PIA releases advocacy agenda for 2015 Queensland election
THE incoming Queensland Government should commit to a number of key infrastructure projects, including the proposed Bus and Train tunnel in Brisbane and the extension of the Gold Coast Light Rail, according to the Planning Institute of Australia (PIA).
In its Advocacy Agenda for the 2015 Queensland State Election, the Institute also calls on the State Government to ensure that climate change adaptation measures are supported by the planning system and to commit to protecting the state’s major assets, such as the Great Barrier Reef.
“Planning strengthens communities, promotes economic development and improves the choice of where and how people live and work. It helps identify hazards and reduce risks and it identifies and protects environmental, social, cultural and heritage values,” said PIA Queensland President, Kate Isles.
“Our platform has its foundations in three clear channels – Plan, People and Place. We have made firm recommendations in each of these areas and PIA looks forward to working with the incoming Queensland Government to ensure that the value of planning is realised through a commitment to good planning outcomes, delivering and protecting great places for our community to enjoy now and well into the future.”
Core to its platform, PIA has urged the incoming government to develop three new integrated policies for Queensland, including:
- Queensland’s Urban and Regional Future which builds on the Queensland Plan to provide a new state-wide plan identifying the future growth and settlement patterns for all major communities;
- Queensland’s Infrastructure Future that identifies and sequences both committed and planned economic and social infrastructure; and
- Queensland’s Economic and Employment Future that sets out Government strategy and commitment to diversify the economic base, promote competitive and productive knowledge based industries, and invest in technology and innovation.
Other priorities identified by PIA include for the State Government to support local governments – financially and with resources – to deliver urban renewal and revitalisation projects to help re-energise and boost local economies.
The Queensland state election is being held on 31 January 2015. More information about the Advocacy Agenda for the 2015 Queensland State Election is available from the Planning Institute of Australia website at <http://www.planning.org.au/>.
Source: News Release, Urbanalyst, 24 January, 2014