Victor Boyhan urges publication of OPR review now

This is the first reference to the Planning Regulator, so it's an opportune time for me just to mention a few issues of concern in this area. I said at the very outset of the last session when we were dealing with this Bill, I want to acknowledge the very important and significant work of the Planning Regulator. Indeed, I want to acknowledge his office, the office rather than the individual, the office of the Planning Regulator, their support for the City and County Councillors. They've won many, many workshops of engagement which is critically important. I've said time and time again that Councillors are neither engineers, planners or architects, most of them anyway, there may be the odd one, that they are usually committed to the proper planning and sustainable development of their functional areas and beyond. Therefore, they need a lot of assistance and planning, as you know, Minister, and we know from the 2024, when we signed off on the 2024, we were told this was the be-end and end-all, and effectively we're doing another patch-up on this legislation through this legislation for the 2024 legislation to give effect to a number of areas that were approved. I see the logic, or should we say the reasoning behind some of that. But I just want to just raise a few issues, and really you won't have had a preparation of a response for this, Minister, because you didn't know I was going to bring it up. So my ask is really to take this back to your officials at some point. But look, and I want to say a few things, so the Office of Planning Regulator, we know was established in April of 2019, and of course last year we were told there was to be a period of critical review of the Office of the Planning Regulator. That's not unusual, that would happen in many agencies. So the OPR's three main statutory functions, in summary, and I'll keep this as tight as possible, is one, the elevation of statutory plans and responsibilities for the independent assessment of all local authority forward planning and regional assembly forward planning, which we will be talking about in this bill, the regional planning, the hierarchy of the planning system, including development plans, local area plans, regional, spatial and economic strategies, all of which is covered in this legislation. So planning reviews and examinations would be reviewing the organisation, the systems, the procedures used by the planning authority, including uncommissioned planola, in the performance of their planning functions under this Act and subsequent legislation. There is, of course, the role of the OPR in terms of education and research, and I want to acknowledge the very proactive and significant and positive work they do in this area, and they are responsible for conducting national education and training programmes for members and staff and planning authorities and regional assemblies. At that point, I want to single out, we can have the best legislation in place, but the reality is we've got to have the planners, we've got to have the architects, we've got to have all the background people, and we've got to have them trained and we've got them upskilled, and we know we have problems with uncommissioned planola, and I'll talk about them later, and again, we have a shortage of staff, trained resources, and a whole range of issues there, and it looks as if commissioned planola, in fairness, is now back up in four cylinders and increasing and delivering on its time frame. So just really, I suppose, just some more points to say, that the period of critical review we were promised would be complete. My understanding from my own contacts in political circles and the customs house, this work is done. This work is sitting on someone's desk. Now, you could argue the Minister's other things going on, you've got to prioritise your work, planning, your delivery, but the parliamentary businesses in terms of the chambers of these houses is winding down this week. So since the establishment of the OPR, a number of key policy objectives have been progressed by the government, and I want to acknowledge that. They all have significant impact and interaction with our statutory planning processes, and that's important, and therefore it's important that we deal with the issues. But remember, planning, as I said earlier on, is critical to the delivery of our housing, our climate action objectives and plans, delivering your policy, government policy, delivering homes, building communities, and also accelerating critical infrastructure that is so essential. And so I'm conscious that another Minister is watching, and I'll just finish here at this point. So I think it's important there's a role for the Office of Planning and Regulation. I support that role, but I think it's important, and I say it here, in the government, the programme for government, and in the government's housing for planning, developing homes, building new communities, the review and the role and functions of the Office of Planning and Regulation will take place. And Action 16, and I'll finish on this, review the role and functions of the Office of Planning and Regulation and drive performance in the planning system, including consistency with decision-making. I think we've heard this consistency right through this legislation. So the Office of Planning and Regulation ensures that local authorities, commissioned planola, are consistent with their implementation of central government policy through the planning system. So therefore, the government has commissioned to review the role and the functions of the Office, and this is very much an important view. It's recognised that it was essential, and I say there was nothing wrong with it. This was to be published. I know it has been completed, and Minister, the question really is, there is a critical role for the Office of Planning and Regulation. It's embedded in the 2024 legislation. It's mentioned in this legislation. It's in this relevant Section 18 that we're now talking about. And I suppose really what I'd say is, if we're going to tie up, join all the dots, because planning is a very fragmented science, and I presume these consolidated bills and legislation is to bring all the dots together, to have everything working in unison, and delivering what it's set out to do, proper planning and sustainable development in terms of new homes, new industry, new enterprise, new commerce, and a better environmental country and world for us all to live in. So really, in short, what I'm saying is, I'd appreciate if you would take it back, because I know I didn't indicate I was going to speak about this, and if we could prioritise, or be briefed, or the appropriate people who, once their report is considered, that they would publish. I think it's in the interest of the Office of Planning and Regulation's office, but all the parties aligned and interacting and crossing the various space of proper planning and sustainable development. Thank you, Minister. Thank you, Gary. Look, and thank you again, Senator. While Section 15 is just a technical amendment, and I take it that there's no issue with the actual amendment itself, you're using this opportunity to make a few points in relation to the Office of Planning and Regulation. So it's timely, because both the new housing plan, as well as the accelerating infrastructure plan, both include actions to review the functions of the OPR. So from that point of view, your comments are timely. This is ongoing at the moment, it's being undertaken, and it will be finalised very, very shortly. So your comments will absolutely be taken on board, Senator. Thank you. Thanks. I will come back, because it wouldn't be appropriate, but I will just say, I understood that it was already completed. Now, in light of maybe all these very intelligent senators in here making further contributions and not suggesting it's yet to be tweaked further, I don't think so. I think we just need to get the Minister to publish it. Thanks.