Mark Arbib (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Government Service Delivery) Share this | Hansard source

the streamlining of planning processes put in place by the states and territories. This matter had been long discussed and raised during COAG meetings and also during the negotiations on the COAG partnership agreement that was signed on 5 February 2009. In the early days of that plan, the government sector set to work with states and territories to streamline planning processes, cut red tape and fast track the delivery of key projects. The conditions of Commonwealth funding required that projects funded under the stimulus plan be completed within very tight time frames to ensure immediate fiscal objectives are met.

The government is determined that the projects be rolled out quickly and support jobs in local communities. Already almost 50,000 projects have been approved, and more than 38,000 of these projects are underway. The states and territories have developed processes in each jurisdiction through coordinators-general to streamline planning provisions. The extension of these specialised planning provisions beyond the Nation Building and Jobs Plan is a matter for each relevant state or territory government. At all times our Coordinator-General has worked with state coordinators and also state government departments to ensure that the stimulus package is rolled out in an orderly and proper fashion. The stimulus package is fulfilling its desired intent: 200,000 jobs in this country protected because of the stimulus plan including, according to the Master Builders Association, 50,000 jobs— (Time expired)