Battle against developers continues
By Alistair Dickinson and Rupen Savoulian
SYDNEY — Craig Knowles, NSW minister for urban affairs and planning, is expected soon to announce the future of the former Australian Defence Industries (ADI) site — 1535 hectares of irreplaceable bushland — near St Marys, in Sydney's outer western suburbs.
A departmental committee (known as a section 22 committee after the clause of the Urban Affairs Planning Act under which it was formed) has been considering an application by an ADI-Lend Lease joint venture for the building of as many as 10,000 houses on the land.
The development is strongly opposed by local residents and conservation groups. Both the state government and Penrith City Council have been lobbied to block development.
In a setback for the pro-development lobby, Penrith Council recently adopted a no-development position and is supporting the call for the land be retained for recreation and as a wildlife sanctuary.
Bruce McDonald, the council's strategies and economic planning director, said council has made two submissions: one to the federal environment department for National Heritage Trust funding and to the Prime Minister's Department for Federation Fund money.
Both submissions call for the 1535 ha site to be acquired to commemorate the centenary of federation, conserve biodiversity, preserve the area's Aboriginal cultural heritage and provide space for recreation.
Meanwhile, the ADI Residents Action Group, which has been campaigning for a wildlife sanctuary and recreational space for several years, is continuing to mobilise residents and others affected by the proposed development. An appeal calling for a federation park and wildlife sanctuary instead of the proposed 10,000 houses was recently published in three local newspapers with an estimated readership in excess of 170,000.
Some of the organisations endorsing this appeal were the Nature Conservation Council, Australian Manufacturing Workers Union Parramatta district committee, the Total Environment Centre, the Democratic Socialist Party, Green Left Weekly, the Greens NSW and the Communist Party of Australia (Blacktown branch). Individuals supporting the appeal included Ian Cohen MLC (Greens) and Penelope Figgis, vice-president of the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF).
Gail Lord, a local resident and campaigner against the development, and a member of the local branch of the Democratic Socialist Party, told Green Left Weekly, "The success of the campaign hinges on whether a significant grassroots movement can be mobilised, as the forces backing the ADI-Lend Lease push for development — both in the community, such as the St Marys Chamber of Commerce, and at all levels of government — are powerful and will organise.
"A racist organisation posing as an environmental group, Australians for an Environmentally Sustainable Population, has gained a foothold in the ADI Residents Action Group. Infiltration by racist groups which scapegoat immigrants needs to be consistently challenged. This demonstrates how essential it is that the left is present and active in the campaign."
To get involved in the ADI Residents Action Group's campaign, phone Geoff Brown (02) 4730 1107, Mike Walsh (02) 9628 8080, or Bruce Wheatley (02) 4730 1355 (leave a message).