Local governments should be given back their planning powers was the view of Greens MLC Lee Rhiannon and Ms Pritchard, Lake Macquarie Mayoral and West Ward candidate.
Discussions with Morisset Park District Action Group members, opposing the Trinity Point Development were held at picturesque Bardens Bay today and support given from The Greens that the proposed Trinity Point Marina development should not proceed in its present form.
"Now that Mr Sartor has been sacked as Planning Minister this project should be taken off the list of state significant projects, which come under the Minister. It should instead be put before the new council when it is elected next Saturday. Ms Rhiannon said
"If Premier Nathan Rees wants to distance himself from dubious practices of his predecessors he would remove this donation tainted project from the Part 3A list and allow the new Lake Macquarie Council to make the decision.
"The Premier needs to be aware that the backers of this over-sized marina are major funders of the Labor Party. His clean skin reputation will not last long if does not send this project back to the local council.
" The Johnson Property group donated $334,181 to the Labor Government from 2002-2007 and $111,300 to the Liberal party.
"The new council should be allowed to make the decision on the future of this project. The new councillors represent the voice of the community and this is where the final decision should be made," Ms Pritchard said.
"This marina project could become a white elephant in a climate changing world”
"The 300-berth mega-marina would take up a large part of Bardens Bay destroying much of the aquatic environment, local fish nurseries and the local lifestyle.”
"The marina would be the largest in the State and it dwarfs Circular Quay in it size. There is nothing like it locally and it does not belong in a local backwater that receives minimal tidal exchange and is at the wrong end of the Lake for tourists and the facilities they need"
Showing posts with label Part 3A. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Part 3A. Show all posts
Monday, 8 September 2008
Wednesday, 21 February 2007
Over the top development
Lake Macquarie Greens candidate, Suzanne Pritchard has been supporting the Toronto Brighton-Excelsior Action group to oppose a 56 unit development spanning the Toronto ridgeline that is setting a frightening precedent for the local community.
“This development is laying the foundations for the future of this community and it’s a future that is not wanted,” Suzanne said.
The Greens believe that the urban and regional built environments will continue to be degraded unless there is a complete overhaul of the current laws, codes and practices. This will not be possible until there is a complete ban on developer donations to political parties. The public interest must become the dominant consideration in all planning and development decisions.
“The Lower Hunter Regional Strategy which will be guiding development in our region for the foreseeable future is a flawed document with a flawed process. It overrides the Local Environment Planning and it gives the Planning Minister Frank Sartor indisputable control over all development. He can rezone and approve development with a sweep of his pen and in the blink of an eye,” Suzanne said.
The Greens are working towards restricting the Planning Minister’s ability to ‘call in’ and approve developments.
“The situation at Toronto is set to be replayed constantly throughout the city unless planning laws are changed. It’s an enormous ask to expect the local community to have to keep fighting the same battles over and over again,” Suzanne said.
The Greens are working for placing the onus of proof on the developer, to establish that the development does not damage local amenity, heritage, environment, transport and infrastructure facilities.
“The final version of the Lower Hunter Regional Strategy bore little resemblance to that which was put out for community consultation. The development lobby had access to comment and Frank Sartor long after the community were shut out of further input. The original intent of the document as a planning instrument became nothing more than a land use plan. The Greens are calling for a re-exhibition to allow genuine comment on the proposed document.
“This development is laying the foundations for the future of this community and it’s a future that is not wanted,” Suzanne said.
The Greens believe that the urban and regional built environments will continue to be degraded unless there is a complete overhaul of the current laws, codes and practices. This will not be possible until there is a complete ban on developer donations to political parties. The public interest must become the dominant consideration in all planning and development decisions.
“The Lower Hunter Regional Strategy which will be guiding development in our region for the foreseeable future is a flawed document with a flawed process. It overrides the Local Environment Planning and it gives the Planning Minister Frank Sartor indisputable control over all development. He can rezone and approve development with a sweep of his pen and in the blink of an eye,” Suzanne said.
The Greens are working towards restricting the Planning Minister’s ability to ‘call in’ and approve developments.
“The situation at Toronto is set to be replayed constantly throughout the city unless planning laws are changed. It’s an enormous ask to expect the local community to have to keep fighting the same battles over and over again,” Suzanne said.
The Greens are working for placing the onus of proof on the developer, to establish that the development does not damage local amenity, heritage, environment, transport and infrastructure facilities.
“The final version of the Lower Hunter Regional Strategy bore little resemblance to that which was put out for community consultation. The development lobby had access to comment and Frank Sartor long after the community were shut out of further input. The original intent of the document as a planning instrument became nothing more than a land use plan. The Greens are calling for a re-exhibition to allow genuine comment on the proposed document.
Monday, 12 February 2007
Confession #4 I’ve been SCAMming
Tonight was Southlakes Communities Against Mine’s Annual General Meeting and public forum. My first speaking adventure into the great unknown with the other candidates Greg Piper (Independent Mayor), Jeff Hunter (Labor) and Ken Paxinos (Liberal). I was nervous so I prepared a few points. A valuable lesson I learnt was if you do make notes it’s sometimes helpful to remember to take them with you.
Congratulations to all the SCAMmers who were re-elected to their positions with the hope that in the very near future there would no longer be a need for the organisation and the high conservation land of western Lake Macquarie would become part of the Green Corridor as a park for perpetuity.
There was a lot of discussion about Frank Sartor’s Part 3A powers that allow him to rezone and approve anything he deems of State significance. There was a general feeling from the other candidates that in exceptional circumstance the State probably does need to have that power and as long as it’s used wisely. There was a general feeling from the meeting that Frank was taking it a bit too far and who could you trust to do the right thing in the future?
The Greens were the only ones with a firm policy to restrict the Planning Minister’s ability to call in and approve developments and we were the only ones who mentioned the importance of banning developer donations because they compromise democracy.
Some of the points that I covered in my talk were
The greens are a party where decisions are made locally. Grassroots democracy is a foundation along with social equity and economic justice, peace and non-violence and ecological sustainability. These principles underpin everything we do, so we do things a little bit differently
When we look at the coal industry we don’t just consider export dollars, we consider the social impacts on the communities around the mines, and the environmental damage, and the long term impacts on the region and the country.
The Greens are not compromised by donations from big business, developers or banks, our backers are the people, so people come first.
The Greens have people in the NSW Upper House who have a proven track record of influencing and improving government policy. Lower house candidates can make a difference too by introducing private members bills to open up discussion.
Voting Green is sending a clear message to the major parties that you want a different agenda on the political platform. Climate change is upon us and we’re all a little bit responsible because we’ve kept people in power that refuse to even look to making a plan for a transition from coal to renewables for a better future regionally and globally.
Congratulations to all the SCAMmers who were re-elected to their positions with the hope that in the very near future there would no longer be a need for the organisation and the high conservation land of western Lake Macquarie would become part of the Green Corridor as a park for perpetuity.
There was a lot of discussion about Frank Sartor’s Part 3A powers that allow him to rezone and approve anything he deems of State significance. There was a general feeling from the other candidates that in exceptional circumstance the State probably does need to have that power and as long as it’s used wisely. There was a general feeling from the meeting that Frank was taking it a bit too far and who could you trust to do the right thing in the future?
The Greens were the only ones with a firm policy to restrict the Planning Minister’s ability to call in and approve developments and we were the only ones who mentioned the importance of banning developer donations because they compromise democracy.
Some of the points that I covered in my talk were
The greens are a party where decisions are made locally. Grassroots democracy is a foundation along with social equity and economic justice, peace and non-violence and ecological sustainability. These principles underpin everything we do, so we do things a little bit differently
When we look at the coal industry we don’t just consider export dollars, we consider the social impacts on the communities around the mines, and the environmental damage, and the long term impacts on the region and the country.
The Greens are not compromised by donations from big business, developers or banks, our backers are the people, so people come first.
The Greens have people in the NSW Upper House who have a proven track record of influencing and improving government policy. Lower house candidates can make a difference too by introducing private members bills to open up discussion.
Voting Green is sending a clear message to the major parties that you want a different agenda on the political platform. Climate change is upon us and we’re all a little bit responsible because we’ve kept people in power that refuse to even look to making a plan for a transition from coal to renewables for a better future regionally and globally.
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