Administrator approached on Crown Lands Bill
I have written to the Administrator of the Central Coast Council, Mr Ian Reynolds, concerning the NSW Government's recent introduction, into the Upper House, of a new bill titled Crown Land Management Bill 2016.
The Bill is reported to be over 200 pages in length, is complex, and appears to have been drafted before the recent scathing findings of both the Auditor General and the Upper House Enquiry to which I have made a written submission.
It is true that I am not a supporter of neo-conservatism or governments driven by "small government" ideology.
Nor am I insensitive to the demonstrated high level of political corruption involving both major political parties on the Central Coast and the high level of motivation for corrupt practices in the overwhelmingly "public" array of national parks, state forests, council reserves, beaches, bays, rivers, lagoons and parks which go to make up the beauty of the Central Coast.
Of course, if Mr Reynolds is absorbed by similar motives as the NSW Liberal Party and its anti-community obsession with privatising public assets, then my letter would be of no consequence.
However, I appreciate the fact that the Liberal Party and the Big End of Town are not entirely comprised of crooked developers, corrupt fund-raisers, or lobbyists with vested interests, and because of this I am hoping Mr Reynolds may become engaged in, and facilitate, the debate concerning the Crown Land Management Bill.
It occurs to me that our (his) Council has probably had no time to consider the long and complex Crown Land Management Bill.
Depending on Mr Reynold's philosophic bent, he may believe, as I do, that proposed legislation should be thoroughly understood by the people and stakeholders such as Central Coast Council.
This should mean: a longer time frame for public discussion and formal consultation; and a formal Central Coast Council response to the NSW Government's draft.
I have asked Mr Reynolds does he propose to seek further time and to engage residents within Central Coast Council area in a consideration of the central purposes contained within the draft Bill and how the Bill is likely to affect large and now-public sections of the Central Coast.
I await his response with interest.
Email, 6 Nov 2016
Van Davy, Pearl Beach