Sydney Uni Consultation Issues

Sydney Uni – consultation disaster

In setting the areas that the University of Sydney’s Campus Improvement Program (CIP) had to address, the Department of Planning Director General’s Requirements (DGRs) specifically required the University to undertake consultation with, among other stakeholders, community groups. REDWatch and RAIDD (Residents Acting In Darlington’s Defence) were specifically referred to in the DGRs as groups the University had to consult with in its preparation. Further, the application to the Department had to describe the consultation process, the issues groups raised, whether or not the plan had been amended, or, if amendments were not made, why it had not been amended. This condition was in line with the Government’s proposal to get communities involved early in planning.

Inexplicably, the University did not follow these requirements and included broad community comments from earlier consultations. The community groups only saw details when the CIP went on statutory exhibition for 28 days. This resulted in many complaints about the short exhibition time for such a large and important development. In late February, the University, “as a gesture of good will”, agreed to undertake further consultation until the end of March, and to consider any input received in their deliberations and in their reporting back to the Department. While the exhibition has formally closed, the Department does accept submissions for a reasonable time after the closing date.

The University could have avoided further eroding good will in the surrounding community, and avoided confusion, if it had complied with the DGRs. Community groups would have had an opportunity to raise issues and have them considered before the CIP was finalised, and would have been able to comment on outstanding issues during the formal exhibition. Instead, they only received a narrow window within which to understand the proposal, consult their members and make comment.

Sydney University Advertisement