ThePoint ESG News Site

07/06/2024

https://theshovel.com.au/2024/06/07/barnaby-joyce-canberra-street-peter-costello/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=barnaby_joyce_says_he_was_lying_on_street_because_he_crossed_paths_with_peter_costello&utm_term=2024-06-07

"I asked him a question and next think I know I'm lying flat out on the ground with my legs in the air"

26/05/2024

🙏❤️

26/05/2024

Union members from the Mining and Energy Union have had a massive win thanks to the Albanese Government’s Same Job, Same Pay laws.

As a result, 27 mine workers at the Mount Pleasant coal mine will move to permanent employment contracts and receive a pay rise of more than $30,000.

A win well worth celebrating!

26/05/2024

"The extension of Eraring has deeply dismayed community members living daily with the environmental and health impacts of
coal power..."

The fact is pollution from power stations is contributing to early deaths in our region, and now all of NSW is paying for that too, thanks to the Minn’s government. It seems that damning findings of the 2021 inquiry into NSW coal ash waste dumps chaired by Daniel Mookhey MP, now NSW Treasurer have...

21/05/2024

Good old First Dog On The Moon tells it like it is...

There were houses here until foreign investors bought them all

20/05/2024

20/05/2024

A small start but an important one.

20/05/2024

Love this

Okay this is just the best

20/05/2024

Great speakers to address dinner for Domestic Violence Prevention Month...
https://thepoint.net.au/walk-and-dinner-mark-domestic-violence-prevention-month/
Central Coast Domestic Violence Committee

Currently this year, 35 women have already been killed by an intimate partner or someone known to them.

19/05/2024

Good old Choice Magazine cuts to the chase on the Energy Rebate and how to cut your power bill.

“Your power company is in charge of applying the $300 rebate, so you won't be receiving any government deposits in your account.”

01/04/2024

Lisa Blair Sails the World is on her way to breaking another world record - this time to raise awareness of microplastic pollution in our oceans.

"I am living proof that just one person can make a difference and there are many things that people can start doing today to make a difference. We all have the power to create change, it just starts with one action.”

22/02/2024

CEN is supporting this peaceful demonstration outside council next Tuesday. Hope you can make it.

13/02/2024

Plea to State Government to suspend Council's planning powers

Community Environment Network (CEN) has called on the NSW Government to suspend Central Coast Council's planning powers and fix the Coast’s LEP.

It wants the Planning Minister to place a moratorium on all rezonings, State Significant Developments and developments that involve conservation zones C2, C3 and C4 land until the LEP is fixed.

The LEP is the Local Environment Plan that is the rule book for development on the Coast.

CEN says the Central Coast’s LEP (CCLEP) is different from every other council’s LEP in the state – and says it’s broken, fundamentally flawed.

“It is bad news for nature, community and developers,” CEN says.

It has asked NSW Planning Minister, Paul Scully, to intervene and give the Central Coast a better plan.

It expects to hear back within the month.

Conservation zones in the LEP are supposed to give landholders and developers certainty as to what they can and cannot do with land.

“Our Council’s use of Conservation Zones is based on inaccurate mapping and inappropriate land uses,” CEN says.

It says the plan is failing to give clear boundaries and delineation of where development should or should not take place.

As examples, CEN points to development on hold at two sites:

1. St Philips’ Christian Education Foundation Limited at Charmhaven planned a $425 million State Significant Development. The proposed building footprint is located where two orchids have been recorded, one critically endangered and one threatened, but they were not considered when a zoning boundary was defined.

2. A $67.7 million expansion of the Woolworths Regional Distribution Centre at Warnervale has been put on hold because a threatened species was not included in a selection criterion in the C2 zone. The development has been refused by the Federal Minister for Environment due to the presence of a critically endangered Sun Orchid.

How did we get here?

Council, which was formed from the merger of Gosford and Wyong councils in 2016, took years to consolidate or “harmonise” the two former councils’ LEPs.

It was supposed to be a first step in creating a new Comprehensive LEP.

But it was the two former council's LEPS that were cobbled together to make the CCLEP which took effect from August 1, 2022, along with a Development Control Plan which details planning and design guidelines.

At the time, Council said the one planning framework would lead to greater efficiencies in preparing and assessing development applications - benefiting the Central Coast community, investors and Council staff.

"It’s enormously beneficial to have consistency in planning controls across the region as the smoother process for development applications and assessment encourages investment and provides a boost to local jobs, and increases quality housing and infrastructure for our growing population," Council said.

In december 2022, the Local Planning Panel recommended that Council review its planning provisions for the Woy Woy peninsula.

The panel has the job of deciding many of council's development applications, based on the LEP and the DCP and other Council planning controls.

The panel recommended the Council conduct a strategic planning review of its planning controls, development provisions and character statements for Umina, Woy Woy and Ettalong.

The review was to ensure consistency between the relevant controls applicable to each locality with a clear direction and expectation on the desired future character of the suburbs.

But in September 2023, Council confirmed at a planning panel meeting that it had not begun work on the recommended action.

Now in 2024, Council-under-administration is under fire for the extended wait times for development applications to be assessed.

Developers are using “deemed refusals” to go to the Land and Environment Court to get decisions on their DAs.

(See previous story here:
https://www.cccouncilwatch.com.au/applicants-use-court-to-get-developments-approved/

The LEP applies to about 95 percent of the Local Government Area.

The remaining land is either the Gosford City Centre, which is subject to its own controls under State Environmental Planning Policy or "Deferred Lands" which remain subject to an Interim Development Order 122 (IDO 122).

“Deferred Lands” were properties that needed their land use zones reviewed in the light of State Government guidelines on environmental zoning.

Council is still in the process of changing the zoning on the deferred lands, recently exhibiting the proposed rezonings and contacting affected homeowners.

CEN says it uncovered the flaws in Council’s interpretation and use of Conservation Zones under the LEP when researching the exhibited proposal.

The Council’s proposed changes could allow completely inappropriate land uses for land that needs environmental protection, CEN says.

For example, if pushed through, CEN believes it would completely open up areas like Matcham, Holgate, Bouddi Peninsula, Somersby, for housing with a minimum lot size of 450 square metres.

CEN wants the Deferred Lands deferred, reviewed and re-advertised.

But first it wants the public to show its support for its campaign called: The Central Coast Deserves a Better Plan.

The campaign launch will be held from 7pm on Tuesday, February 13, Ourimbah Campus of Newcastle University, Lecture Theatre 101.

- Merilyn

Gold star if you read the entire post. Sorry it was so long.

This page is run by journalist Merilyn Vale and is not associated with Council.

08/01/2024

What better place could there be to enjoy gin, jazz and the music of Sting than Avoca Beach Theatre?

Enjoy the gentle jazz of Sting’s memorable songs, arranged by musical director, Rodric White on piano, sung by Vince Harris with his raspy emotive voice, Brendan Berlach on sax and Fiona Lugg on double bass

08/01/2024

Wow The Art House is one of some high-profile theatres to stage this show.

08/01/2024

What do you think she's thinking about?

Portrait of Wilhelmine by German painter Carl Joseph Begas (1828)
I love it when artists paint their spouses and lovers. One can see the care and love.
And, oh, what a gorgeous painting.... Those sheer sleeves and her dreamy expression are perfection....🖤🖤

08/01/2024

Man, I could do this all day, every day. Oh, wait...

04/01/2024

A Police Officer In North Carolina Spent His Lunch Break Sharing Pizza With A Homeless Woman

10/12/2023

Could it be time to move to Japan? Thinking about why we have unprecedented homelessness, poverty etc. Maybe neoliberalism needs to be given the sack eh Anthony Albanese?

Japan’s main interest rate was minus 0.1 per cent before COVID-19, stayed there throughout the pandemic and is still minus 0.1 per cent.

30/11/2023

What a great way to do some Christmas shopping AND help the environment!

Deck the Halls with something a little bit different this Christmas. Come along to our special Christmas Wildplant Nursery sale on December 2 and go home with, well, some beautiful, affordable native plants and much, much more...

26/11/2023

About time Anthony Albanese

Embattled Department of Home Affairs secretary Mike Pezzullo has been sacked over his leaked text messages to a Liberal powerbroker.

24/11/2023

High turnover of media people can result in cluster #$%^ messaging hey Albo? Good piece by Laura Tingle

Between Australia's economic situation and the crisis in the Middle East, there has been a growing sense that the government is not in control of events — and it's throwing out lots of chaff, writes Laura Tingle.

24/11/2023

Family drinks!

24/11/2023

24/11/2023

Amazing Big owl

24/11/2023

Isn't this the "tort of malfeasance in public office" that Bill Shorten made such strong reference to when the robodebt royal commission report was released? Looks like it is common practice across our system. Revolving doors and separation of bureaucrats and politicians from ordinary people is rife. What will it take for the general public to wake up and start saying NO to this rubbish? Good reporting from the ABC News

The Queensland government allowed its mine safety commissioner Kate du Preez to keep acting in her role after accepting a lucrative job offer from a coal giant that has multiple convictions over workplace deaths and injuries, ABC Investigations has found.