New South Wales Consolidated Acts

ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING AND ASSESSMENT ACT 1979 - SECT 23G

23G Joint regional planning panels

(1) The Minister may, by order published in the Gazette, constitute a joint regional planning panel for a particular part of the State specified in the order.

(2) A regional panel has the following functions:

(a) any of a council’s functions as a consent authority that are conferred on it under an environmental planning instrument,

(b) any functions that are conferred on it under Division 1AA (Planning administrators and panels) of Part 6,

(c) to advise the Minister as to planning or development matters or environmental planning instruments relating to the part of the State for which it is appointed, or any related matters, if requested to do so by the Minister.

(3) A regional panel has the functions conferred or imposed on it by or under this or any other Act.

(4) A regional panel is not subject to the direction or control of the Minister, except in relation to the procedures of the regional panel and to the extent specifically provided for in this Act.

(5) A regional panel is a statutory body representing the Crown.

Note: By virtue of section 13A of the Interpretation Act 1987 , a statutory body representing the Crown has the status, privileges and immunities of the Crown.

(5A) Subject to the regulations, a regional panel is, in the exercise of functions conferred under subsection (2) (a), taken to be the council whose functions are conferred on a regional panel as referred to in subsection (2) (a).

(5B) A regional panel is to exercise functions conferred as referred to in subsection (2) (a) to the exclusion of the applicable council (subject to any delegation under this Act).

(5C) Subsections (5A) and (5B) apply to the Commission in its exercise of the functions of a regional panel under an environmental planning instrument that are conferred on the Commission under section 23D (1) (d) in the same way as they apply to a regional panel in the exercise of functions conferred as referred to in subsection (2) (a).

(6) Schedule 4 has effect with respect to regional panels.