HAWKESBURY Council has appointed its Independent Hearing and Assessment Panel members begrudgingly according to Hawkesbury Mayor Mary Lyons-Buckett, while other councils are showing a flagrant disregard for the state government’s legislation.
At the February 13 Council meeting, Hawkesbury councillors selected their preferred IHAP representatives, meanwhile, on the same night, Hills Shire Council resolved to seek an exemption from being forced to use an IHAP, following Parramatta Council’s lead.
The panels, which will assess development applications between the value of $5 million and $30 million, rather than councils, become mandatory for Sydney councils on March 1.
Hawkesbury Mayor Mary Lyons-Buckett said Council appointed members to panels, only because it was a state government directive.
“We are complying with a directive from the state government to proceed with appointing an IHAP panel,” she said.
While some on Council do not like the idea of IHAPs, Hawkesbury Liberal Party councillor Patrick Conolly said he fully supported them.
“[IHAPs] will take the politics out of planning decisions and reduce risk of corruption,” he said.
“Too often decisions on DA’s and Planning Proposals are made because of political concerns, not assessed based on the planning policies of the area. This can lead to a lack of certainty as to what development will be supported by a Council in a given area.”
Liberal Hawkesbury councillor Nathan Zamprogno said he, like many other Liberals, opposes the panels.
“I am very concerned about IHAPS,” he said.
Mayor Lyons-Buckett said she supported the voluntary use of IHAPs by councils, but not mandatory use.
She is not alone, with many other councils opposing them vocally.
On February 12, The Mayor was joined by the Mayors of The Hills, Blacktown, Penrith, Parramatta and Ku-ring-gai councils, and the deputy Mayor of Hornsby Council, who all voiced their opposition to the mandatory nature of the panels.
Parramatta Council has sought to be exempt from the mandatory panels, and the Liberal-dominated Hills Council, on February 13, also passed a motion to seek exemption.
Hills Mayor Michelle Byrne told Council that night she fully supported Parramatta Council’s actions.
“An Independent Hearing Assessment Panel is accountable to no-one and does not necessarily have knowledge of the community they are making decisions about,” she said.
“I commend City of Parramatta on their decision. Our Council has had a previous request for a meeting with the Minister denied – however, tonight I am seeking your support to write to the Minister again to seek a meeting with him requesting our own exemption from this unnecessary and unwelcome policy.”
Hornsby Mayor Philip Ruddock, a long time Minister under John Howard, is another Mayor who opposes IHAPs.