Sydney Labor gives payoff

Labor Party Donors Get Pre-Election Pay Off

Having received millions of dollars from developers to fund its upcoming re-election campaign the NSW Labor government has used the final sitting week of the parliament before the election to push through controversial new laws that cut environmental protections and allow property developers quicker and easier approvals for large-scale developments.

The new laws were opposed by NSW Greens MPs but were passed with the Labor Government relying on the support of Christian Democrats, Shooters, One Nation and Outdoor Recreation Party MPs.

“The new bio-banking law allows developers to bypass existing threatened species survey and impact assessment procedures, without any requirement for public exhibition or public participation whatsoever,” said Greens MP, Ian Cohen.

“Environmentally sensitive areas should be protected in their own right, not used and abused in a tawdry trade off that allows increased development elsewhere,” he said.

Greens MP, Sylvia Hale said the new planning laws reduce the role of the community in the planning process, reduce environmental protections and further entrench the discretionary power of the Minister for Planning.

“Property developers have donated more than $5 million to NSW Labor since it was re-elected in 2003.

“These new laws are viewed by many in the community as another round of cash-for-favours for those developers,” she said.

“Electoral Office figures reveal that a large proportion of the Labor Party’s campaign funds have come from property developers and construction companies,” concluded Ms Hale.