The NSW Ombudsman is investigating claims that the Department of Housing and Industry (DPHI) published misinformation on its website regarding a controversial development at Kariong.
Community group Coast Environmental Alliance (CEA) and Traditional Custodians have been campaigning to stop a housing development planned by Darkinjung Local Aboriginal Land Council (DLALC) on the site due to the ecological and cultural values of the area.
The group recently took aim at the Department, claiming that information on the public planning website was “dishonest, deliberately misleading and blatantly supporting the developer”.
Indigenous spokesperson for CEA, Jasmin Ertl, said the fact that the department was now under investigation was very much welcomed by the group.
“The Ombudsman’s office has assessed our complaint about the information on the Planning Department’s public website, and has determined that inquiries with the Department are ‘warranted’,” she said.
CEA contends that the Frequently Asked Questions section on the government Planning website has misrepresented the true scope of the development’s impact, downplaying potential risks to the environment, cultural heritage, local wildlife and human life.
These concerns are amplified by the recent proposal to amend legislation to “combat misinformation and disinformation”, which aims to prevent the dissemination of falsehoods on digital platforms that could cause harm.
CEA says the alleged misleading information on the government website fits precisely into the kind of harmful misinformation that the Bill is designed to address.
Biodiversity spokesperson for CEA and managing director of a marina at Brooklyn, Seamus Turton, said the development would have a devastating, far-reaching and permanent impact on endangered wetlands which were essential to the health of the fishing and oyster industries in Brisbane Water.
“The plan outlines its intention to use the wetlands as stormwater detention areas, something that CEA plans on taking up with the Fisheries Department and other relevant authorities,” he said.
“As a young local with a strong interest in the future of our area, I can’t believe I’m having to take on the government to simply adhere to their own environmental protections.
“Also, It’s nearly incomprehensible that an Indigenous organisation such as DLALC is pushing such an extremely destructive development, and right next to a known and registered sacred Aboriginal site.”
Ertl said the group was awaiting the outcome of the rezoning proposal for the site.
“We are hoping that although potentially hundreds of our submissions against the rezoning were apparently lost due to a technical issue from the Planning Department’s end, that our voices will be heard and the proposal will be rejected,” she said.
“CEA fully acknowledges the need for more affordable housing (but) there are so many better places for development than in and around endangered wetlands and irreplaceable cultural heritage.
“If the Government can openly assist developers in rezoning and developing the highest environmentally protected land, it will set an extremely dangerous precedent that will open up our most ecologically and culturally sensitive Crown Land to the bulldozers across the state.”
An Investigation and Resolution Officer for the NSW Ombudsman said the group’s complaint had been assessed and it had been determined that inquiries with DPHI were warranted.
“I have written to DPHI,” the Officer said in a letter to CEA.
“We usually allow an agency four weeks to review a matter and respond to us.
“I anticipate receiving a response by March 5.
“I will be in contact again once I have received and assessed DPHI‘s response.”
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