Premier Gladys Berejiklian accused of ‘fix’ to get Ryde MP re-elected
The Greater Sydney Commission and Premier Gladys Berejiklian have been slammed for failing to publicly release a “damning” report into development and planning in Sydney’s north after it was finished last week.
Northern District Times
Don't miss out on the headlines from Northern District Times. Followed categories will be added to My News.
The Berejiklian Government has been accused of wasting taxpayers’ money in staging a “political fix” to help get embattled Ryde MP Victor Dominello re-elected by commissioning a report into its own “planning mess” in Sydney’s northwest.
Both the Opposition and developers’ lobby today slammed the Greater Sydney Commission and Premier Gladys Berejiklian for failing to publicly release a “damning” report into development and planning in Ryde after it was finished last week.
Instead, Mr Dominello was allowed to release it through his own social media channels, where he described the review as “great news”, after urging Ms Berejiklian to give it the green light in December.
“The Premier has used the Greater Sydney Commission as a political football with this review, which is a damning report into the government’s approach to planning in Ryde,” Labor’s Planning spokeswoman Tania Mihailuk said.
“This was a review on the mandatory housing targets set by the commission. So the commission has basically investigated itself and didn’t bother to tell the taxpayers, who paid for the review, about its findings after consulting with them.
“It’s a political fix by the Premier to help her mate (Mr Dominello) get re-elected.”
Urban Taskforce CEO Chris Johnson said the government’s report had merely confirmed the planning woes in Ryde.
“It shows planning is a mess in Ryde … and that the level of growth across the LGA was unanticipated, but it is right on the commission’s own targets,” the former NSW government architect said.
“It also states that there is a disconnect between planning and infrastructure delivery in Ryde, but this must surely be a key responsibility of the commission and the NSW government?”
The report states that 4500 new dwellings have been completed in Ryde over the past three years, which is on track to meet the commission’s five-year housing target of 7600.
‘“It seems amazing that the commission says they did not anticipate growth to match their own target,” Mr Johnson said.
“The review outlines a number of actions ‘to restore community confidence in local planning’ in Ryde, but it ignores the need for the development and investment industry to have confidence in the planning process.
“The development industry, who have only followed the commission and council plans, are the big losers with the suspension of all new planning proposals in Ryde, as well as all existing planning proposals be put on hold for a 12-month period.
“Clearly, there is no assurance about planning in Ryde for the businesses that spend millions of dollars in proposals that follow the commission’s rules.”
A commission spokesman said it was limited in commenting because of the government being in pre-election caretaker mode.
Its report has four key recommendations, including for a new co-ordination group to monitor planning in Ryde; a master plan for the Macquarie Park Investigation Area be finished within the next year; extra sites be masterplanned; and the existing freeze on a medium-density housing code be maintained.
Mr Dominello said the Coalition Government would accept all recommendations in the report.
He then called for the end of the political blame game, but did take a swipe at the ALP in the process.
“Labor needs to put the community first,” the Finance Minister said in a statement.
“The report confirms what I have always been saying – that there has been unprecedented housing growth and Labor has been responsible for overdevelopment in Ryde.
“It has put a spotlight on Ryde Council and has recommended that the NSW government not only continue its pause on Ryde Council considering new spot rezonings, but also pause the finalisation of any existing rezonings yet to be determined.
“The document finds that in Ryde, under the Labor-led council, housing has grown at a rapid pace.”
However, Mr Johnson has earlier said this attack on Labor was incorrect.
“The reality is that all this planning that’s been approved in Ryde has come under a Liberal government since 2011, and fundamentally under a Liberal-dominated council in that time. So it can’t be just blamed on a Labor council,” he said.
Ms Berejiklian declined to comment.
TIGHT RACE
This week’s Galaxy poll revealed the fight to be the next Ryde State MP will be tight after an 8.5 per cent two-party preferred swing to the ALP.
Primary support for the government in the electorate of Ryde has slumped by more than 10 points since the last election — but still not enough for Labor to win the seat.
With 43 per cent of the primary vote, sitting Liberal MP Victor Dominello still leads the Labor candidate and local mayor Jerome Laxale on 36 per cent.
Mr Dominello conceded the previously safe Liberal seat would be a tight contest on March 23.
“The poll shows that the election will be close and is broadly reflective of the result in the Bennelong by-election,” he said.
The poll canvassed 534 voters in Ryde last week.
‘Blueprint for the future’: Vision to create homes for essential workers
The state government and private developers are embracing a real estate initiative already thriving in the US and UK, which will put properties on the market for those unable to buy their own homes.
University forced to open ‘safe room’ for Jewish students
A high-security safe room has been set up for Jewish students at a Sydney university in response to rising and shocking reports of antisemitism on the campus – despite criticism from some students it will leave them isolated and “sitting ducks”.