Mullumbimby Action Group -> latestnews -> keneally3aworks

Keneally says 3A works: $1.3 Million says it works for Labor

In response to today’s claims from Minister for Planning Kristina Keneally that the major projects planning system is working well, The Greens spokesperson for planning, Sylvia Hale has highlighted the massive amount of political donations the Labor Party has received from companies that have their applications called in by the Minister as major projects.

Donations figures are not available for 2009 at this time.

“In 2008 successful major project proponents donated $1,313, 910 dollars to the NSW  Branch of the Labor Party, and to September 2009 99.15% of all Part 3A major project  applications had been successful,” said Ms Hale.

“Unlike figures provided by the Minister, whose claims of jobs created may be hard to quantify, the people of NSW know that the system under which planning approvals are granted by the Minister is less than transparent.

“Local council’s and local communities are denied a role in the decision making process, and community opposition to the Part 3A Major projects process grows by the day as people from the Tweed in the north to Gerroa in the south see their local amenity and environment destroyed in the interests of major donors to the Labor Party.”

“While Ms Keneally trumpets the supposed successes of the major projects system it is clear to the community that the system should be scrapped. The Government must end its addiction to developer donations, and end the farce that has become the approval process in NSW, “ said Ms Hale.