An agreement between the Commonwealth and Victorian Governments to cut red tape and streamline the environmental assessment of a major State planning program has been hailed as “new era” in Commonwealth-State collaboration.
The Victorian Government’s program, which aims to accommodate Melbourne’s growing population, has been assessed through a federal ‘strategic assessment’ process to enable sustainable, environmentally friendly long-term development.
Planning agreement a breakthrough
Minister for the Environment, Peter Garrett, said this was the first strategic assessment in Australia to reach the endorsement stage.
“This is a great step forward for the Australian and Victorian Governments,” Mr Garrett said, “to work together with this modern, flexible and sensible approach to planning, which allows national environmental issues to be considered early on in the State planning process and cuts red tape.
“The approved program includes large areas for the establishment of environmental offsets and provides important protections for nationally protected species through the retention and management of secure conservation reserves and other mitigation measures.”
Victorian Minister for Environment and Climate Change, Gavin Jennings said the program considered the long-term cumulative effects of development on the environment as well as sustainable economic development.
Mr Jennings said it was important to consider environmental protection as a whole before development began, as opposed to individual projects as they arise.
“The result is a dramatic increase in the protection of key biodiversity sites around Melbourne and represents a significant commitment from Government to the protection of a large number of threatened species, including birds, fish, reptiles and plants,” he said.
Mr Jennings said the establishment of new national grasslands reserves would increase the area of temperate grasslands in permanent protection from two to 20 per cent, and the area of grassy woodlands from three to five per cent.
Victoria’s Minister for Planning, Justin Madden said the program would provide certainty to developers, landholders, planners, industry, communities and Governments for long-term growth.
“Melbourne’s population is set to grow to an expected five million people by 2030,” Mr Madden said.
“The program identifies areas suitable for future development to accommodate this growth, and those with environmental values that need protection.
An information sheet on the strategic assessment was available from www.environment.gov.au and www.dse.vic.gov.au
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