AGL Power Plant: We will not forget the favour, Mr Rees
August 25, 2009 by Jeff McGill
I’M no scientist, so I can’t personally shed any light on these arguments about nitrogen oxides, wind patterns and the supposed impact this AGL power plant will have on Campbelltown.
But I do know a few things about how politics works and I am firmly convinced that it does pollute our environment.
People are angry over this, and the State Government has no one to blame but itself, handling yet another controversial topic with the subtlety and grace of an out-of-control garbage truck.
Decisions like local power stations are always going to be controversial which is why the decision-making process has to be clean as a whistle.
“The development application bypassed our democratically-elected councillors for the decision to be made by Planning Minister Kristina Keneally and her team of public servants.”
In the simplest of words, it not only has to be done properly, it has to be seen to be done properly.
That’s why our mayor, and many other people, are asking this week how a State Government can accept with one hand large donations and then, with the other hand, dispense important judgments about those same large donors.
Even if the Leafs Gully process was completely above board, it still looks bad, or “suss”, as Charlie Lynn puts it.
The existing policy of “Trust us, we’re the government” simply isn’t good enough.
If you can’t remember reading about Campbelltown Council’s own decision regarding the power plant, don’t be alarmed about your memory it never happened.
The development application bypassed our democratically-elected councillors for the decision to be made by Planning Minister Kristina Keneally and her team of public servants.
I understand our council did, however, raise with the Government a series of air quality and other planning matters before the minister made any approval.
It is still waiting for a reply.
Unless, of course, the answer was “get stuffed”.
Going by this and a host of other topical issues, from Hurlstone to the missing south-west rail link, etc, etc it seems the Macarthur area is not a favourite of the Rees Government.
We must remember to return the sentiment.
Last 5 posts by Jeff McGill
- Relishing the red is the way ahead - July 2nd, 2010
- Tough call when it is close to home - June 24th, 2010
- Save the cash Kev, we still don't buy it - June 2nd, 2010
- Wise to be wary of virtual friends - May 24th, 2010
- Guarding the thin edge of the wedge - May 18th, 2010
Jeff McGill is the 40-something editor of the Campbelltown-Macarthur Advertiser newspaper.
A homegrown product of Sydney's outer south-west, he has written several books on local history and people and (with some bias) he regards the Macarthur region as the heart, grit and backbone of Sydney.
He loves his family, dislikes political parties, admires an achiever, and believes passionately that something doesn't have to turn a profit to be "of value".
http://www.macarthuradvertiser.com.au
Ian Luff
Bernard Bratusa
Well done! About time someone said it like it is.
Team Macarthur are sending this area backwards. But why would we think that Barry O)’Farrell’s mob would be any different. They’d sell everything even faster than Joe Tripodi and leave southwestern Sydney even worse of. It really is a poor choice for us and about time some community minded independents showed us the way!