Member for Davidson, Jonathan O’Dea claims the NSW Labor Government is deaf, blind and demonstratively insensitive when it comes to planning in the Ku-ring-gai Council Area and warned the Warringah Council area is next.
Speaking in Parliament last Thursday, Mr O’Dea said, “The recent gazettal of the Ku-ring-gai Town Centres Local Environment Plan (LEP) highlights the NSW Labor Government’s continued unwillingness to hear and reflect local community views on planning issues”.
He referred to the 2008 tour of the area by former Planning Minister, now Premier, Kristina Keneally, to witness the impact of local overdevelopment adding, “she also cruelly did nothing to address the clear problems identified with overdevelopment. After the photo opportunity, no corrective action eventuated,” Mr O’Dea said.
“At Warringah Council’s recent Talk of the Town forum, which I attended, the focus was on the NSW Government requirement for an additional 10,000 new dwellings by 2031 – the same as for Ku-ring-gai – and it is clear the people of Warringah will be facing many of the same challenges.
He told the Parliament, “In relation to the recent budget, residents of both Ku-ring-gai and Warringah Council areas in my electorate have been asking, ‘Where’s our share?’ At a time when local councils are being told they must provide for thousands of additional dwellings, State Labor is failing to provide the necessary funding to adequately upgrade infrastructure to meet increasing demand. Despite the thousands of new dwellings, there is little from the budget to provide for increased demand on local public services including hospitals, water, roads and transport.
“In Government, the NSW Liberals & Nationals would look for ways to reflect our respect for the agreed 10,000 new dwelling target as part of an audit of all councils’ Metropolitan Strategy dwelling targets. We want local government agreements with State Government to be respected and adhered to – not ignored and exceeded,” Mr O’Dea told Parliament.
“A NSW Liberals & Nationals Government will return local planning powers back to the community through their local councils, starting with removal of the undemocratic Ku-ring-gai Planning Panel,” Mr O’Dea concluded.
