Under questioning in Budget Estimates hearings this morning, the Planning Minister and ACT Chief Planner failed to provide an official definition of what was a developer.

Under sustained questioning from Shadow Minister for Planning and Land Management, Peter Cain, about the transparency of which stakeholders he meets with, the Chief Planner said there was no official definition of a developer available to the Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate.

Mr Cain asked how the Chief Planner knows when to declare a conflict of interest when he does not have a definition of a developer established to inform him.

“I call on the government to clearly define what is a property developer, so the Chief Planner can declare conflicts appropriately should they arise.”

“How else will he know that there is a conflict?”

“Given the extraordinary powers now granted to the Chief Planner under the new planning legislation, transparency is even more essential to good governance and to ensure developments that are approved by the Chief Planner are done so appropriately.”

“The planning space requires constant scrutiny to ensure strong accountability and it is concerning that the Planning Minister and Chief Planner do not have substantive protocols to ensure that there are no conflicts of interest or inappropriate meetings.”

“This Labor-Greens government are on exceedingly thin ice regarding integrity and transparency,” Mr Cain concluded.