The Planning Bill 2022 passed the Legislative Assembly in June, and with it a plan to introduce nine district strategies for different parts of the ACT. But the Canberra Liberals are impatient to see the finalised versions, which they believe should have been published last month.

Mick Gentleman, ACT Minister for Planning and Land Management, told the Legislative Assembly in early June that once the bill had passed, the Territory Plan and the District Strategies were the next step, and would be finalised “in the next month” – i.e., July.

But the Territory Plan and District Strategies have not yet been released, Canberra Liberals MLA Peter Cain, Shadow Minister for Planning and Land Management, remarked.

Mick Gentleman said that the documents would be released once the Government had reviewed public feedback.

Canberra Liberals

“Where are the finalised District Strategies and the new Territory Plan?” Mr Cain asked.

“June has come and gone. July has come and gone. It is now August, and we still have no indication of when these reforms will be finalised and released to the public.

“It is the community and industry stakeholders who lose out the most because of this uncertainty.

“We all need time to analyse and assess these important planning reforms to see how they will affect how residents live, how businesses operate, and how suburbs look.”

Mr Cain also said that the public had yet to receive any updates on the interim Territory Plan, which due to come into effect next month.

“How is Canberra’s building and construction sector meant to adjust to a new set of rules and regulations when there is only four weeks until it comes into effect, and we haven’t seen it?” Mr Cain asked.

“How are Canberra’s residents meant to inform themselves of how their houses, streets and suburbs will be affected by new reforms when they are given no time to process them?

“These reforms are too important to the new planning system to continue to be unavailable to the public.”

ACT Government response

“The Government received over 3,000 pieces of feedback on the draft district strategies and Territory Plan during public consultation,” Mr Gentleman said. “Over the past few months, the Government has been carefully considering the extensive feedback.

“The Cabinet is currently considering the revised Territory Plan and District Strategies, and they will be introduced into the Assembly once this process has been completed.”