With the state election in March fast-approaching, the Kiama’s Labor candidate Andy Higgins has projected his campaign into the public arena, launching a petition to curb urban sprawl in the Kiama Local Government Area on Tuesday.
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Mr Higgins has condemned the state government for its 20-year regional plan released in July which classified Kiama as a metropolitan satellite for Sydney.
The coal-miner and small business owner shared concerns the classification could expose prime agricultural land to developers.
“The overdevelopment implications of a ‘Metro Satellite’ classification for Kiama are too serious to ignore,” said Mr Higgins.
“’Metro Satellites’ will be the new urban growth centres for the state’s development strategy.
“My objection to the strategy is to the incorrect classification of Kiama as a ‘Metro Satellite’ and to the overdevelopment that will come with it.”
Read the NSW government document: A 20-Year Economic Vision for Regional NSW
Mr Higgins’ criticism follows a move from Kiama Council to object to the classification.
In an August council meeting councillors voted to pen a letter to the state government objecting to the classification and to the lack of consultation about it.
The letter has been sent to NSW regional development minister John Barilaro and Kiama MP Gareth Ward.
However, Mr Ward has dismissed Mr Higgins’ take on the state government document.
“The document has no planning or development implications at all,” he said.
“What it does do, is it looks at the services our community needs over the next 20 years.
“It seems Mr Higgins has misunderstood what the document’s about, I’d be happy to brief him further if he’d like.”
The sitting member told Fairfax Media he was skeptical of Mr Higgins’ intentions.
“The reality is, when Labor was in government, they were responsible for (enacting) Part 3a (of the Enviromental Planning Assessment Act 1979), which allowed for developments like Calderwood,” Mr Ward said.
“I’d like to know whether he’d be supporting legislation like we’ve seen with the former Labor government, which is responsible for ad hoc development across the state.”
On Wednesday, Mr Higgins said he would return with a response after further research on the history of the matter.
“I still maintain this (classification) is amalgamation by stealth,” he said.
“The Kiama LGA needs to keep its rural and coastal character. We didn’t want the amalgamation and we don’t want this.”
“I encourage people to sign my petition to make our voice loud and clear.”
On Tuesday on the main street of Kiama, Mr Higgins launched a petition to defy the state government’s plans, obtaining about 200 signatures in one day.
Mr Higgins has encouraged all concerned Kiama residents to sign it, and to also show their support for their council and its planning powers.
Read more about Mr Higgins: Coal miner Andy Higgins named Labor’s candidate for Kiama
