[Greens-Media] Media Release: Planning Minister intervenes to protect controversial developments from scrutiny

[David Shoebridge MLC]

*Planning Minister intervenes to protect controversial developments from
scrutiny*

In a case of direct political interference in the planning process,
Planning Minister Brad Hazzard has routinely used his Ministerial powers to
remove community appeal rights from some of the most controversial planning
decisions in NSW. He has used this power on projects including the highly
contentious T4 coal terminal in Newcastle, the Maules Creek Coal mine that
is destroying the Leard State Forest and the Cobbora coal mine in the
State's Central west.

The Minister's actions ensure that any approvals given for these
environmentally and socially damaging projects cannot be subject to a merit
appeal in the Land and Environment Court. By doing so the Minister has
prevented other communities following the example of the tiny township of
Bulga in successfully overturning a damaging planning decision in the Land
and Environment Court.

See report in today's Newcastle Herald:
http://www.theherald.com.au/story/2134180/minister-accused-of-easing-way-for-miners/?cs=305

The Minister removes community appeal rights by using Labor's discredited
planning laws to direct the Planning Assessment Commission (PAC) to hold
what it calls a "public hearing".  At these hearings the community has no
right to formally present evidence, engage experts or cross examine
witnesses. Under the State's planning laws once a "public hearing" is held
by the PAC this removes all merit appeal rights to the courts.

Greens MP and Planning Spokesperson David Shoebridge said:

"This is the Planning Minister politically meddling in some of the most
controversial planning projects in the State.

"It is the lack of frankness from the Minister that will most offend
people. He says he is giving people a 'public hearing' but fails to tell
them that by doing this he is taking away the right to a genuine merits
review in the Court.

"This is nothing more than the Minister moving to protect developers and
the big miners from having to face proper scrutiny before a genuinely
independent Court.

"The Minister needs to explain to the public why he has removed the
community's appeal rights for the T4 terminal project in Newcastle and the
destructive Maules Creek coal mine in the Leard State Forest.

"Every time the Minister signs one of these directions he is actively
preventing other communities following the example of the tiny township of
Bulga in successfully overturning a damaging decision in the Land and
Environment Court.

"This is back to the bad old days of Labor where the Planning Minister uses
his discretion to give a helping hand to the big developers and big miners
of this State at the expense of the community," Mr Shoebridge said

Since coming into office the Minister has given a direction to the PAC to
hold a "public hearing" in a series of controversial projects including:


   - 16 August 2011: Maules Creek Coal Project PAC Independent Reviews
   signed by Hazzard
   - 14 September 2011: Boggabri Coal Project PAC Independent Review signed
   by Hazzard
   - 22 July 2012 : Coalpac Consolidation Project  PAC Independent Review
   signed by Hazzard
   - 13 September 2012 - Port Waratah Coal Services T4 PAC Independent
   Review signed by Hazzard
   - 23 October 2012 - Cobbora Coal Project PAC Independent Review signed
   by Hazzard
   - 27 August 2013 - Drayton South Coal Project PAC Independent Review
   signed by Hazzard
   - 16 January 2014 - Bulga Optimisation Project PAC Independent Review
   signed by Hazzard

*Media Contact: 0408 113 952 *


-- 

* David ShoebridgeGreens MP in the NSW Legislative Council P: (02) 9230
3030 |Media: 0408 113 952|T: @ShoebridgeMLC
<http://twitter.com/#!/shoebridgemlc> SIGN UP TO STAY IN
TOUCH at davidshoebridge.org.au/sign-up
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