Yet another Government attack on community rights

“It is outrageous that the Labor Government should even be considering forced land seizures whose effect would be to swell the profits of private corporations.

“If the Government needs to obtain land for significant public projects it should be able to do so, provided it pays fair compensation.

“But any land acquisition must be for a genuine public purpose, such as providing affordable public housing.

“Over the last 10 years the Government has systematically stripped away public rights. First we had Part 3A of the Planning Act, then the effective removal of democratically elected councils from the planning process and their replacement with appointed, unaccountable Planning Panels.

“This latest proposal comes hard on the heels of the Premier saying in February that the Government is interested in expanding the powers of the Coordinator General to cover major transport, commercial and residential projects. Currently there is no appeal against any of the Coordinator General’s decisions on any grounds in relation to federal-stimulus projects that the Coordinator General’s office oversees.

“Now it wants the right to seize private land to hand it to developers.

“Clearly the government is intent on steamrollering over the community.

“Given its abysmal track record, why would anyone trust the Government to do anything other than feather the pockets of its developer donor mates in the Urban Taskforce and the Property Council of Australia,” asked Ms Hale.

Further information: Colin Hesse on 9230 3030 or 0401 719 124