[Greens-Media] (Sylvia Hale MLC) Government Misled Parliament Over City Planning Takeover

[Christopher Holley]

Government Misled Parliament Over City Planning Takeover

The government misled the parliament last year in order to push through
amendments that allowed the Planning Minister Frank Sartor to remove the
Government Architect from the Central Sydney Planning Committee and
replace him with departmental planners directly answerable to himself,
according to NSW Greens MP and planning spokesperson Sylvia Hale.

The Greens opposed the Environmental Planning Legislation Bill when it
was debated in November 2006 and questioned whether assurances that the
Government Architect would remain on the Central Sydney Planning
Committee, given to the parliament by Ministers Della Bosca and Kelly on
behalf of the Planning Minister, could be believed.

Ms Hale told the parliament at the time that  “You would not trust
the Minister as far as you could throw him!” 

“This decision shows that the Greens were right to question whether
the government’s assurances could be trusted. This government has a
record of giving assurances to the parliament in order to get
legislation passed, then breaching those assurances once the legislation
is through,” said Ms Hale. 

“This sort of behaviour shows utter contempt for the parliament and
the democratic process.”

“The changes to the appointments to the Central Sydney Planning
Committee are all about the Planning Minister wanting to take control of
major developments in the city. It’s ironic that Labor has attacked
Clover Moore for being both Lord Mayor and the member for Sydney when
Frank Sartor appears to want to be both Planning Minister and Lord
Mayor.”

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