Not only is NSW fast tracking power and slowing accountability, but WA is as well! What’s gone wrong with state governments?

The Centre for Public Integrity is concerned about planning in WA which shares many similarities with what has happened in NSW

———- Forwarded message ———
Read The Centre for Public Integrity‘s E-News: Western Australia’s State Development Bill, Fast-Tracking Power, Slowing Accountability
Date: Wed, 26 Nov 2025

Western Australia’s State Development Bill
Fast-Tracking Power, Slowing Accountability

The Centre for Public Integrity was also watching the Parliament in Western Australia, with the Government introducing the State Development Bill. This Bill creates a framework for designating “state-significant development” projects and grants the Minister for State Development sweeping new powers.  Our report, Western Australia’s State Development Bill: Fast‑Tracking Power, Slowing Accountability, which led the daily coverage in WA Today, noted the similarities between this development and moves globally to push through ‘fast-tracked’ processes for ‘priority projects’ at the expense of environmental and cultural protection. We warned that in the rush to “get things done”, Western Australia risked trading away democratic legitimacy, transparency and accountability. As a matter of process, we were again concerned that the Bill was introduced without clear evidence of broad-based consultation or stakeholder engagement, with no transparency about who was consulted. Substantively, we raised a number of concerns about the consolidation of Ministerial power in the Bill, including to override existing legislation, and the insufficient accountability mechanisms in place. We were particularly critical of the design of the ‘Coordinator-General’ role, which lacked adequate safeguards or defined accountability responsibilities.  Our recommendation was that the Government should withdraw the Bill and begin again, engaging in open, broad-based consultation and building a proper legislative framework.

26 November 2025