6th September 2012 - The Bush Telegraph Weekly

THE GREENS
The Hornsby Kuring-gai Greens
hosted a public forum on Sunday
26th August. Speakers included
lawyer David Shoebridge MLC,
Greens spokesperson for Planning,
and Louise Crabtree of the UWS
Community Economies Unit.
Shoebridge alerted the Hornsby
community to the destructive
planning legislation proposed by the
NSW Government’s Green Paper.
Then, in a community spirited move
entirely independent of the Greens,
audience members—including
contending candidates—decided to
start an independent, non party
political local group to oppose the
changes. Some of these damaging
proposals are: no resident right to
object to close-by developments;
no councillor oversight of
developments; developer only
rights to appeal unfavourable
zoning decisions; removal of
key environmental and heritage
protections; existing residents to
pay levies for new infrastructure
needs generated by developments;
and “Enterprise Zones” with no
planning controls, potentially LGA
sized.
On a brighter note, Dr Crabtree
showed inspiring examples of
Australian housing projects with
medium-low mixed densities
in beautiful village settings,
incorporating affordability and
environmental sustainability
features. We really can team vision
COUNCIL ELECTION 2012
with practical innovations for a
healthy Hornsby community.
But won’t these legislative
changes obliterate such
creativity?
The Greens candidates pointed
to Australia’s history of successful
community action against such
heavily developer weighted
planning legislation. Developers
do not have the social licence to
destroy communities. Communities
can say “No” and a well informed,
well prepared community can have
real power. Greens councillors
will follow Dr Crabtree’s talk with
many more on ecocity design,
cycleway design, carpooling plans,
structuring community development
finance, and much more. To
advance these innovations, Greens
councillors will also equip Council
to host democratic participation for
residents, incorporating all-locality
representatives. These will not be
appointed, but authorised by grassroots
community agreed processes.
Photo: Greens Candidates for A
Ward Richard Boult and B Ward
Sherrie Cross.