Goulburn Mulwaree Council is campaigning against planning reforms. Photo: James Coleman.
A regional council has labelled state-wide planning reforms as a betrayal and “clearly erosion” of their role, but a senior NSW politician argues they’ll still have a voice.
The Planning System Reforms Bill 2025, which passed NSW Parliament earlier this month, seeks to streamline the planning and approval process for the state.
Among its changes are the introduction of Local Planning Panels (LPPs), which are set to shake up how development applications (DA) are determined.
At a recent meeting, Goulburn Mulwaree Council Mayor Nina Dillon used her mayoral minute to urge the NSW Government to pull back from the reforms.
“The NSW Government has enabling provisions that means elected councillors will no longer have any role in the consideration of development assessments … the decision-making powers previously vested in councillors for DA matters would now be vested solely in the Local Planning Panel.”
She also claimed there had been no consultation around LPPs with councils or local government sector bodies beforehand, despite other elements of the reforms being discussed.
“I have spoken to several [state politicians] … nobody realised the significance of it, because it’s not actually spelled out in the Bill.
“Nobody understood that this was a consequence of it.”
During the meeting, Councillor Jason Shepherd said the “very short-sighted” change also risked impacts beyond the development process.
“I believe the changes … reduces the community’s voice and representation, which will have a negative impact on the community’s trust and diminish expectations,” he said.
“The community has a right to access decision makers within their community and not await word from detached and remote bureaucrats.”
In her motion, Mayor Dillon sought to have councillors included in LLPs, pointing to the existing Regional Planning Panels where they are featured.
The mayoral minute also flagged the council’s intent to work with other local government sector bodies against the implementation of the changes.
Cr Dillon describes the changes as “clearly erosion” of local council’s role. Photo: John Thistleton.
She called on council to write to several politicians, including Planning and Public Spaces Minister Paul Scully, with their concerns.
Mr Scully pushed back on claims that local government would be cut out from decision-making.
“The elected members will continue to set the strategic planning direction for a council including preparing or reviewing development control plans, local environmental plans, strategic plans, policy direction, submissions to Department on policies or reforms and making representations on behalf of community,” he told Region.
“Importantly, these set the boundaries that development proposals must adhere to in any given area.”
Mr Scully also said the changes were being brought in following “corruption protection recommendations” from the Independent Commission Against Corruption.
Going forward, he said DAs would be determined by the LPPs (featuring “local representatives”) or by council staff, in line with a council’s planning documents.
“The vast majority of these processes and decisions are already made by council officers under delegation.”
The staged removal of regional planning panels is set to be subject to further consultation.
