Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate


The Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate is a directorate of the Australian Capital Territory government. It was formed from the merger of the Department of Environment, Climate Change, Energy and Water and the ACT Planning and Land Authority on 17 May 2011, after Katy Gallagher was elected by the Legislative Assembly as Chief Minister the day before.

History

The directorate was formed on 17 May 2011 as the Environment and Sustainable Development Directorate, replacing and taking over:
The directorate was later renamed Environment and Planning Directorate before it was finally renamed to its current name in late 2016.

Structure

The directorate is responsible for developing and implementing a wide range of policies and programs across city planning and development, climate change and the environment., it reports to a number of ministers:
, the Director-General is Ben Ponton.

Activities

Former ACT Planning and Land Authority

Under the Planning and Development Act 2007, the former ACTPLA was required to:
The Authority stated that it performed its functions independently, free from day-to-day political influences. However, in practice under the then Minister for Planning, Simon Corbell, the Authority often followed direct instruction from the Minister.