Meeting with Greater Cities Commissioner a positive step

The Central Coast Environmental Advisory Committee has held its first meeting with Greater Cities Commissioner for the Central Coast Robyn Parker in what members describe as a positive step.

The new committee was formed following a meeting in May between various community groups and Parker where she outlined the Six Cities Region plan and its intention to transform the Central Coast into a Global City and a SMART City.

Former Premier Dominic Perrottet unveiled the Six-City plan last year which will see the Central Coast incorporated into a mega-city stretching from the Lower Hunter and Newcastle in the north to Illawarra-Shoalhaven in the south.

“With the Greater Cities Commission’s projections of tens of thousands of new residents moving into the area our goal in the meeting was to get a clear understanding of what the this could mean for the Central Coast, especially in regard to the natural environment,” group spokesperson Lisa Bellamy said.

“While we still haven’t got total clarity around the commission’s plans, we are starting to understand the big picture and what the role of our committee may look like.”

The group said it hoped the meeting would initiate a close working relationship with Parker and the commission to ensure local concerns are heard and addressed in the planning stages.

“We were glad to hear Ms Parker refer to our committee as a key stakeholder and express her willingness for clear communication and future meetings with us,” Bellamy said.

“This meeting was a positive first step towards ensuring our community will be aware of the potential environmental impacts of the commission’s proposed plans.

“Our committee will also endeavour to ensure community members are not only well informed but will have their voices heard during the planning stages.

“We have brought many groups together and are in talks with others who are keen to join the committee.

The committee has formed alliances with members of the Indigenous Party of Australia, Coast Environmental Alliance, Animal Justice Party, Community Voice Australia – Central Coast, and Traditional Custodians of the Central Coast.”

Committee member and traditional custodian Aunty Colleen Fuller, who also sits on Central Coast Council’s newly formed Aboriginal Advisory Committee, said as a First Nations woman she cares deeply about the environment.

“And that, of course, includes ensuring our ancient cultural heritage is protected and cared for properly,” she said.

“The GuriNgai, Darkinoong and Awabakal people have cared for country on this land for thousands of years.

“My ancestry is both European and Indigenous, with bloodline ties to the Darkinoong people, the tribe from the Western Central Coast area.

“I fully appreciate the need for development, as long as it is environmentally and culturally sustainable and the traditional bloodline custodians of the Central Coast are given a seat at the table when discussing the future of our traditional lands.”

Bellamy said global competitiveness and local liability are part of the vision for the Greater Cities Commission as stated in its Six Cities Discussion Paper 2022.

“During our meeting Robyn Parker assured us the GCC is determined to ensure that what we love about the Central Coast will not be lost while building a city that can house the proposed increase in population with people and goods moving across the region between education, jobs, industry, and home, for example, in minutes,” she said.

“We really appreciated the opportunity to speak face to face with Ms Parker and she agreed it was her preferred way to connect.

“We asked lots of questions such as does the GCC have the authority to dictate terms to developers when it comes to how they develop their land?

“For example, can the GCC rule that a particular development incorporates a certain percentage of affordable housing or green spaces or prescribe the types of houses built must be sustainable, diverse, and resilient?

“It appears that GCC may not have the legislative power to make this type of enforcement, but Ms Parker said she will get back to us on this question.

“So far there have been no measures taken to ensure that our precious environment will be meaningfully represented as the GCC plan moves forward, so our committee is very hopeful that this meeting now marks the start of a productive relationship and to bring the natural environment of the Central Coast to the fore when decisions are being made.”

Source:
Central Coast Environmental Advisory Committee