Hi
Have you told your friends to write to the Minister for Urban Affairs and Planning at Parliament House Sydney asking that a commission of inquiry be established to advise the Minister on the Merewether Street Wharf Development Application for town houses, appartments and a residential hotel. The enclosed media release should suggest a few reasons.

Thanks

Doug.


"Integrity and transparency is needed in Honeysuckle Planning"

Probity demands that the Minister appoint a Commission of Inquiry as
provided for under the EP&A Act Sec119 to hear matters re Merewether Wharf Development

The Deputy Premier is the Pooh-bah of Honeysuckle Planner, landowner, developer and Consent Authority and is quoted as supporting the development before it has been assessed.

Newcastle Council recently rejected a motion to request that the Minister for Urban Affairs and Planning appoint a commission of inquiry to hear the issues surrounding the Honeysuckle/Becton DA for apartments, townhouses and a hotel on the foreshore.

This was a repugnant act aimed at denying bona-fide objectors the right to be heard.

The development as submitted to the consent authority, the Minister for Urban Affairs and Planning is contrary to the letter and spirit of the objectives and public domain concept of the statutory Plan for Central Honeysuckle.

The development must be assessed on its merits in an open and transparent
forum not a political back-room.

The Minister for Urban Affairs and Planning is also responsible for the Honeysuckle Development Corporation which is the registered owner of the land.
The same Ministerial entity became the determining authority for Honeysuckle when he made the Central Honeysuckle Plan REP No3 in December 1997

A letter filed at the Land Titles office in support of the Primary Application for Torrens Title to Wharf Rd (PA80415) states "that the development has the support of many local and state politicians including the Deputy Premier"

The integrity and transparency of the planning system in NSW is in danger if the Consent Authority is unable to hear the objectors because they are denied the opportunity to place their evidence before an independent commissioner advising the Consent Authority (the Minister & Dep. Premier)

The issue in 1997 was the rezoning of the Wharf. There was not a Development Application for a Hotel. The Minister for Urban Affairs and Planning resolved this matter by preparing the "Regional Environmental Plan No.3 Central Honeysuckle" The Minister made the plan in December 1997.

Today - October 2000, the issue is for the Minister to assess and consent to a Development Application in a transparent and unbiased way.

Probity demands that the Minister appoint a Commission of Inquiry as provided for under the EP&A Act Sec119.