The National Capital Authority's grip on all parts of Canberra should be loosened, according to Zed Seselja.
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The Liberal Senator for the ACT believes the territory should be able to make its own decisions on new roads and suburbs without needing approval from the federal authority.
Senator Seselja suggests it is time to debate the nature and extent of direct federal government control over planning in Canberra.
In an opinion article in Saturday's The Canberra Times, he writes that the authority should continue to have responsibility for development in the parliamentary triangle.
"It's important these areas are protected and improved for all Australians to experience and enjoy," he says.
"However, when it comes to potential residential developments in the outer suburbs, many kilometres away from Parliament House, I would argue the answer is clearly no.
"Why is it that a Commonwealth minister needs to be involved in planning decisions that, in other parts of Australia, are ordinarily the domain of state and local governments?"
Senator Seselja says the question arose when he was discussing his plan for the potential development of West Tuggeranong with Jamie Briggs, the Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development.
"[The Minister] remarked that it was quite unique that the arrangements between the ACT and Commonwealth governments require his involvement in the issue of developing a town centre some distance from the parliamentary triangle," he said.
Chief Minister Katy Gallagher said the ACT government had always supported the position that the authority should focus its effort on areas of national significance and not more broadly across the city.
"With budgets tightening, the work that has been done to refine the role of the NCA should be pursued," she said.
"This is something Minister Briggs has raised with me and we have discussed in our meetings."
Senator Seselja said duplication of processes
"In the Molonglo Valley, homes were delayed because the plans had to be approved by the NCA, the ACT government and under the Environment Protection Act," he says.
"Whilst ensuring that new developments are in the best interests of the community is important, this is an over-complication of the process.
"Giving more authority to the ACT on planning decisions will allow the NCA to focus on their core function of protecting and promoting the national capital, while the ACT government can focus on the broader needs and well-being of Canberrans.
"Ultimately, it is the people who live in this city who know how best to develop this city."
Senator Seselja has previously raised the possibility of development west of the Murrumbidgee River where development has been restricted since before self-government.
"A change to this restriction would not mandate development; it would simply remove a Commonwealth prohibition on expansion in that area and allow the current or a future ACT government to make its own decision as to the future of West Tuggeranong, just as it is doing with the expansion of Belconnen and Gungahlin," he says.
