Are Urban Slums the Price of Labor’s Re-election?

“Both Sartor’s decision to “call in” the CUB site and Costa’s plan for early land releases are likely to result in the creation of new urban slums in the city centre and on its outskirts” said Ms Hale, the NSW Greens planning spokesperson.

“They will result in poorly designed, high-rise apartment towers in the city and poor or non-existent infrastructure in the south-west growth centre.”

“Electoral office figures reveal that property developers have donated almost $9 million to the Australian Labor party over the last five years. In the same period the number of property developments called in by the Minister for Planning has increased by 800% from around 30 per year to around 250 per year.”

Already this year the Minister has called in and approved massive residential developments at Breakfast Point on the Parramatta River, the former Rehabilitation Hospital site in Ryde and the St Vincents Hospital site in Darlinghurst.

“Donations from property developers now make up a major part of the Labor Party’s campaign funds. Are urban slums the price we have to pay for the Labor Party’s re-election campaign?” asked Ms Hale.

“There should be no increase in floor space ratios for the CUB development and land releases in the south-west growth area should not happen until the government is ready to put the necessary infrastructure in place.”

“The best contribution the government can make to good urban planning for this city is to implement the Greens policy to ban all donations from property developers to political parties or candidates” concluded Ms Hale.