Community consultation a must

We’d all like to think our opinions matter and we’d all like our opinions to be valued, and even, taken into consideration.

Barangaroo would have to be one of the biggest examples of what a lack of community consultation can mean. Just recently the City of Sydney was stripped of their land ownership rights on Hickson Road and its surrounds by the state government.

Another example, which is hard to forget, were the locals protesting against Clover Moore’s decision to demolish Rushcutters Bay caretaker’s cottage.

But a lack of community consultation also illustrates how a community can join forces. The recent rally at Glebe Post Office is a prime example of how communities and politicians alike can unite and voice their concerns.

Mayor of Leichhardt and Greens candidate for Balmain, Jamie Parker, has spoken recently on the importance of local communities having a say, and restricting the Planning Minister’s ability to call in developments, or refer them to planning panels.

Nearly all conversation about community consultation involves in some way or another, Part 3A of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act. I remember attending one of Barangaroo’s public forums, where Barangaroo was consistently defined as the largest example of failed planning legislation. And Part 3A is solely to blame.

I know almost every week I mention to some capacity Part 3A, but it essentially gives the Minister for Planning the power to approve developments which have no regard to the planning laws that are set in place by the City of Sydney.

And that just blows my mind.

Part 3A aside, I think one of the most important things to note is that not only is it necessary for the community to be consulted on redevelopment, but it is vital that the developer illustrates their development will not harm the environment, heritage or essential amenities in any shape or form.

Throughout my rant, a familiar pattern does become apparent. That is, a state government consistently making decisions with a lack of community consultation.

Not even being in my mid-twenties yet and having only lived in the local community for a few years, I am in no position to make sweeping comments, or even to think my opinion matters, but I am in a position to observe what is going on.

After becoming a frequent guest at various protests and engaging with the local community on issues that matter to them, I have come to understand how detrimental a lack of community consultation can be.

The one example that has stuck with me the greatest was the rally at Sydney Park over plans to undergo exploratory drilling for coal seems gas in St Peters.

There was simply no community consultation on this decision.

Councillor Chris Harris’s words resonated true as he acknowledged the fact residents were simply “informed” this was going to take place. And after speaking with a lady who lived only just a couple of hundred metres away from the proposed site with a baby, the reality really hit home.

“The big questions is, are the politicians acting in your interest?” Mr Harris asked the audience at the rally.

That’s a great question to ask ourselves, particularly with an upcoming state election, who best is going to represent our interests, and who best is going to listen to our opinions and our views? Because they sure as hell do matter.