Examples of published comments about RPAG (some of which may
reflect bias or self interest) include:
SEQ 2001 did not consider need for large land holdings. Infrastructure and
services costs might be $9-18bn (Scott L., 'Builders Fault Queensland
Development Plan', Weekend Australia, 31/7-1/8/93;
planning mechanisms proposed have reduced some land values and created
substantial uncertainty (Carr M., 'Regional Plan Fails to Address
Uncertainty', Business Queensland, 16/8/93);
failure to specify regional carrying capacity was a major deficiency
(Healey S., 'Draft Plan for Region is Flawed', Gold Coast Bulletin,
25/9/93 - quoting President of Federation of Albert Shire Progress and
Community Associations, Prof Ron Goldman, University of Queensland);
proposal does not consider opportunities for world class communities, nor
recognise the problem of amalgamating small holdings for urban development.
It was written by interstate bureaucrats who ignored realities (Carr M.,
'Plan Misses Opportunities', Business Queensland, 4/10/93);
Queensland Property Industry Council labelled the plan: flawed; hurried;
contradictory to trends; and arbitrary. Others suggested that population
assumptions were heroic; that freezing Sunshine Coast development whilst
concentrating on preferred centres would cause a price spiral (Collins K., 'SEQ
2001 Plan Seriously Flawed', Courier Mail, 8/10/93 - reporting an
industry conference on SEQ 2001);
the Government suggested proposals may not be fundable, and would like to
make existing machinery work better rather than establishing new
arrangements. It also opposed some detailed proposals ('Population Growth
Report gets Cool Government Reception', Toowoomba Chronicle', 26/10/93);
There should be fewer bureaucrats on powerful group dealing with planning
for Sunshine Coast (Hoskins T. 'City Urges Outsiders to Butt out of Coast
Planning', Sunshine Coast Daily, 22/11/93);
proposal did not really deal with livability especially on Gold Coast.
Public reactions show that it can not be implemented until after a decade of
consultation. The information given was good, but recommendations were
impractical. There is a need to: broaden human resource concepts beyond
education and health; avoid increasing road / rail congestion; increase
social justice emphasis; study hazardous and noxious industries; find
formula for balanced residential and environmental protection; and
re-evaluate coastal development constraints (Persci A., 'Academic Raps 2001
Blueprint', Gold Coast Bulletin, 24/11/93 - quoting President,
Royal Geographical Society, Rod Gerber, QUT);
though a plan is needed, it would be unwise to accept existing SEQ 2001
proposal because of its assumptions and suspect methodology. Forecast
population growth was arbitrarily allocated to planning areas. It was
assumed government could direct investment and generate desired employment
distribution. Assumptions about public transport usage are unrealistic. The
problem of fragmented landholdings in preferred development areas was
ignored. (Kiefer D., 'SEQ Urban Plan 'flawed', Inside QUT, N111,
15-28/2/94 - quoting Professor of Urban Studies, Bob Stimpson).