Louise Markus (Greenway, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Veterans' Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to draw the nation’s attention to the New South Wales Labor government’s approach to planning and development. I have been contacted by many constituents in various parts of the electorate complaining about the New South Wales Labor government’s disregard for the community’s rights and concerns for their area. I refer in particular to a recent proposed development for Merriville Road, Kellyville Ridge. The development consists of 268 residential units and 23 shopfronts rising from two to eight storeys high and located on the corner of Windsor Road and Merriville Road, Kellyville Ridge.

This proposed development is inappropriate for the area. That is not just my opinion. A public meeting attended by approximately 300 people was held on 19 October. The community has the following concerns about the development: it is massive overdevelopment for that site; it has no infrastructure to cope with the additional estimated 250 families, 700 residents, and their cars or traffic and pedestrian movements on a major road intersection that is already struggling to cope with traffic; it will exacerbate social problems already existing; it has no open space or facilities for families nearby; it will significantly increase traffic and parking problems in Merriville Road; it will significantly increase the risk to many schoolchildren who catch buses near that intersection; and it will also significantly increase traffic and the potential for road accidents, with the proposed construction of a roundabout very close to a major set of traffic lights.

Those attending the meeting made it clear they opposed the development. The public meeting was organised by Rosie Bonham, a local resident, and John Gerdtz, of the Kellyville Ridge Community Association. The meeting was addressed by local and state government representatives, who all expressed their opposition to the development. However, such a chorus of community solidarity opposing a development will most likely fall on deaf ears. Why? Because under the New South Wales Labor government planning laws the decision to approve or reject this proposal, valued at over $10 million, is in the hands of three people appointed by the New South Wales Labor government to what is called a joint regional planning panel. The decision has been taken out of the hands of local government. I understand even the New South Wales planning minister, Kristina Keneally, does not have the authority to make the decision. It is in the hands of three Labor government appointees.

The panel was supposed to have five members: three Labor government appointees plus two members nominated by the local government. In this instance Blacktown Council, which has been dominated by the Labor Party for many years, were so opposed to the development that they declined to nominate two panel members, as they did not want to be seen to be compliant in the decision for approval if it is approved. That is why it is important to talk about the New South Wales Labor government. The New South Wales Labor government is a part of the much bigger machine of the Labor Party and shares the same values as the current federal Labor government, which said that governments should be at the centre of the economy. Labor’s view is that the government knows best. Does it? Because what we see here is an example of government at its worst. What we see here is an abuse of democracy. (Time expired)