Media Release: Local Government NSW demands Premier restore balance back to community in proposed planning reforms

Local Government NSW (LGNSW) Joint Presidents have strongly urged NSW Premier the Hon. Barry O’Farrell to restore the balance back to the community in his Government’s proposed planning reforms or risk a council-led direct action campaign against the legislation.

Concerns about the proposed changes have been raised repeatedly by councils and LGNSW since the initial Green Paper was released by the Department of Planning and Infrastructure in July 2012. In the most recent correspondence to Mr O’Farrell this week, the LGNSW Joint Presidents reiterated their concern that the planning reforms favoured developers at the expense of the community.

Joint President of Local Government NSW, Cr Keith Rhoades AFSM, said the NSW Government is not only ignoring the community, but breaking an election promise.

“The Coalition’s election Contract with NSW promised the return of planning powers to the community, and Premier O’Farrell and his Ministers have failed, and in fact broken their election promise, and we have had enough!” Cr Rhoades said.  

“Councils and the broader community do not accept that the proposed new system delivers on this promise and many actually believe that it is doing quite the opposite.”

“With the NSW Government ignoring repeated calls from Local Government NSW to amend its proposed changes to the planning system, councils are becoming increasingly frustrated.”

“If Premier O’Farrell does not respond to our letter within the next fortnight as we have requested, it is highly likely that some form of direct action campaign against the legislation will be proposed at the LGNSW Annual Conference next month.”

Joint President of Local Government NSW, Cr Ray Donald, said most concerning to councils was the reduction in the community’s ability to have a say in local development.

“The reduction in community engagement during assessment of contentious developments seriously risks reducing transparency,” Cr Donald said.

“That’s why, amongst other changes, we’re calling on the NSW Government to amend their proposed planning system and only permit code assessable developments and complying developments to low risk and low impact development. In addition, certain classes of code assessable development should be advertised to ensure the community can have a say on contentious developments in their neighbourhood”.

“We are also calling on the NSW Government to provide mechanisms that require early consultation with councils to ensure there is input into higher level plans, such as Regional Growth Plans. This will ensure there is true grassroots community engagement in the establishment stage of these plans.”

The proposed changes to the planning system is one of the five strategic themes that will be debated by delegates at the upcoming LGNSW Annual Conference, taking place on 1-3 October 2013 at the Sydney Town Hall. For a copy of the Conference Business Papers, click here.

Media Enquiries

Cr Keith Rhoades, AFSM    President: 0408 256 405
Cr Ray Donald                      President: 0438 699 910
Joe Sumegi                           Media and Communications Manager: 0411 897 339