A re-elected Labor government would look at tougher penalties for the owners of local shops who leave the spaces vacant or unused, Planning Minister Chris Steel says.
Mr Steel said it was disappointing to see some shopping centre owners engage in what amounted to land banking.
"I think we've seen at shopping centres like Richardson, and other shops like Duffy, shop owners who have done the wrong thing by the community by leaving them run down and untenanted for too long," Mr Steel said.
