This can only be achieved by organised and united residents. Save Our Suburbs (NSW) Inc has been formed for this very purpose.

• Return Planning democracy to NSW, by allowing true consultation, and giving planning power back to local councils: The people should decide, not a Planning Dictator!
• End big developer donations to political parties: We want planning decisions based on merit, not on money!
• Save our property rights: Provide just compensation for loss of land, income or amenity, and for change of land use.
• End forced urban consolidation- allow sensible land release, with infrastructure funded by the government: Dump the failed planning policies, designed to favour big developers rather than the community.

GIVE NEW SOUTH WALES BACK TO THE PEOPLE!

Office Holders Save Our Suburbs (SOS) NSW Inc:

President: Tony Recsei
Vice President, Administration: Robert Hochman
Vice President, Campaigns: Kathy Cowley
Vice President, Finance: John Ward
Jean Posen
Greta Recsei
Monica Wangmann
Ted Webber

Office Holders Save Our Suburbs Party:

President: Tony Recsei
Deputy President: John Ward
Honorary Secretary: Greta Recsei
Honorary Treasurer: Kathy Cowley
Registered Officer: Jean Posen
Party Agent: Robert Hochmann

Each organisation holds an annual general meeting at which the office holders are elected. The committees hold meetings throughout the year.

PRESERVE:

• the environment, biodiversity and heritage of residential suburbs and towns
• the amenity and rights of existing residents of residential suburbs and towns
• the individual character of each residential suburb and town

PREVENT:

• ad-hoc rezoning and inappropriate higher density development
• higher density rezoning and/or significant developments taking place without the approval of the majority of affected residents
• repeating the costly mistakes and deficiencies of major infrastructure projects such as the M5 East

PROMOTE:

• well designed and properly planned medium and high density development - in properly chosen locations following the completion of threshold studies on environment, heritage, infrastructure and traffic
• well designed infrastructure development, following full and independent assessment of its health, social, environmental and economic impacts
• meaningful and genuine community consultation processes
• strict control of major pollution sources such as exhaust stacks
• resident action groups with consistent aims and their local campaigns

STOP:

• Repeal SEPP 53.
• Abandon increasing population densities in a blanket manner.
• Freeze higher density rezoning. Pending completion of thorough studies on environment, heritage, infrastructure and traffic, and extensive consultation to build consensus within local communities.
• Abandon the use of inappropriate air quality standards to regulate pollution from point sources.

THINK:

• Review SEPP 5.
• Set a targetted limit to Sydney's population. This targetted limit to be set so as to preserve the environment, heritage and character of Sydney's suburbs and the amenity of existing residents.
• Review the legislative provisions empowering the Minister for Urban Affairs and Planning to "call in" developments, and approve changes which the public has not been consulted about.
• Adopt a policy of filtering tunnel exhaust fumes and reducing sources of air pollution as far as possible

LEGISLATE:

• Promote legislation that requires SEPPs to come before parliament.
• Undertake a fundamental review of the legislative framework within which the Commissioners (formerly "assessors") of the Land & Environment Court determine planning appeals.
• Enact legislation requiring local governments to adopt strict, mandatory development criteria aimed at preserving the amenity of existing residents and preserving the environment, heritage and character of the locality.
• Protect public health by licensing major infrastructure projects emitting pollution and setting strict quantitative limits on emissions.
• Strengthen the role of watchdog departments such as the Department of Planning, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), NSW Health and the Auditor General’s Department so that they are required to assess the wider environmental, health, social economic impacts of projects and can compel compliance from Departments and Authorities.
• Amend the environmental Planning and Assessment Act to ensure that no determining authority can approve a project where modifications have been made since the EIS, unless there has been full community consultation and community support for the proposal and all modifications.

Step 1 - Join SOS:

• Become a member of Save Our Suburbs (NSW) Inc
• $10 for a year's membership WE NEED YOUR FINANCIAL SUPPORT BECAUSE OUR OPPONENTS HAVE PLENTY!
• Join the newly formed SOS political party, contesting the NSW State Elections on March 24th.

Step 2 - Write letters to:

• The NSW Premier, NSW Opposition Leader and your local member
• Make this planning debacle THE voting issue!

Step 3 - Join your local residents action group

• these local groups are active in most suburbs of Sydney and throughout NSW
• contact us for details

Key Ideas

Click on our Key Ideas

More on the SOS political party here

What are the key issues that the electorate were worried about? See the Marginal seat voter survey (2001)