Tripodi grabs planning powers

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http://www.theherald.com.au/news/nat...s/1353237.aspx

Tripodi grabs planning powers

WENDY FREW URBAN AFFAIRS EDITOR
6/11/2008 1:00:01 AM

THE Finance Minister, Joe Tripodi, will have a say in the management of more than $1 billion worth of strategic land around Sydney, following a Department of Planning shake-up that has stripped power from government housing and land agencies.

The Finance Ministry's State Property Authority will now be involved in managing and trading a portfolio of key properties along proposed rail corridors and in areas earmarked as parkland, something that was previously the sole preserve of the Department of Planning.

Mr Tripodi's involvement comes amid growing concern the Government will abandon its strategy of co-ordinated land release after dumping plans to build rail lines in the north-west and south-west of Sydney.

A return to the days of ad hoc land release could create windfall profits for developers who successfully lobby for rezonings in areas where they want to build new homes.

Also, it is another example of Mr Tripodi flexing his muscles as the Finance and Ports Minister.

Last week, he proposed a collection of reforms to the regulation of container and bulk commodity ports that industry exports said would deliver him "unfettered" powers to interfere with ports.

He was also heavily involved with the latest strategy to sell some of the state's electricity assets and has been tussling with the Deputy Premier and Minister for Climate Change, Carmel Tebbutt, for control of the Government's $300 million climate change fund.

The Greens MP Sylvia Hale said that at a time of fiscal restraint, the temptation for the Government to sell strategic land for an immediate financial windfall, instead of holding it for long-term projects, would be immense.

"I doubt anyone in NSW would feel comfortable knowing more than $1.3 billion worth of the state's most strategically important land has been placed in the hands of Joe Tripodi," she said.

The overhaul by the Planning Minister, Kristina Keneally, of her department last week included absorbing the Growth Centres Commission - set up in 2005 to convert fields on the outskirts of Sydney into suburbs - into the department and stripping the powerful Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority of its planning and land release functions.

Her press release made a brief reference to the Office of Strategic Lands, an agency charged with buying and selling land for large government projects, losing some tasks to Mr Tripodi's ministry.

Asked for more detail on the changes, a spokesman for the Department said the Department of Planning "will focus on the strategic planning functions of the Office of Strategic Lands, including the identification of lands for acquisition (for example, corridors) and open space to achieve planning outcomes consistent with the metropolitan strategy".

"Consideration is being given for the procedures of acquiring of land (that is, the transactional aspects) and managing assets (that is, rentals) to be more appropriately dealt with by the State Property Authority [controlled by Mr Tripodi's ministry]," he said.

Planning sources told the Herald the Office of Strategic Lands did not have planning functions and that it appeared to be losing its land bank to the Ministry of Finance. The office had been buying land to complete the now-ditched south-west rail link to Leppington and north-west rail link to Rouse Hill, and for the Rouse Hill Regional Centre.

According to 2007-08 budget papers, the office managed property worth $1.34 billion and had net assets of $960,659.