“With the NSW State government election looming in March 2011, the successful party will no doubt be one that commits to the removal of Part 3A Legislation – the most autocratic environmentally damaging Planning legislation Australia has seen for over fifty years.”

visit the Stop3A website at
http://www.stoppart3a.com/index.php

REPLY FROM NSW OPPOSITION:

Thanks for your email regarding Part 3A of the planning laws.
The State Liberals and Nationals Coalition committed to the removal of Part 3A two years ago.
If we are elected our promise will be delivered.

Regards,
Brad Hazzard MP
Member for Wakehurst
Shadow Minister for Infrastructure & Planning
Shadow Minister for Redfern/Waterloo.

REPLY FROM NSW GREENS:

Dear concerned citizen of NSW

Thank you so much for taking the time to give me your thoughts on Part 3A.

Over the past 5 years there have been few campaigns more important to The Greens than the repeal of Part 3A. I am proud to be a member of the only political party that opposed the introduction of Part 3A into the EP&A Act in the last Parliament. Part 3A’s obvious faults of: excessive centralising of power, overriding of local planning laws and neutering of community consultation were obvious from the start, yet it was still enacted into law with the combined support of the ALP and the Liberal/National parties.

Beware of any party that speaks of the repeal of Part 3A without telling you what they will put in its place.

If there is a place for State significant development then it must be expressly limited to only genuine state infrastructure. For the record I said the following in my inaugural speech to Parliament last week:

“For people to have faith in government they must believe that when they interact with it, their opinions will be heard and their positions will be respected. The current planning system fails to deliver this. The last decade has seen the progressive gutting of community consultation and the marginalising of environmental considerations for most major planning decisions in this State. Part 3A of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act has delivered to the Minister for Planning untrammelled powers to approve a whole range of developments ignorant of the community’s opinion and blind to the local planning laws and the environmental effects. This must stop. While there is a place for development of genuine State significance, such as railways, ports and hospitals, to be decided at a State level after meaningful consultation, there simply is no warrant for the Minister for Planning to approve marinas, hotels and apartment blocks under the guise of State significant development.”

Not only do I wish you the best of luck in your campaign, I am also pleased to offer my full support.

David Shoebridge
Greens MLC
NSW Parliament
PH: (02) 9230 3030
FX: (02) 9230 2159
www.davidshoebridge.org.au

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF MESSAGE FROM THE HON FRANK S + Note his concern for the environment at end of message (but not at Sandon Point)?

Thank you for writing to the Hon Frank Sartor, MP, Minister for Climate Change and the Environment and Minister Assisting the Minister for Health (Cancer). Minister Sartor has asked that I acknowledge receipt of your correspondence.
The Minister appreciates the time you have taken to put your concern in writing and advises that the matters you have raised will be given due consideration.
Yours sincerely
______________________________________________
Office of The Hon Frank Sartor MP
Minister for Climate Change and the Environment and Minister Assisting the Minister for Health (Cancer)
( (02) 9228 5811 7 (02) 9228 5499 * Level 35 GMT, 1 Farrer Place, Sydney 2000 : office@sartor.minister.nsw.gov.au

Please consider the environment before printing this email.

(ends).

And from Barry at the back of the pack:

Dear Bruce,

Thank you for your recent email.

I have read your email with interest and have noted your concerns in relation to Part 3A of the planning laws.

The NSW Liberals & Nationals have committed to the removal of Part 3A.

If we are elected our promise will be delivered.

Thanks again for taking the time to write to me.

Barry
_________________________________

Barry O’Farrell MP
NSW Leader of the Opposition
(P) 02 9230 2270
(F) 02 9221 8208
(E) LOP@parliament.nsw.gov.au

www.barryofarrell.com.au
www.twitter.com/barryofarrell

NF2 has consistently requested to be kept in the loop about Council’s dogs on beaches report. This is because of the real importance of the problems caused by Council making our local beach (Sharkey’s – various spellings) THE off-leash beach for a very wide catchment of dog owners.

The report – which was only available on Council’s website last week – has now been processed by the Administrators before NF2 has had a chance to see the report’s recommendations at it’s next regular monthly meeting and – if necessary – seek to make use of the Public Access forum at the Council meeting (and/or other means) to present our community’s views and concerns.

This is an issue which really impacts on our Coledale community in particular.

My own view is that the Council officers failed to be get the balance of interests right – but we needed to have a chance to find out what the rest of our community think and relay that to the decision-makers at Council (before they impose their solution on us). We have been denied that opportunity.

So where does that leave us? Time to put our collective thinking caps on.

The next meeting of Neighbourhood Forum 2 is

Wednesday 6th October 2010
Coledale RSL Dining Room
7.00 – 9.00pm

ORDINARY MEETING OF COUNCIL
HELD ON TUESDAY 28 SEPTEMBER 2010 AT 5.00 PM

PRESENT Administrators Dr C Gellatly AO (in the Chair), R McGregor AM and R Colley

IN ATTENDANCE General Manager – D Farmer, Director Corporate and Community Services – I Halliday, Director Environment and Planning – A Carfield and Director Infrastructure and Works – P Kofod

…

PUBLIC ACCESS FORUM
MS D DUDEK – DOGS ON BEACHES AND PARKS POLICY
Ms D Dudek said that she supported Council’s attempt to increase access for dogs on beaches. However, she was against the policy, listing the following four main reasons –
1 The removal of the existing off-leash beach between East Corrimal and Bellambi (a petition was tabled supporting this view). Ms Dudek avised that when this area was originally designated as off-leash, the report stated there was minimal impact. Given the community has not been provided with access to the Review of Environmental Factors document, which seems to be the main reason for the change, the community was suspicious about the lack of transparency and asked Council to provide the document to the public.
2 The replacement of the existing (2-3 km) off-leash area beach between East Corrimal and Bellambi, with approximately 200 metres on Woonona Beach. It appears there is no reason why the entirety of Woonona Beach between Woonona and Bellambi Surf Lifesaving Clubs cannot be made available, given the natural
boundaries of the area (one of the key principles for off-leash areas). During the flag-up season, the clubs post signs indicating where the no-dog area begins. Ms Dudek recommended that the off-leash area extend
between these signs in the flag-up times and extend the full length of the beach, when flags are down.
3 The need to reconsider the time and seasonal restrictions in the proposed orange zones. Ms Dudek outlined various contradictions in the orange zones proposed and also felt that the community feedback form was coercive and did not offer all-day access in winter as an option. 4 The need to reassess the zero tolerance policy, which seemingly contradicts Council’s commitment to educate the community, particularly, for example, when people have their dogs off-leash in an orange zone at 9.01 am. Ms Dudek urged Council to provide leeway for the discretion of Rangers on the matter of a warning versus a fine.
Ordinary Meeting of Council
Page 2 28 September 2010
Minute No.
Wollongong City Council
DR R ROBINSON – DEFER ADOPTION OF DOGS ON BEACHES AND PARKS
POLICY
Dr Robinson asked that Council defer approval of the above Policy until such time as all additional direct, overhead and social opportunity costs, are added to the dog licensing fee. This would ensure that no added incremental burden is incurred by ratepayers, particularly those who do not own a dog. The business paper states that $153,000 would cover the cost of employment of additional staff and capital costs for the Dogs on Beaches Policy. However, there is no apparent evidence that this figure includes education, publicity,
overheads and social opportunity costs.
Dr Robinson said that the lifetime licence fee of $150 was acceptable when dogs were kept in private backyards. However, he felt the fee should be reviewed and the increase passed on to the dog owner, not all ratepayers. Also, he felt registered dogs should be easily identifiable and suggested the wearing of a distinctive coloured collar. In conclusion, Dr Robinson felt that a licence should be issued only after the owner has attended an educational session on animal control.

(COUNCIL RESOLVED)

ITEM 6 – DOGS ON BEACHES AND PARKS POLICY (Z10/125276) – REPORT OF
ACTING MANAGER REGULATION AND ENFORCEMENT (GM) 14/09/10
116 RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY that -
1 Council endorse the Dogs on Beaches and Parks Policy, as attached to the report.
2 A communication plan to educate the community on the new Policy be implemented.
3 Further community consultation be carried out in relation to East Corrimal and McCauley’s Beaches becoming “dogs prohibited”.
4 Further community consultation occur in relation to the potential alternative off-leash area located on Woonona Beach for Woonona Bulli residents.
5 A further report be presented to Council upon completion of the community consultation process in relation to East Corrimal and McCauley’s Beach and the alternate off-leash area location at Woonona Beach.

(THE REPORT RECOMMENDED):

REF: CM108/10
DOGS ON BEACHES AND PARKS POLICY
Report of Acting Manager Regulation & Enforcement (GM) 14/09/10 Z10/125276

RECOMMENDATION
1 Council endorse the Dogs on Beaches & Parks Policy, as attached to this report.
2 A communication plan to educate the community on the new Policy be implemented.
3 Further community consultation be carried out in relation to East Corrimal and McCauley’s Beaches becoming “dogs prohibited”.
4 Further community consultation occurs in relation to the potential alternative off-leash area located on Woonona Beach for Woonona Bulli residents.
5 A further report be presented to Council upon completion of the community consultation process in relation to East Corrimal and McCauley’s Beach and the alternate off-leash area location at Woonona Beach.

I note that the minutes from the September Neighbourhood Forum 2 (formerly the Clifton Coledale Neighbourhood Forum) record:

“7. Building on past NF2 activities:
There have been substantial changes to the way in which NF2 has functioned. For many years it held meetings at the Coledale Community hall with secretarial support from Council. When Council withdrew its support for Neighbourhood Committees (as they were called) our independent councillors continued to attend at the new venue of RSL. With the sacking of the Council even this form of support fell away. In recent years a core group has undertaken this role, but is in need for more support from other members of the Clifton to Coledale community. Fliers were produced and distributed by letterbox to the whole area but this has had little effect. The meeting decided that the core group would meet and draft an email to be sent to all those on the mailing list, pointing out the need for a greater level of community support is the NF2 is to be able to continue its activities.”

Nothing new here. For several years now i have been saying that it is up to Council to provide the proper resources for our communities to properly handle community business. This lesson seems to be a hard one for others to learn.

We need to get real about what Council resources we actually need to have fair dinkum community based committees. With many years of actual experience now (from the times of WCC Neighbourhood Committees through to the present NFS) we have a wealth of experience about what is actually required to do the job properly.

One good suggestion has been for a Ward-based Council worker to be located in each Ward, to be a point of contact for Council business and to provide on-the-ground support and follow through for whatever form of local Council-Community group we have.

Such resources will never come from those who regard the present form of Council organisation (which places all its resources in the tower in Burelli Street) unless people lobby hard for them. Council decision-makers are locked into old paradigm 20th century world-views.

We pay our rates and deserve a new form of Council organisation – new paradigm place-based – in order to properly handle our community business. New forms of electronic communication have made the old type of organisation (which is not efficient) obsolete.

With an eye to the coming NSW State election in March, it may be timely to revise the community reform agenda from 2007. It presently reads:

PRECINCT COMMITTEES

6. Change the Local Government Act to provide for and protect properly resourced Precinct Committees as formal committees of local council. (Protection to include provision that a Precinct Committee cannot be abolished or dissolved by a simple majority of Council).

7. Precinct Committees to consist of twelve community representatives elected annually from residents within the Precinct area. (Full disclosure provisions to apply to those seeking election to Precinct Committees).

8. Precinct Committees will be provided with Council funding and resources necessary for them to fulfil their functions.

9. The provision of coordination services for a Precinct Committee shall be contracted out, with Council providing the funding for these services and the Precinct committee and Council jointly selecting the successful tenderer.

10. All general meetings of Precinct Committees to open to all residents, with rights to speak and a right to provide an indicative (non-binding) vote; Committee members required to comply with Council level disclosure provisions when dealing with items of business and voting; the Model Rules for organisations (modified as required) to serve as a blueprint for conduct of Precinct Committees (and as set out by other legislation).

11. Functions of Precinct Committees to be determined by community consultation, but may include the provision of a conduit between people in the local area and other levels of government; setting funding priorities for the local area; recognition of their role as an authority in determining the local character of the area (including cultural heritage matters and questions of significance in relation to the cultural and natural environment); a role in the selection and review of Council staff; a role to provide community representatives to other bodies.

12. Change the Local Government Act to ensure that Precinct Committees have an effective role to play in community consultation for major projects of state significance and have the resources required for this task.

13. Change the Local Government Act (and Planning Act) to require all major projects of state significance to be issued with a “statement of community consent” from the relevant Precinct Committee as a prior and necessary condition for the NSW Planning Minister to grant development consent (such statement of community consent not to be unreasonably withheld – with a test of ‘reason’ in contested cases being determined by a popular vote within the area of the Precinct Committee).

14. Precinct Committees to be Community Trusts for holding title to community land within their area, and in the management of these lands in keeping with community based plans for these lands, and other conditions (such as respecting the conditions of original grants).

(from http://reformwcc.info/community-reform-agenda-2007/)

Former WCC Lord Mayor, and NSW State Member for Keira (former Minister for the Illawarra) will not stand at next election.

See Illawarra Mercury:

http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/news/local/news/general/david-campbell-quits-as-keira-mp/1953839.aspx

Despite points of difference regarding his position on the need for the restoring our democratically elected Council (sacked by his party) we must acknowledge that David Campbell did introduce WCC Neighbourhood Committees when he was Lord Mayor.

These were unilaterally dissolved by this own party’s (ALP) Councillors when he was no longer Lord Mayor.

Note – EXTRACTS ONLY – check original WCC report for any contextual considerations etc.

Ordinary Meeting of Council
28 September 2010

REF: CM108/10
DOGS ON BEACHES AND PARKS POLICY
Report of Acting Manager Regulation & Enforcement (GM) 14/09/10 Z10/125276

RECOMMENDATION
1 Council endorse the Dogs on Beaches & Parks Policy, as attached to this report.
2 A communication plan to educate the community on the new Policy be implemented.
3 Further community consultation be carried out in relation to East Corrimal and McCauley’s Beaches becoming “dogs prohibited”.
4 Further community consultation occurs in relation to the potential alternative off-leash area
located on Woonona Beach for Woonona Bulli residents.
5 A further report be presented to Council upon completion of the community consultation process in relation to East Corrimal and McCauley’s Beach and the alternate off-leash area location at Woonona Beach.

…

870 submissions were received during the exhibition period, 700 on the prepared feedback form and 170 open submissions. Two (2) significant petitions were also received, (60 and 492 signatories) in relation to Sharkeys Beach. This large volume of feedback emphasises the strong community connection that exists to this Policy and dogs generally.

…

Sharkey’s Beach is recommended to stay as off-leash area due to community support and positive results in the REF. As part of the implementation of the Policy, education will be undertaken to communicate that this beach remains an off leash area.

ATTACHMENTS
1. Dogs on Beaches & Parks Review
2. Dogs on Beaches & Parks Policy

Attachment 1. Review

…

Issue:
Remove Sharkey’s beach as an off-leash beach

Community Feedback Summary

38% wanted it to change to on leash, 41% didn’t want it changed.
21% said it didn’t affect them
In addition 2 petitions with 492 petition signatories wanting offleash and 60 signatories for on leash
Neighbourhood Forum 2 – Coledale put forward a submission to support Council to ban all dogs on Sharkeys Beach.

REF

REF recommends, due to level of community interest, that Council either increase education and enforcement or make beach an orange or red zone.

Comments/implications

Reasonably even submissions, 3% higher to remain as off-leash. Also very significant petition of 492 to keep as off-leash.
Recommend should stay as off-leash and focus for enforcement be provided to Sharkeys, as well as overall education.
Note that if petition numbers also included there is 71% support for off-leash remaining

Attachment 2 – COUNCIL POLICY

5.0 Three Tier Approach

The three tier approach (as in traffic lights) has been chosen as it is a suitable, easily understood, way in
which to explain the three levels of access provided for the community along the foreshore and beaches. This
approach also enables a diagrammatic view of the access provisions along our coast. The green areas are offleash, the orange areas are time share access areas and the red areas are dog prohibited (banned) areas.

5.1 Green zone – Off leash

The green off-leash zones have been provided to meet the needs of dog and dog owners given the significant population in our community. Their spread along our coastal area demonstrates that Council is considering good planning practice in accordance with Harlock Jackson (1995). The chosen off-leash
areas substantially meet the desired selection criteria for off-leash zones

The following beaches declared Off-leash areas are:

* Sharkey’s Beach, Coledale (from the car-park, south toward the rock outcrop

…

(Attached map in report shows Sharkey’s Beach as Green)

WCC Meeting Date : 28/09/2010

Dogs on Beaches and Parks Policy.pdf

Item 6

Dogs on Beaches and Parks Policy 1427 KB

download from:

http://www.wollongong.nsw.gov.au/council/meetings/Pages/councilmeetings.aspx

The Neighbourhood Forum Hub had disappeared from the new WCC website. As a result of our inquiry as to its whereabouts, it has been restored.

Message from Consultation at WCC:

” Our IT people have added the ‘hub’ to our new website

Please see link below:

http://www.wollongong.nsw.gov.au/council/haveyoursay/neighbourhoodforums/Pages/default.aspx “

Check out the Hub link (under “See also” right hand side of page)

and note the request at the Hub:

“Welcome to the Neighbourhood Forum Hub

Use this site to gain access to Wollongong City Council’s interactive web content.

This site has been updated with links to the new Council Website (August 2010).

Please report any comments, suggestions and problems through our website feedback.” http://wcc.wollongong.nsw.gov.au/limesurvey/index.php?sid=65665&lang=en

Will dogs get run of Wollongong beaches?
BY LAUREL-LEE RODERICK
18 Sept, 2010 Illawarra Mercury

“The future of dog off-leash areas on beaches between Stanwell Park and Windang could be revealed by the end of next week.

More than a year after Wollongong City Council unveiled a controversial proposal to allow dogs on all but four of the city’s busiest beaches, a revised off-leash policy is set to be presented to the administrators at the next council meeting on September 28.

The business papers for the meeting will be made available on the council’s website towards the end of next week.”

full story:
http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/news/local/news/general/will-dogs-get-run-of-wollongong-beaches/1945207.aspx

ICAC aftermath: still no decision on charges
BY LAUREL-LEE RODERICK
Illawarra Mercury
16 Sept, 2010

The NSW Opposition has criticised the delay in deciding whether to prosecute six individuals embroiled in the Wollongong City Council corruption scandal, almost two years after the state’s corruption watchdog recommended they should face criminal charges.

On October 8, 2008, Independent Commission Against Corruption commissioner Jerrold Cripps flagged a potential 139 criminal charges against 11 individuals in his final report on corruption within the council.

But in the subsequent 23 months, just five individuals have been brought before the court on charges related to the ICAC hearings.

…

When Mr Cripps, who is no longer with ICAC, was in Wollongong last month, he agreed the process was taking too long.

“It should have been well and truly over by now,” Mr Cripps said.

Shadow attorney-general Greg Smith called for Premier Kristina Keneally’s government to explain why after nearly two years, the matters were not finalised.

…

Mr Smith said the public needed to have confidence in the justice system but delays undermined this. “If the evidence is sufficient, the people of Wollongong need prosecutions to be launched and to run their course, in order to rebuild their community.”

full story
http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/news/local/news/general/icac-aftermath-still-no-decision-on-charges/1943019.aspx?storypage=0