RAID Rally

RAID was a tremendous success with groups from all over NSW travelling to Hyde Park to protest over 3A and the current planning laws.

Photos and press coverage is on our website www.friendsofcurrawong.com

CURRAWONG WINS TOASTER AWARD FOR THE WORST RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT IN NSW

The Bad Developer Awards 2008

CURRAWONG WINS TOASTER AWARD FOR THE WORST RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT IN NSW

CURRAWONG has won the award for the worst metropolitan residential development in New South Wales .

Last night at the annual TOASTER awards hosted by the Greens, Wollongong Council and the Illawarra’s corrupt developers won the major prizes with Frank Vellar winning the coveted GOLDEN TOASTER for the Bad Developer of the Year for 2008.

But Currawong was up there with the worst, joining the Catherine Hill Bay development as the State’s worst housing developments, beating a range of other appalling projects vying for the title.

As Greens MLC Sylvia Hale said: “Encouraged by the state government’s new planning laws unscrupulous developers are outdoing themselves finding new ways to make a quid out of wrecking the environment and the heritage of our villages, towns and cities”.

The Friends of Currawong and the Catherine Hill Bay Progress Association also shared the award for the BEST community campaign in the state.

Friends of Currawong co-convener, Shane Withington said: “We are very proud to accept this award and we are proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with the people of Catherine Hill Bay and accept it on behalf of every activist group in NSW fighting this Government’s appalling planning laws.

“What we’d love to do now is personally present this well deserved prize to Mr. Allen Linz and Mr. Edouard Litvers in recognition of their exceptional contribution to BAD development in NSW.

Meeting with Planning Minister

The minister for planning has agreed to meet a delegation of ours on November the 11^th! So already we have made a difference. The former planning Minister Frank Sartor refused to meet with us even after prolonged requests. We can only hope that this might signify a new era in community consultation……watch this space.

Wide support for RAID

We have had a barrage of support letters including The Wilderness Society …The Greens….Warringah Council…The Surf Rider Foundation…The National Parks Assoc’ The National Trust… and many more. Many of whom will be writing letters to the editor and we suggest you all do the same.

RAID Rally 19 Oct Hyde Park

Anger at the State Government’s planning laws will be reflected not only in the Ryde by-election next Saturday, but in Hyde Park on Sunday, 19 October, when over 1000 people are expected to rally to protest the lack of transparency in our planning laws.

Shane Withington, the leader of the Friends of Currawong, which is hosting the rally, says he’s now responded to over 2000 emails and almost 30 community groups have committed to attending.

“We’ve got Sydney groups fighting massive inappropriate developments in their suburbs, rural groups fighting mining which is poisoning local rivers, another group fighting a mining company which wants to take over the entire village, another is fighting the construction of an unnecessary dam, while others are fighting for heritage values and to save bushland and wildlife.

“And in the case of Currawong, the developers, Mr. Allen Linz and Mr. Edouard Litvers have now announced they will deal with coastal erosion by bringing in tonnes of infill by barge and dumping it on a pristine beach in a national park.”

Support for the rally has also come from the National Trust, the Wilderness Society, the Greens, the National Parks Association, Jack Mundey, Pittwater MP Rob Stokes, Clover Moore, the Australian Institute of Architects and invitations to attend have been sent to 75 councils across the Stat

3A Planning Laws

The NSW Labour govenments 3A planning laws have bypassed democracy in parliment, by allowing the Planning Minister to give the go ahead for any development regardless of the recommendations by local councils and local communities.