Year in review – a local
government perspective
Cr Bill McArthur, President,
Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV)
not altered in the last year, or indeed many years, there is
greater agreement across councils about what and where
improvements should be targeted. Our submission to the
Ministerial Committee on planning system reform (Underwood
Review) highlighted the need to achieve more from the system
we have, rather than applying any further ‘quick fix’ or ‘bandaid’ solutions.
The MAV wants to see system-wide performance monitoring,
Local government planners and councillors ended last year with
as well as a system that focuses on outcomes, not process.
high hopes on the back of Victoria electing a new Government
The Victoria Planning Provisions do not currently provide
with a strong commitment to local decision-making in planning.
councils with tools to effectively achieve State and local policy
It’s true that councils are the lynch-pin of planning in Victoria. objectives. We hope, for example, that a new set of Residential
Councils make a significant investment in permit assessment, zones will allow the targeting of more intense development
the preparation and updating of municipal planning schemes, areas not currently provided for in the ResCode building
and ensuring compliance with those schemes.
envelope ‘one size fits all’ approach. The MAV’s response to
As the peak representative and advocacy body for Victorian the review also highlighted the need to reward good strategic
councils, the MAV works closely with our members, holding planning with streamlined approvals processes.
two State Council meetings each year and tackling priorities Planning is often characterised by rumblings of dissent.
identified by our members as critical to the sector.
Programs such as the Building the Education Revolution and
wind farm developments - with many old approvals yet to be
Common themes have underpinned our work: that local
built - have further disenfranchised communities and led to
government is a partner – not just another stakeholder in
planning; that planning instruments are not well aligned with reduced confidence in the planning system.
outcomes; that processes are too complex and costly; and that Policy uncertainty; inconsistency by decision-makers; callcouncils seek more autonomy for local decision-making in the ins; insufficient engagement by government of industry and
context of state objectives.
community; and regular undermining of established processes
The MAV has placed significant support behind developing all work against improved community and industry confidence
in the system.
and delivering our STEP Planning Process Improvement
A mature and effective partnership between State and local
Program, with 21 councils signed on and all making good
government is critical for planning services to be efficiently
progress. The program guides councils to examine and improve
delivered and outcomes effectively achieved. The MAV initiated
the administration of their planning services and develop
and participates in a number of working groups to assist the
additional management tools and skills.
State Government to achieve its objectives for housing capacity
Exploration of business processes for planning scheme
assessments, wind farms, native vegetation and developer
amendments; permit assessments; referrals; and performance
contributions.
reporting has generated significant data, and an evidencebase to support the many submissions made by the MAV on Despite announcements about reviews of the planning system
and developer contributions, as well as re-prosecution of
our members’ behalf.
previous reviews, we end another year more or less where we
While the focus of activity at the State level was to honour and
started - with high hopes; ready and willing to contribute to the
implement election commitments, including significant new
policy and reform agenda that is yet to emerge.
community infrastructure funding, at the local level the day-toOne particular promise is the ‘once in a lifetime’ opportunity
day challenges have remained.
presented by the concurrent development of Regional Growth
Following the Victorian Government’s commitment to establish
Plans and a new metropolitan strategy – effectively a strategic
a ‘rural flying squad’, the MAV undertook a needs analysis of plan for Victoria, and the opportunity for a spatial plan with
member priorities in terms of support required for statutory and
whole-of-government commitment, secured funding and an
strategic planning. This work confirmed high and unremitting agreed implementation plan. We look forward to being a part
planning workloads, as well as additional challenges for small of this journey.
and more remote councils of staff attraction and retention.
·
Our well attended quarterly rural land-use planning forum
has brought together elected representatives, councils, State
Government planners and rural industry to inform councils
and talk through solutions about small lots; productive
land; growth planning; and how the investment in regional
planning can deliver more ‘fit for purpose’ contemporary
rural planning schemes.
Councils have worked hard to implement the Bushfires
Royal Commission recommendations including input to the
new bushfire planning provisions. This work has occurred
in tandem with rebuilding and new applications in bushfire
areas continuing, and the inherent complexity of balancing
environmental protection and risk management with
landowners’ expectations.
Although the fundamentals of the planning system have
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Planning News Volume 37 No.11 December 2011
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