Emails Reveal Planning Minister Captured by Developer Interests
Internal emails obtained via an order for papers by the NSW Upper House show the Planning Minister is doing the bidding of developers, says Cate Faehrmann, Greens MP and planning spokesperson.
The Sydney Morning Herald has today reported on internal department communications that reveal the developer lobby group Urban TaskForce pressured the Minister and his Office to scrap the Design and Place SEPP and reduce the influence of the Government Architect over key planning reforms.
“This raises alarm bells about the inappropriate level of influence Urban TaskForce has over the Planning Minister and his office. These emails show that they have deliberately set out to undermine the Government Architect and her work,” said Ms Faehrmann.
“The Premier needs to explain how the Planning Minister, after a few meetings between the head of Urban Taskforce, ended up scrapping the SEPP at an Urban TaskForce lunch while regurgitating their talking points.
“This SEPP was the result of years of hard work by experts, including within the planning department, to make NSW more sustainable and climate resilient and now we’re back to square one.
“It should be extremely concerning to the community that NSW now has a Planning Minister who is so captured by powerful developer interests,” said Ms Faehrmann.