Lest anyone be in any doubt that property development was behind the thrust for local government so-called reform in Perth, just have a look at the latest call from the Property Council in South Australia.The Council presents no evidence other than the fact that change/amalgamation is happening elsewhere. The fact that no evidence has been presented to support those changes where they are happening - and that real evidence shows amalgamation to be problematic at best - doesn't get a mention.
It is very telling that the SA Director of the Property Council feels the need to deny that "there was any personal gain for the industries represented" - his coalition includes the unlikely partners of the Australian Hotels Association and the shop workers union as well as the more obviously-aligned Master Builders Association. Methinks he doth protest too much - to slightly misquote the Bard.
But the approving reference to a long list of changes, elsewhere as well as in South Australia in 1997, prompts the observation that the interests of property developers lie not only in larger local governments and more uniform rules but in continual change.
We all know that developers invariably ask for more than the planning rules allow. When there is major change, there is also confusion and uncertainty and a period during which the application of existing rules may be unclear. This provides the opportunity to get approvals for over-development despite the best intentions of Councils - as elected members are having to cope with massive internal/administration/policy change and have less ability to pay close attention to 'external' matters such as development approvals.
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