealth with the delivery of the approvals system by the states. This was agreed by all jurisdictions,including the incoming Barnett Government,in 2009.
Strategic Assessments have been completed,at various scales:the Melbourne Urban Growth Plan developed a comprehensive process including transparent monitoring measures and a centralised process for funding environmental protection. There is also a plan for Sydney’s growth centres.
The that he had thrown in the towel of genuinely streamlining approvals stated the McGowan government would instead focus on regional planning for Perth and Peel under WA’s Native Vegetation Policy.
Really? The Native Vegetation Policy,which was released earlier in 2022,is an extraordinarily flimsy document. It fails to even mention fauna,let alone endangered species such as Carnaby’s cockatoos,and does not have a triple-bottom-line approach,which would support housing affordability in balance with other priorities.
The community deserves a competent government that can both walk and chew gum at the same time – that is to protect our endangered species such as black cockatoos while delivering affordable land and housing for future generations.
Unfortunately,it seems that the duplication of state and federal environmental approvals processes will continue. This latest move seems perplexing but might be better understood within the trend being set by Planning and Transport Minister Rita Saffioti,which has been to systematically undermine the longstanding bipartisan approach to strategic urban planning.
Increasingly the minister is running roughshod over local community planning processes and environmental science in favour of a system which appears more reliant on the relationships with the minister and the WA Labor Party than inclusive consultation for the delivery of quality urban outcomes.
The most recent decision serves no one. Not those passionate about saving our flora and fauna,not those trying to purchase new homes,not the development sector trying to avoid delays and the resulting holding costs and certainly not future generations of home buyers.
Labor has no clear plan for the future. West Australians deserve much better than that.
Follow WAtoday on,, and for handpicked selections of the day’s biggest local,national and international news.