This article was on the front cover of the Post Newspaper, May 20,2017 by Bret Christian. Below is part 2 of the article from page 97;
Back in early April sometime WALGA sent a discussion paper about Third Party Appeal Rights out to all councils for comment. Reports from councils need to be back to WALGA by the 31st of May, 2017. See our previous blog post.
It is interesting how different councils have dealt with this discussion paper. Some councils have already dealt with it publicly at council meetings, others have requested more time to consider it.
For example, the matter of Third Party Appeal Rights was debated publicly on Tuesday night at the Town of Cottesloe. Cr Bolter put up an alternative recommendation (in our post), which was adopted adopted by majority, with the Mayor. Only Cr Rodda and Cr Angers voted against third party appeal rights.
At the City of Subiaco meeting Councillors voted to refer the matter to a Committee meeting next month because they had been given insufficient time to include comments from the community.
What about the City of Stirling? It is our understanding that a notice (hard copy) was posted up for Councillors , as instructed by WALGA, some time in early May? Some recall an email notification some time after that. We believe that officers may be working on a report. This discussion paper has not been listed or raised at council meetings and isn’t on their Open for Public Comment page?
I found this on the City of Stirling’s website – Frequently Asked Planning Questions – Page 1 of 5 1.0 Understanding the R-Codes , on page 4, it has the following to say about Third Party Appeal Rights;
The “applicant” means the developer.
If you would like to have the right of appeal on planning decisions that may affect you, your community and your property values, please write ASAP to Councillors. See the email addresses of below.
The importance of this issue for residents and communities cannot be over stated. The two major parties have systematically reduce our rights over time to favour of developers (read more). The public have third party appeal rights in everything anything else that negatively impacts on them, but not in planning issues? Some see this as unconstitutional and extremely undemocratic.
Barnett brought down the final blow on our rights, by introducing the highly controversial DAP approval process and by giving the Minister of Planning to over ride any planning decision. As the Mayor of Nedlands (and a former Director of Planning at the City of Perth) said at a public meeting in 2013, “they can now do anything they want, any where they like, even on public land and there is nothing anyone can do to stop them”.
Write to the City of Stirling Mayor, CEO and Councillors ASAP if you would want Third Party Appeal Rights.
Below are email addresses (make sure they all receive a copy – you can select and paste the whole column);
