The Department of State Development, Tourism and Innovation has announced that more red tape is planned to be removed from the State’s planning, development and infrastructure regimes and that public comment is invited.
Treasurer and Minister for Infrastructure and Planning, Cameron Dick said the COVID-19 planning red tape reduction strategy would help businesses trade more quickly and act as a boost to job creation.
“The changes we’re proposing in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic are designed to ease the economic burden for businesses across our State,” Mr Dick said.
“These red tape reduction measures are about protecting and creating jobs during this recovery period, and making sure communities in every corner of Queensland have the critical supplies they need in times of crisis.”
He said the State was seeing the worst global business conditions since the Great Depression.
“Our Government’s job is to reduce the impact of these conditions on Queensland businesses, and that’s driven by our plan for economic recovery,” Mr Dick said.
“The planning law changes we’ve made over the past four months have led the nation, and as we continue delivering our Unite and Recover COVID-19 economic plan we’ll keep looking for ways to make it easier for Queensland businesses to employ and thrive.”
He said the proposed changes would benefit businesses, industry and communities by simplifying or removing a number of current planning approvals.
This would make it easier, for instance, if a business tenancy changed within an existing building, such as a hairdresser replacing a café in a local town centre.
“The amendments would also see approvals for critical infrastructure like hospitals and schools streamlined by allowing for environmental assessment and public consultation to occur simultaneously,” Mr Dick said.
“Additionally, timeframes for undertaking approved development have recently been extended, providing greater flexibility and certainty for the building and construction industries.”
Consultation on the proposed changes is to run until 7 August and anyone wanting to have their say can do so at this PS News link.
