I have written this post to hopefully begin a discussion on how we can solve the countrys planning chaos which I am sure most would agree is hindering our nations ability to move forward whether its because of affordability, lack of infrastructure or any of the 100 other issues as a consequence of our poor planning system!
Planning in chaos!
Today planning is largely a function of local and state governments whether it’s a single house in the burbs or a skyrise in the city developers cannot get anything done without a government rubber seal of approval.
To ensure orderly development councils put in place a myriad of development controls in order to ensure what is built meets both building guide lines and town planning objectives.
Given our democratic system of government it was only logical that such a process would not only involve the applicant being the developer and the council reviewing it but also the public which would be affected by such a proposal.
All of this sounds very logical and understandable so why is planning across the country in such a mess. Its virtually impossible to get anything approved within 6 months and if the development falls within a nimby prone suburb your dreaming if its happening any sooner than 12 months if at all.
Such delays ensure costs go up, deliver of new housing is restricted and affordability is made worse not to mention preventing much needed public infrastructure getting off the ground.
So why are we in this mess? Is it because of those, damn greedy developers wanting to turn the world into a concrete jungle! Or is it the greens who believe we all should be living in sustainable mud huts and growing vegies on our roofs? Or perhaps it’s the locals shouting not in my backyard. Or maybe it’s just your run of the mill bureaucracy we have come to accept from our governments.
In my view it’s none of these. Don’t get me wrong these play their part but they are not the root cause of the problem. The problem is democracy and our democratic way of thinking ensuring everyone has a right for their views to be heard. Don’t get me wrong, I am not promoting dictatorship so hear me out.
Lets take train lines for instance, these cannot get done not only because of cost but because no one wants a train line running through their backyard! Take the hills area in NSW so desperately wanting better public transport but hold a town meeting today with the promise that a train line is theirs for the taking and decision would not be made thanks to the thousands of property owners directly affected withdrawing their support.
So what’s the solution? Better laws? Better planning? NO, very smart and well intentioned people have tried this. Fundamentally building a house is simple so is setting a framework around it to ensure its built right but making sure everyone is happy with that house being there is another story!
The problem is that since planning affects so many people i.e. those already living in the suburb, those around the suburb, those wanting to live there, developers, builders, environmentalists and the list goes on, its impossible for all parties to be happy.
Making matters worse sometimes entire electorates become enthralled in particular planning issue which ensures the local member for that area has no choice to fight against such developments with tooth and nail despite such a development being critical for the state.
The needs of the few outweighs the needs of the many, train-lines, new roads, better housing etc are all delayed because a suburb didn’t want to have the line running through their suburb and the local member was up for re-election.
This is why I suggest that planning is taken out of the hands of council and into the hands of an independent government body similar to the RBA. I would envisage the mechanisations to be similar with the head being a government appointee, a charter and objectives but fundamentally independent.
To understand such a radical solution one only needs to look at why the RBA was made independent in the first place. Politicians themselves know very well that they could never be allowed to control the monetary levers of the economy because monetary actions are so counter intuitive to most.
Can you even imagine a world were political leaders could by the stroke of a pen raise or drop interest rates? The political pressure to make such monetary decisions void of economic rational would be enormous and it would be absolute chaos!
So governments around the world made the decision to shift the responsibilities for such a critical process to an independent central bank. In short removing political interference and by extension public debate as to whether or not rates should go up or down i.e. contrary to our democratic ideals! But it’s for our own good basically the rate of interest should be set to ensure the economy as a whole prospers. Without independence there would be chaos!
The same chaos we face today in our planning system. If there was a separate independent planning body that made planning decisions independently of political interference then we would all be much better off.
Planning in chaos!
Today planning is largely a function of local and state governments whether it’s a single house in the burbs or a skyrise in the city developers cannot get anything done without a government rubber seal of approval.
To ensure orderly development councils put in place a myriad of development controls in order to ensure what is built meets both building guide lines and town planning objectives.
Given our democratic system of government it was only logical that such a process would not only involve the applicant being the developer and the council reviewing it but also the public which would be affected by such a proposal.
All of this sounds very logical and understandable so why is planning across the country in such a mess. Its virtually impossible to get anything approved within 6 months and if the development falls within a nimby prone suburb your dreaming if its happening any sooner than 12 months if at all.
Such delays ensure costs go up, deliver of new housing is restricted and affordability is made worse not to mention preventing much needed public infrastructure getting off the ground.
So why are we in this mess? Is it because of those, damn greedy developers wanting to turn the world into a concrete jungle! Or is it the greens who believe we all should be living in sustainable mud huts and growing vegies on our roofs? Or perhaps it’s the locals shouting not in my backyard. Or maybe it’s just your run of the mill bureaucracy we have come to accept from our governments.
In my view it’s none of these. Don’t get me wrong these play their part but they are not the root cause of the problem. The problem is democracy and our democratic way of thinking ensuring everyone has a right for their views to be heard. Don’t get me wrong, I am not promoting dictatorship so hear me out.
Lets take train lines for instance, these cannot get done not only because of cost but because no one wants a train line running through their backyard! Take the hills area in NSW so desperately wanting better public transport but hold a town meeting today with the promise that a train line is theirs for the taking and decision would not be made thanks to the thousands of property owners directly affected withdrawing their support.
So what’s the solution? Better laws? Better planning? NO, very smart and well intentioned people have tried this. Fundamentally building a house is simple so is setting a framework around it to ensure its built right but making sure everyone is happy with that house being there is another story!
The problem is that since planning affects so many people i.e. those already living in the suburb, those around the suburb, those wanting to live there, developers, builders, environmentalists and the list goes on, its impossible for all parties to be happy.
Making matters worse sometimes entire electorates become enthralled in particular planning issue which ensures the local member for that area has no choice to fight against such developments with tooth and nail despite such a development being critical for the state.
The needs of the few outweighs the needs of the many, train-lines, new roads, better housing etc are all delayed because a suburb didn’t want to have the line running through their suburb and the local member was up for re-election.
This is why I suggest that planning is taken out of the hands of council and into the hands of an independent government body similar to the RBA. I would envisage the mechanisations to be similar with the head being a government appointee, a charter and objectives but fundamentally independent.
To understand such a radical solution one only needs to look at why the RBA was made independent in the first place. Politicians themselves know very well that they could never be allowed to control the monetary levers of the economy because monetary actions are so counter intuitive to most.
Can you even imagine a world were political leaders could by the stroke of a pen raise or drop interest rates? The political pressure to make such monetary decisions void of economic rational would be enormous and it would be absolute chaos!
So governments around the world made the decision to shift the responsibilities for such a critical process to an independent central bank. In short removing political interference and by extension public debate as to whether or not rates should go up or down i.e. contrary to our democratic ideals! But it’s for our own good basically the rate of interest should be set to ensure the economy as a whole prospers. Without independence there would be chaos!
The same chaos we face today in our planning system. If there was a separate independent planning body that made planning decisions independently of political interference then we would all be much better off.