White Bay consultation process in tatters
The state government’s public consultation process for White Bay has suffered another blow, with three Community Representatives on the Bays Precinct Community Reference Group tendering their resignation.
In their resignation letter, Christina Ritchie, Val Moss and Kath Hacking said the process had “failed to demonstrate any commitment to the… issues which, in our view, are central to planning for inner-city communities”. These included a failure to analyse and address the needs of a rapidly-expanding population and changing demographics; no dialogue over environmental issues; and a failure to provide context for major development along the White Bay peninsula.
Ms Hacking said their time was being wasted by the committee, a position endorsed by the relevant precincts. “We were not given support,” she said. “We were told in the final meeting we attended that the government was looking at the maritime heritage of the area. The government was the one who moved all the heritage activities in the first place!
“[The government] were and still are making suggestions that do not help the loss of amenity in the Balmain precinct.”
Ms Ritchie criticised the response of Robert Domm, CEO of Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority. “Our letter to him outlined shortcomings in the community consultation process for the Bays Precinct,” she said. “The reasons for our resignation deserve much consideration and further investigation. Instead, they were ignored by Mr Domm in his response. We have not received any further communication from him or SHFA to indicate further consideration will be given to the matters we raised in the letter of resignation.”
The resignation received generally strong support from councillors at last Tuesday’s meeting. Deputy Mayor Michele McKenzie described the meetings of the Reference Group as, “the most boring, useless, ridiculous waste of my time that I’ve ever been to!”
Independent councillor John Stamolis said the process reflected the “absolute failure” of the consultation process. “This has been rejected fundamentally by our community, lock stock and barrel,” he said. “Mr Domm has been discourteous and dismissive. You would think he would be interested as to why a consultation process of such strategic importance warrants virtually every Leichhardt Council member not to attend.”
Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority had not responded to requests for comment by the time the Independent went to print.
