Tim Hollo, ACT Greens candidate for Canberra, has announced what he terms an ambitious plan to fundamentally reform the National Capital Authority.
“The NCA is a débâcle that has lost the confidence of the Canberra community, who see how it shepherds the development proposals it is supposed to approve, and sidelines the voices of the people,” Mr Hollo said.
“One of my top priorities, if elected, is to reform the NCA. I would facilitate a community-wide discussion of what we would like to see from a body such as the NCA. At the same time, I would seek a formal review of the NCA’s activities, processes, and decisions.
“We need a body Canberrans can trust; it needs to respect democracy, expertise, and good process.”
As the first cross-bench Member for Canberra, Mr Hollo said he would pursue the following agenda:
1. JSCNCET inquiry: He would seek appointment to the Joint Standing Committee on the National Capital and External Territories, and establish a formal inquiry into the operations of the NCA. This inquiry would develop recommendations for:
a. proposed legislative reforms for an effective, democratic, expert national planning body;
b. what issues if any the NCA should refer to the ANAO for formal audits;
c. whether the designated area of NCA management remains appropriate, or if parts of the area should be put under ACT management;
d. a form of MOU between the Commonwealth and the ACT regarding which body is responsible for what tasks across the designated area, including works approval, water management, grasslands management, etc.;
e. what the appropriate levels of resourcing would be for the body
2. Public participatory process: as the local member, Mr Hollo would set up an informal participatory process, in parallel with the formal inquiry, to determine what the community wants from national planning in the city.
3. ANAO referral: in consultation with the community, Mr Hollo would seek referral of specific questions and processes to the Australian National Audit Office.
4. Legislative reforms: Mr Hollo said there are specific legislative reforms that are necessary based on minimum standards of planning law. He would move amendments to the ACT (PALM) Act to immediately:
a. grant individuals and community organisations standing to appeal;
b. abolish early works approvals, which are contrary to basic principles of planning, that projects must be considered as a whole;
c. institute an independent process for appointments to ensure that the board is made up of skilled experts and community representatives accountable to the community and the parliament.
