[Greens-Media] “Toaster” Awards Highlight Bad Developments

[Christopher Holley]

Nominations have opened for the 2006 Bad Developer Awards. The Awards, known as “the Toasters” after the controversial East Circular Quay development, allow individuals and community groups to nominate the worst property development in the past year.

This year’s nominations already include mortgage broker  “Aussie” John Symond for his gigantic new mansion at Point Piper which features 16 car spaces and a dozen bathrooms and BHP Billiton for its proposed coal mine on the Georges River south of Sydney. 

“These awards give communities an opportunity to highlight the worst new developments in Sydney and around NSW,” said the Toasters’ founder and host, NSW Greens MP Sylvia Hale. 

“Developers seem to be accumulating more and more power to steamroll over local community concerns and do enormous damage to communities and the environment. This is a chance for those communities to give the developers the public razzing they deserve.”

Other categories for Awards include: worst Council, worst government department and worst private certification of a development.

The awards also provide an opportunity to celebrate good developments, with awards for both best Council and best development. Those who work to stop bad developments will also be recognised with a “best community campaign” award.

“It is possible to undertake developments that meet community needs without destroying our heritage or our environment. We want to recognise those Councils and developers who have genuinely attempted to achieve this goal.” 

The awards will be announced at an evening event in Sydney on Thursday 24 August, 2006.

“Unlike Liberal and Labor Party events, the “Toasters” will not be funded by developer donations or thousand-dollar-a-table tickets. Admission is free, light food will be provided and drinks will be at club prices, so anyone can come along and join in the fun,” said Ms Hale.

One of last year’s winners, the Stockland Group, has again been nominated, this time for a shopping mall development at Vincentia on Jervis Bay. 

Information about how to nominate or attending the awards event can be found at www.sylviahale.org.au. Nominations close Monday 21 August 2006.

Further information: Chris Holley 02 9230 3030 / 0437 779 546