Archived News for Professionals in State Government - GovernmentCareer

Submissions to the NSW Government’s issues paper on the NSW Planning System Review, entitled, The way ahead for planning in NSW?, are due by 2 March.

The issues paper addresses the objectives of new planning legislation that will provide the basis for a new planning system.

Victoria miffed over GST update

The Victorian Government has criticised as inequitable the Commonwealth Grants Commission 2012 Update of GST Relativities, and called for reform of the existing formula.

ACT Emergency Services Commissioner to get stronger powers

The ACT Emergency Services Agency (ESA) Commissioner will be given stronger emergency coordination powers through a Bill introduced by the Minister for Police and Emergency Services, Simon Corbell.

New Solicitor General for WA

Attorney General Christian Porter has announced the permanent appointment of Grant Donaldson SC as the Solicitor General for Western Australia.

Mr Porter said the Governor had approved Mr Donaldson’s appointment and he would begin his new role on Monday February 27.

“Mr Donaldson’s varied breadth and quality of legal and courtroom experience make him an ideal permanent appointment to the position,” the Attorney General said.

“He has an appreciation of wider public policy issues as well as experience in commercial, private and criminal law litigation.”

Mr Donaldson will replace Robert Mitchell SC, who has been acting in the role since June 2011. The former Solicitor General, Mr Robert Meadows QC, retired from the position on July 18, 2011.

Mr Donaldson was admitted to practice in WA in 1987, having completed a Bachelor of Jurisprudence and Bachelor of Laws (Hons) from The University of WA, and a Bachelor of Civil Law from Oxford University. He was the WA Rhodes Scholar in 1986. Since 1998, Mr Donaldson SC has practised as a barrister at Francis Burt Chambers and was appointed Senior Counsel in 2004.

Mr Donaldson’s salary, as determined by the Salaries and Allowances Tribunal, has been adjusted to take into account the retention of his right to limited private practice.

The Attorney General said this was a slight change to previous practice, which was based on the system in Queensland, and had been designed to allow Government to attract the most senior counsel from the bar, as in Mr Donaldson’s case.

Funding for the appointment has already been allocated to the Department of the Attorney General.

WA halves unused government office space

The WA Government claims it has more than halved the amount of unused state government office space.

WA releases revised draft State Coastal Planning Policy

The Western Australian Acting Planning Minister Troy Buswell has released a draft revised policy and new guidelines for public consultation following a full review of the State Coastal Planning Policy.

New SA program to support strategic industry training

The South Australian Government has launched a new program to fund employers up to 90 per cent of the cost of training in industries with skills shortages in jobs critical to the State’s future economic growth.

Vic DHS to shed hundreds of jobs

The Victorian Government has announced it will shed hundreds of jobs from the Department of Human Services (DHS), which will form part of the 3,600 jobs that will be cut from the Victorian public service over the next two years.

NSW Commission report slams public sector management

The NSW Commission of Audit’s interim report on public sector management has been released, finding that “generally managerial performance is far from excellent.”

Climate Commission warns of warming impacts on Tasmania

The Climate Commission has released a report, The Critical Decade: Tasmanian impacts and opportunities, which warns that changes in Tasmania’s climate will have far-reaching implications for industries including agriculture, tourism, electricity generation, fisheries, as well as for biodiversity and human health.

New VET deal for SA

The Federal and South Australian Governments have announced a partnership focused on reforming the state’s vocational education and training (VET) system.

Queensland unveils Warrego Highway masterplan

The Queensland Government has launched its masterplan for the coming 20 year Warrego Highway Upgrade Strategy.

Victoria posts record planning permit activity

The Victorian Government has announced a record amount of planning and development activity in the state, with a record number of permit decisions valued at $23.2 billion announced in 2010-11, representing a 29.4 per cent increase on the previous year.

VCAT funded to blitz planning backlog

The Victorian Coalition Government has committed $1 million to tackle the backlog of planning cases before the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT).

Planning Minister Matthew Guy said the funding would enable approximately 800 cases to be finalised and reduce the waiting list by up to six months.

“This funding will significantly reduce delays in the planning process and ease the burden on the development sector, local councils and the community as a whole.

“For those applications where projects are approved by VCAT, the result will be a boost for jobs and the construction industry at precisely the time we are looking for continued economic activity here in Victoria,” Mr Guy said.

“Furthermore, a number of these outstanding cases directly affect Victorian families who have applications for dwellings and extensions in limbo. This funding will remove much of the stress and angst for these families, not to mention cost arising from delay and uncertainty.”

There have been big increases in the number of cases being lodged at VCAT in recent years. In 2010-11 alone VCAT received 3,775 cases, a 13 per cent increase from 2009-10, and a total value in excess of $7 billion.

In the first six months of 2011-12 there has been a nine per cent increase in the number of cases.

As a result, there are currently 1,824 cases pending worth approximately $3 billion dollars, while 197 cases which are ready to be heard face an eight month delay.

“Eighty per cent of cases currently on the Planning and Environment List have been waiting at least six months to be heard, and without today’s initiative were likely to wait a further six months before a hearing date was confirmed,” Mr Guy said.

The initiative follows the Government’s reinstatement of the Major Cases List at VCAT. As part of the reform, Mr Guy will establish a working group comprising members of VCAT and departmental officers to review long term funding options and other possible reforms.