The Bligh Government should have fully consulted with Councils and communities instead of rushing decisions on the way out the door to an election.

LNP Shadow Minister for Local Government, David Gibson said that Bligh Labor must explain new planning requirements that will have a major effect on the ability of councils to plan for growth and appropriate development in their local communities.

“Labor’s new requirements cut councils out of the planning and approval process for extensions to buildings and new structures for schools and public hospitals,” Mr Gibson said.

“Councils need to be part of the planning process to ensure community requirements are met, including providing appropriate water, sewerage, and roads to service new developments.

“These new planning requirements were simply dropped on the way out the door by a Minister already in his retirement slippers, and have alarmed Queensland councils.

“This is just the latest way that Bligh Labor has found to subvert the responsibility and decisions of local councils in their local communities, on top of their costly Big Brother requirements to broadcast council meetings.”

Mr Gibson said Bligh Labor needed to come clean about all of the sign-offs and changes it had made in the dying days before the election was called.

“Every day we’re hearing about another last minute sign-off – whether it’s a planning decision in Rockhampton or funds to support a quarry in Narangba,” he said.

“Unfortunately, it is typical of this broken record Bligh Labor government, with its distractions, broken promises, scandals and waste.

“They’ve had 20 years to consult with Queenslanders and make these decisions. Now they’ve been rushed in before an election without a Minister’s announcement, without stakeholder consultation and without proper transparency.

“The tired, Labor government has had 20 years, and yet they have failed to work with local councils to properly empower them and give them proper responsibility and accountability in their communities.

“Only the LNP has a plan to restore frontline services and accountability in government by properly empowering councils, with increased transparency and accountability to local people for local decisions,” Mr Gibson said.

“It’s time for a change. It’s time to get Queensland back on track.”