Thank you for your enquiry.

I am standing for the seat of Heathcote at the March 2011 NSW State election as an Independent with the support of former parliamentarian and legend corruption fighter, John Hatton.

John’s return to politics to stand for the Upper House has inspired me to nominate for the lower house – as John puts it – “there will be a seminal change in politics”. I have embraced the principles of open and transparent decision making free of political influence.

The core local issues in my home town that have prompted me to nominate are protecting the Royal National Park and Sydney’s Water Catchment area which are under threat from Coal Seam Gas (methane) mining and a Power Station. I will be progressively announcing statements on other issues in the electorate throughout the campaign which you may follow on the policies page on the website at www.gregpetty.com.au

Your comments and feedback is sincerely appreciated. I am committed to listening the many community views that will probably most effectively provide a permanent SOLUTION to your issues – and something that I believe in and would support and fight to achieve.

I believe through community consultation, solutions can be found to any problem, we just need to have a desire in our MP’s to be inclusive of community wishes.

You are welcome to distribute my correspondence to other interested community members.

Finally, by way of further illustration how I will maintain my independence, I am not accepting donations in this campaign. I believe this shows me to be above party politics, to be truly independent and free to make decisions based on community consultation, not the quantum or source of such donations.

I would be pleased to hear from the community that share my vision that could assist with letter box distribution, handouts at events, and of course 2 hours on polling day. This would be sincerely appreciated.

Warmest regards
Greg Petty
Independent Candidate for Heathcote
Email: greg@gregpetty.com.au
Web: www.gregpetty.com.au

Note added by reformwcc:

Greg’s policy page does say:

“* Put planning control back in control of local council and residents, repeal Part 3A”

But no details as to how planning control will be put in control of local council and residents.

As we have heard from The Greens candidate for Heathcote i have emailed the other candidates running in Heathcote along the following lines:

Dear (candidate)

I have a blog on the need to reform Wollongong City Council and i am seeking the views of Heathcote candidates running for State Parliament regarding the need to reform local government to empower local communities.

What do you propose to do at the State level in this regard?

Please note I will post your reply to www.reformwcc.info

See also my Community Reform Agenda at:

http://reformwcc.info/2011/02/17/community-reform-agenda-%E2%80%93-2009-2012-governance/

cheers

Bruce Reyburn
Coledale
(Friday 25 Feb 2011)

Thanks for the invitation to discuss this matter. Tthe Greens have been advocating principles of local determination for decades. A position in relation to community that the two major parties are only just catching up to. Much like their environmental policies, other parties often pretend that a) they invented environmental concern and sustainability, and b) their policies are and have been adequate. If these are true, how do we explain the parlous state of our local and regional environments, the disenfranchisement of communities, and the pervasive, ubiquitous cynicism around consultation?

If Bruce had stayed longer he would have discovered that I have a deep and abiding commitment to better governance, that I have been an advocate for precinct committees, that I wrote the principles of community consultation for the NSW EPA in the mid 90s after 18months leading communities and community organisations (including precinct committees) in 6 LGAs in the struggle to prevent an airport being built on the Holsworthy military range; he would have also learnt of my experience in campaigning for Royal National Park, facilitating community discussions against the destruction of water catchment areas by longwall coal mining, facilitating community forums on climate change and waste.

A doorstop discussion in the drizzle outside Bi-Lo at Helensburgh on the issue of the role of and support for precinct committees in Wollongong is hardly a debate. If I were the representative in parliament for the residents of the electorate of Heathcote, there would be numerous issues to get across, including those associated with the local councils the electorate strides. I would genuinely welcome discussion about how to improve participation by the broader community not just precinct committees.

In response to the concern about action, I’d have thought that repealing Part 3A is a damn good start! This legislation introduced by the Labor government and supported by the Liberal Party removes community say from large developments. The Opposition is only promising to review planning legislation. The Greens are promising to remove Part 3A. Chalk and cheese in terms of approaches. Independent voices might rail against this and other legislation that emasculates community, but only a party can have the numbers to remove it.

To brand my first words about this matter a failure, misunderstands the role of state government and mistakes tentativeness for lack of commitment and ideas for action. If I am elected to represent the electorate of Heathcote, I would welcome the opportunity to discuss Bruce’s and others’ ideas about improving governance. In the meantime, I would encourage readers here to have a close look at Greens policies: therein, you will see commitment to community, transparency and integrity of politics and processes.

You may read our local government policy in full at nsw.greens.org.au/policies/local-government

Phil Smith

Greens Candidate for Heathcote

STATE GOVERNMENT MATTERS

PROTECTING DEMOCRACY AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.

Draft only. These proposals are only in draft form – for purposes of discussion by people who agree that:

(a) the time is overdue for ending the domination of Council business by a ‘corporate culture’ playing games well out of sight of community scrutiny
(b) the time has arrived for moving beyond the systematic top-down corruption of our communities by the involvement of State and Federal political parties in local government. It is time for our communities to have a real say in what happens in our local areas.
(c) there is a growing threat posed by the concentration of power in the hands of executive levels of government (who may be prepared to sacrifice our communities interests for a variety of other reasons)
(d) a good part of the solution is to empower and enable everyday people to participate in decision-making at the local community level and in a democratic manner.

NEED TO REFORM THE NSW LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT.

1. The newly elected State government (in 2011) to engage in properly resourced community consultation for a thorough review of the Local Government Act.
2. Discussion papers to be prepared and circulated which fully explore key issues raised by the community consultation process (by early 2012).
3. Key provisions of this review to voted on by a State wide referendum held at the time of the September 2012 local government election.
4. Remaining provisions of this review to be voted on by a State wide referendum held at the time of the subsequent State election.

SOME POINTS FOR CONSIDERATION
(based on the Wollongong experience).

BAN ON STATE AND FEDERAL POLITCAL PARTIES AT LOCAL COUNCIL LEVEL

5. Change State legislation and/or the NSW constitution to ban all State and Federal political parties from direct involvement in local government.
6. Enshrine the right of people to be represented by their elected Councillors at all times.
7. Enshrine the right of people to be able to vote for a replacement Councillor as soon as a position becomes vacant for whatever reason, and particularly in the event of a Councillor being found to be corrupt by ICAC or otherwise officially deemed unfit for civic office
8. Lifetime ban for any person who has been found to be corrupt by ICAC from standing in a local government election.

PRECINCT COMMITTEES

9. 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).
10. 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).
11. Precinct Committees will be provided with Council funding and resources necessary for them to fulfil their functions.
12. 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.
13. All general meetings of Precinct Committees to open to all residents within the Precinct Committee area, with residents having a right to speak and a right to provide an indicative (non-binding) vote; non-resident people having a right to speak on matters of mutual concern but not to vote in the indicative vote;
14. formal (binding) votes on major items shall require one month’s notice (advertised to community at least ten days prior to meeting); and be limited to elected Precinct Committee members; and shall be voted on as advertised and without amendment.
15. Committee members required to comply with Council level disclosure provisions when dealing with items of business and voting;
16. 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).
17. 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.
18. 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.
19. 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).
20. 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).

FEDERAL LEVEL – PREVENT SYSTEMATIC CORRUPTION OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT BY STATE AND FEDERAL POLITICAL PARTIES.

Any changes to the Australian Constitution and/or Australian law and regulations in relation to the recognition of local government as the third level of government to include:

1. a ban on all State and Federal political parties from direct involvement in local government.
2. all forms of local government organisation to provide for properly resourced Precinct Committees as committees of Council and as local community conduits to all levels of government.

Bruce Reyburn
PO Box 257 Thirroul 2515
brucer@reformwcc.info
www.reformwcc.info

From WCC Website:

“Council is seeking interest from a diverse group of people within the community who would like to have ‘their say’ about how Council communicates and consults.

To do this, Council will form a temporary panel of persons from diverse backgrounds to help Council best know how to reach it’s communities. The outcomes and ideas generated by the panel will help Council best know how to communicate with different people about the future Strategic Plan.

To be considered for the panel, interested persons are asked to read the Community Reference Panel Charter prior to filling out and submitting the Expression of Interest form, which must be submitted by 5PM, Monday, 21 February, 2011.”

More info at

http://www.wollongong.nsw.gov.au/council/haveyoursay/Pages/communitypanel.aspx

Greens NSW Local Government Policy
Interim Policy*
Revised November 2010

…

50. Establishing precinct committees to expand community involvement in local government decision making;

…

http://nsw.greens.org.au/policies/local-government

* To be ratified at Greens NSW State Delegates Council in February 2011.

[llawarra Greens Feb newsletter says: 19-20 February (Saturday and Sunday) State Delegates Council at ... Gosford. ]

While doing a bit of shopping at Helensburgh on Saturday i was stopped and introduced to Phil Smith, The Greens candidate for Heathcote.

That electorate extends as far south as Bulli, so covers the area of two former WCC Neighbourhood Committees (NC 1 and NC 2), and much of part of a third (NC3). These are areas where there has been much action regarding Neighburhood committees over the last twenty years.

With a pamphlet thrust into my hand, I took the opportunity to ask Phil what was The Greens policy in relation to precinct committees for local government.

“I should know that.” he agreed, but had no idea.

The pamphlet says that “Planning for people” is part of their Green Plan for NSW. They will:

“Make our neighbourhoods more sustainable and liveable, and give locals a say. Repeal Part 3A planning laws and put the needs of communities before the big developers and corporate donors.”

Good – but how?

Let’s not have any more of the present “Have your say” level of community consultation popular with party politicians and Council bureaucrats alike.

We need some real means of reforming the local government process which does enable local communities.

People like Phil, seeking to represent us, need to have some detailed proposals about HOW local communities will interface with decision-making processes in ways which are not happening at the moment.

Bland assurances (and a lack of a working knowledge of such matters at the local community level) are not enough to capture my vote.

I recommend asking anyone running for office what their position is regarding reforming local government to make for effective, democratic and accountable Precinct Committees.

Bruce Reyburn
Coledale

PS I have invited Phil to respond and he has replied that he will.