Notices are invalid, unfair and immoral

Only 16 out of more than 50 Coastal Councils have made similar decisions to Gosford Council to place "potential sea level rise messages on S149 certificates" (Michael Murray, Peninsula News, August 6).

If it was so "short sighted" why haven't the other 34 Coastal Councils done the same?

S149 Certificates should only be used where Council is aware of "matters affecting the land", not matters that "potentially affect the land".

Such notices are invalid, unfair and immoral and can be contested at law.

Councils who persist with S149 sea level rise messages do run the risk of class actions for damages for the harm these notices cause running into millions of dollars.

The affected property owners have every democratic right to lobby to protect their rights in just the same manner as others lobby for the protection of the environment.

Michael Murray demonstrates that he doesn't know much about the law by stating that the NSW Government's Sea Level rise policy statement of October 2009 was based on the best available scientific and specialist information.

It was based on a flawed hypothesis adopted by Federal Labor Government garnering favour with the United Nations and a State Labor Government who followed the "science is settled" ideology.

The concerns he expresses apparently don't extend to those who already own properties, paying unreasonable premiums for property insurance, claimed to be affected by future sea level rise.

The Liberal State Government will repeal the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act and replace it with a new Planning System.

Why is the best available scientific and specialist information on sea level rise that is available from coastal engineers, the Bureau of Meteorology, the 39 tide stations scattered around the Australian coastline, including Fort Denison, totally ignored by governments of the day?

Historical local records show ocean temperatures not increasing and a gradual sea level increase of less than one millimetre per annum.

How can the removal of the notification on S149 Certificates be "legally very risky"?

I am not a climate change denier.

I see the world for what it is, vibrant and lively, powered by the sun.

What I don't see is any scientific evidence that we are going to be inundated by the sea in 90 years time.

Where is that evidence?

Email, 12 Aug 2012

Len Gibbons, Woy Woy