MEDIA COMMENTARY: Sunshine Coast Business Council Chair, Sandy Zubrinich

“We are fortunate to live in a democracy where our communities have a voice and are able to agree, or disagree, on almost everything – certainly local government planning schemes – a subject on which we all believe we are experts in.

“We are now well into the Sunshine Coast Council’s (SCC) 10-week community engagement period on the draft Planning Scheme, which concludes on Friday 19 September 2025.  Around 1 per cent of the population of the Sunshine Coast Local Government Area (LGA) has already spoken through town hall sessions and other community meetings, and some community members have indicated they do not support the Council’s density (consolidation) strategies, particularly along Kawana Way Corridor, where significant upgrades in public transport availability are yet to be defined, designed, and budgeted for. 

“Well-organised special interest groups are actively rallying the masses to promote their views on the draft Planning Scheme through social media platforms.  This is not necessarily a bad thing but does run the risk of a loud minority appearing to represent the majority, which we believe is not the case.  It also runs the risk of anti-development and anti-growth opinions being promoted as expert opinions which may reduce the validity of the community’s participation which we encourage as a vital part of our democracy. 

“The Sunshine Coast Business Council (SCBC) represents over 5,000 businesses through its network of members and through its planning experts has spent over 80 hours analysing the draft Planning Scheme in the context of the SEQ Regional Plan – the State’s framework to guide local councils’ plans for population and economic growth targets – and with a view of intergenerational benefits and likely future requirements.  This week, the SCBC brought together 25 industry, business and local council representatives to, for the second time, discuss and debate the strategies, assumptions and targets that underpin the draft Planning Scheme.  This group was made up of 11 planning experts from 8 different entities including business, SCC and UniSC.

“The debate was robust and informed by facts and reasoning which often tested Council’s direction, strategies and modelling.  Land supply, zones, codes, consolidation, expansion areas, quality of life, population and housing targets, were all covered.  In principle, the Business Council supported the direction taken on consolidation, subject to further details regarding associated development and design codes.  On the other hand, we believe the expansion strategies are too limited and must be expanded in line with the guidance provided in the SEQ Regional Plan (SEQRP).  The consequence of not expanding the growth areas is to place too much weight on consolidation strategies to reach the required SEQRP housing targets. 

“Some points made by industry affirmed the need for clarity and vision on what the Planning Scheme is being designed to achieve.  Industry further called on SCC and its Councillors to be united in positioning and explaining to our communities the challenges confronting the LGA – particularly relating to high population growth – and what it means in terms of providing affordability and choice in housing, jobs, social and cultural amenities, infrastructure, all while maintaining the lifestyle and the uniqueness of the region.

“Extending its focus beyond the next election and assisting ratepayers to understand the macro issues facing the Sunshine Coast is crucial and in our opinion is a key responsibility of the Council executive and Councillors, going a long way to giving ratepayers confidence in the future growth and development of the LGA planned by Council.

“Planning is a fact-based profession with a responsibility to plan for and beyond the next decade.  Infrastructure planning has a long lead in time for public sector funding and for private investment investors and neither is in abundance in this market.  In this, our Councillors must be prepared to lead and support the region as well as their divisions.

“We have reached the point when we don’t have the luxury to keep kicking the tin can down the road.  We need to be visionary, resourceful in bringing together a planning scheme that positions our intergenerational success so that we all have an opportunity for a secure and healthy future, great education, great jobs, great lifestyle, in what is a great region.”

For more information visit www.scbusinesscouncil.com.au.