Output 8.1 Economic Development Policy, Projects and Legislation
Overview
The directorate developed and reviewed policy, programs and legislation on business development, sport and recreation, tourism, events, arts and land development.
It provided gaming and racing advice and legislation development in consultation with Access Canberra (on behalf of the ACT Gambling and Racing Commission) and led and coordinated the delivery of the Government's land supply strategy.
Highlights
Against this output in 2015-16 the directorate:
- progressed the policy position for Autonomous Vehicles (driverless cars) to operate in the Territory, with the ACT Government becoming a supporting member (non-financial) of the Australian Driverless Vehicle Initiative (ADVI) which is an industry body of over 50 public and private entities working towards the successful trialling and implementation of AV's in the coming years;
- undertook modelling of the benefit to Canberra and the region from direct international flights, which formed part of the Chief Minister's presentation to the Canberra Airport Freight Symposium on 12 February 2016;
- coordinated and continued to implement the ACT Government's Affordable Housing Action Plan in accordance with Phase III and enabled an increase in supply of affordable rental properties through the transfer of land or surplus properties to the community housing sector;
- undertook further work in assessing and considering options for facilitating residential development on underutilised community facility sites.
- published the four year Indicative Land Release Program (www.economicdevelopment.act.gov.au/buy-land-and-build/land-release);
- delivered 4,024 dwelling sites in 2015-16, against a target of 3,513 sites, with a mix of both detached and higher density sites across both greenfield and infill areas, this included a transfer of sites to the Public Housing Renewal Taskforce to facilitate the re-housing of public housing tenants across the Territory;
- within the 2015-16 land release program released sites for specific purposes, including sites in greenfield estates for affordable home purchase and new public housing developments, a child care site and an aged care site in Higgins;
- implemented the gaming machine trading scheme on 31 August 2015 following passage of the Gaming Machine (Reform) Amendment Act 2015. The reforms:
- assist clubs to manage their gaming machine numbers in line with business need;
- included forfeiture provisions that are contributing to a reduction in the number of gaming machines operating in the Territory; and
- reduced red tape for the industry and amended the taxation regime for gaming machine revenue;
- prepared the response to the Inquiry into elements impacting on the future of the ACT clubs sector which was tabled in the ACT Legislative Assembly on 17 November 2015;
- prepared the Lotteries (Approvals) Amendment Act 2015, which amended the Lotteries Act 1964 to provide for a risk-based approach to the regulation of lotteries, with low-risk lotteries no longer requiring the ACT Gambling and Racing Commission's approval, resulting in an 80 per cent reduction in applications for approval of low-risk lotteries since the amendments commenced in November 2015;
- prepared the Gaming Machine (Ballots) Amendment Regulation 2016 (No 1), which commenced in May 2016 and provides flexibility for clubs undertaking ballots of voting members, that are required for various management decisions including (but not limited to) operating gaming machines and relocating to new club premises and allows for membership ballots to be conducted using electronic communications and for clubs to engage a person or organisation to conduct ballots on their behalf;
- prepared the Gaming and Racing (Red Tape Reduction) Legislation Amendment Bill 2016, which was presented to the Legislative Assembly in June 2016, and includes reforms that will, if passed:
- allow easier access to clubs for interstate visitors;
- remove requirements for the display of licences and authorisation certificates at clubs;
- modify the percentage payout signage requirements for gaming machines to an approved statement being displayed;
- introduce a modified licensing framework for race bookmaking; and
- provide other administrative reforms to reduce red tape or clarify the operation of provisions.
- prepared for public consultation two discussion papers on regulatory reform options The Regulation of Water Safety in ACT Public Pools and The Regulation of Combat Sport in the ACT, with the Government now considering the consultation outcomes and next steps;
- implemented the Public Pools Act 2015, which commenced on 1 July 2015;
- produced a comprehensive report on Economic Trends in the ACT www.economicdevelopment.act.gov.au/about_us/publications
- progressed the business development strategy, Confident and Business Ready: Building on our Strengths www.business.act.gov.au/resources_and_networks/business_development_strategy; and
- prepared a Construction Snapshot www.economicdevelopment.act.gov.au/buy-land-and-build/construction_snapshot
The directorate met four of its five 2015-16 accountability targets against this output. The target for (a) construction snapshots was not met with only one of the two reports released during the reporting period.
Future Direction
In 2016-17, the directorate will:
- publish the four year Indicative Land Release Program;
- continue to work closely with the Canberra Business Chamber, NRMA, University of Canberra and the ADVI to progress the Autonomous Vehicle initiative;
- continue to provide input to the International Freight Strategy;
- produce reports on the Economic Trends within the Territory;
- continue to monitor progress on the business development strategy, Confident and Business Ready: Building on our Strengths;
- continue to monitor, review and reform where necessary, policy and regulatory settings applying to the ACT’s clubs and racing industries in line with the established Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and with the Government’s response to the inquiry into the future of the clubs sector;
- continue to monitor and report as required on industry MoUs and agreements;
- maintain the suite of legislation for which the directorate has responsibility, including the development of reforms in line with the Government’s priorities; and
- deliver two regulatory and process reform initiatives, which are intended to be adaptable to Government policy directions.
For further information contact:
Ben Ponton
Deputy Director-General
Land Development and Corporate Division
+61 2 6205 7346
Ben.Ponton@act.gov.au
