Bad Day in Macquarie Street for the Planning System

“Once again the Labor Party has shown that it is addicted to donations from property developers and that it will repay those donations with pro-developer laws,” said Sylvia Hale, the NSW Greens MP and planning spokesperson.

“Promises of electoral funding reform from the Premier are cheap, the real test is what the Labor party does in the parliament. Today it demonstrated clearly for all to see that the Labor Party, once the party of the trade unions, is now the party of the property developers.”

“Frank Sartor’s planning bill will undermine some of the major objectives of the current Act. It will reduce community involvement in development decisions, impose substantial additional costs on Councils while reducing their powers and extend existing conflicts of interest in the planning and development process.”

“Rather than addressing the systemic corruption that exists in the planning system Mr Sartor’s Bill will make the system even more open to corruption.”
“The draft Bill contains major changes to approval processes, appeals, council powers and community participation. In its current form it is impossible to confidently predict the impact of these changes. That is why we need a full public inquiry into the impact of the Bill.”

“With details of many of the reforms to be determined later by way of regulation the public is being asked to trust Frank Sartor to do the right thing. Given the millions of dollars the Labor Party takes from developers, that’s a very big ask,” Ms Hale said.

In the Upper House the Labor, Liberal and National parties combined to refer the Greens Bill to the parliamentary committee inquiring into electoral funding reform.

“It was notable that not one member of the Labor Party was willing to stand up in the Upper House and defend the Minister’s record during debate on the Greens Bill. It appears the Minister stands alone as the sole defender of this indefensible system with not one of his colleagues rushing to their feet in this debate to defend him,” said Ms Hale.

Contact: Chris Holley on 02 9230 3030 or 0437 779 546

[via Sylvia Hale Media Release Thursday 15 May 2008 link]