Forum –
We have the Department of Planning telling us how to direct city growth for the next 20 years.
We have Regional Development Australia Central Coast to tell us what we have to do to improve the economy.
We have our modern Co-ordinator-General to make sure that everything is done in perfect harmony with all the agencies involved.
We have the Government Architect to replan central Gosford on our behalf.
We have the Greater Sydney Commission to tell us how to implement projects.
We have Planning Panels to make sure that any project of importance is kept away from any local inputs.
We have the Minister drawing up procedures for us to follow to speed up development applications – i.e., limiting interference from communities in decision-making on their future.
We even have an Administrator Mark 3 to tell us how many councillors we need to manage our affairs.
With all this help, why do we now need the involvement of the Housing Minister in setting up a Regional Housing Taskforce “to stimulate housing supply, address housing needs and promote the delivery of affordable housing” (“New regional taskforce to focus on housing supply and affordability”, CCN 304)??
Well, the clue is in the goal of “examin(ing) the obstacles in the planning system preventing new housing being brought to market”, which is poli-speak for reducing community involvement in the vetting of housing projects, so that developers can get a free run and increase their profits.
It appears that the Minister doesn’t have the same touching faith in our own Affordable and Alternative Housing Strategy as does our Administrator (probably with good reason), but this is just one more step in the minimization of local control over local affairs.
By the time we get to the next election, it will hardly seem worth the trouble of voting, because about the only thing left for our councillors to decide is how much they will rip us off in emoluments.
Email, Aug 9, 2021 Bruce Hyland, Woy Woy
Editor: Bruce Hyland is our most prolific high quality letter writer. We value his contributions so much we have given him his tagline ‘Hyland Bites’, a salute to his well reached and analytical style.
I live at The Entrance, looks like my rates have increased by 30%. This increase is due to the mismanagement of the Councillors, the General Mgr and the NSW GOV. We as ratepayers are forced into an amalgamation supposedly to be ‘more efficient’ what a failure. $650mil in DEBT. We have lost our banks, thru their efficiency drive and now our library, Have a look at The Entrance shops…rundown, many empty. Some buildings look like they should be condemned!! But Council thought that outside of Covid restrictions, fairylights in the trees and allowing later trading hours would be a winner, hosestly we have such bright sparks making these decisions. This makes me worry about our future. We need a Council that works to benefit the ratepayers, all residents and the areas within which we live and to keep us well informed. THAT is Councils job.
Big end of town shutting down Central Coast ratepayers and residents to then do what they like with ridiculous overdevelopment and supersize their $$$
Bruce Hyland hit the nail on the head! The Central Coast LGA is being taken over by stealth slowly but surely replacing Council run planning departments with State government run planning cronies in the flimsiest of excuses and political speak greater efficiency although we will never see it. Though the Central Coast will be expected to cover the costs. There was a suggestion that Gosford Council was being taken over by Wyong portion of Central Coast Council it seems that way with the Sale of the Gosford council building and moving 100? Staff up there. It will give the State government a clear sweep to remodel Gosford to their design and pat themselves on the back and we pulled the wool over the ratepayers eyes. There will be an election Local and State eventually that’s when we can have OUR say! And not get bamboozled by fast talking politicians.