Mr. John Spain:

That is a valid point. It is the key issue we need to resolve in the reform of the planning system. With one of the elements, there has been a weakness. One of the issues that needs to be addressed relates to putting in place a more robust system whereby decisions that are made stand up in court and people can have confidence in the system delivering outcomes and enabling housing development, infrastructure and other important developments to proceed and not be held up for long periods in the courts. There are important provisions in the draft Bill that are designed to try to address that matter. Development plans are made at particular points, and Government policy is always evolving. There is always the issue of Government policy changes after a development plan is adopted, so we need to examine how that is tied back in. There are important measures in the draft Bill that seek to address this and to provide for planning authorities taking forward variations of their development plans promptly, following updated Government guidelines, in order that they align with national policy and avoid conflict. That is an important message.