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- May 2009 -

Notices for Offshore Residents of Pittwater, Australia May 2009

CURRAWONG PRESS CLIPPINGS with thanks to Brigitte Mills and BaysNews The battle for Currawong has finally taken wing Piers Akerman Blog Daily Telegraph Thursday, April 30, 2009 at 08:03am   AFTER years of complacency, Sydneysiders are finally fighting for their beaches. After a 12-year struggle, Northern Beaches residents have finally convinced NSW Planning Minister Kristina Keneally to refuse an application to subdivide the historic Currawong site within Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, on Pittwater’s western foreshore. Keneally cited environmental concerns about the plan by developers Allen Linz Eduard Litver to dump massive amounts of fill into the park-bound site and erect 25 modern homes. The fight for Currawong would rival the script for the hit Australian film The Castle, with the baddies being a succession of State Labor ministers and, in a surprise twist, the White Knight being the newest State Planning Minister. Over a decade ago, then NSW Labor Council secretary Michael Costa saw the sale of Currawong as a means to two ends close to his heart. He and his wife had become converts to the Guru Maharishi Yogi and his squad of bum-bouncing fans and the Labor Council wanted an infusion of cash. A sale to the transcendental meditationistas would give them an exquisite site from which to see the sunrise and the cash would be a sublime gift to the union movement. Unfortunately, the Maharishi’s local representatives proved to be less than they initially seemed and the deal attracted nothing but bad press before evaporating. Costa moved on to become Treasurer of NSW but the lure of converting Currawong into cash still fascinated John Robertson, his successor at the Labor Council—now rebadged as Unions NSW. He found, or was approached by, Linz and Litver, who control several companies, one of which had been involved in a failed computer operation in concert with the Labor Council. Their interlocking company accounts appear ultimately to disappear into the secrecy of the British Virgin Islands, a notorious tax haven. After a curious process in which another of their companies vetted tender proposals for the sale, another Linz and Litver company was the successful tenderer with an offer of $15 million, much less than the reported $50million tendered by another party and $25 million reportedly bid by a third. In due course, then Planning Minister Frank Sartor removed the approval process from Pittwater Council and took it upon himself to make the final decision—although he left the portfolio before acting. Local activists, including a formerly stalwart Labor supporter, the actor Shane Withington, were disgusted but they were to be snubbed again when the federal Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts Peter Garrett reneged on a pledge to protect the site from development. Keneally has found a face-saving means of extricating the Labor Party from this mess but the pusillanimous Independent Commission Against Corruption has yet to ask any hard questions about the smelly affair—least of all whether Unions NSW received any money for the site? The fight to preserve Currawong is not yet over but the ministerial decision marks one small victory. Future of Currawong unclear Elicia Murray Urban Affairs Reporter Sydney Morning Herald April 30, 2009 THE future of the Currawong workers' retreat is unclear, with the State Government refusing to confirm whether it will buy the land. A day after the Planning Minister, Kristina Keneally, blocked a contentious proposal to build 25 luxury houses on the historic site, she said it was premature to discuss whether the Government would make Currawong part of Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park. "It's really up to the owner of the site and the proponent to look at the options before them," Ms Keneally said. The Department of Lands offered to buy Currawong, on Pittwater's western shore, from Unions NSW in 2007 for about $11 million. That offer was withdrawn without explanation. When the Prisons Minister, John Robertson, was secretary of Unions NSW, he found developers Allen Linz and Eduard Litver willing to pay $15 million for the site. At the time, Mr Robertson said it was an "unconditional" sale but it is unclear whether the developers paid more than a deposit of $1.5 million. The Mayor of Pittwater, David James, said he wanted the site to become public land, possibly with new campgrounds. The Urban Taskforce, a developer lobby group, said placing the entire 20-hectare site on the State Heritage Register without compensating the owner would discourage investment in NSW. Unions NSW, Mr Linz and Mr Litver refused to comment. Unions dealt blow over Currawong development ABC News Posted Wed Apr 29, 2009 7:38pm AEST Unions NSW has declined to answer questions about the State Government's decision to block a housing development on a site it owns at Currawong in Sydney's north. Community groups and the MP for Pittwater, Rob Stokes, have spent the day celebrating the decision by the planning minister to put the Currawong site on the State Heritage Register. "Absolutely stoked. Absolutely stoked. It's very exciting news," he said. Unions NSW put Currawong up for sale in 2007, saying it wanted to use the $15 million of proceeds to help fund the fight against WorkChoices. But it would not comment today on what implications the minister's decision will have on its budget. It has instead issued a two-line statement saying it is aware of the decision and will be referring questions about the site to the developer who had conditionally agreed to buy Currawong. The developer, Eco-Village Australia, has not been reached for comment. Currawong saved Manly Daily 30 APR 09  BY JESSE PHILLIPS CURRAWONG will not be developed and will be put on the State Heritage list after Planning Minister Kristina Keneally yesterday refused the DA to build 25 luxury homes. Ms Keneally is believed to have made the decision yesterday afternoon and told Pittwater MP Rob Stokes the news about 4pm. The minister’s decision means the Eco Village’s DA has been refused, Currawong would be state heritage listed, the ``state significant’’ clause which would have allowed the minister to approve a development was rejected, and any future DA would be decided by Pittwater Council. The decision draws to a close a long-running community battle to have the site saved after Unions NSW, which had owned the site since 1949, sold it in 2007 for $15 million to developers Eco Villages. Unions NSW wanted the cash to pay for a fighting fund against the Howard government’s industrial relations changes. After Currawong was sold to Eco Villages, the then planning minister, Frank Sartor, decided the development was of such state significance that it could only be dealt with under the controversial Part 3A of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act. Part 3A essentially allows the minister to call up a development of ``state significance’’ and deal with it, instead of the local council.   Yesterday afternoon, Mr Stokes said he was delighted with the news. ``It shows democracy and people power is not dead,’’ he said. Development binned, new heritage status 29 April 2009 Architecture & Design   The NSW planning minister Kristina Keneally has today refused planning for a residential development at beach north of Sydney and given the entire site heritage status, amid doubts about the sustainability of the project. The pristine beach location raised uncertainties over the sustainability of the project, which would have allowed a 25 lot residential subdivision at Currawong Beach. The site lies below the one in 100 year flood level and is subject to inundation from the creek and shoreline recession from Pittwater, Keneally said. “While it would be technically possible for the valley floor to be developed, it would not be justifiable considering the susceptibility of the site to shoreline recession and flooding during high tides or storms,” she said. Problems with the project application itself also led to the refusal of the application. An unacceptable visual impact on neighbouring historic workers’ cottages, insensitivity to the Aboriginal archaeological sites and the historic workers cottages, inadequate parking and problems with the proposed method of wastewater disposal, were cited as “not adequate” by the minister. The heritage listing will ensure that the buildings receive a minimum standard of maintenance and direct any future development applications to the NSW Heritage Council. Keneally said that in light of her decision, the process to rezone the site and declare it as State significant would not progress. “Considering that this development application has been refused, I have decided that any zoning issues may be resolved by Pittwater Council through the comprehensive local environmental plan process.” Media Release - Minister's Office Sydney: 29 April 2009 PLANNING MINISTER REFUSES CURRAWONG RESIDENTIAL SUBDIVISION The proposal for a residential development at Currawong has been refused, the entire site will be State Heritage listed, and any future proposals for the site will go before Pittwater Council. Planning Minister, Kristina Keneally, said she has refused a project application which would have allowed a 25 lot residential subdivision at Currawong Beach, in Sydney’s North. “I received the best expert advice and detailed comments from the community, I went and saw the site, and based on that I have decided to refuse the application,” Ms Keneally said. “My decision followed thorough and considered canvassing of the facts and local community opinions, including more than a year of rigorous assessment and community consultation. “This was a development proposal for a unique and pristine area which warranted the significant review process it went through. “The process included an extended period of community and stakeholder consultation, and review by an Independent Hearing and Assessment Panel (IHAP) and a Ministerial Review Panel (MRP).” Ms Keneally said the IHAP and the Department of Planning recognised some development potential exists on the site, however several aspects of the proposal raised questions about the sustainability of the development in light of its coastal location. “A major issue raised by the community and the IHAP was the vulnerability of the proposed development on the lower lying section of the site,” Ms Keneally said. “The site lies below the one in 100 year flood level and is subject to inundation from the creek and shoreline recession from Pittwater itself. “While it would be technically possible for the valley floor to be developed, it would not be justifiable considering the susceptibility of the site to shoreline recession and flooding during high tides or storms. “That situation would only worsen with any rise in sea level over time. “Both the IHAP and Department advised that the proposal to progressively infill the site to safeguard it against these risks is unacceptable, and that development on this part of the site should not proceed.” Ms Keneally said a number of aspects of the project application itself were not adequate, including: • Visual amenity: The proposed allotments on the site’s valley floor would have an unacceptable visual impact on the adjacent historic workers cottages, particularly when viewed from the water. • Indigenous and European heritage: The current proposal would have an unacceptable impact on the Aboriginal archaeological sites and the historic workers cottages. • Mainland parking and site access: Available parking would not satisfy the demand that would be created by the development. • The proposed method of wastewater disposal: Changes to the water table and periodic flooding would impact significantly on the viability of the proposed on-site wastewater reclamation plant. The proposed State heritage listing of the site was subject to comprehensive review by the Ministerial Review Panel, in addition to the assessment by the NSW Heritage Council. “The Heritage Council found in 2007 that the Currawong site met five of seven heritage assessment criteria for listing under the NSW Heritage Act 1977 as an intact remaining example of a mid-twentieth century, union-organised, Australian workers’ holiday camp,” Ms Keneally said. “Further assessment by the Ministerial Review Panel endorsed this recommendation and, in fact, found the site met a sixth criterion for listing. “In line with this, I have decided that the entire Currawong site should be listed on the State Heritage Register. “The listing will ensure there are minimum standards of maintenance for the buildings on the site, and that any future development application for the site will be referred to the NSW Heritage Council.” Ms Keneally said that in light of her decision, the process to rezone the site and declare it as State significant would not progress. “Considering that this development application has been refused, I have decided that any zoning issues may be resolved by Pittwater Council through the comprehensive local environmental plan process.