The panel will consist of no more than five people, with at least one person of each of the following types:

• A representative from a community or environmental experience or expertise
• A person with professional or technical qualifications appropriate to assessing development applications
• A councillor of the relevant local government (councillors cannot make up the majority of panel members).

The IQPA does not provide the panel any additional decision powers than a local government would have in development assessment. Any decisions made by the panel must be made in accordance to the IPA. These development assessment panels are independent bodies, independent of council. The development assessment decision is taken by an independent body that has been created under the auspices of legislation dedicated to preserving iconic values in their community.

The panel will act as the assessment manager for applications it is to decide. However, the local government will continue to assess the application under the stages of IDAS up to giving the decision notice. At this point, instead of deciding the application, the local government’s decision becomes a recommendation to the panel.