Power and politics in the contest over Sydney's planning

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Power and politics in the contest over Sydney's planning


In the wake of the NSW Government's seizure of planning control of the Carlton Brewery site on Broadway, the neighbouring University of Technology, Sydney will be holding a public symposium on local planning next Thursday (6 July). Local Government and Shires Association President Genia McCaffrey, a strong critic of the Government's new Local Environmental Planning (LEP) initiatives, is a principal speaker at Keeping the local in the global city, the second in the UTS Sydney Futures Twilight Symposia series. Lead organiser of the series, UTS Professor of Sociology Professor Andrew Jakubowicz, said the State Government's LEP initiatives had cast the Minister for Planning, former Sydney Lord Mayor Frank Sartor, into a position of "extraordinary power". "The symposium will be asking where this centralisation of power leaves local communities and their councils," Professor Jakubowicz said. "What does it tell us about the future of the city and the opportunities for choice and the building of liveable neighbourhoods? Will we see cookie-cutter look-alike precincts without flexibility or sensitivity to the needs of the city's residents? "In examining these issues Genia McCaffrey will be joined by two planners with an active interest in making the city more liveable - Stephen McMahon and Michael Neustein." Professor Jakubowicz said The Sydney Futures Twilight Symposia series was conceived to stimulate a comprehensive debate about the future of the city and its region, bringing together the people who could identify and analyse the issues and look for solutions. The third of the six symposia, on Thursday 24 August, will look at Sydney's arts culture and ask how the city can develop further as a global creative city. The events will culminate in a free public forum two weeks ahead of the NSW elections next March. For the full program visit: http://www.dab.uts.edu.au/symposia/sydney_futures_twilight_symposia.html The 6 July and following symposia will be held from 4pm to 7pm in Room 38, Level 2, Science Building (Building 4), Harris St (opposite the ABC), UTS City Campus, Ultimo. The events are free, but registration is recommended - see the symposia website. The symposia are being podcast and supported by a blog, visit: http://www.whitepage.com.au/sydneyfutures2006 The series is presented by the UTS Faculties of Design, Architecture and Building and Humanities and Social Sciences. It is sponsored by the UTS Transforming/Cultures Research Centre and the Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils in partnership with the NSW Council of Social Service and the Local Government and Shires Association. Friday 30 June 2006