Liverpool Community Independence Team Councillors Karress Rhodes and Peter Harle, acknowledge the Constituents of Liverpool’s frustration regarding Development Application in the Liverpool LGA with little opportunity for our citizens to substantially object to such developments.
We apologize that we were unavailable to attend the Community Forum to address this matter with our Moorebank Citizens. We were unavailable because we were already committed to take our Citizens fight to the Local Government Association of NSW Annual General Conference on their behalf.
We know in an election environment “People Power” is our best opportunity to make the State and Federal Governments listen to the voices of our local citizens, and so too it is the same with Local Councils and Councillors. The Local Government Association of NSW is a consolidated stronger voice for all Councils in NSW to Lobby State and Federal Governments for better outcomes for our local citizens.
Our voting attendance has ensured among other things that the Local Government of NSW Association will now lobby State and Federal governments on behalf of our Liverpool citizens to address some of the issues you have raised with us and are part summarised below.
- To enable Councils to refuse development consent in certain circumstances, for example, when Boarding Houses are proposed in inappropriate locations without adequate access to services and jobs.
- That the NSW State Government will not allow land to be rezoned by the Minister of Planning unless a contributions plan has made that funds the local infrastructure to which the rezoning applies.
- That changes be made to the current planning panels to appoint local Councillors to the panels to ensure the voices of local citizens will be heard.
- That immediate amendments be made to Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 to enable third party merit appeal rights in respect to all categories of development applications, particularly local developments. (giving citizens, the rights they deserve).
- That changes are made to the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 to enable local councils to issue fines and penalty amounts equivalent to the EPA for illegal dumping.
- That the NSW Government be called upon to deliver their Climate Change Policy to meet objectives to deliver a community more resilient to a changing climate.
- That the NSW State Government make the webcasting of Local Planning Panels mandatory for all Councils.
The above is just a summary of some of the issues addressed and moved in motions at the Conference, to help deliver better outcomes for our citizens.
We continue to fight for a better deal on your behalf.