The Chair of the Central Precinct, Peter O’Neill, is delighted his concerns about two men addressing the Panel in favour of the Akuna St development, without disclosing they worked for the developer, have been shared at the highest level.

The Minister for Planning has advised that panel chairs will now ask all speakers to declare their interests.

“I appreciate the time Gareth Ward took to ensure that future Panel hearings will be more transparent and everyone will know if speakers have a vested interest that would influence their presentations,” he says.