The State Government’s proposed changes to WA’s Development Assessment Panels, which decide who gets the nod for developments when local councils have knocked them back, has raised the corruption antenna of 6PR Mornings host Liam Bartlett.

“I’m not levelling specific allegations against anyone in particular … but what I am saying is when it comes to multi-million-dollar property development projects in WA, the potential for corruption and wrongdoing is about to get a lot worse,” he said.

“Indeed the way the system is being structured to look after developments, positively reeks of favouritism, dodgy deals and playing favourites against the best interests of this state.

“In the worst case scenario for developers, if the DAP does rule against them, they simply appeal to the State Administrative Appeals Tribunal (SAT), and then they win at that table.

“The community of course can’t appeal, as WA is the only state in Australia that has no third party appeal rights, so as community members you can’t appeal, but if you’re a developer with big pockets, you can appeal and appeal and appeal and appeal.

“And if you don’t think that stinks, whether you vote Labor or Liberal, or Greens or communist… you gotta have rocks in your head.”

Other changes the Amendment Act has put forward to the current DAP system includes a ‘Special Matters DAP’, to be created to determine matters of State and regional importance.

“A Special Matters DAP… that will consider developments ‘of state or regional significance’,” Bartlett asked.

“What is significant? Is that a development from a developer that donates more money than another one?

“Are there controversial, difficult developments that need to be rubber stamped?

“Why do we need this change? The [Planning] Minister [Rita Saffioti] won’t talk about it, she’s got no comment, certainly doesn’t want to take public questions about it, but you can.”

*The public can comment on the proposed changes here until Friday April 22.

Tap PLAY below to hear more from Liam Bartlett on why the DAP changes must be scrutinised.