Council voted on Wednesday night to endorse Penny Day and Craig Filmer as members for the Southern Regional Joint Planning Panel, following a call for expression of interest. Joint Regional Planning Panels (JRPPs) were introduced in 2009, in order to “strengthen decision making, and provide independent, merit-based decision making on regionally significant development applications,” according to Council. JRPPs are used to determine certain types of development, including: develop with a capital investment value over $20 million, extractives industries, and waste facilities, and developments that are in dispute, among other select criteria. Each JRPP consists of five members; three, including the chair are appointed by the state, and two are nominated by the relevant council. The council members joining the state members to form a Planning Panel will change, depending on the council area in which the matter under consideration is located.
An expression of interest was called for membership on February 2017, but only two nominations were received. As this would not allow for alternate members substituted in should a conflict of interest arise, no appointments were made. Nominations for expressions of interest were once again called in November 2017: Penny Day of Harden, Craig Filmer of Young, Jim Ryan of Harden, and John White of Young all nominated for the panel. The original motion put forth, requested that Council endorse Penny Day and Craig Filmer as members for the JRPP. Councillors O’Connor and Roles put forth an amendment that would see Penny Day and Jim Ryan nominated. The amendment failed. Councillors Tuckerman and O’Connor also put forth an amendment that would see Craig Filmer and Jim Ryan nominated. This amendment also failed. It was ultimately resolved that Penny Day and Craig Filmer would be members for the Southern Regional Joint Planning Panel, with Jim Ryan and John White as alternates.
