Media Centre
It's D-day for democracy, developers and design
Elizabeth Farrelly | Sydney Morning Herald Opinion | 11th June 2008Last week's planning legislation is an obvious but hardly solitary example. Madame le Maire (la Mère) Clover Moore told Parliament this was "the worst legislation I have seen in 20 years". Then she told them why. It took a while. And Clover is not alone. Click here for more
Rally slams bulldozer laws
Tuesday 10 June 2008 | Hills Shire TimesMOVES to rip planning powers from councils, that would see historic homes bulldozed without warning, have been slammed at a public rally.
The proposals, which passed the NSW Lower House on Wednesday morning, would tear communities apart, leaving opponents to any development no recourse under the law, the rally at Sydney's Masonic Centre was told. Click here for more
NSW planning laws oppressive: committee
ABC Online | 9th June 2008A parliamentary committee has raised serious concerns about the proposed New South Wales planning laws. The cross-party committee, which included four Labor politicians, found 20 problems with the new bills, including that they could provide Planning Minister Frank Sartor and the planning commissions with oppressive power. Click here for more
Planning bill open to abuse: report
SLocal Government in Uproar
Megan Masters | Wellington Times | 9th June 2008Local government representatives are outraged by planning laws pushed through State Parliament’s Lower House on Wednesday.
The pro-developer planning legislation was passed about 2am by planning minister Frank Sartor, leaving more than 320 country mayors and councillors disgusted with his actions. Click here for more
Sartor stomps on local councils
Mary Mann | Lismore Star | 4th JuneFRANK SARTOR has been accused of being cash-grabbing and secretive after he pushed a controversial new planning bill through State Parliament under the cover of darkness.Click here for more
'Malicious' Sartor in planning wrangle
ABC Online | 4th June 2008The Shires Association and the State Opposition want an Upper House inquiry into the planning changes, labelling the laws as pro-developer and fundamentally flawed and saying there has not been enough consultation. Click here for more.
Sartor's dumb blast over reforms
Jano Gibson and Brian Robbins | Sydney Morning Herald | 4th June 2008NSW Planning Minister Frank Sartor hits back at an outcry over planning law reforms - "rammed through" the NSW Legislative Assembley at 2am today - by calling peak local government bodies "dumb". Click here for more
Frank Sartor planning bill blasted by Clover Moore
Clare Masters | Daily Telegraph | 4th June 2008THE state risks being ruled by planning "shanty town" reform that is the worst legislation to come to Parliament in 20 years - that's the view of Lord Mayor Clover Moore who attacked her old rival Planning Minister Frank Sartor last night. Click here for more
Who cares what the neighbours think
Wendy Frew | SMH | 31st May 2008New do-it-yourself planning approvals mean the ugly extension next door is no longer any of your business. Heritage protection and appeal rights are being stripped away, writes Wendy Frew. Click here for more
Residents furious over a disaster not of their making
Wendy Frew | Sydney Morning Herlad | 31st May 2008WHAT should have been a straight-forward property purchase involving a small apartment complex in Marrickville has turned into a nightmare. Click here for more
Councils ask MPs to review planning laws
ABC News | Friday 16th May 2008The Local Government Association is pushing for a parliamentary inquiry into proposed changes to the state's planning laws. Click here for more
Planning bill to go before state parliament
AAP | 15th May 2008Draft legislation that will overhaul NSW's planning laws has been submitted to parliament following months of debate over the controversial changes. Click here for more
Call to oppose Sartor's compulsory aquisition
Mark Griggs | Stock and Land | 15th May 2008Residents of every local council in the State must call out to let Planning Minister Frank Sartor hear loud and clear that his proposed ‘compulsory acquisition’ powers are completely unacceptable to their local community. Click here for more
Worse under new laws, planners say
Harvey Grennan | SMH | 13th May 2008OPPOSITION to changes to planning laws has spread from local government to "insiders" who want reform but say the proposed legislation won't deliver it. Click here for more
Hunter Councils urge Inquiry into state planning laws
The Post | 7th May 2008Councils from across the Hunter have joined local councils in NSW in calling for a Parliamentary Inquiry into the NSW State pro-developer laws. To read the article click here
Planning concerns
Julie Snook | Forbes Advocate |8th May 2008The New South Wales Government is attempting to make bold amendments to state planning legislation however Forbes Shire Council believes the proposed changes will simply cost ratepayers and potentially compromise the future of local council staff. Click here for more
Sartor's rush to approve laws
Village Voice | 7th May 2008Planning Minister Frank Sartor wants massive changes to development laws "done and dusted" before local government elections in September, says Northern Sydney Region of Councils president Dominic Johnson. Click here for more
Planning Shake-up has Chadban fuming
Great Lakes Advocate | 7th May 2008THE NSW Government wants to take away neighbours’ say on developments, according to Great Lakes mayor John Chadban. The mayor has come out swinging in a standoff with Planning Minister Frank Sartor, calling for an inquiry into proposed planning law changes. Click here for more
Council puts Sartor mob to shame
Manly Daily | 7th May 2008PITTWATER Council has reduced the time it takes to process development applications just as Planning Minister Frank Sartor's department has been revealed as taking twice as long as the average council to process DAs. Click here for more
Councillors join call for Inquiry
Howard Jones | Border Mail | 2nd May 2008ALBURY councillors donned yellow shirts yesterday in a show of protest at changes to planning laws.The council is joining others across NSW in calling for a parliamentary inquiry into Planning Minister Frank Sartor’s legislation. Click here for more
Councils reject planning laws
The Macleay Argus | 1st May 2008NEW “pro-developer laws” proposed by the NSW Government would leave people without a voice, Kempsey mayor Betty Green said this week. Click here for more
Council objects to proposed NSW Planning changes
Byron Shire News | 1st May 2008Byron Council has lodged an objection to the proposal by State Planning Minister, Frank Sartor to alter the NSW Planning legislation, which is expected to be considered by Parliament this month. Click here for more
Go-slow Sartor and his department of ditherers
The Daily Telegraph | 28th April 2008 | By Kelvin Bissett, FOI Dditor, and Justin Vallejo, Urban Affairs ReporterPLANNING Minister Frank Sartor has been exposed as a hypocrite as documents show his own department takes twice as long as councils to make decisions on development projects. Click here for more
Say no to Frank
Amanda Keene | Northern News | 29th April 2008BAULKHAM Hills Council's call for residents to oppose the State Government's planning reforms has reached a sympathetic audience.A plebiscite posted to 56,000 ratepayers recently has returned more than 2000 positive responses. Click here for more
Valley Mayor slams planning law review
The Grafton Daily Examiner | 28th April 2008RECEIVING notice of your neighbour's plans for an extension will become a thing of the past under new laws proposed by the State Government. The legal warning came from Clarence Valley Council as part of a campaign designed to prevent changes to state planning laws. Click here for more
Compulsory acquisition threatens private property
Harvey Grennan | Sydney Morning Herald | 19th April 2008Property bought would be then re-sold to developers at a profit - or, if they choose, at a reduced price so the developers make even more money. Click here for more
State can sell your home
Harvey Grennan | Sydney Morning Herald | 19th April 2008THE State Government plans to give its agencies and councils power to compulsorily acquire private land to re-sell to developers at a profit - or, if they choose, at a reduced price so the developers make even more money. Click here for more
Planning Laws Forge Ahead
Inner West Weekly | Wednesday 9 April | 2008 2:00pm
PLANNING Minister Frank Sartor has released a draft exposure bill ushering in the biggest changes to planning laws since the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act of 1979. Click here for more
Fight the wolves at your door
Penrith Press | Tuesday 22 April, 2008COUNCILS across NSW have warned their residents to be "very afraid" about the latest "pro-developer" laws proposed by the State Government.Local councils, shires and mayors joined forces last Friday to launch the "Keep It Local" campaign a bid to keep vital planning controls and developer contributions in the local community. Click here for more
Local issues Local Decisions
Angela Roche | Northern Daily Leader | April 18, 2008There is concern local input into planning decisions would be lost if proposed changes to State Government planning laws become a reality. Click here for more
Highly polished Carr a rust bucket in disguise
Elizabeth Farrelly | Sydney Morning Herald | April 9, 2008 Over three years of amendments that leave our planning legislation looking like plate glass after a ram-raid, hugely expanding the minister's discretion while cutting that of councils. Over how councils constantly cop flak on timing while applications regularly sit on the minister's desk for months. Click here for more
Bill to overhaul planning laws
Wendy Frew | Sydney Morning Herald | February 26, 2008 Planning Minister Frank Sartor has announced a draft bill, flagging the biggest changes to planning laws since the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act of 1979. Click here for more
Anger at planning changes
Len Ashworth | 24 January, 2008 A prominent Labor Councillor on Lithgow City Council believes the latest planned amendments to the New South Wales planning laws provide further support for those who argue that State Governments should be abolished in favour of a two tier system. Click here for more
Now for the off-the-peg rapid reno
Wendy Frew | Sydney Morning Herald | April 4, 2008 HOME builders and renovators could have their plans approved by councils in as little as 10 days with the help of a series of pre-set housing standards contained in an overhaul of NSW planning. Click here for more
Councils dispute 'simpler' approvals
Harvey Grennan | Sydney Morning Herald | April 8, 2008 THE last time the planning laws in NSW were "simplified" in 1997 the delays in processing development applications got a lot worse. Last week the Minister for Planning, Frank Sartor, tabled 137 pages of draft legislation and 39 pages of explanatory notes to "simplify" them further. Click here for more
Powers stripped
Tuesday 8 April, 2008 The bill will introduce the biggest changes to planning laws since the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act of 1979. "He is taking the 'local' out of local government," Baulkham Hills Shire Mayor Sonya Phillips said. Click here for more
Parties cool on donations inquiry
Lauren Wilson | April 07, 2008 BOTH sides of politics in NSW yesterday distanced themselves from mounting calls for a royal commission into political donations from property developers. Click here for more
DA report sets Sartor against local councils
Wendy Frew | Sydney Morning Herald | March 20, 2008 The acting president of the Local Government Association of NSW, Leo Kelly, said the rights of residents to have a say about development in their area must be protected in any changes to planning laws. Click here for more
Mayors launch $500m revolt against Sheriff Sartor
Wendy Frew and Jano Gibson | Sydney Morning Herald | January 31, 2008 COUNCILS across NSW have launched a campaign of civil disobedience, refusing to hand over to the State Government essential community service funds worth $500 million a year. Click here for more
Builders lobby to freeze out councils
Wendy Frew | Sydney Morning Herald | February 26, 2008 PROPERTY developers have seized on allegations involving Wollongong City Council's planning department to call for the assessment of major developments to be taken away from local government. Click here for more
Controversial changes to planning legislation in NSW were passed by the Legislative Council in the early hours of 18 June. A motion to refer the legislation to a Parliamentary Inquiry - which had been requested by this campaign and many other organisations - had been lost by just one vote.
However the 'Keep it Local' campaign, which was strongly supported by councils and communities throughout NSW, forced the Government to make some concessions to laws.
We are encouraging all councils and communities across the state to commit to closely monitoring the impacts and hold the government accountable. The LGSA will be working tirelessly over the coming months to influence the drafting of the regulations and ensure the community's concerns are still heard.
