good evening
everyone so I would like to acknowledge
the original custodian the Gadigal people
the Eora Nation and pay my respects to the
elders both past and present and
acknowledge the people of the Aboriginal
Torres Strait Islander people who live in
our city and also the people of the very
many nations who live in our
city so Almighty God we thank you for
the gift of this remarkable City help us
deal with its needs and the needs and
aspirations of all its people with
compassion and fairness and to plan its
future with wisdom and farsightedness
thank you
so again I'd like to welcome you to our
meeting tonight on the 11th of March
our council meeting and I'd like to
inform
you that we're being live live streamed
and visually recorded webcast live
and archive to the city's website I'm
Mayor and must ask you to refrain from making
any defamatory statements and ensure
there's no personal criticism directed
to any speaker or Council
staff so tonight we have in
attendance myself Clover Moore the chair
the deputy Lord mayor council Robert
Kok Council Hy William Chan
Emelda Davis Sylvie Ellsmore Lyndon Gannon
Shauna Jarret Robert Kok Linda Scott Yvonne
Weldon and Adam Whirling we have
Monica Barone here our CEO and our
director also in
attendance when it's time to vote
I'll advise the following all those in
favor say I those against say no
where the votes are not unanimous I
will ask that the votes are announced
and the result confirmed on item one
confirmation of thank you I'll
move the confirmation of minutes
Lord Mayor I just note that councelor
Jarrett hasn't arrived yet but she's on
her way back from the airport now so
she'll be here soon right okay thank
you so I'll move the confirmation of
Minister second by the deputy Lord mayor
put that to you all those in favor say I
those against declare carried ?
thank you item two statement of ethical
obligation and disclosures of interest
so in accordance with section 233a of
the Local Government Act 1993 the Lord
May and council is are bound by the oath
of affirmation or of offers made at the
start of the council in the council term
to undertake our Civic duties in the
best interest of the people of the City
of Sydney and the City of Sydney Council
and to faithfully and impartially carry
out the functions powers authorities and
discretions vested in us under the Local
Government Act 1993 or any other act to
the best of our ability and
judgment so are there any disclosures of
interest no disclosures item three
minutes by the Lord mayor 3.1 Wentworth
Park so Council my first minute relates
to Wentworth
Park I am extremely concerned to hear
that last month in Parliament there were
statements by both the minister for
lands and property Steve Camper and the
minister of gaming and racing David
Harris that they are considering
supporting the Greyhound breeders owners
and trainers association proposal to
extend its lease at Wentworth Park which
is due to expire in
2027 Council welcomed the former
government's commitment to return
Wentworth Park to the community as part
of the Piermont Peninsula play strategy it is
critical this parkland is returned to
support the additional residential and
commercial uses planned in the area
however long before that Council had
always been committed to Wentworth
park being returned to the people whole
in
2027 so it sits in the middle of one of
our most densely populated neighborhoods
in Australia Ultimo Piermont has one of our
highest residential densities of 14,000
people per square kilometer and we've
already conducted early consultation and
begun a new master plan for Parkland use
of this prime inter city land and we've
included embellishment works for the
parkland land in the draft Ultimo Piermont
local infrastructure contributions plan
overwhelmingly during the consultation
the community supported removing the
greyhound racing track to create more
public parkland it would be bitterly
disappointing if the New South Wales
government now renegged it would show the
Greyhound industry is more important
than the communities of Piermont Altimo
and Glebe Wentworth Park is currently
dominated by a greyhound racing track
this park land should be for the benefit
of the community not an industry that
has admitted to killing up to 177,000
healthy dogs each year has been shown to
live bait as well as causing real
suffering for people with gambling
problems since 2020 17 dogs have been
killed and
1,262 injured at Wentworth Park this
year alone two dogs have been killed
over and over hundred dogs injured at at
the
park I also have to update the figure
twice in the past two weeks as another
dog was killed in many more injured
making it two deaths at Wentworth Park
in 2 weeks the figures printed in the
papers were accurate at the time of
printing on the 5th of March I wrote to
the minister of lands and property the
minister of planning and public spaces
and the minister of gaming and racing
expressing my serious concern and
disappointment that the New South Wales
government may overturn the commitment
of the previous government which made
made
had had
it set aside for the community I have
sought an urgent meeting with the
ministers discuss the future of
Wentworth park with plans to increase
housing particularly around Blackwattle
Bay Piermeont and Ultitmo we cannot expect
people to thrive in higher densities
without improved public amenity
including access to adequate park land
and recreational space a community LED
petition started by a Glee resident
urges the New South Wales government to
end the Greyhound breeders owners and
trainers Association lease and return
the park to the community the animal
Justice party in New South Wales has
started a petition to end the tragedy at
when Wentworth Park greyhound track the
New South Wales government must commit
to removing greyhound racing from
Wentworth park with the when the lease
expires in
2027 so the park can be returned to the
existing and future residents workers
and visitors in this area this
commitment must be made in line with the
New South Wales government directions to
increase density therefore I'm
recommending that Council reaffirm its
opposition to end the cruel practice of
greyhound racing and note that I have
written to the relevant New South Wales
ministers urging them to formally commit
to removing Greyhound racing at
Wentworth Park note the two petitions
calling on the government to remove the
racetrack from Wentworth Park and
through the city's Communications
channels encourage the community to do
the same and I'm requesting the CEO to
report back to council via the update
the outcomes of our early consultation
and progress on the master plan to
consolidate Wentworth Park when the
Greyhound breeders owners and trainers
associations lease ends in
2027 Council Scott
thanks Lord mayor uh I stand here as a
very proud labour counselor and also very
proud to strongly support your uh Lord
mayoral minute and in doing so
move a very small amendment to part C to
note that I've also written to
Minister Steve Camper and also
Minister for planning and Minister for
coming and racing David Harris to
ensure uh that I also put my um you know
this council's position on the record
but also my own personal position and
that is very strongly that uh the
current state government should
hand back Wentworth Park to our
communities and ensure that it can be
used for open Green Space and active
space we know that we have an
incredible shortage of sporting fields
in the city of Sydney and an incredible
shortage of Green Space already and
of course as youve outlined in your
minute Lord mayor it is the case that
with increased density being zoned
into Piermont and Ultimo that is is likely
to be significantly exacerbated it's
really vital for our communities that
they have more open spaces and spaces
to play uh and Wentworth Park is the
perfect opportunity to ensure that they
will have that accessible Lord mayor I
also usupport u your motion to
call for the end of greyhound racing it
is a cruel practice it should be
stopped in New South Wales it's
disappointing to seeh that there
continues to be support for it given
the deaths of the animals that you've
outlined but also the cruelty
ongoing cruelty to the animals that they
experience so Lord mayor I'm very
happy to support this Mayoral minute I
move a very minor Amendment and again
proudly as I have consistently in
this Council uh no matter who the state
government is place on record my very
strong support for ensuring that
Wentworth Park is returned to the
council and that it can be used in
future future for open spaces and
playing
spaces thank you Councilor
Whirling thank you Lord mayor for this
minute and thank you for your relentless
advocacy that greyhound racing should
cease and that this is a sport that does
not belong in the heart of our
LGA this potential backflip from the
current labor new south wales government is
unacceptable and as we all know the New
South Wales government is pushing for
higher density in our city to do deal
with the housing crisis and the City of
Sydney has always been a leader in
well-planned medium to high density but
we cannot have more housing without
amenities for everyone to enjoy we need
to make sure our Parklands are there for
people to relax play and socialize
Wentworth Park needs to be returned 100%
to everyone and I support you on this
councilor Scott thank you for your
advocacy to your government though in
this situation it is the Lord mayor who
wrote the ministers as the spokesperson
for the city of Sydney
and I believe only the Lord mayor's
advocacy should be noted in the minute
thank you Council Whirling do we have any
other views Council as well thank you
Lord mayor I rise to strongly support
your Lord Mayoral minute thank you for
your advocacy on this um I think it's
important to acknowledge obviously the
community's been fighting really hard
for this that the win only came after a
really strong Community petition and
long running campaign it's wonderful
that it's but unfortunate to be kicked
off again by by local residents the
last campaign was won obviously with the
support of the local greens MP Jamie
Parker and I guess the one of the
reasons I'm very proud to support your
lord Mayoral minute tonight is around not
just the obviously what everyone else
has talked about the importance of Green
Space a city's growing in density is
ridiculous to keep earmarking precious
in a city Green Space for a um a sport
that very few people participate in
actually but also because it's about
vested interests
sorry vested interests
um yeah sorry moving the mic I think
it's really important to acknowledge
that the only reason that this um
industry continues to thrive is because
it is heavily subsidized by the state
government the state government
sponsorship I think of the million--
dooll chase race makes this the biggest
prize money Greyhound event in the world
so this is not even an industry that can
argue that anyone really supports it or
could stand up on its own it only
continues um because of state government
money and um it is has only managed to
survive after it was already in decline
in 2016 when the government originally
said let's close it down and then back
flipped under heavy gambling money and
um vested interest pressure it is long
overdue and I look forward to supporting
the community campaigns and the
council's advocacy to make sure that the
land is handed back thanks thank you
councilor ellore do I have any other
speakers um Council Scott's amendment is
is it be noted that she also wrote It's
not usual to note a council so wrote
It's usually the mayor that um speaks on
behalf of council and writes to the
minister as we as as all of you put in
your notices of motion every meeting um
however uh I'm not going to take it out
I just think it's totally unnecessary um
I really support what council elmor has
said um I thought it was heartbreaking
and tragic that a former Premier be
riged on that undertaking to stop
greyhound racing
um giving in to um to terrible to to
presses and here we are you know with
it's still happening in our in our
neighborhood and uh the threat that uh
that the the commitment and and the very
long community support for the Parkland
at Wentworth park being threatened again
I think is just quite
shocking is there a second of for
Council Scott's Amendment um Council won
um so I'll put it to you all those in
favor say
I for the we're putting the amendment
all those in favor say
I those
against am is lost amendment's lost
thank you so I'll put the motion to you
all those in
favor Council
chair thank you Lord mayor look I agree
um with your sentiments Lord mayor I
think this is and should be record at as
animal cruelty that's what it is it is
not recreational it is not a sport it is
an unethical treatment of the use of
greyhounds and that and the evidence
speaks um significantly to the deaths
and the injuries that has been presented
even last weekend um I do also want to
remind Council that of course in the
previous state government the um
provision and the return of the site to
public Parklands
uh was uh was to happen
um that's consistent with the provision
of Pont Peninsula um this is a state
significant development uh in the Pont
altimo
Community it is not reasonable for um
for further development and higher
density to occur without of course
providing more amenity amen amenity
including green and open public spaces
so I think it's important that we also
hold the current state government in
terms of reminding them that uh this is
what's on the card for our community um
and our community has said and advocated
that they do want this green space this
Parkland will be very important as the
community continues to grow so it's
really important that we stop this very
cruel practice but we also need to um
hold the government to account in terms
of the public space that will be
delivered as part of the significant
development happening down at peont
Peninsula thank you Council Chan um it's
a very important point that councel Chan
is making because really the support
from the community um was dependent upon
that uh Parkland being made available to
the community to make up for the
increasing density and so I would expect
the community will strongly oppose the
development now um given in the past it
was accepted so um we have the
government on the one hand saying
increase density and and make sure you
provide Park land too um and at the same
time um threatening that
Parkland so um I put the motion to you
all those in favor say
I those against Carri damy thank you
item 3.2 cost shifting onto local
government um Council I'm now asking you
to join with other councils in
requesting the new southwes government
to address the unrelenting growth of
cost shifting local government has borne
the brunt of cost shifting over many
years councils have filled gaps in the
provision of services programs and
capital Works parliaments have imposed
extra responsibilities on councils
without the funding to meet them the
cost shifting combined with rate pegging
is increasingly eroding the possibility
of financial sustainability for local
government this is making it difficult
for many councils to deliver tailored
gra Grace Grassroots services to their
communities and properly delivering and
maintaining vital local
infrastructure for several years now the
local government New South Wales been
conducting periodic surveys of the
extent of cost shifting by the federal
and state governments to New South Wales
local government the most recent report
produced for local government New South
Wales by independent Consultants Morris
and low attached this minute found that
$1.36 billion worth of responsibility
had been passed by the New South Wales
government to councils in the 2021 2022
Financial year this is an increase of
$54 million since the last report
support from 2017 2018 Financial year
and on average this represents an
additional cost of
46067 for every New South Wales rate
payer right across the state the city of
Sydney is not immune other levels of
government shift cost to the city city
of Sydney rate payers in various ways
including through the imposition of
waste and emergency service levies
reducing or ceasing funding for Vital
services and programs such as Meals on
Wheels and compliance with regulations
such as those related to companion
animals and noxious weeds we provide
support in areas which are the primary
responsibility of other levels of
government we provide homelessness
services and a community sharp bin
service we can contribute to crime
prevention through our CCTV Network yet
we are denied the opportunity to raise
additional Revenue to meet these costs
due to rate exemptions for government-
owned properties certain non-government
properties and community housing the
total costs that were shifted onto the
city of Sydney in 2021 2022 Financial
year are estimated to exceed 4 $ 38
million and attachment be to this minute
includes cost shifting examples there
are other other areas where the actual
costs being shifted are unknown such as
the costs associated with crown lands
being transferred to the city
undergrounding electricity cables and
aerial bundling of wires it's now time
for the men's labor government to
urgently address cross shft cost
shifting through a combination of reg
regulatory reform budgetary provision
and appropriate funding I propose that I
write to the government about those
inequities
increasing cost funding must be part of
the wider issue of Local Government
funding there'll be New South Wales and
Commonwealth parliamentary inquiries
into this issue as explained in the
letter from the new United service Union
attached this minute the union seeks the
support of all councils for both
inquiries I propose that the city
participates in both inquiries when they
are announced with the aim of ensuring
that an appropriate modern and
sustainable Financial Funding model is
achieved for all
councils so I move that
recommendation that's second by Council
chair do I have any contributions I'll
put it to you although Council
chair thank you Lord mayor this is an
unrelenting burden of cost shifting from
the state government onto local councils
and it has reached unprecedented levels
our community already faced with Rising
costs economic uncertainty and severe
and labor a severe skills and labor
shortages all of which impact our City's
budgets and also hinder our ability to
deliver essential services and
infastructure to our communities this
problem is exacerbated by a defective
rap pegging system which further
restricts the city's Financial
flexibility the city's ability to manage
finances effectively is crucial to the
well-being of our
communities however C shifting threatens
the financial sustainability of local
councils including ours by transferring
Financial burdens onto US without
providing adequate support or resources
higher levels of
government higher level levels of
government risk jeopardizing our ability
to meet the needs of our communities and
maintain fital infrastructure Lord may I
really appreciate that you have called
this out as a hidden tax it is a hidden
hidden tax it's important to recognize
that this burden not only affects the
council But ultimately on our rate pay
is this cost shifting not only strain
Council budgets but also impacts our
rate pays across the city of Sydney this
is a hidden tax that's burdening our
community in the 2021 2022 Financial
year alone according to local government
New South Wales and the report a
staggering $1.36 billion was shifted
onto New South Wales councils this was
an increase of 540 million since the
previous report which was conducted in
the 2017 to 2018 Financial year as you
have mentioned Lord mayor this
translates to an additional cost of
$460 for every rate payer across the
states effecting effectively acting as a
hidden tax burden on our communities the
evidence is clear the waste Levy
Emergency Services Levy the failure to
fully reimburse councils for mandatory
pensioner rate rebates are just a few
examples of how the New South Wales
government is passing the buck onto
local councils including ours and they
are not providing adequate support or re
investing the funds back into essential
services and instru infrastructure so
thank you for bringing the attention to
us on this matter Lord mayor it's
important that we do call for the new
southwes government for regulatory
reform budgetary provision and
appropriate funding to address the
growing burst burden of cost shifting
thank you Council chairman so can't dip
me thank you la May um La may I just uh
wanted to say that I fully support this
law mayor a minute and and concur with
um with councel Chan on what what he
mentioned earlier on um cost shifting to
councils impacts on the already strained
budgets for councils and and you know
which also provides um essential and
vital Services um uh such such as um
Meals on Wheels and and um and and other
other vital um services that we provide
um as the the attached report the uh
lgnsw cost shifting report States um in
detail not M um the impact and and the
form uh the form it takes um in terms of
uh what what cost um cost shifting is I
I fully um support um part A especially
that a copy of this uh cost shifting
report be placed on on our um city of C
website so that the communities can
access and then read about what's been
happening thank you and of course
there's rate pegging too and so um this
is something that's discussed you know
at every local government conference
it's it's so unfair um and uh those
those
um rates that uh the the the state
ensures we we have to um impose upon our
residents we're blamed for where in fact
it's it's a matter of cost shifting from
the state
yeah so I'll put it to you all those in
favor say
I those against clar Cod uny thank you
item four memoranda by the chief
executive officer there are none item
five matters for
tabling so
um I move that it's resolved that
disclos of Interest returns be received
and noted that seconded by the deputy
Lord mayor put that to you all those in
favor say I those against declare it CED
unanimously um are there other matters
no no other matters for tabling item six
report of the corporate finance property
and tendance committee Lord mayor uh
thank you Lord mayor um Lord mayor um
for the report of the corporate finance
properties and teners committee um item
6.1 um with a confirmation of U minutes
um we pass that uh 6.2 there were no
disclosures of Interest so item 6.3 to
um 6.9 Lord mayor were were um were
passed um unanimously um at at
committees last week so I proposed LA
mayor to move um items 6.1 to to 6.9 in
global so
um I'm I'm happy to second that Lord so
I'll put that too all those in favor say
I those against declare Cy thank you
item seven report of the environment
committee Council
Whirling uh thank you Lord mayor for the
benefit of those listening in online and
in the public Gallery I'm councelor Adam
Whirling Deputy chair of the environment
committee um item 7.1 confirmation of
minutes that the minutes of the meeting
of the environment Committee of Monday
the 12th of February as circulated
counselors be confirmed item 7.2
discloses of interest and no councilors
had any
disclosures item 7.3 project scope Dixon
Street upgrade and item 7.4 revised
project scope Sydney brick Sydney Park
brick kils Precinct renewal councilors
all items were carried unanimously at
last week's committee meetings uh we
have received a relevant two memo for
item 7.4 that was in response to
councilor elmore's question regarding
public toilets at Sydney Park to that
end I would like to propose to move item
7.1 through to 7.4 in globo and that
sign by Deputy Lord mayor so I'll put
that to you all those have say I those
against declare car unanimously thank
you item eight report of the housing for
all committee Council
Ellmore thank you Lord mayor um I move
that the report of the housing fra
committee at its meeting of the 4th of
March be received item 8.1 was the
minutes of the previous meeting uh we
didn't have any disclosures of interest
for item
8.2 um we do have an alternative
recommendation for the substantive item
at 8.3 and Amendment for 8.4 so I
propose um that we move the confirmation
of minutes and then um move to itm item
8 .3 and then 8.4 okay so um I'll move
8.1
8.2 uh second by Lord may put that to
you or% I those against declare declare
them carried Council sore
8.3 thank you Lord mayor um I we asked
for a we have an alternative
recommendation and a relevant two for
staff for this item just to quickly
introduce it uh councilors may remember
that this was a $3 million Grant to the
Salvation Army specifically the trustee
for the Salvation Army for um their
property William Booth House which
provides um crisis accom temporary
accommodation and drug and alcohol
rehabilitation services and can then
connects people to more permanent
housing once they've been through that
program um the grant is to upgrade and
expand um in terms of the number of
rooms their current facility and they
came and spoke to us and advised where
um that people would be looked after in
their other um Services while that was
underway the the amended recommendation
uh we had from staff relates to the
question that Council asked about how do
we permanently protect this as a form of
diverse housing obviously when we
provide a grant through our um Grant
scheme affordable housing Grant scheme
um we permanently protect it as
affordable or diverse housing and the
staff have recommended that we make a
small change to the Covenant that will
be registered with the title to refer
instead of residential Rehab Services to
crisis accommodation or hostile use um
this is considered more appropriate to
tie the premises hostel um or crisis
accommodation to match the terms in the
planning system but also to make sure
there's protection that in the future it
can't be say turned into uh Backpackers
or something like that thank you
reinforces its y security for the future
uh
so I'm happy to second that um councelor
Scott thanks FL mayor um I just had a
question through you for staff um about
the um item 8.3 and specifically about
the affordable and diverse housing fund
more generally um councilor El Moore has
kindly clarified the um nature of the
Covenant that will go on the title uh
but in the last week in between uh the
Committees and now it's um come to my
attention through um media reports that
a past recipient of this grant uh is
seeking to sell off a range of other
properties so in February 2020 Council
resolved to approve a million dooll
Grant to Wesley Mission uh for the
Wesley Edward eager Lodge uh something
uh my memory is um telling me all
councilors supported uh and then in
December 2020 Council resolved to
approve a $3 million cash Grant to
Wesley Community Services Limited again
for uh another housing property in GLE
uh during uh the um end of last week uh
Wesley Mission however announced the
closing of two of their uh other sites
in cogra and Ashfield uh confirming they
were going to make 120 staff redundant
and that they were going to sell the
sites to property developers
um my question is are we considering as
part of these Grant programs ensuring
that this kind of scenario doesn't
happen as in we give millions of dollars
of public money to an organization uh to
do really great work in the city of
Sydney I think something um this Council
has a very strong history of supporting
uh but then they go and announce the
selloff of other of their assets um with
no Clarity or intent to use it for uh
the kinds of purposes that we have just
given them millions of dollars for and
uh stop their good work in those sites
Lord mayor I think it is um very
important as has been outlined here
today that we get the details right of
the Covenant on the property and we are
doing that we are doing that Lord mayor
but I have to say it is disappointing
when we see these
organizations uh receiving in this case
millions and millions of dollars of
public money for properties in the city
of Sydney uh and then not long after
making announcements that they're going
to sell other sites uh to property
Developers for the highest profit uh
possible uh and no guarantees that that
money will be then reinvested back into
the kinds of purposes that we too have
been given uh public money towards Lord
May so what more can the city do to
ensure that this kind of example isn't
uh repeated in this grant program Soo
can you answer that question um Lord
mayor I think we have to take that
question on notice because that's not
the topic of this report but I
understand it's the the in sentiment
that is important because we don't
actually necessarily even know about
what you've just described so I think
the first thing is we need to get a bit
information about the situation the
actual situation and then of course ask
ourselves you know to what extent can we
impose um conditions on an organization
that might operate across the whole city
or even across the whole country so I
think we're going to need to take it on
notice Lord mayor but we understand the
um the question thank you thank you so
we've got a recommendation before us um
moved by the by Council elore and
seconded by me I'll put that to you all
those in favor say I those against
declare it carried unanimously thank
you uh item 8.4
8.4 thank you Lord mayor I might uh need
to be guided by you and the secretary a
little bit on the process of this one um
just did briefly introduce item 8.4
councilors we um have a recommendation
from staff before us for us to approve
and updated affordable housing
contributions distribution scheme um for
the next 5 years um for with a review at
year four to change the way that we
currently direct the affordable housing
contributions that we receive from
development estimated at around $40
million a year but obviously it depends
on the amount of development that is
undertaken in the city um the status quo
is that most of that goes to City West
and a community housing provider and the
recommendation from staff is that the
first $20 million be earmarked for each
the 5 years to City West um because of
their existing pipeline of projects and
that the remainder the 20 estimated 20
million be split between St George um
and Bridge who are the other two large
tier one providers with a large
footprint in the city of Sydney Council
area This was um we have received a very
detailed relevant to from staff thank
you with some more information in answer
to questions um we did pass this without
recommendation at the committee um I am
not proposing to move the recommendation
on the papers as I support an
alternative recommendation but I will be
guided by the chair and the staff about
the appropriate process in in these
circumstances you don't have to move the
recommendation anyone can move the
recommendation I'm very happy to move
the recommendation is that
seconded by Deputy Lord mayor so that's
the matter before us so you can speak to
it which I'm sure you want to do Council
ellore thank you Lord mayor um so in
that case I'd like to move an amendment
to the recommendation um that is on the
papers that you have moved and has been
seconded
um no matter what we'll have a good
outcome today because we're talking
about um making good use of our
developer contributions but um what I'm
proposing with this recommend um
amendment that has been circulated to
councilors is that we bring forward the
review for two years and in particular
when we do that review that we um prior
add new specific priorities that are not
currently in the review terms which are
the opportunity to prioritize housing
directly delivered by or in partnership
with Aboriginal housing providers and
that we include um opportunities to
maximize delivery of the number in
diversity of dwellings and also that the
future eii for who may be able to
receive these contributions include chps
who operate in the city of Sydney
Council area that's an amendment to mean
that it would not only be tier one
providers to speak very briefly to this
um this is the second time this has come
back to us as a council and I I had
understood when we delayed the decision
that there was going to be an
opportunity to discuss what is the best
way to use our funds to maximize the
amount of housing that we will um be
able to provide the development
contribution plan that we have um before
us sorry the affordable housing
contributions distribution plan use the
correct language um does not actually
include um a priority to maximize the
delivery and number in diversity of
dwellings we have three providers
recommended who do an amazing job in
terms of delivery of a particular kind
we have not compared that or given an
opportunity to consider is there another
better way to do it and are we making
policy choices say for example we want
to encourage Aboriginal housing
providers none of the providers
recommended are Aboriginal housing
providers there are currently no tier
one Aboriginal housing providers the
terms of the distribution plan that has
been given to us does not require that
and in discussions that I've had I've
spoken to five chps in the last week
since the recommendation came out um
most of those were not aware that they'd
been invited to have the opportunity to
express an interest in receiving this
funding and are very interested to do so
um which is unfortunate because
obviously we only receive submissions
from the ones who are being recommended
and obviously another submission from
dcj who recommended we go in a different
direction which is not being recommended
by staff today um if we have a goal of
growing the CHP sector and specifically
abortional housing providers the clear
advice that I have received is we need
to be incentivizing partnering with and
supporting the growth of those providers
by making this funding available to them
AB original providers in particular this
current scheme does not do that 5 years
is too long to wait I think for us to
meet our goals and I also want to say
this the recommendation we have before
us doesn't give us data about whether
this is going to give us maximum bank
for a buck it says you'll get a good
quality product with new build High
development but it doesn't compare the
other options we don't have submissions
from other providers to say actually if
we had the money we're smaller but we
could do this and we could give you more
and we could do it faster we don't know
that we don't have that information
before us 5 years is also too long for
us to wait for that information um so no
matter what I know this money is going
to be used in a valuable way I'm I I I
wish the review um had captured more of
those options and I think 5 years to
wait particularly effectively locking
out the ability to know that any of this
money is going to go to an abortional
housing provider is not appropriate and
we have an opportunity here to bring the
review forward I know there's some
concern about the pipeline and not
cutting off City West that has an
existing pipeline but I note that this
recommendation I'm putting forward um
protects that consideration of what's
already in the pipeline and so that
should not be an issue for us if if this
alternative amendment was recommended
was adopted thank you so can can you
just quite clearly read out your
Amendment again because we don't have it
in front of us so um the amendment as
circulated is at Point a it um which
currently reads Council approve the City
Sydney affordable housing declaration
distribution scheme as attached my
Amendment says with the following
Amendment one that the distribution plan
is to be reviewed after two years
currently says 5 years B noting the
current consideration for the review
includes existing affordable housing
development pipeline add the following
considerations for the review one
opportunities to prioritize housing
directly delivered by or in partnership
with opitional housing providers and
opportunities to maximize delivery of
the number and diversity of dwellings
and finally new Point C to amend the
plan expand the eoa for the future
distribution plan this would be after
the review to include chps who operate
in the city of Sydney area that remove
saying it should only be tier one makes
it wider thank you so do I have speakers
we'll deal with the amendment first it's
seconded is it by Council
Scott
um do I have speakers we're dealing with
the amendment
Council
Wen thank you I support Council elmore's
Amendment frankly it's dis I'm
disappointed in the scope of the review
that has been undertaken our development
contributions are the biggest slever we
have when it comes to incentivizing
Social and affordable housing in the
city it's really important that we
integre integrate how we distribute
funds and to maximize supplies I'm not
convinced that we've done that so far
Council
Davis thank you Lord
mayor I'm speaking against the amendment
today Lord mayor as a counselor whose
office has an open door policy for all
communities I've found a trend
developing over the past year where
people are Desperately Seeking my
support to consult and refer them into
safe secure housing with a reputable
housing provider St George community
housing Bridge housing City West Housing
all tier one housing providers have
helped many people from marginalized
communities being of Aboriginal T State
African ne ne venatu Indian Japanese and
Australian descent and
more my office has been contacted mainly
by women with children facing domestic
violence requiring emergency Refuge our
lgbtq I A Plus Men and older women
facing life changes and threats of
homelessness and for our own
undocumented migrant sex workers and
refugees we have worked closely with Dr
lilon bandler in the past based at
Wayside Chapel in securing health care
and other social services Lord mayor we
are in a housing
crisis and we all need to get on board
and work together to maximize affordable
housing in our area City West Housing
has several projects in the pipeline
amounting to over 400 homes they need
certainly they need certainty in funding
to deliver these projects this report
recommends additional tier one community
housing providers St George community
housing and Bridge housing to also
receive affordable housing contributions
as they also have available uh land and
development experience in the city
working with tier one c chps means that
they are close regulated by the New
South Wales government subject to the
most rigorous teny governance and uh Pro
Proby process the city will be
monitoring the plan and will review in 5
years the city is ensuring that housing
for Aboriginal andrate Islander people
is prioritized the city of Sydney has
funded Aboriginal and T State Islander
liaison officers to work with First
Nations communities to get them into
housing City West Bridge housing and St
George housing have all committed to
partnering with Aboriginal and T
straight Islander housing providers to
ensure the First Nations Community have
access to affordable housing this plan
allows the city to review the work of
the major providers and how they can
fulfill the needs for communities that
are most vulnerable let's get on with
the urgency Lord mayor thank you Council
Davis do I have other
speakers Council
chair
thanks Lord mayor look I also object to
councilor elmore's Amendment the city's
number one objective was to maximize
housing to say otherwise would be um to
to go against what's been presented by
City staff in their reports because they
did analyze the options and they did
provide reasoning through the relevant
two that was requested last week at
committies I don't agree with changing
the timing for the review of the city of
Sydney's contrib bution distribution
plan for affordable housing because
shortening the time period will very
well may threaten the delivery of
affordable housing without the needed
certainty lowincome tenants risk being
not not being housed it goes against the
very need of providing high quality
affordable housing within the 5-year
time frame for most marginalized all
while in the middle of the housing
crisis as such I don't think we should
be shortening the time period this risks
the number of affordable dwellings not
being secured and end up being unbuilt
secondly it also risk prolonging the
length of time when lowi income tenants
are able to move in the current
distribution plan enables the known
pipeline of affordable housing projects
over the next 5 years to be secured and
with certainty projects which are in the
mature stages of the detailed design as
well as delivery or are about to
approach these final stages the provider
either has already has ownership of the
land or has very well progressed this
development these types of developments
in the pipeline securing this affordable
housing pipeline will maximize the
outcomes on existing projects which will
deliver the most affordable housing in
the shortest period of period possible
this housing crisis is urgent as
councelor Davis has alluded to over five
years the city has also
I believe the city also has a
responsibility and it is fast tring the
existing affordable housing projects
these will ensure that they are
continually being added to the housing
Supply and so that our community who
need it the most can call
home not only is this plan safeguarding
the most mature projects we're also
supporting two other community housing
providers that will enable them to grow
to scale up so that they too can
continue to deliver and manage
affordable housing this in fact I
believe is creating a sustainable
nonprofit housing sector that our
community is desperately calling for
while encouraging growth for the SE
sector Lord may I also refute the claims
by councilor Ellmore that the city
hasn't addressed and included first
nation's community housing providers
according to the city's report this is
not correct at the heart of this
distribution plan is to build capacity
and development of First Nation housing
organizations out of the six Aboriginal
and toight Islander housing providers in
New South Wales two operate in
Metropolitan Sydney all six First
Nations providers are regulated as tier
2 providers tier one providers are the
ones which can deliver develop and also
manage the housing while T2 providers
only manage which actually presents a
fantastic opportunity for our first
housing uh First Nations housing
organizations to collaborate and to
build capacity together with City West
Bridge and Cent
George the selection criteria for these
three providers included the evaluation
of quote Success in partnering with and
growing the Aboriginal CHP sector onqu
in addition all three selected providers
were found to already be actively
working in partnership with Aboriginal
CHP
this will ensure culturally appropriate
housing managed by Aboriginal chps
within the development pipeline over the
next 5 years while maximizing the yield
of high quality affordable homes within
this timeline so Lord may I don't agree
with Council Elmore on shortening the
timelines but also the other points if
we reduce the 5-year timeline this will
put the most progressed affordable homes
at risk this is not sustainable when the
community housing sector requires
economic and operational
certainty this is bang for our buck Lord
mayor longer term certainty allows for
funding to be secured co-funding
arrangements to be made applications for
government funding to be secured sites
to be purchased when they become
available especially when there is
scarcity of land in the city development
Partners to be sought and operations to
be scaled up when needed so how how do
we provide housing in a time of a
housing
crisis we will deliver the most
affordable high quality housing in the
shortest period possible this is about
continuity and certainty I urge
councilors to not
support this item that will in some ways
risk the pipeline of affordable housing
in our city and our sustainable
commitment to maximize the delivery of
the number and the diversity of
dwellings thank you do I have any other
speakers so I'll put the amendment to
you all those say
I in favor the amendment favor of the
amendment those against so I declare it
lost so we're now on the substantive
issue U do I have any speakers on the
substantive issue
Council small thank you Lord May um just
briefly um rise to support the amendment
uh sorry support the motion unamended um
as the amendment was not uh successful I
would like to just make a couple of
comments in relation to um we will have
the opportunity as in Council because of
the new structure should the council
choose to review this earlier with a
notice of motion or recommendation so
that's something but I do um I do want
to say I think it's incredibly important
that we that we have this clear plan
where we have more flexibility about
where the funding can go I do support
the diversity of funding I do consider
um that we need to do more work to make
this plan more sophisticated in the
future and part of that is for us to get
into the conversation of what kind of
housing do we want to build I don't
believe it's appropriate for this
Council to continue to leave it to
community housing providers to decide
who is going to get housed in this city
we do not currently have a policy that
says we for example will consider it's
most important to support key workers as
opposed to Aboriginal people as opposed
to people with a disability our policies
are silent on that and I don't think
that's appropriate I think that's our
role this is the single biggest um lever
that we have for affordable housing
we're talking about $200 million minimum
over 5 years um which has gone ahead
without an expression of Interest
through one group making an unsolicited
beard and another being invited um which
is one of the reasons I was was seeking
to amend this propos proposal but I also
think we need to um it is not correct
that tier 2 providers as Council Chan
said just to correct that cannot do
development it's about the scale of
development and a number of the tier 2
providers that I've been able to speak
to have talked to me about the
opportunity for diverse projects that
they um are able to support and exactly
the kind of projects that we would want
to encourage to strengthen the sector
which we say is one of our aims but who
we are not currently making funding
available to or at least not this scale
of funding we've only given one Grant so
far out of our fund affordable housing
fund this whole term out of $10 million
there's clearly more that we can do I
know we're all committed to do that so I
I support the recommendation unamended
tonight but I'm going to continue to
bring these conversations back to the
council and particularly us needing to
get into the game of deciding whe um
whether and who we think we should
prioritize in terms of the levels of
Need for housing in our cities I do not
think it's appropriate to just let the
chps make that decision that should be a
decision that we are guiding
do I have other
speakers so before I put it to you I
just want to um reiterate what has been
said by some of our speakers uh about
why we are recommending these three
providers that is uh City West Bridge
and St George um it's because we're
maximizing the affordable housing
outcomes um from our Levy and that
should be our main objective we are in a
housing crisis and our end our major
goal should be to provide affordable
housing these are three providers with
capacity to develop affordable diverse
housing in our local area and have
expressed interest in growing their
their operations in the city of Sydney
they all have sites within the local
area ready to develop affordable housing
um they operate at scale and are
experienced in developing in a dense
Urban environment such as our city and
are better equipped to leverage funding
because they operate at a scale needed
to support high-risk development they
have relevant expertise in
infrastructure to support development uh
where they are project ready they can
demonstrate capability to develop
they're more likely to secure half to uh
pair with a cont with their contribution
funds and they're able to leverage
existing assets to borrow funds this is
why these chps have in our local area
were chosen for the first term of the
distribution plan because we're in a
housing crisis and that is a way we can
secure um the most affordable housing um
we hope that after the first turn there
are even more chps with the capacity to
participate in the distribution plan so
that's basically why this we have this
plan before us now so I put the
recommendation um uh on the paper the
substantive motion which I moved I'll
put that to you all those in fav say
I those
against did everyone vote Yes unanimous
thank you item nine report of the
cultural and creative
committee Council gon thank you Lord
mayor uh last week the culture and
creative commit considered one item
which was an accommodation grant for the
Museum of Chinese in Australia and we
heard from one guest speaker of course
stepy low key the chair of mockup item
one was confirmation of minutes item two
was a disclosure disclosures of interest
of which were there were none item three
is the accommod accommodation Grant now
the report recommends a 2-year lease
extension on the current lease which
would take it to April 2026 and then
entering into another five and fiveyear
lease option uh the initial Rel was
given in December 2019 just before the
co pandemic hit thankfully the
leadership has continued to work to make
the museum a reality not withstanding
the enormous challenges faced during the
pandemic they are now in a position to
realize this really important initiative
and I congratulate them on that uh there
was some discussion during the committee
meeting about financial reporting
obligations uh for tenants who are under
the city's Grant and sponsorship
programs uh which we received further
information on uh confirming uh what I
said about annual disclosures or
assessments of financial
documents uh Lord may I think it is a
really exciting initiative and I can't
wait to see Mar come to life and make
its mark on Hay Market particularly at
that intersection of hay and George
Street which is looking a little tired I
think it'll be really great to see it
come to life thank you Council Ganon do
I have any other speakers I'd just like
to strongly support what council Ganon
has said it is an exciting project it is
one we've been working towards for some
time now it's great for mocka to be able
to to ensure know that they've got this
assurance of uh of of of income stream
and you know we now can boast that we
have two great community- based museums
in our city which is very exciting we
have kopia and mocha so it's um great
achievement I believe so I put that to
you all those in favor say I those
against carried unanimously thank you
item 10 report of the transport Heritage
and planning committee Council Hy
Chan Lord mayor council is to know items
10.1 and 10.2 i' like to recommend that
Council move the remaining item in globo
Thank You seconded by Deputy Lord May
I'll put that to you all those in fav
say I those against carried unanimously
thank you uh item 11 grants and
sponsorship ad hoc Grant support for
Sundays at copia Sydney um I'm happy to
move that
recommendation I'm sure there's a second
for that Council def
admit um I'll put that all those in
favor say I those against declare Cousy
thank you item 12 questions on notice
item 13 supplementary answers to
previous questions item 14 notices of
motion 14.1 share the dignity promotion
2024 survey on period poverty Council
elore thank you may fuing around with my
jacket it's too hot to put it on um I
raise tonight to ask councilors um to
note that um share the dignity which is
a uh charity that promotes improved
awareness of um the impacts of period
poverty um has written to council and
counselors and asked us if we can help
them promote their 2022 2024 big bloody
big survey which is the best name for a
survey ever um this is one of the
largest national surveys that exist and
it's about better understanding the
impact that period poverty has on women
and girls and people who menstruate um
they got some great data from 2021 not a
lot of great data from New South Wales
yet we as a council you might recall
have previously discussed um this issue
and how it impacts our community and
made a commitment to try and address it
this is a simple notice of motion that
asks us to um support sharing of the
survey through council's channels and
also any personal channels that the
council has um yeah and so thank you to
share the dignity for contacting us
about this and providing the information
as background they have some great
reports that have been circulated with
some more information
thanks so that's second
by coun councilor Burling do you wish to
speak uh thank you Council elore for
this notice of motion and once again
leading on this important issue uh when
this topic was brought to council last
September I spoke in support of your
notice of motion as I believe that this
is strictly not a women's issue but a
societal issue and all genders need to
be part of the conversation many simply
need to listen and learn and I'm very
happy to support this motion
thank you I'll put the motion to you all
those fa say I those against declare
cared uny thank you item 14.2 impact of
planning reforms on housing
affordability Council
elore thank you Lord mayor um the second
and final of the notice of Mo notices a
motion that I mooved tonight uh relate
to the planning reforms and their impact
on housing affordability um councilors
uh would be aware that we had an
extensive discussion about this issue at
our previous council meeting when we
discussed theity City's submission in
response to the planning reforms and the
detailed analysis that the staff have
done about the impact that these changes
are likely to have in terms of um
amenity and density acknowledging that
the city supports good density but that
it needs to be planned it needs to be um
connected with infrastructure that's
going to work so our city works this in
this notice of motion in particular
focuses in on the issue of affordability
this was something that was raised in
the city's submission particularly
concerned that the reforms the mid and
low Rising planning reforms that have
been announced um uh look like they are
going to switch off a number of the
existing affordability um rules that we
have that allow us when a building a
taller building or a more dense building
is allowed to be built that we can
capture some of that value and make sure
it's directed to affordable housing that
that wealth doesn't just stay with the
person who happens to own the land at
the time that is being now now you can
build a larger building on um one of the
concerns that has been raised by me and
is detailed very well in some modeling
by Professor Peter fibs for shelter that
were released at the end of last year is
the risk that this these reforms will
make housing less affordable also
because they will impact land values and
that is because land will be much more
valuable because you can build more on
it there is a risk of overheating the
market that any extra Supply that will
be provided is not going to end up
delivering cheaper apartments or places
for people to live because already the
land values have gone up so much and
with almost perfect timing I was Ed by a
resident in Glee who has um in in one of
the Heritage streets who has already the
where developers have already got
organized and begun door knocking um and
have offered to buy their property at an
above Market significant premium not
because the planning reforms have come
in yet but specifically because they are
being considered by the state government
so we already starting to see these
impacts this notice of motion asked the
council to note this risk to if we have
any information that we can provide
about this likely impact to include that
as Supple supplementary information to
the state government and also noting
that the greens and other Upper House
MPS were successful in getting an
inquiry into the planning reforms that
the city make a submission to those
planning reforms thank you thank
you second councilor you second
councilor Scot you wish to speak thanks
Lord mayor uh I support these notice of
motion and Lord mayor um in doing so
also wanted to uh move an amendment that
I've circulated with some very small
changes um I uh support this notice of
motion but I think it is important to
clarify that um the changes as councilor
Ellmore has said uh would work would
work in part by uh overriding existing
Council planning controls um they may
they may and that is the case if the
council doesn't um meet our housing
targets as we have already said uh as we
resolved to in our last council meeting
when we considered uh a matter similar
to this uh we have assurances from the
planning Minister that uh we uh will uh
be given housing targets and that
housing targets if met uh do not then
require the need to have uh these kinds
of SE changes imposed uh it is also the
case that councils under this sep retain
all merit-based assessment Powers uh and
I think it is disappointing to see that
developers are starting to do
uh around uh our heritage uh
conservation areas
uh I I I obviously don't speak on behalf
of the council but I hope we can all if
nothing else send a very clear message
tonight that we support those Heritage
conservation areas uh and there should
be no developers knocking around them
because ultimately uh we all strongly
support the uh maintenance of those
Heritage conservation areas into the
future in the city of Sydney uh Lord
mayor I seek to propose uh an amendment
to add an additional point to note under
point a uh and that is at the recent
planning Minister meeting uh in February
uh we secured amendments on behalf of
all local governments to note that in
jurisdictions where planning Powers
reside with local governments States and
territories continue to develop
transparent housing plans in
collaboration with local government and
support local governments to meet
housing Supply targets through local
government planning policies and
instruments in other words Lord mayor
that uh councils have uh the right to
maintain what is an orderly planning
process that is we get housing targets
uh we Zone appropriately and uh provide
those for concurrence to the state
government uh and then we don't need to
have steps that override them uh Lord
mayor I also uh in point C uh as part of
the amendment seek an additional
provision to be added to ensure that the
city is undertaking work to develop
plans for future growth of the city of
Sydney's housing uh sorry about the
spelling mistake there I'll just correct
that as we go uh guaranteeing the city
of Sydney will maintain planning Powers
Lord mayor I think it is very important
as all councils need to do to plan for
future growth we've heard around the
table it is the case we have resolved
that there is a housing crisis here in
New South Wales and here in the city of
Sydney Lord mayor and that means we must
keep planning for growth however it is
also important to send a clear and
strong message to the new southw
government uh that as we plan for that
growth uh we should be allowed to retain
our planning powers to do what we have
been doing now for many years uh so Lord
mayor uh I support this notice of motion
uh but move the amendment thank
you so as a signor for the amendment
Council won
um I'd just like to comment on um what
council Scott has said about Heritage
conservation a areas it's been the
policy of this Council since I've been
the mayor since 2004 that we protect our
heritage conservation areas and we
develop in our um uh in former
industrial areas and our our our
commercial areas not in our heritage
area so that's just a fact and it's it's
it's what we've been doing for all of
those years and of course we are
accommodating future growth and we've
been doing so for many years that's why
um uh we've actually provided more
housing than all the surrounding
councils um in in our in the Eastern
Area um and uh they they're the the
sorts of discussion I'll be having with
the planning Minister this week so that
we want him to work with us let us know
where where what further density over
and above the density that we're
provided higher than any other local
government area other than Blacktown um
would he he still needs in our in our
city um and so that we can do that work
and and do it as we've been doing d done
well um uh in this Council for many many
years and are an Exemplar for it and um
this was also what we be saying to the
planning Minister I have any other
speakers Council
chair thank you Lord May I've got a
question for staff um whether or not
there's clear Assurance um from the
state government that these planning
changes uh won't apply if we meet our
targets
so Mr
y through through you Lord may there's
nothing in the advertised material that
says that although been
commentary in interviews by this
planning
secretary some conversations with the
minister that
suggests that there might be
consideration that this blanket approach
wouldn't apply if individual
counsel meet the targets or exce them
but the problem is that it actually
comes into Force before we get the
targets so um given it's got um very
strange non-ref
standard um this creates a complexity
around how would you implement what's
been said in conversations and
interviews versus what is legally
portray in
documents see so I'm just wanting to be
just sure that we're already clear and
grae you may through you Lord mayor M um
just add to this but just for absolute
Clarity when we did our original um
plans which we all required to do the
city of Sydney was required to achieve
56,000 new homes by
2036 right so that was the target we
were given and that we were required to
meet under the the the current program
of housing targets and this and the City
of Sydney has already got 40,000 of
those homes either built being built or
approved right so we are at
2024 have done almost more like 2third
of what we required to do originally to
2036 so if the government is saying if
you meet your current housing targets
you shouldn't have to have anything else
then it's a no brainer we're already
meeting our C current housing targets we
shouldn't have to be subjected to
anything else what we understand is that
they are reviewing the targets and we
may all get new enhanced
targets if we do then we will do as St
is stated here look at our local
government area and say where could we
in where could we put additional housing
rather than be subjected to a kind of
blanket it can kind of go anywhere
except which is what's going on at the
moment so if we do which I think this is
what this is saying right if we get
additional targets then we do our normal
good work of determining where it should
go and that's always been the normal
process and we have always more than
achieved that so no one should have any
doubts about the city's
credentials the issue is that what we've
got as as grahe has outlined and others
have outlined is this over this sort of
step that's going to go across the whole
city and if people didn't think it was
real people wouldn't be getting letters
now now offering to buy their properties
so
already in the eyes of people who are
developing they already think this is
going to happen because as far as we
know it's going to happen and so they
are already making offers on land so
I I'm not sure that the orderly way of
doing it is to be I don't think we can
be confident of that until we see it
which I think is what Graham has said
it's one thing for bit of commentary and
saying come and talk to us but the point
is at the moment it's live and once a
planning policy like that is live people
start investing in land and that's how
it works so Lord me I think we
understand where we're at we understand
what an orderly process would look like
which is a new housing Target and then
we decide but that's not what we've got
and that's what we have to be wary of at
this point in time thanks Lord mayor
thank you seea
where so Council Scott's Amendment which
was okay so we're dealing with Council
Scott's Amendment at the moment to
council elmore's motion um and it says
at the recent planning ministers meeting
in February Council Scott attended and
second seconded commitments that in
jurisdictions where planning reside with
local governments States and territories
continue to develop transparent housing
plans in collaboration local government
support local governments to meet
housing Supply targets through local
government planning policies and
instruments
and ensure the city is undertaking work
to develop plans for future growth of
City's Sydney's housing guaranteeing the
city of Sydney will maintain planning
Powers well I I think that's a bit
redundant actually given the work we do
undertaking work to develop plans of
future growth
Council elore um I'm very happy to adopt
the first point at a um I think um
valuable for as Council has got with her
alga hat on in particular any
commitments that are secured at that
National level really helpful to note so
I'm very happy to um adopt that first
point into the amendment if council is a
minded to vote on the second one um
happy for that but I'm happy to adopt
the first one which is
a the amendment is dealing with the
second one yeah um and if I could just
make a couple of um comments on the
amendment and because of the discussion
around targets I mean one of the the
idea that we you won't this won't happen
if you've met targets that you're
halfway through
meeting yeah so you know we've only got
20,000 to go so the rules will apply
until we hit the 20,000 or you know so
this is very important we have some
around this um but this is also where
the last part of the the noce today is
about writing to the state government to
ask for the model about how they
actually think this is going to work
like how much Supply do they expect
these rules to actually deliver and if
one of the key roles are supposed to be
affordability when the evidence that
we're already starting to receive and
from what we know what happens when you
rezone other land is property prices
Spike and if you already own property
you're a winner and if you don't you're
not um that you end you can end up
making housing less affordable so if
they either haven't done the modeling
which is a massive concern and these are
Rush um simplistic reforms that going to
do the opposite of what they want or
they have done the modeling and they've
not yet been released even though the
minister was questioned in budget
estimates about it so these are really
important questions because these are
more than once in a generation changes
once you build it it's there for 50 to
100 years you can't retrofit the
affordable housing unless you turn into
a socialist
government thank you do I have other
speakers Council
chair thanks Lord mayor given the
information that's been provided by
staff I won't be able to support this
amendment as it's not factually
correct CEO Lord mayor and just again
through you and I just want to clarify
just because councilor elore made the
point we've achieved 40,000 of the 56
and there's 16,000 to go now Graham
correct me if I'm wrong but the 16,000
is already accommodated within the
lap yeah so it's not like we need this
set because we don't know where to put
the extra
16,000 it's not like we need need this
because we haven't worked out where it
goes because when we get a housing
Target we review everything and work out
where it goes and it's all zoned to
happen which is why it happens we don't
need that if there's a new Target the
orderly way to do it which all councils
are calling for is the right to work out
where best it should go not a scatter
gun that it could go anywhere and that's
what the the issue is all I've been
meeting with lots of councils on this
you can imagine the conversation
everyone says we have areas where we
could increase density or we've got leps
sitting with the Department that have
been for many years where where of that
where are they why haven't they been
approved so we can get on with it so I
think we want no one saying don't give
us targets everyone understands it's
important but we want to do it in an
orderly way where communities and
councils decide where it goes thanks
Lord thank you CEO so um I I think
Council should vote against this
amendment that's before us now because
it's totally unnecessary because we do
the
work so I'll put the amendment to you
all those in favor say
I those against I declare it
lost back to the substantive motion
councilor ellore you wish to speak again
no
Council
chair mayor I support councilor elmore's
motion I want to just emphasize that to
council that the city submission already
notes the two issues that are raised in
the notice of motion the city does raise
concerns that increase permissibility
and non-reusable standards on sites will
increase land values our city submission
also states that any development uplift
must be accompanied with a requirement
for affordable housing in perpetuity the
proposed non-ref standards that was
referred to by Mr Yan mean that the city
will not be able to refuse a development
application on the basis of heights and
floor space if the development meets
these problematic standards so thank you
to staff for
incorporating these two issues into the
city's original submission while this is
noted I support the motion for these
concerns regarding the impact of land
value to be reiterated in the addendum
also like to thank the Lord May for
being proactive and showing leaders ship
to our community by requesting this
urgent meeting with the state govern
government which I understand the
minister for planning Paul Scully has
accepted having spoken to a high number
of residents in our community this
advocacy and Leadership is much welcomed
Lord May our community agrees that the
state government's blanket height and
density increases across our LGA is
inappropriate it is especially so
without the proper consideration of
local conditions amenity heritage
impacts or the increased demand for
infrastructure and services thank you
Council
chair so don't see have any other
speakers I I'll put the um motion I'll
put the motion to you all those in favor
say
I carried un Noy thank you item 14.3
gella Park ongoing
issues councelor Jared thank you Lord
mayor we'll come down to some local
issues
now um the motion that I've put forward
here today is again to ask Council to
apply some common sense and
understanding of the challenges that the
come with the use of recreational
facilities and the right to enjoy one's
home being a resident in the city of
Sydney first and foremost no one wants
this important facility to have its
usage hours limited or its usage limited
and I'm definitely not asking Council to
shut down the sports field as I think
I've been accused of in the past my
motion is about finding a mutual
agreeable resolution for the ongoing use
of the sporting field and the residents
around the area in the past year all of
us as counselors have received emails
from Buckland Street residents and other
residents around the G sportsfield area
asking us that we find a suitable
compromise to combat the combat sorry
just got off an airplane to combat the
negative consequences primarily noise
pollution emanating from the sports
field whilst my previous Motion in June
2023 had a number of successes in
alleviating the immediate issues where
Council came together and agreed to look
after the requests of the residents we
still have some work to do to date the
vence has been raised around the school
with cooperation with the Department of
Education we've had extended open times
for the toilet and changing facilities
and we've had the dimming of the lights
across the sports field and everyone is
to be congratulated on the work and the
cooperation that's taken
place however since then for almost a
year I have and once almost a year we've
been having complaints about the noise
and I am once once again calling on
Council to listen to investigate and to
find solutions to the sometimes
unbearable and unlivable noise
pollution we understand that cheering
and shouting and whistling come
naturally with team sports but this is
also a quiet residential
area everyone as I've said earlier have
been getting emails asking us to
consider what's going on and not just
turn a blind eye approach to the noise
issue
I've received again email after email
residents have written to me about this
noise torture noting that the noise
warning on their apple watches have been
triggered from weak night games and in
fact on the 19th of January the noise
from a Friday night men's soccer game
reached 80 DB far above the accepted
Urban neighborhood noise level of 50
DB so I'm asking asking Council here
tonight to commission an appropriately
qualified consultant to conduct or
acoustic testing to enable the
residential noise limits are not being
breached Council can spend hundreds of
thousands if not millions of dollars on
political campaigns um rent abatements
continuous IP updates but not a small
amount of money on doing an acoustic
report for its
residents
by
undertaking That acoustic report and
having some facts upon which to work
from we can then all work together with
the sports teams enabling them to
continue to use the sports facilities
residents can know that we have listened
and are concerned about their concerns
and perhaps get some quiet enjoyment for
their homes I'm actually seeking a win
win
solution the motion also sets up some of
the issues about how Council can be
consistent in how it deals with these
complaints residents I'm told have been
given a myriad of ways of how to logic
complaint we really must be consistent
and thorough in the way we get people to
report to us their problems and really
prevent the confusing and often
meaningless advice to Residents you send
an email to make a noise complaint
that's great the email comes back and
says we're Terri be sorry we'll do
something about it you're given a phone
number to ring goes to another Park not
this local park if Council isn't
listening properly how can it respond
Pro properly we must be proactive in
finding the right balance between
livability and recreational
opportunities in our city even that
means reassessing and changing the way
things have been done we mustn't
prioritize profits and ideology over the
very real mental and emotional physical
well-being of its
residents and I will reply also to the
Amendments sought by councilor
Whirling those amendments neuter what
it's actually been asked for in this
notice of motion they strip the
residents of Buckingham Street of any
agency the motion relates to noise
mitigation using technology it's about
listening and coming up with real
solutions
it's about finding Equitable and fair
solutions to which as a council we are
able to carry out it's therefore
completely unrealistic as comes out in
the Amendments that two men soccer teams
with the company supporters will cheer
and play in hushed
tones that the response to an email is
be quiet it's a motion that it's not
about blaming or condemning any party
but the Amendments here once again tell
everybody what wonderful things this
Council has done but it actually has not
listened to the issues that the
residents have
raised this issue has been on the table
for months they've carried out their own
reporting and yet here we are in our
amended notice of motion patting
ourselves on the back as if it's all
100% resolved and you shouldn't have any
issues Jarrett you've had five minutes
do you need an extension just one moment
thank you Lord mayor two minutes I've
move won't need two minutes all right
signat by Council Davis all those say I
those against declare it carried so the
Amendments also take out the fact that
this is a modest request from the
residents and the effort is a minimal
one but these amendments do show this
ongoing lack of willingness to listen
and show concern to our residents and
respond appropriately I ask you to
support this motion for the residents of
Buckingham Street and the surrounding
area thank you so there's a second for
the motion Council Ganon
speakers Council
Whirling uh thank you councelor
Jared I absolutely will not be
supporting your motion as it
stands it goes as far as saying that the
city does not consider the well-being of
nearby neighbors of nearby residents to
be a priority or of concern and
councelor Jarrett that is just not true
accusations of unbearable extreme noise
severely delayed responses and point
stating it is as you also mentioned
blatantly evident that the city has once
again prioritized profits and ideology
rather than mental health these
statements are unnecessary and they're
disrespectful to the
staff early today my office as you know
circulated an amendment and I would like
to and I would like to
propose no one is denying that gy Eller
has had its issues but the city has
worked hard to address each and every
one of the community's concerns and the
situation has improved dramatically as a
result of that work to make that clear
I've made I have amended your motion to
note exactly what the city has done
since the previous resolution of Council
in June
20123 this includes visiting the park to
assess noise where they found it to be
where they found it to be consistent
with other sports Fields meeting with
and writing to sports club asking them
to reduce noise levels and be respectful
of
neighbors and since October 2023 the
city has stopped one club from hiring at
gella now this was due to an unapproved
uh competition game with the use of
whistles they are also regularly
reminding weak day hirers not to use
whistles so I do think they're listening
and they are
responding
as you you mentioned earlier we have
reduced the sports light and the court
lights some up to 50% this was What the
residents asked for and this is what we
did we have worked with the Department
of Education who raised the height of
the boundary fence along Park Road to
discourage after hours access and reduce
late night evening noise another thing
that the residents asked for and we
actioned we have at the city has added
two additional security patrols at 11:00
p.m. and 1:00 a.m. every
night as you know we've also heard that
um you know access to the school is
accessible toilet in addition to the
public toilet that is open next to the
sport field until 10
p.m. and also we're allocating more of
the available hours to Junior and
women's teams this was something we
heard back from the community
again now a quick breakdown for the
upcoming winter season is 29% is
dedicated to children 35% to women 23%
to mixed genders and only 133% to men's
sporting activities and let's be honest
they are the most
rowdiest I've mentioned before in
Council that I have friends who live
opposite the oval and in nearby streets
I actually have one friend who lives
directly opposite the gold
poost um and his feedback is
the the the the noise has been dealt
with um and it's it's it's quite
remarkable um the difference that
they've
had um from the correspond so from the
correspondence I've received in canas US
far the noise issues have improved
dramatically and I have to say we live
in a metropolitan City and noise
complaints are part and parcel of that
though requesting the CEO to conduct an
acoustic testing over a two-month period
and potentially install sound barriers
seems quite heavy-handed to me
especially given there's only been one
or two two calls per month received in
the last 6 months regarding after hours
noise at
gella as per the August 20123 CEO update
which all Council has received City
staff will consider reducing weekday
training from 10 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
following the conclusion of the winter
season let's not also forget that Perry
Park will open later in this year and it
will accommodate some of these teams as
well request for the city to ISS is
apologies to Residents and suggest that
our staff is somehow responsible for the
small amount of people who choose to
break the rules and worse that they are
ignoring residents concerns neither of
these suggestions are true councilors I
believe my Amendment today reiterates
just how much the city does care about
our residents experiences and the
livability of their
suburbs thank you Council
wiling um second for the council
welling's Amendment
deput Lord
mayor so councilor Jarrett do you accept
the
amendment no I don't Lord mayor so we're
dealing with the amendment now do I have
any other speakers to
Amendment councilor
Scott thanks Lord mayor um this is
obviously a favorite topic of mine but I
Rise to speak in support of the
amendment um it is the case that there's
been a huge amount of work done both by
the city staff but also by the school uh
the lighting has been significantly
reduced uh as Council Whirling has
outlined and in fact also now they turn
off on the basketball courts at 8:00 so
it's not that they're uh just slightly
dimmed they're literally in blackout and
let's be clear about the impact of that
it cuts the hours that children are able
to play basketball on this court uh and
I personally am quite disappointed by
that but nevertheless that change has
been made uh members of the public have
been given access to the access code for
the toilet that is in the school that
took a huge amount of work by the school
it took an amendment to the school's
deed that literally took months of work
by teachers who had to take time out
from teaching children to go through a
detailed very significant legal process
to amend the deed of the school to get
them to get access to the toilet
nevertheless that has been done the
fence has been ined from 1.2 M to 2.3 M
again at a very significant cost to the
public purs uh one or two times it is
the case that the council contractors
have not successfully locked the gates
uh I acknowledge that that is something
that could be improved but nevertheless
as Council warning warling has outlined
there have been minimal noise complaints
uh to the school and as outlined in the
information before us to the council uh
again let's be clear every time this
motion comes before the council there is
a risk that there are going to be
reduced hours of play in what are some
of the most pressed uses of our sporting
Fields whether it is the uh soccer field
or uh the basketball courts and that is
cutting out opportunities for our
community to have spaces to play uh it
is the case that the city is doing some
work at Perry Park uh to build a new
field there and we have some new
basketball courts but those old
basketball courts still remain and we
know that there is a shortage in the
city of Sydney of these from sporting
analysis studies that were done many
years ago uh councilor Jarrett I do not
support your notice of motion today
because the implication of it is that uh
some breach of noise regulations we know
of which have been the subject of a New
South Wales parliamentary inquiry which
are complex and dysfunctional uh those
noise regulations if there is some
breach of them it risks significantly
reducing the hours of operation that
people can have access to sporting
fields and that is good for nobody's
Health it is good for nobody's Health
this is a lively active noisy school
during the day it is also the case I
might add that the school has had one or
two two noise complaints during the day
about a school what is expected here is
it that the teacher should go around the
playground and tell high school children
to be quiet no that is not what should
happen here in response to what are in
reality a very small number of noise
complaints I say this with great respect
as I'm sure there will be people
watching who are supportive of your
notice of motion uh councelor Jarrett
last time they emailed me many of them
quite abusive things but I say this with
great respect when you live in the inner
city you do deal with noise uh of course
it is unreasonable to have very
significant noise like whistles that is
unreasonable of course it is
unreasonable to have very significant
noise through the night that is
unreasonable but what is not reasonable
is to have a tiny number of complaints
at very rare times during the year
significantly cutting down the hours of
use of publicly invested Sports Fields
by the city of Sydney and by the New
South Wales Department of Education the
teachers have put hundreds and hundreds
of hours of effort into this taking them
away from their core job of teaching our
students I am disappointed about that
there have been lots of changes made uh
and I do not want to see uh hundreds and
hundreds of more hours of the teachers
or frankly of council staff put into
this uh when in reality uh this is not a
significant and ongoing and repetitive
noise problem uh so I support Council
waring's amendment I do not support uh
councilor Jarrett's
motion councilor
chair thank you Lord mayor I also rise
to object um uh what's been presented by
uh councelor uh Jarrett and support
Council waring's
amendment I think what's been included
should be crossed out and rightly so it
is what councilor Jarrett has been in
has included in ter some of the facts uh
is
inflammatory the fact that there is so
much evidence that has been presented to
this Council of all the work that has
occurred since this since thetic Sports
field and the associated basketball
courts were delivered and last time this
came to council Lord may we talked about
you know Council continue to work with
residents in our community in any new
project there are um a transitional
period to um allow and ensure that uh we
are getting the management of such
public amenity right but while also
managing the amenity of our local res
residents this is something that we need
we have done and will continue to do I
won't go into the evidence I think
members of the public um clearly can
understand the multiple points that have
been raised last time that have been
adequately addressed by our city staff
and I thank our city staff for doing
that work so diligently I do want to
draw Council to what council warling has
mentioned uh the additions that's been
added to the
amendment I want to read out that the
city needs to balance the needs and
well-being of the broader Community by
providing access to sports and
recreation facilities at gaella Park
with consideration of the well-being and
livability of nearby
residents this is about being a good
neighbor I also note that in B that's
been added by Council Whirling that the
CEO be requested to continue to monitor
use at gaella Park sportsfield for noise
and other adverse amenity impacts to
neighboring properties and take action
as appropriate and to provide an update
on the outcome of the review of the
hours of use following the 2024 winter
season I don't expect any less from our
staff in terms of that good work they'll
continue to do to really ensure that
this balance and the management uh
continues to happen and it is important
that I also note the various
Communications that has occurred during
this period of time from listening to
our community in fact the CEO and the
Lord mayor have written to Residents
explaining action taken to date
uh including to two residents who are
continuing to engage with the council
the most recent respon was indeed sent
on the 5th of
March other members of the community
have also noted noise levels decreasing
and I've also been actively asking
residents in Alexandria about this very
issue City staff also met with the
school principal and the Department of
Education staff quarterly at the last
meeting being in March 7th of March this
year the school advised that they had no
more problems no problems with the
operation of the field or courts and
have received very few complaints so
Lord may I think it's really important
that we do recognize the work that the
city has done but also recognize the
work that the city continues to do in
terms of monitoring the noise and other
impacts to neighboring properties and
our residents and to and to have that
faith that our staff will take the
appropriate action to ensure that
there's residential amenity too thank
you Council chair so um I'll put the
amendment to you all those in favor say
I those
against and Council
Scott right okay amendments carried um
Council W abstained Council Jarrett and
Council Ganon voted against the
amendment so now we have a substantive
motion which I'll put to you all those
in favor say
I those
against Clare it Carri dep pass from
Council gar and councilor Jared item
14.4 shared use agreement with Newtown
High School Newtown High School of the
Performing Arts councilor
Scott thanks Lord mayor um I'm delighted
to welcome the new principal uh of new
town uh uh Performing Arts High School
uh and in doing so um note that in a
really lovely productive meeting with
with her recently she indicated her
strong willingness to work with the city
of Sydney uh on the possibility of a
shared use agreement uh with the high
school we know this uh high school has
uh an oval they have basketball courts
and they have a range of other public
spaces uh which uh really uh could be
activated better to uh ensure that there
is a better public use uh of these
spaces across the city and the
Department of Education uh I note that
this is one of the schools that was
identified in the city's uh sporting
needs analysis work as a city as a
school that would be uh a great Prospect
for a shared use agreement uh and so on
that basis Lord mayor these notice of
motion seeks the CEO to explore
possibilities for the city to enter into
a shared use agreement with the school
and bring any necessary recommended
items for funding back to council as
part of future budget
processes is there a second to for this
motion Council Ganon
I have any speakers I'll put to you or
councelor elore I just had a a quick
question I'm happy to put this on notice
for staff if you prefer if we have any
arrangement with um any Arrangements
about sharing with private schools I I
support this motion but um one of the
things that always drove me spare was
the fact that private schools are
considered not um not for profit are
able to access School fields and
particularly in marville Newington would
do things like the most amazing Fields
wouldn't let the Community come in and
use them but would use the the council
run Fields as their practice fields and
run them down and make the council pay
for them but because there was no
obligation anyway I'm just really
interested to know if the the city of
Sydney has any we don't have as many
schools in our C private schools in our
catchment but had any of those
arrangements are they all just with
public schools needing to share their SP
priv we do have but not as many as the
public schools that we I think we should
get we should get a report on that and
we should get a report on uh the success
or not of what's happening at the inner
Sydney high school because I remember
going to meetings here and you'll
remember that to CEO of how if we
allowed the children to use Prince alred
Park as their um playground that they
way that the community would have access
to facilities in the school um and I'd
really like to know how that's going as
an example of um and I'd also like to
know what other schools regularly use
Prince ala Park some of which I think
are
private take on notice yeah y
so so I'll put the motion to you all
those in favor say I those against
declare it carried you see thank you
item 14.5 Brown Street Community Hall
accessibility counc
Scott thanks Lord mayor um uh in a um
constituent request that was first
passed on to me through our federal
local member Tanya pisc um we've been
working with uh a local constituent who
had some concerns about accessing Brown
Street Community Hall um she's raised
concerns about the fact that they um uh
she uh regularly attends social events
at the Community Hall uh however has had
issues with a lack of accessible
entrances um she um also has a friend
who uses a wheelchair uh and this person
is uh having to be carried up and lifted
up by friends when she wants to attend
social events at the Brown Street
Community Hall Of course that means that
the city stairs are a safety hazard for
those who are unable to get up and down
them properly uh and this doesn't just
of course extend to people with a
disability it also extends to um elderly
residents those who are chronically ill
or of course people with a disability um
we know that the Brown Street Community
Hall is an incredibly uh popular public
space that the city runs it holds a
range of community meetings training
courses discussion groups uh and it's
disappointing to see that it is one of
the very few premises now in the city of
Sydney uh that does not have appropriate
compliant accessibility options uh in
particular for people who require Leafs
or alternative entrances uh so Lord
mayor uh this uh notice of motion seeks
to ask staff uh to provide advice about
um the Brown Street community's Hall um
uh nature of the building and the
Heritage listing uh and seek to
undertake uh some work to understand the
steps that would be required to upgrade
the building to ensure it is comp
uh with the accessibility standards that
are current applied to the city of
Sydney and report back to councilors Via
a CEO update on the above I should State
really clearly that um in uh engaging
with this constituent she's been really
clear that she doesn't want the building
to close she doesn't want to see uh
Brown Street to undergo you know
significant works or uh massive
Renovations that would mean it wasn't
accessible for the community uh but that
um uh simple solution soluions were they
possible uh like having lifts that are
engaged with the stairs or a range of
other possibilities to make sure this
building uh is compliant with the
disability requirements and enables her
and her community to keep accessing this
really beautiful space and keep
accessing the important Community
meetings and Community Services uh in
there uh would be really really welcome
so this is not a nose of motion seeking
a massive full building upgrade it's
simply seeking to call to attention the
fact that this is one of the Cities
buildings that doesn't meet uh
disability standards that are residents
are asking for them to be met so that
they can continue to use it and for us
to look at practical uh effective ways
uh to uh ensure that those um
requirements are being met in the short
term thanks thank you Sarah
second counil elore um
speakers so I'll put the recommendation
to you all those in favor say I those
against declare it carried unly thank
you and thank you for your
attendance