News Corp’s The Daily Telegraph has reported that the NSW Opposition leader, Mark Speakman, has indicated his willingness to support Labor’s plans to overhaul the NSW planning laws – the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (EPA Act) to speed up housing approvals.

However FOKE has yet to validate whether the NSW Opposition leader has formally expressed his willingness to review the EPA Act.

Mark Speakman’s 14.11.24 media release instead criticised the Minns Government for their At least 51 talk fests and counting – the Minns Labor government is all talk, no action.

FOKE notes that it was Barry O’Farrell, Liberal NSW Premier from 2011-2014 promised in 2011 if elected he would ensure planning powers were handed back to local communities. He, then attempted to reform the EPAA Act following this election.

In July 2012 the Liberal NSW Government released its Green Paper – A New Planning System for NSW, which set out its proposals to reform the NSW planning system. However a large number of submissions were mostly critical of the Green Paper. In its submission, FOKE objected to the scant mention of ecologically sustainable development; the lack of protection for heritage and the environment; and the proposed restriction of community consultation to only the early strategic planning stage.

The Better Planning Network (BPN) was established in August 2012 by professionals and community groups concerned with the Green Paper.

The Urban Task Force, a developers’ lobby group, strongly supported the Green Paper.

Facing strong community opposition in 2013 the Liberal Party’s attempt to reform the EPAA Act failed due to strong community opposition. The NSW Labor Party also opposed it. Shaoquett Moselmane, Labor MLC from 2009-2023 spoke opposing the Liberal reforms in the NSW Parliament.

FOKE strongly supported the Better Planning Network’s ‘Hazzard Tape” campaign that finally led to the withdrawal of the NSW Planning Bill (2013).


History of the EPAA 1979

The EPAA 1979 arose following the ‘Green Bans’ era that brought together unions, resident action groups and environment groups to protect open space, heritage buildings, heritage precincts and affordable housing through strikes. This activism was unprecedented in NSW and internationally and was led by Jack Mundey and the Builders’ Laburers Federation. This ‘Green Bans’ movement was a high point for environmental activism and community participation in planning in NSW and internationally. It brought together diverse groups and achieved considerable successes in preserving areas, such as the Rocks, which are now highly valued parts of Sydney’s heritage.

The first green ban was held in 1971, to save Kelly’s Bush at Hunters Hill. The 1970s was a time of rapid growth in Sydney. Older inner city suburbs were facing demolition for high rise apartments, freeways and carparks. The modern environment movement was forming with calls for stronger pollution controls and greater civic participation.

Local resident action groups and groups such as the National Trust of Australia (NCC),
Nature Conservation Council, Total Environment Centre and the Australian Conservation Foundation had been formed. Local heritage groups such as The Paddington Society,
effectively to protect its Victorian terraces and open spaces from freeways and modernist redevelopment proposals.

Thirteen local women who were determined to five acres of bushland that had been approved for development by AV Jennings called themselves the “Battlers for Kelly’s Bush”. They approached the w South Wales Builders Labourers Federation (BLF) for help. The
BLF threatened to stop work on another Jennings project in North Sydney if the development of Kelly’s Bush proceeded. This ignited calls from other resident action groups to place ‘green bans’ on other development proposals.

Within weeks, the BLF was approached by other groups requesting green bans in other parts of Sydney – including The Rocks which today is one of Sydney’s most popular tourist destinations. Over 40 bans were held in total. Later bans protected affordable housing and heritage buildings in the city, Woolloomooloo, Darlinghurst, Kings Cross and Surry Hills, Aboriginal housing in Redfern, and open spaces including Centennial Park and the Royal Botanic Gardens. Large parts of Sydney were saved from freeway and high-rise construction plans, including areas in Ultimo, Pyrmont, Glebe, Annandale, Rozelle, Leichardt, Waterloo, Earlwood, Bankstown, Manly, Mascot and Matraville. Buildings saved by the bans include the State Theatre, the Pitt St Congregational Church, and several bank buildings in Martin Place, as well as historic buildings in Bathurst, Wollongong and Newcastle.

In 2011 the documentary State of Seige graphically portrayed the continuation of destructive unsustainable overdevelopment.



Reference

Amelia Thorpe, Public Participation in Planning: Lessons from the Green Bans, 2013