Breakthrough for Indigenous town planning
Published Thursday, 11 October, 2012 at 12:37 PM
Deputy Premier, Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning
The Honourable Jeff Seeney
For the first time Indigenous councils in Queensland will have local planning schemes to guide the development of their communities.
Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning Jeff Seeney today announced the first three draft planning schemes for Wujal Wujal, Cherbourg and Kowanyama had been approved for display and public comment.
Mr Seeney and Local Government Minister David Crisafulli welcomed the plans.
“People living in these areas know what they want and need and this will let them take control of planning decisions for their communities,” Mr Seeney said.
“In many communities, isolation during the wet season and lack of access to professional services have triggered the need for a more practical approach to planning.
“They will now have a clear, considered, user-friendly framework to guide how they develop their communities.”
Planning schemes provide a detailed direction for the area focusing on community aspirations like land use, development, infrastructure and valuable features of the area, whilst ensuring the needs of the state and the regional community are incorporated.
Mr Seeney said for the first time the State Government was working with Indigenous communities to ensure development considers local and cultural matters.
“In the past there was a lack of consultation between state agencies leading to haphazard development and conflicting outcomes.”
Mr Seeney said the Indigenous council planning schemes were essentially simplified versions of those for bigger councils.
“The Wujal Wujal planning scheme was the first to pioneer this process and in many respects has paved the way for other schemes,” he said.
“The Kowanyama planning scheme approved today has captured the community’s views and is recognised as the benchmark in the Indigenous council planning schemes to date.
“It's been written for people who aren’t professional planners – something people will want to look at rather than something they have to look at.”
Mr Seeney noted the establishment of Indigenous planning schemes was the result of collaboration across a number of government departments.
“Department of Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and Multicultural Affairs’ involvement was an integral part in the developing these planning schemes and I thank them for their efforts.”
Local Government Minister David Crisafulli said much had been made about the Government’s decision to review alcohol management plans but responsible use of alcohol was only one part of the puzzle.
“So is home ownership, so is better planning,” Mr Crisafulli said.
“In effect we are acknowledging that there will be challenges along the way but failure to empower these indigenous communities will guarantee generations of hopelessness."
[ENDS] 11 October 2012
Media Contact: Kate Haddan – 0418 373 516
Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning Jeff Seeney today announced the first three draft planning schemes for Wujal Wujal, Cherbourg and Kowanyama had been approved for display and public comment.
Mr Seeney and Local Government Minister David Crisafulli welcomed the plans.
“People living in these areas know what they want and need and this will let them take control of planning decisions for their communities,” Mr Seeney said.
“In many communities, isolation during the wet season and lack of access to professional services have triggered the need for a more practical approach to planning.
“They will now have a clear, considered, user-friendly framework to guide how they develop their communities.”
Planning schemes provide a detailed direction for the area focusing on community aspirations like land use, development, infrastructure and valuable features of the area, whilst ensuring the needs of the state and the regional community are incorporated.
Mr Seeney said for the first time the State Government was working with Indigenous communities to ensure development considers local and cultural matters.
“In the past there was a lack of consultation between state agencies leading to haphazard development and conflicting outcomes.”
Mr Seeney said the Indigenous council planning schemes were essentially simplified versions of those for bigger councils.
“The Wujal Wujal planning scheme was the first to pioneer this process and in many respects has paved the way for other schemes,” he said.
“The Kowanyama planning scheme approved today has captured the community’s views and is recognised as the benchmark in the Indigenous council planning schemes to date.
“It's been written for people who aren’t professional planners – something people will want to look at rather than something they have to look at.”
Mr Seeney noted the establishment of Indigenous planning schemes was the result of collaboration across a number of government departments.
“Department of Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and Multicultural Affairs’ involvement was an integral part in the developing these planning schemes and I thank them for their efforts.”
Local Government Minister David Crisafulli said much had been made about the Government’s decision to review alcohol management plans but responsible use of alcohol was only one part of the puzzle.
“So is home ownership, so is better planning,” Mr Crisafulli said.
“In effect we are acknowledging that there will be challenges along the way but failure to empower these indigenous communities will guarantee generations of hopelessness."
[ENDS] 11 October 2012
Media Contact: Kate Haddan – 0418 373 516