Cause for concern

THERE has been recent media coverage over the leaked internal document from the office of Planning Minister Justin Madden.
This document contained a proposal for a sham community consultation for the re-development of the Windsor Hotel in Melbourne. This sham consultation, in this case, was to be used to refuse the re-development.
The concern I have is the responses from the Government to this leaked document. Minister Madden, who has planning control over the Windsor re-development, is blaming the media adviser who wrote this document for using language that was inappropriate and not professional.
Premier John Brumby expressed the view that such a document came from someone who is inexperienced.
The concern is that neither Minister Madden nor Premier Brumby said anything about rules and laws and proper procedures being in place for assessing planning proposals and that a Minister cannot make a decision on a planning proposal without following the rules, the laws and proper processes.
Could this indicate that a Minister for Planning does not have to comply with planning laws or rules or procedures? And if so, should a minister really have such powers?
Jennie Whittaker
Endeavour Hills