MEDIA RELEASE
NOTIFYING PUBLIC ABOUT DEVELOPMENT APPLICATIONS
TUESDAY, 24 JUNE 2008

Wollongong City Council’s Administrators tonight resolved to place on public exhibition a draft
Development Application Notification Policy as a further step towards improving Council’s
planning processes.

Council’s Notification Policy has been reviewed and updated to include a range of
amendments including expanding on the development types in each notification category
to provide greater clarity.

The draft Notification Policy also provides details on the recently adopted Independent
Hearing and Assessment Panel (IHAP) which will replace the current informal and
formal facilitation meeting processes.

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WCC MEDIA RELEASE “COUNCIL ANNOUNCES FURTHER CHANGES”

TUESDAY, 24 JUNE 2008

Wollongong City Council has announced further changes to its organisational structure, with
Administrators tonight endorsing a plan to replace two current Executive Manager roles with
three Directors.

The new structure includes a Director of Infrastructure and Works, Director of Corporate and
Community Services and a Director of Planning and Environment. All three positions will
now be advertised externally and will report to the General Manager.

The Director of Infrastructure and Works will be responsible for planning, construction and
maintenance of the city’s assets such as roads, drains and buildings as well as the provision of
waste services.

The Director of Corporate and Community Services will be responsible for finance,
administration, information technology, human resources, commercial property and projects
and community cultural and library services.

The Director of Planning and Environment will focus on city planning, regulation and
enforcement and environment and recreation.

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WCC MEDIA RELEASE “COUNCIL SETS NEW DIRECTION”

TUESDAY, 24 JUNE 2008

Wollongong City Council’s Administrators tonight endorsed a financially responsible
Management Plan to set the direction of services, facilities, projects and budget allocations for the
next five years.

Tonight’s decision follows the public exhibition of the draft Management Plan 2008-12, which
attracted a record amount of community feedback. As result of this input, a number of
amendments have been made to the final Plan.

The Plan now includes an action to prepare a discussion paper for community feedback on the
future of the City Mall, and has also made a commitment to reopening the Town Hall safely and
legally.

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NATIONAL TRUST OF AUSTRALIA (NSW) – ILLAWARRA SHOALHAVEN BRANCH

Presents a free Organ Recital

Wollongong Town Hall

Sunday June 29th at 3pm

with Sydney City Organist Robert Ampt Wollongong Organist Lorraine Jones

Karen Cummings, Soprano

The Illawarra Choral Society

All welcome

Donations to the National Trust Illawarra Shoalhaven Branch  PO Box 1672 Wollongong 2500 would be appreciated to help cover costs.

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And from the same Council who told us deadlines for submissions, as part of resolutions of Council, were set in stone (and we could not get an extension of time) a message from Wollongong City Council 20 June 2008 regarding the Community Engagement Review.

“We are continuing to review our principles and practices in order to formulate a policy and report on engagement options. The Community Engagement Policy and Options Report has been deferred from the June Council meeting. This will allow further consideration of options for what is a very important set of documents.”

I was also told over the phone that the report would now go to the July Council meeting.

B.R. 20 June 2008

Media release from The Hon Frank Sartor MP Minister for Planning – 18 June 2008

“LANDMARK PLANNING REFORMS PASS NSW UPPER HOUSE

The State’s Upper House has approved landmark reforms overnight which will deliver a more
efficient and transparent planning system for NSW.
Planning Minister Frank Sartor said the changes would cut red tape for ordinary homeowners
and small businesses and introduce independent decision-making into the system.
“This Upper House vote is the culmination of more than a year spent studying national and
international trends, holding forums and seeking public feedback,” Mr Sartor said.
“The Bills passed overnight are in keeping with what is being done across the country – in
recent weeks, both South Australia and Victoria have announced further reforms.
“Our changes will ensure the NSW system keeps pace with best practice planning across
Australia and meets the challenges of the 21st century.”

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Wollongong City Council
Agenda
Ordinary Meeting of Council
24 June 2008

Item 1 2008-12 Management Plan

RECOMMENDATION 7

Community Engagement (1.5.1.1) – Recommendations to be made pending the presentation of a detailed report to Council 27 June 2008 regarding community engagement options.

For full agenda and all attachments see
http://www.wollongong.nsw.gov.au/YourCouncil/2209.asp

ABC news item:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/06/17/2277258.htm

“Wollongong council pleased with improved credit rating

Posted Tue Jun 17, 2008 1:46pm AEST

Wollongong City Council has welcomed an improved credit rating from international ratings agency, Standard & Poor’s.

The agency says it has revised its outlook on Wollongong council to ‘stable’ from ‘negative’, after the New South Wales Government appointed administrators to the council until 2012.

Standard & Poor’s says the appointment of administrators strengthens the council’s credit quality because they will address the council’s maintenance backlog and accrual operating deficits.

Council administrator Robert McGregor says the improved rating is an acknowledgment the council is heading in the right direction.

He says the council has demonstrated a strong appetite for strengthening its finances.”

ABC story ends.

Questions to be asked:

“What does it mean when Administrator McGregor invokes the name of “Council’ in taking this stance on  ‘stengthening its finances’ (code for cutting costs with other vital projects) ?”

“Where are our community voices in this process in the absence of elected Councillors? “

“Thanks for joining the thousands of people that have flooded parliament with emails about the state’s pro-developer laws. These laws are hitting the Upper House tomorrow after passing in the Lower House at 2am in the shadow of the state budget.

We have one last critical window of opportunity to make a difference and put the laws under the microscope. Will you help us reach our goal of 5000 letters to State MP’s calling for an inquiry?

If you have already emailed your MP, why not tell a friend? You can forward this message or send to multiple friends” http://www.keepitlocal.org.au/refertofriend_em.php

www.keepitlocal.org.au

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“Fundamental Objectives

* Return Planning democracy to NSW, by allowing true consultation, and giving planning power back to local councils: The people should decide, not a Planning Dictator!
* End big developer donations to political parties: We want planning decisions based on merit, not on money!
* Save our property rights: Provide just compensation for loss of land, income or amenity, and for change of land use.
* End forced urban consolidation- allow sensible land release, with infrastructure funded by the government: Dump the failed planning policies, designed to favour big developers rather than the community.

GIVE NEW SOUTH WALES BACK TO THE PEOPLE!”

see SOS website and blog  http://sos.org.au/new_fallacies.html