Geoff Brown

Western Sydney residents are up in arms about having an urban rail line, a freight rail line and a mega motorway through their communities and bushland. Hundreds will be protesting 6.30 pm Thursday 7 August, 2014, at the St Marys Community Centre, St Marys, NSW, Cnr Mamre Rd & Great Western Hwy., where Transport for NSW and Tanya Davies the local Liberal MP have reluctantly agreed to hold an extraordinary community consultation drop in session. They want to know what we think of their plan so we intend to let them know loud and clear: 'We don't like it'.

"Its not just a South West Rail Corridor its also the Outer Sydney Orbital which consists of the M9 motorway and an attached freight train rail line. 24/7 through our communities and bushland. The majority of protesters will be disgruntled Liberal voters"

"STORC therefore is very concerned that all these projects, in combination, becomes an infrastructure bomb that people, communities and the environment will never recover from. All these projects are being assessed and approved individually, in isolation to one another. Where’s the assessment of the cumulative impacts?"

"Of great concern is that the NSW Government can reserve the South West Rail and the Outer Sydney Orbital corridors and lock in the route through critically endangered bushland and people’s homes without the need to do an EIS. So once the land is acquired and community is out of the way and worn out the government then does its EIS and only has to exhibit it for 30 days. What a joke."

"So STORC wants the clock stopped on the SWRC and OSO process. We want to know the impacts of these projects before the corridor is reserved. The NSW Government and Local Government should therefore carry out a thorough environmental and social assessment/study (separate to an EIS process) to determine the cumulative impacts of these projects. The NSW Government and Local Government should also call that the EIS for a Badgerys Creek Airport come first and that it include the impacts of the infrastructure projects STORC has mentioned as they are all part of a Badgerys Ck Airport package."

"The residents of outer Western Sydney deserve to know from the NSW Government what the cumulative impacts will be on them and the environment."

PUBLIC PROTEST

WHEN: 6.30 pm Thursday, 7 August 2014

WHERE: St Marys Community Centre, Mamre Rd

WHAT: Meeting with Tanya Davies & NSW Transport Dept.

Flyer

Do you live in Orchard Hills, Claremont Meadows, Werrington, Llandilo, Windsor Downs?
Are you aware of what has been planned for your suburb?

1. MEGA M9 OUTER SYDNEY ORBITAL CORRIDOR

2. INDUSTRIAL FREIGHT TRAIN RAIL LINE CORRIDOR

3. DOMESTIC TRAIN RAIL LINE CORRIDOR

4. 24/7 AIRPORT, FLIGHT PATHS – WITHOUT CURFEW!

NO CONSIDERATION OF CUMULATIVE IMPACTS THESE FOUR MAJOR

PROJECTS WILL HAVE ON RESIDENTS & OUR LOCAL ENVIRONMENT

- WHOLE COMMUNITIES IMPACTED

- 24/7 IMPACT NOISE (TRUCKS, TRAINS & PLANES)

- POLLUTION

- OUR WAY OF LIFE LOST

- OXYGEN-GENERATING GREENSPACE DESTROYED – REPLACED WITH UGLY HEAT-TRAPPING CONCRETE & TARMAC

- OUR REMAINING GREENSPACE LOST TO DEVELOPERS & MORE URBANISATION

- LAND TAKEN

- RESUMPTION OF HOMES

- PROPERTY VALUES TRASHED

- CONSERVATION LAND DESTROYED

NO IMPACT STUDIES UNTIL AFTER APPROVAL!

10,000 ha OF FARMLAND CLEARED FOR FACTORIES & WAREHOUSES. MEGA INTERMODAL

BUILT SOUTH OF ORCHARD HILLS TO FILL THE M9 MOTORWAY WITH TRUCKS!

BRING YOUR PROTEST SIGNS, YOUR QUESTIONS, FAMILY & FRIENDS

SEE YOU THERE!

STORC Action Group – Stop The Orbital & Rail Corridor

www.facebook.com/STORCActionGroup www.wsca.org.au [email protected]

SUPPORT US BSB: 814-282 Acc: 50444587

Backgrounder

Stop the Orbital and Rail Corridor Action Group (STORC)

Is anybody assessing the cumulative impacts of multiple government infrastructure proposals on western Sydney’s people and environment? NSW Government must stop the clock.

The April 15, 2014 announcement by the Federal Government that it will construct Sydney’s second International Airport at Badgerys Creek was followed days later by a NSW Government announcement that it would reserve a corridor to extend the South West Rail line. The proposal is for the South West Rail Corridor Extension (SWRC) to go north from Narellan to the western line near St Marys. A station is proposed to be built at Badgerys Ck.

This line would also connect to Leppington and the southern line.

The NSW Government has commenced community consultation about a preferred route and during this process community concern has risen and a community group Stop the Orbital and Rail Corridor Action Group (STORC) has formed to oppose a likely route that puts economic growth ahead of protecting the public interest.

STORC’s concerns stemmed from a Penrith Council submission to Transport for NSW (TfNSW) that urges they approve a route that connects new stations at a proposed Sydney Science Park to the UWS Werrington Campus. The Council map was overlayed on Google Earth and was shown to go through critically endangered bushland at the Defence Establishment Orchard Hills and also homes and properties in Orchard Hills. Orchard Hills residents were blindsided by Councils submission as they were not even aware TfNSW first 6 weeks of community consultation had been and gone.

Penrith Councils submission was written after meetings with TfNSW, UWS and other Councils. So it has provided the community with a lot of information of likely impacts.

From Councils submissions STORC learnt that the proposed Outer Sydney Orbital (OSO) was also imminent and that it would consist of an M9 motorway and an adjoined freight rail line.

A Penrith Council report of June 23 states TfNSW wants the SWRC and the OSO reserved as separate corridors. Council maps also showed the OSO and when overlayed on Google Earth going through the Defence Establishment Orchard Hills and homes. The impact of the OSO however is greater as it is proposed to run from South of Camden to the Central Coast. The Google Earth overlay in the Penrith Region shows it also runs through million dollar homes in The Vines Estate, through urban Claremont Meadows and Werrington, through the critically endangered bushland at the ADI Site (Wianamatta Regional Park that the community fought for over a decade to protect), through rural Llandilo and Berkshire Park and through million dollars homes at the Windsor Downs Estate.

So residents are up in arms about having an urban rail line, a freight rail line and a mega motorway through their communities and bushland.

Then when you drill down into the Penrith Council report you see these infrastructure items are to serve a proposed 24/7 Airport at Badgerys Creek and also the proposed Broader Western Sydney Employment Area (BWSEA). The BWSEA is a proposal to rezone 10,000 hectares of rural land to industrial. So 10,000 ha of green space are to be covered by factories and warehouses. Productive farmland gives way to a sea of cement and tarmac.

The BWSEA zone includes the Badgerys Ck Airport land in the south and runs all the way north to border onto the Orchard Hills Defence Establishment.

You drill down further into Penrith Councils report and you see advanced discussions have been had about the building of an intermodal facility west of the BWSEA. Council urges TfNSW when reserving the OSO corridor to reserve sufficient land for the new intermodal.

Add in Tony Abbott’s funding to widen Bringelly Rd, Elizabeth Dr and large parts of the Northern Rd to facilitate more car and truck use.

STORC therefore is very concerned that all these projects, in combination, becomes an infrastructure bomb that people, communities and the environment will never recover from. All these projects are being assessed and approved individually, in isolation to one another. Where’s the assessment of the cumulative impacts?

Penrith Council states that the NSW Government intends having the SWRC route locked in by the end of 2014. The NSW Govt in this financial year proposes to reserve the corridor for the OSO. So we have projects located parallel to one another for large stretches of their route being conducted and assessed and approved in isolation to one another. The approval of the SWRC will be used to justify approval of the OSO. Running these approvals together appears designed to fatigue the public so they just give up.

Of great concern is that the NSW Government can reserve these corridors and lock in the route through critically endangered bushland and people’s homes without the need to do an EIS. So once the land is acquired and community is out of the way and worn out the government then does its EIS and only has to exhibit it for 30 days. What a joke. And this could be 2 or 20 years down the track.

So STORC wants the clock stopped on the SWRC and OSO process. We want to know the impacts of these projects before the corridor is reserved. The NSW Government and Local Government should therefore carry out a thorough environmental and social assessment/study (separate to an EIS process) to determine the cumulative impacts of these projects. The NSW Government and Local Government should also call that the EIS for a Badgerys Creek Airport come first and that it include the impacts of the infrastructure projects STORC has mentioned as are all part of a Badgerys Ck Airport package.

The residents of outer Western Sydney deserve to know what the cumulative impacts are on them and the environment.

The impacts

1. Badgerys Creek Airport

• Federal Government proposal for a 24/7 International Airport

• No EIS

• No determined flight paths

• 24/7 air pollution, noise,

• polluted water catchments, planes over wilderness areas

• Traffic, trucks, trains

• Loss of critically endangered bushland

2. South West Rail

• Communities destroyed

• Compulsory acquisitions. Land values trashed

• 24/7 noise, loss of visual amenity

3. Outer Sydney Orbital

• Loss of critically endangered bushland

• Communities destroyed

• Compulsory acquisitions. Land values trashed

• 24/7 air pollution, noise, loss of visual amenity

• 24/7 trucks and freight trains

4. BWSEA

• Loss of critically endangered bushland

• Loss of thousands of hectares of Sydney’s rural land

• Loss of oxygen generating green space

• Zoned for industrial

• Trucks and car use massively increased

• 24/7 air pollution, noise, loss of visual amenity

• 24/7 trucks and freight trains

• Flooding impacts (permeable surfaces replaced by roofs, roads and concrete)

• Urban heat island effect increased

5. Intermodal west of the BSWEA

• 24/7 trucks and freight trains

• 24/7 air pollution, noise, loss of visual amenity

6. Road widening Elizabeth Dr, Bringelly and Northern Roads

• Facilitates more car and truck use

• 24/7 air pollution, noise, loss of visual amenity

Contacts

Geoff Brown 0431 222 602

Lauren Taylor 0479 166 140

Bruce Downes 0401 052 033

The people of Western Sydney have been betrayed by the NSW Government after it was revealed (see bottom of page) they issued Lend Lease a licence that will allow the removal of all the Emus from the controversial former ADI Site. Despite years of protests by locals and their supporters further afield (see ADI site history on candobetter.net ), the 1535 hectare former Australian Defence Industries Site is now owned by Lend Lease which is developing 5400 houses. 900 hectares of the site, the future home of the Emus and Kangaroos, is meant to become a Regional Park.

“For nearly a decade all levels of government, specifically the NSW Government, have stated that Emus and Kangaroos would be retained within the proposed Regional Park. So this is a major betrayal to the people of Western Sydney” said Geoff Brown President of the Western Sydney Conservation Alliance and who led the ADI Residents Action Groups fight to save the ADI Site.

Lendlease and Penrith Council go back on word to keep emus on site

“The NSW Government had previously said Emus and Kangaroos would remain within the proposed Wianamatta Regional Park. Their own Masterplan for the Wianamatta Regional Park states retaining a sustainable population of Kangaroos and Emus as a desired outcome. Lend Lease's own Macrofauna Management Plan (A plan they had to come up with due to conditions applied by the NSW Government) states: It is part of the vision for this plan that eastern grey kangaroos and emus will be present in the SMP in the long term. Penrith Council in its submissions on the future of Macrofauna within the Regional Park talked of the creation of viewing areas so that Emus and Kangaroos could be seen by the public visiting the Regional Park.”

Sad news - you cannot trust developers or development oriented councils

“This is very sad news especially to those people whose homes backed onto the ADI Site are and were visited daily by the Emus that roamed the fence lines. To many they would have been like pets. I myself lived on this fence line for many years and have fond memories of Emu families visiting. I also filmed a father Emu leading about 8 tiny chicks as they wondered through the bushland.”

“This is what happens when a developer is left in charge of managing a proposed 900 ha Regional Park and its flora and fauna. 11 years ago the NSW Government and Lend Lease signed the legally binding St Marys Development Agreement that included an obligation for Lend Lease to transfer ownership of the Regional Park to the NSW Government as soon as possible. 11 years later and only about 63 hectares of the 900 hectares is in NSW Government ownership. What's going on?”

You can't trust a developer oriented State Government either

“Serious questions need to asked of Robyn Parker the NSW Environment Minister about this betrayal, the issuing of the licence and why 11 years after the St Marys Development Agreement was signed Lend Lease still owns about 835 hectares of the promised 900 hectare Regional Park.”

State parks were able to manage emus; how come Lend Lease cannot?

“The only reason these Emus are being evicted from their home of 50 years is because of Lend Leases mismanagement. One would assume that if the entire 900 hectare Regional Park was under the ownership and management of the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service that 27 Emus would not be a problem to manage. There was never any major issues with Emus escaping until the ADI Site was sold to Lend Lease in the mid 2000's. Lend Leases primary focus has been on generating massive profits from their adjoining housing development than properly implementing their management plans for the sites animals and vegetation.”

“Lend Lease should tell us exactly where the Emus are to be sent so that any questions about their ongoing welfare can be properly addressed. What happens if there are young chicks at foot?”

Download NSW Government Wianamatta Regional Park Management Plan here and Macrofauna Management Plan here search the pdfs using keyword retained

Comments Geoff Brown 0431 222602

www.wsca.org.au

Lend Leases statement

In accordance with the provisions of Section 127 National Parks and Wildlife Act, 1974, the National Parks and Wildlife Service has issued a licence to Maryland Development Company to relocate emus located at the former ADI site to specified localities within NSW.

§ The reason for the relocation of the emus is due to the increasing incidents of vandalism by the public to the boundary fence of the site.

§ Emus will be relocated 3-4 birds at a time to ensure their welfare and safety. They will be accompanied by a vet at all times.

§ The 2013 census indicates a total of 27 emus live on the St Marys Property.

§ Recipient sites have been selected in NSW that have native Australian bushland habitats and the necessary infrastructure in place to allow safe, careful and humane handling of emus.

Lend Lease Regional Development Manager, Arthur Ilias said:

“There has been a growing need to relocate the emus to a remote and safe location as a result of an increase in incidents of vandalism to the boundary fence. This vandalism has allowed emus to enter on to public roads where they are a hazard to both themselves and the public.”

“A fully accredited and experienced Vet will supervise all capture and transport and will ensure animal welfare is addressed and maintained throughout all aspects of the relocation process.”

If you would like to speak to National Parks and Wildlife I suggest you contact Roger Bell 9995 6484

What have Penrith Council done to address wild dog problem at the old ADI Site, where environmentalists attempted to resist Lend Lease clearing of wildlife rich, rare Cumberland Woodlands for years? Kangaroos killed by wild dogs metres from new houses at Jordan Springs. Lend Lease have been licenced by the NSW Environment Minister to manage the remnant Kangaroo population which is now contained within the proposed 900 ha Wianamatta Regional Park.

Western Sydney Conservation Alliance Inc
20th November 2013

The last remaining Kangaroos and Emus at the old ADI Site in Penrith are under attack from wild dogs with recent photo evidence showing one such attack on a large male Kangaroo took place only metres from new houses being developed by property giant Lend Lease. Lend Lease have been licenced by the NSW Environment Minister to manage the remnant Kangaroo population which is now contained within the proposed 900 ha Wianamatta Regional Park. The proposed Regional Park adjoins the Lend Lease housing development. Lend Lease, the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service and Penrith Council have known of the the wild dog problem on the ADI Site for many years.

In February this year when Emus were escaping from the ADI Site and wandering the streets of Penrith a report came before Penrith Council on the issue of Lend Leases macrofauna management practices. A WSCA member addressed the Council meeting and raised the issue of wild dogs hunting Kangaroos and Emus. Council at the time resolved to write to Lend Lease, National Parks and Wildlife and Robyn Parker the NSW Environment Minister about feral animal management. http://bizsearch.penrithcity.nsw.gov.au/pccbps/Open/2013/CNL_04022013_MIN_WEB.HTM

Failure to maintain fencing endangers roos and children

“The fact that Kangaroos are being killed by dogs metres from new houses at Jordan Springs nine months after Penrith Council resolved to do something about the issue tells us that Penrith Council has failed to take this matter seriously. If a large male Kangaroo can be killed by dogs at the site so could a child. This is not just a matter of environmental destruction this is a matter of public health and safety involving the residents of Penrith. That risk is real as photo evidence shows Lend Lease are failing to maintain fencing between the houses and the proposed Regional Park”.

“The Jordan Springs development, supported by Penrith Council, has been an environmental and social disaster with hundreds of hectares of critically endangered Cumberland Plain Woodland turned to moonscape and our local roads in chaos due to traffic congestion and road works. And now Penrith Council is doing nothing to stop the poor old Kangaroos, that once called Jordan Springs home, being decimated by wild dogs.”

Council cheer-leader for Lend Lease, need to represent citizens

“Council must finally act on this matter and stop being a cheer leader for Lend Lease. Council is fully aware that Lend Lease and Robyn Parker the NSW Environment Minister have legal responsibilities for the welfare of Kangaroos of Emus at the ADI Site and to have a feral animal management plan in place to control animals such as dogs.”

Macrofauna reduction program and wild dogs

“In granting development zonings to Lend Lease over ten years ago the NSW Government required them to develop and implement a feral animal reduction program. This clearly is not happening as wild dogs have been on the site for years. The NSW Government also required Lend Lease to implement a Macrofauna population reduction program – a program meant to be overseen by the NSW Environment Minister. Lend Lease has spent millions of dollars on a sterilisation program and it is feared they are turning a blind eye to the wild dogs because the dogs are assisting them to quickly bring down the Kangaroo numbers.”

“Penrith Council, the NSW Government and Lend Lease appear complicit in this further attack on western Sydney's dwindling populations of macro fauna.”

Geoff Brown
President
Western Sydney Conservation Alliance Inc
0431 222602

Geoff Brown the Stable Population Party candidate for the marginal seat of Lindsay is calling on the media "to challenge Fiona Scott and Tony Abbott about comments made on Four Corners last night by Ms Scott, the Lindsay candidate for the Liberal Party, that the traffic congestion plaguing the people of Lindsay is caused by 50,000 boat people." In the light of criticisms of Bob Katter for demographic ignorance, the silence on the same ignorance in the major parties is deafening.

The Big Distraction

Comment from candobetter.net: Indeed, it is staggering that politicians continue to be let get away with the pretense that all immigrants arrive here as asylum seekers, when far more people than 50,000 arrive each year and most of them are not 'boat people'. The Stable Population Party calls this 'the big distraction'.

Total Overseas Immigration figures dwarf asylum seeker numbers

To clarify, over 300,000 legal immigrants arrived - mostly by plane - in 2008 and 235,900 in 2009, which is the latest statistic available due to changes in the way these things are now counted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Many of these legal migrants were invited by various state governments, which all have websites promoting immigration to Australia for professionals, tradespeople and investors, who then have the right to bring the balance of their families here.

Geoff Brown defends Lindsay voters against redneck assumption

“Fiona Scott has just cemented in the minds of all that watched Four Corners last night that the people of Lindsay are a bunch of ignorant rednecks. It was embarrassing to hear such divisive, politically cynical drivel being peddled as fact” said Geoff Brown.

“Fiona Scott in trying to defend her comments implied that the 50,000 boat people that have arrived since 2007 somehow all drive cars and live in western Sydney. Ms Scott went on to say that the 50.000 boat people was twice the size of Glenmore Park, a large Penrith suburb”

He said that the media needs to challenge Fiona Scott and Tony Abbott over these divisive comments about 'boat people'.

Pop growth 1000 day of which 2% are asylum seekers

"50,000 boat people over 6 years averages out to just 24 arrivals per day. This is dwarfed by the real cause of traffic congestion in western Sydney, population growth, which is running at over 1000 per day. The major parties, specifically the Coalition, are whipping up the voters of Lindsay into a frenzy about being invaded by 24 boat people per day to distract voters from the facts about population growth. As exemplified by Ms Scott they are using misinformation about the numbers of boat people to confuse and strike fear into voters to avoid scrutiny of their population policies”.

“If the voters of Lindsay want to take real steps to alleviate traffic congestion then they need to thing better not bigger and vote for the Stable Population Party”, Mr Brown concluded.

For any reader in doubt, they will find that the Stable Population Party handles this issue very well on its website: http://www.populationparty.org.au/Featured-Media?&riID=58

Further comments - Geoff Brown – 0431 222602

Labor MP David Bradbury must correct error riddled conservation funding announcement (NSW), says Geoff Brown, Stable Population Party candidate. Mr Brown, who is a New South Wales natural conservation activist, has long fought to retain Cumberland plain woodland against attempts by governments to allow it to be destroyed for massive suburban developments. He believes now that the ALP has tried to take credit for his concept of the Cumberland Conservation Corridor. Geoff is running as a candidate for the Stable Population Party.

Mark Butler, the Federal Environment Minister, and David Bradbury, Labor member for Lindsay and the Assistant Treasurer, have been called on by Geoff Brown, the Stable Population Party candidate for Lindsay, to set the voters of Lindsay straight, after Lindsay's leading local newspaper, the Penrith Press, printed a half page story riddled with errors and misinformation about Labors 2010 federal election commitment of $7.5 million towards the establishment of the Cumberland Conservation Corridor.

Geoff Brown, also the President of the Western Sydney Conservation Alliance, developed the concept for the Cumberland Conservation Corridor in 2005, and at the 2010 election ran as an Independent using preference negotiations with Labor and Liberal to extract the $7.5 million deal from Labor. So he is on top of this issue. Several articles published by candobetter.net show his record on this matter. See Cumberland plain woodland and Geoff Brown.

Brown described himself as "livid" when he read the Penrith Press article which erroneously stated that Labor had announced $7.5m towards establishing the Cumberland Conservation Corridor. He said the article made it look as if Labor had just made some new 2013 committment. He said the voters of Linsay would be confused.

"The story should have been about why it took 3 years to fulfill their 2010 commitment. The article was littered with errors based on the dubious media release put out by David Bradbury and Mark Butler. If not corrected it will let Labor off the hook in Lindsay from announcing any new local conservation funding outcomes for the 2013 election. Labor may try to fudge their way out of it”.

Geoff Brown called on David Bradbury and Mark Butler to front the voters of Lindsay and tell them:

" - That neither Labor nor Liberals have yet promised any new conservation money in Lindsay for the 2013 election
- The announcement cited by the Penrith Press was from the 2010 election and it took 3 years to cobble together an outcome
- The Mulgoa biobanking site stays in private ownership so will not become part of the publicly owned Mulgoa Nature Reserve. So no net public benefit or use for education
- The Mulgoa site was never at threat of development and was already protected under Penrith Councils LEP which zones it E2 Environmental Conservation (I argued that money be better spent trying to conserve bushland in Penriths north at risk of development)
- That nearly half of the $7.5 million was spent on land care projects that are outside the Lindsay electorate and nowhere near the proposed Cumberland Conservation Corridor. Projects such as those in the Blue Mountains and the Cranebrook wetland project are not anywhere near the CCC
- That $3.4 million funding for weed removal and the planting trees is exactly what Tony Abbott proposes with his Green Army and Direct Action policy. This outcome condones the Liberals policy
- That 2000 ha of local bush land has not been protected (David’s MR and his letterbox propaganda claims he has saved 2000 ha of local bush land. He is claiming to have protected the 558 ha Airservices Australia land at Shanes Park and 1300 ha of bush at the Orchard Hillls Defence Establishment. These sites are not formally protected. Shanes Park has the proposed Castlereagh Freeway running through it)
- That biobanking is a scheme whereby there is a net loss of habitat. Bushland gets bulldozed with developers offsetting that clearing by funding the management of bushland elsewhere. In this case the State funding came from the clearing of critically endangered bushland in the Sydney Growth Centres. It is a highly dubious method of conserving nature.
- That the land owner is not raising his income from selling the biobanking credits. He gets a guaranteed $6.6 million as the joint Federal and State funding has already purchased the credits."

Labor caught out moving the fence posts

Geoff Brown added that Labor has been caught out trying to change the location of the Cumberland Conservation Corridor. As an example he cited the wetlands at Cranebrook near the Waterside housing estate as being 'nowhere near' the CCC.”

Mr Brown says that Lindsay voters need to be aware that Labor has not yet committed any new money towards conserving bushland within the Cumberland Conservation Corridor.

Mr Brown met last week with Mark Butler and David Bradbury calling on them to fund the protection of 1500 ha of Priority Conservation Land north of the ADI Site that is threatened. He says that the 50 ha of Mulgoa land was already zoned for protection but this 1500 ha of bushland has no such conservation zoning.

In his opinion, the only way it will be zoned for conservation by Penrith Council is if there is money on the table to buy it.

"The voters of Lindsay need to join with the Stable Population Party in calling on Labor and Liberal to commit to protecting this land.”

A better, not a bigger Australia

Mr Brown concluded by saying that to his knowledge, the Stable Population Party is the only minor political party in Lindsay actively lobbying Labor and Liberal about protecting the environment and limiting more urban sprawl and traffic congestion. He said that voters could rest assured that the Stable Population Party stands for a better not a bigger Australia.

22nd September signs that Tony Burke is listening. WSCA had been lobbying Tony Burke for nearly two years to ensure guarantees in place that all of the promised $530 million conservation fund be spent within Western Sydney to protect bushland remnants promised as offsets.

Cautious optimism

On 22nd December, the Western Sydney Conservation Alliance (WSCA) cautiously welcomes the announcement today by Tony Burke that he will sign off on the Strategic Assessment of the Sydney Growth Centres. WSCA had been lobbying Tony Burke for nearly two years warning him not to rush in and sign off on the plan unless guarantees were in place to ensure that all of the promised $530 million conservation fund (the money promised to offset the destruction of 2000 ha of bushland within the growth centres) was spent entirely within Western Sydney protecting bushland remnants promised as offsets.

The NSW Government had been shifting towards raiding this $530 million conservation offset fund and spending up to 75% of it outside of Western Sydney in order to get more bang for its buck.

Tony Burke

"Tony Burke has listened to our concerns about this looming rip-off and has inserted new conditions into the plan guaranteeing that the entire $530 million fund would be spent in western Sydney. This may have saved thousands of hectares of rare bushland from the O'Farrell Government who intended to raid the $530 million conservation fund and spend it outside of western Sydney. The O'Farrell Government has a plan to increase urban sprawl in Western Sydney beyond development within the Growth Centres and that would have been made all the more easier if the majority of the $530 million fund disappeared from western Sydney.

Thanks to local Labor members

We specifically thank local Labor Members: Michelle Rowland, David Bradbury and Ed Husic for helping to stop this rip-off. They shared in our concerns about the inequity of the NSW Governments plans.

We believe the new conditions insisted upon by Tony Burke include that all the $530 million be spent in western Sydney and that only in exceptional circumstance could it be considered going off the Cumberland Plain to acquire offset lands. That exceptional circumstance would have to be approved by a new committee."

"That committee needs to be thoroughly transparent and it would be good if the community had a say in any decisions."

Growth Centers remain on-course for environmental disaster

"We must not lose sight though that the Sydney Growth Centres is an environmental disaster that will clear about 2000 ha of endangered woodland including about 9% of all remaining Cumberland Plain Woodland. So this announcement, whilst promising much in terms of a future conservation fund, also heralds the destruction of large areas of western Sydney's irreplaceable natural heritage"

Comments: Geoff Brown President WSCA - 0431 222602 www.wsca.org.au

Media Release
Western Sydney Conservation Alliance Inc

22nd December 2011

Growth Centres Plan go ahead by Tony Burke
Federal Government rescues bushland from O'Farrell Government

Robyn Parker the NSW Environment Minister was recently before a Parliamentary Committee on the Environment and asked questions by Labors Luke Foley about the Liberal Nationals reneging on an election commitment to conserve an additional 100 ha of the ADI Site.

Below is the link to the full committee transcript but also the specific ADI question extract. Blank spots have been explained in italics.

http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/committee.nsf/0/8394DDAF48498727CA25795A000AD302

The Hon. LUKE FOLEY: Will you honour the Liberals' and The Nationals' election commitment to conserve an extra 100 hectares of Cumberland Plain Woodland at the Australian Defence Industries [ADI] site in western Sydney?

Ms ROBYN PARKER: In terms of western Sydney we are doing a great deal in protecting some of the Cumberland Plain Woodland. The Wianamatta State conservation area has just been announced recently by our Government. That is a large section of Cumberland Plain Woodland which has been made into a protected area. I have been out there and had a look at that and made sure that we have got the strongest protections in place as a nature reserve.

The Minister is referring to the 181ha Air Services Australia site at Cranebrook saved by a campaign by WSCA. The Minister makes several mistakes in this answer. She incorrectly refers to the Cranebrook land as the Wianamatta State conservation area - when she recently visited the site to announce it would become the Wianamatta Nature Reserve - and secondly there is no Cumberland Plain Woodland on this site at all.

So the Minister has completely failed to answer the question and demonstrated a complete lack of knowledge about the NSW reserve system and its vegetation communities

The Hon. LUKE FOLEY: What about the 100 hectares you promised in the campaign to protect? Are you going to honour that?

Ms ROBYN PARKER: Most definitely in terms of western Sydney we have got a number of commitments in terms of Cumberland Plain Woodland and on the ADI site. Following extensive environmental studies it was zoned to enable a mix of conservation and development outcomes. The majority of the habitat on the ADI site is to be conserved in a regional park. That is about 900 hectares. The regional park will contain the highest quality remnant native vegetation which is the Cumberland Plain Woodland. We are focusing at the moment on finalising the plan of management for Wianamatta Regional Park. In terms of the ongoing commitment to conserve a further 100 hectares of Cumberland Plain Woodland, the regional environmental plan identifies that 900 hectares and that overall offset was agreed to prior to the land plan?

Again the Minister dodges the question about the additional 100 hectare commitment and is obviously reading from a bureaucrat prepared backgrounder about the planning history for the site that zones 900 ha of the site as Regional Park. Whilst there is a 900ha Regional Park proposed at ADI only about half of it is mapped as Cumberland Plain Woodland

The Hon. LUKE FOLEY: That is a different area. I am asking you whether you are going to honour?

Ms CORBYN: My understanding is we are actually progressing at Shanes Park, which is where the 100 hectares was identified. So we are actually progressing that, yes.

Lisa Corbyn is the Executive Officer of the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage. Lisa Corbyn demonstrates her complete ignorance of this matter by making the false claim that the 100 ha commitment was identified for the 558 ha Air Services Australia site at Shanes Park - which the NSW Government is seeking to have transferred to them by the Federal Government. Ms Corbyn has misled the committee as the 100 ha commitment was made in regards to conserving an area of the Western Precinct within the former ADI Site at the Northern Rd Penrith.

So in summary the Minister and her senior staff have not answered any of the questions asked and their responses have again demonstrated why the environment of NSW, and specifically that of western Sydney, is poorly served by Minister Parker and her senior staff.

Source:
Geoff Brown
President
Western Sydney Conservation Alliance Inc, 12 December 2011

Cumberland Plain Woodland is critically endangered. For the illegal clearing of about 3 hectares Penrith Council deemed that a fine of $1500 was an appropriate penalty. Council ten years ago took a landowner to Court and they were fined $70,000 for clearing 3 hectares of River Flat Forest which is classified as endangered, a lesser category than critically endangered.

Monday 1st July, 2011

Penrith Council issues a pathetic $1500 fine for illegal clearing of critically endangered bushland

Penrith Council has sent a clear message to land owners and developers that it is open season on the natural heritage of Penrith by failing to use the full force of its powers to fine a Castlereagh land owner who cleared about 3 hectares of Cumberland Plain Woodland which is listed as critically endangered at a State and Federal level.

For the illegal clearing of about 3 hectares of Cumberland Plain Woodland Penrith Council deemed that a fine of $1500 was an appropriate penalty. Council ten years ago took a landowner to Court and they were fined $70,000 for clearing 3 hectares of River Flat Forest which is classified as endangered, a lesser category than critically endangered.

Geoff Brown, President of Western Sydney Conservation Alliance Inc, said, with disgust:

"This is a typical response of a pro-development anti environment Council. This amazingly ineffectual and inappropriate penalty is a flashing light to developers and anyone else wanting to profit from the destruction of Penrith's critically endangered bushland that, hey, go ahead and take the risk, Penrith Council doesn't really care, we're open for business and all you'll cop is a slap on the wrist."

He said, that, based on this fine by Penrith Council all the CPW in Penrith could be illegally cleared and the penalty issued would only be about $1 million.

A developer is looking at making that sort of money with 1 hectare of land these days so the message Council is sending to developers is, financially, illegal land clearing is worth it if all we will face is a fine of $500 per hectare.

They can simply factor it into their business plans.

But the Council should have taken the miscreant to court.

"Council definitely had the option to take this land owner to court but has chosen to take the cheap option of only issuing an penalty infringement notice. This again reinforces the belief of many that when it actually comes to protecting the environment and the public interest Penrith Council is all talk and no action."

Matter should have been referred up to Federal Environment department

Apparently the Council has not taken taken correct measures:

"Because Cumberland Plain Woodland is critically endangered at a Federal and State level any actions to harm it have to be in accordance with Federal and State legislation including referring the action of clearing directly to the Federal Environment department for assessment. So many checks and balances have been avoided by this example of illegal land clearing. Penrith Council's pathetic fine fails on so many levels to send a clear message to the public about what is right and wrong and why there is a need to protect bushland. Councils pathetic enforcement is why CPW is on the brink of extinction."

Absurd and immoral token penalty

Mr Brown illustrated the absurdity of Penrith Councils almost symbolic penalty:

"The public often hears of footballers copping fines of thousands of dollars just for consuming a few beers yet here we have life, species, that have evolved over millions of years to survive only in Penrith, destroyed for ever and the fine is only $1500. Something is clearly wrong."

Source: Western Sydney Conservation Alliance Inc, Comments: Geoff Brown President WSCA, 0431 222602

Brad Hazzard tells protesters at Liberal launch he's committed to saving another 100 hectares of critically endangered bushland at ADI Site. Lend Lease would be slugged $100 million in lost revenue

There was actually a legitimate protest today at Barry O'Farrell's campaign launch (not the stunt protest put on by the ALP) by Western Sydney residents and environmentalists. They had gathered to raise awareness about the Liberal/Nationals urban sprawl policy and how that would devastate what little is left of Western Sydney's bushland and of course how it would affect the quality of life of it residents.

The legitimate protesters were also wanting to speak with Brad Hazzard, the Shadow Planning Minister, to question why he has gone quiet on his commitment before the Penrith by-election that the Liberal/Nationals would conserve an additional 100 hectares of critically endangered Cumberland Plain Woodland at the controversial ADI Site. The ADI Site contains vast areas of bushland that the NSW Government and the pro development Penrith Council are allowing to be developed by developer giant Lend Lease. Brad Hazzard also committed to creating new Western Sydney ecological corridors.

Brad Hazzard was confronted, when leaving todays campaign launch in Penrith, and asked by Geoff Brown, President of the Western Sydney Conservation Alliance (in the presence of others) when he would formally honour his Penrith by-election commitment and announce the additional 100 hectares at the ADI Site.

"Brad Hazzard said he was committed to delivering the 100 hectares and the ecological corridors. I asked him when an announcement was due and he said he wanted to make sure it could be done legally. I reminded Mr Hazzard of legal advice already given to him by myself from the Environmental Defenders Office outlining how the bushland could be conserved using several pieces of NSW legislation with no cost to the NSW taxpayer. Mr Hazzard then said well that is only the advice from the Environmental Defenders Office." (see attached EDO advice given to Brad Hazzard)

"Whilst Mr Hazzard says to our face he is committed to the 100 hectares at ADI our fear is the Lib/Nats will try to squirm out of this major conservation promise. It appears they may be already looking for a legal loophole to argue their hands are tied. Brad Hazzard has the law on his side to save this bushland so there is no point delaying a formal announcement.

"Mr Hazzard was also told that this very 100 ha is under immediate threat of imminent clearing as Lend Lease has a Development Application lodged with Penrith Council to clear up to half of this 100 Ha. Tanya Davies the Liberal Candidate for Mulgoa is a Penrith Councillor and Mr Hazzard was told of the need for the Liberal dominated Penrith Council to reject that DA in order to prevent a major embarrassment. A failure of the Libs on Council to protect the 100 ha committed by Brad Hazzard will be a major embarrassment to Brad Hazzard and Barry O'Farrell. It will come back to bite them in the electorate.

"Lend Lease have obviously been exerting pressure on the local Liberal candidates including Stuart Ayres, Tanya Davies and Bart Bassett to drop this commitment as they will be hit for about $100 million in lost revenue as their mega development is reduced by 1000 lots.

"The public however will cheer the scaling back of this unpopular development and applaud Brad Hazzard and the Lib/Nats for conserving critically endangered Cumberland Plain Woodland of which only 8% of its original extent remains with only 8% of that protected by the current NSW Govt.

"We want this additional 100 hectares formally announced in the next few weeks."

Source: Media Release
Western Sydney Conservation Alliance
Sunday 20th February 2010

Comments by Geoff Brown President Western Sydney Conservation Alliance and spokesperson for ADI Residents Action Group
0431 222602

ADI Site -

Vandals prevail

Bulldozing of rare bushland signals the beginning of the end for Western Sydney's last great bushland remnants. Vandals prevail in New South Wales, reducing to rubble the equivalent of nature's great monasteries and old churches, for short term gain by a tiny tyrannical minority. This scourge is led for the profit of Delfin Developments, against democracy and the local people who love their living landscape.

JK Williams Bulldozers roll over precious woodland habitat

Bulldozers today rolled at the ADI Site in Penrith clearing 6 hectares of the critically endangered ecological community, Cumberland Plain Woodland. The clearing by J K Williams on behalf of developer, Delfin Lend Lease, is the first of 6ha of a total of 360 ha within the Penrith LGA. 3500 lots dwellings, with some up to 6 stories are proposed.

Garrett protects malignant growth lobby project

The news of the clearing has been met with sadness by the many opponents of the development. Recently they called on Peter Garrett the Federal Environment Minister to intervene in the imminent clearing. Peter Garrett was called on to act to overturn a dubious approval decision by the former Howard Govt in 2002 that allows Delfin Lend Lease immunity from Peter Garrett's Federal Environmental Law. Meaning they do not have to refer any development proposals to the Federal Minister for assessment. Peter Garrett was asked to consider, as he is allowed to do under section 207A of his federal environment law, to list additional areas of the sites critically endangered CPW as Critical Habitat.

But correspondence recently received from the Minister in response to that call from the Western Sydney Conservation Alliance indicated a complete lack of political will and an unwillingness to interfere in Delfins development plans.

Geoff Brown, President of the Western Sydney Conservation Alliance Inc., said,

"Peter Garrett could of acted, he has the capacity under his legislation to intervene, but he has turned his back on us and our environment. The reality though is he is just one of many of our political leaders that have done the same. The same is true of Kristina Kenneally who had the opportunity when she was Planning Minister to amend the ADI Site zoning plan. She was called on by WSCA to rezone CPW at the site from urban to conservation. She ignored our calls. So sorry is this ADI story is that the finger of blame must be pointed at hundreds of political leaders across all levels of government. This has been a shameful chapter in the history of Western Sydney one which its residents should never forget".

Keep fighting for what is right!

Brown added:

"People should never give up though. This is just 6 ha's and there are many more approval processes that Delfin need to get in order to get their way. We must take a stand and say enough is enough. In this day and age we should never accept housing that comes at the cost of our critically endangered natural heritage. Everyone should pick up their phones today and speak directly to their local elected representative from Council, State and Federal Government to let them know enough, its just not on anymore. What is happening here at ADI is the thin edge of the wedge and unless we collectively say no to the overdevelopment of our suburbs, this development cancer will move right across Western Sydney and before we know it we will have no bushland, no rural areas and another million people to cope with."

Merciless Moonscaping

Only one tree appears to have been left on the 6 ha site. The massive bulldozers of JK Williams, a local civil engineering firm, remain on the site ready to resume earth works on Thursday

Comments attributed to Geoff Brown President of the Western Sydney Conservation Alliance Inc
0431 222602
www.wsca.org.au

Western Sydney Conservation Alliance
Wednesday 28th April 2010