Independent Planning Commission Review a gift to the mining industry, risks undermining accessibility, accountability and independence of the Commission.
Independent NSW MP Justin Field has warned that proposed changes to the NSW Independent Planning Commission announced by the NSW Government today risk undermining the accessibility, accountability and independence of the body.
"These changes will allow the Government, through the Planning Minister, to set so called 'outcomes' focussed objectives. Conceivably the Minister could set a target for coal or gas mining approvals which would create clear conflicts in considering the impacts of a project on the community, environment, climate and water resources. It's worrying that these changes have been announced just a day after the NSW Government signed a deal with the Commonwealth to meet a gas target, potentially opening the door coal seam gas development across the state with the controversial Narrabri Gas Project currently under assessment.
“The changes also set a much higher bar for projects to be considered controversial and referred to the IPC for decision, doubling the number of objections that need to be received and requiring those objections to be from citizens within 100 kilometres of a project. That might make sense in the city, but when a coal mine or gas project could impact on a river or groundwater system relied on by landholders hundreds of kilometres away, it’s unfair and a gift to the proponents of potentially damaging projects.
“All citizens have a direct interest in projects with a large climate change impact and those submissions should carry equal weight. The Mining Industry have been rewarded for their massive advertising campaign to force this review by changes that reduce the ability of citizens to object and be heard on damaging projects.
“All citizens have a direct interest in projects with a large climate change impact and those submissions should carry equal weight. The Mining Industry have been rewarded for their massive advertising campaign to force this review by changes that reduce the ability of citizens to object and be heard on damaging projects.
"With the NSW Government still pursuing law changes to limit the ability of the IPC to consider downstream emissions impacts, these changes to how the IPC will operate risk undermining the ability of the state to meet its stated emissions targets and sets us further back in efforts to take action on climate change,” Mr Field said.
