Save Our
Sydney Suburbs (NSW) Inc.
News
Release October 2004
Despots and Arrogance
Hi SOS Members
The Daily Telegraph (21 October) reports another extremely worrying
attempt by the State Government to tear away the democratic rights of communities
- the rights to determine the character of their neighbourhood and as a result
force higher densities onto communities against their will.
DIPNR has sent a discussion document to Councils suggesting that there be four
types of residential zoning, "lower density", "higher density",
"township" and "rural living". Even the "lower density"
will include multiple dwellings. Single residential zoning will be a thing of
the past.
We need to campaign hard against this policy. I shall attempt to get more details
next week.
Meanwhile SOS member Anthony Meaney has had the following letter on this proposal
published by the Tele on 22 October:
Policy
against families.
Here we go again. The State Labor Government wants to reintroduce unlimited
dual occupancy zones (Daily Telegraph October 21).
Gee Bob, I thought you abolished this plan of the Greiner and Fahey Liberal
Governments as part of your 1995 Vote Labor policy..
I guess this is just another reason to kick your government out in 2007.
Unfortunately the alternative Brogden Liberals have similar policies.
I suppose we’ll all have to vote Family First as this new policy is certainly
anti-family.
Anthony Meaney
Summerland Point
And in
the same edition Sutherland Council’s environmental services director,
John Brunton writes:
"The rules should only be changed if the State Government can guarantee
they will produce an improved residential environment.
"The concern is the rule changes are being driven by major building companies
and project home builders. ……………"
This is confirmed by more details emerging of a subject mentioned in our previous news-email. The Australian Financial Review (20 October) reports DIPNR’s Director-General, Jennifer Westacott, saying at a Property Council of Australia seminar that:
Exploiting a wealth of state government property assets, learning to outsmart community lobby groups and setting up development corporations could be the key to making Sydney’s new Metropolitan Strategy a success. ….. The number of assets this could unleash is "mind-boggling". ……It was important to make decisions quickly before local lobby groups could emerge to "pick off’ projects one by one.
So members, there we have it from the horse’s mouth. The arrogance is breathtaking. We will need all the support and resources our members can muster to preserve our democratic rights and to try to prevent the Sydney that we have known degenerate into a future overcrowded slum.
Tony Recsei
President
Save Our Suburbs (SOS)