NSW - The idyllic beauty of many of our coastal suburbs are experiencing a series of large-scale tree vandalism incidents, sparking outrage and concern among residents.

In the most recent act, nine historic Fig trees lining Balmoral's iconic beachfront were targeted in February 2024 with drilling and suspected poisoning. Thankfully, swift action by residents and the council may save these trees, some of which are believed to date back to the 1930s.

A 2.6% coal royalty increase is an insultThe NSW Government has today announced their plans to raise coal royalties by 2.6%, starting July next year.

The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has commenced a prosecution<https://www.epa.nsw.gov.au/news/media-releases/2023/epamedia230906-epa-prosecutes-delta-over-vales-point-fish-kill> against Sunset Power International Pty Ltd trading as Delta Electricity (Delta) in the Land and Environment Court in relation to a fish kill occurring near the Vales Point Power Station at Lake Macquarie in September 2022.

I wish to express my support for your voting to support strongly legislated environmental protection in response to the recent Samuel review of the EPBC act (1999). In support of this I commend the response to previous ministerial releases from the Environmental Defender's Office outlining eight (8) areas requiring legislative amendments entitled "Urgency and ambition more important than ever for national nature law reform".

The Central Coast Greens recognise that truth-telling and Treaty making are crucial for healing the relationship between First Nations people and those who colonised their land in 1788 and beyond. We acknowledge that their land was never ceded and that acknowledging this truth is essential for our national identity and collective mental and spiritual health.

The Greens have announced their Transport platform ahead of the March 25 State Election, which would end privatisation of the transport system, see better regional bus services and permanent free travel across the entire network.

The NSW Greens have formally announced their candidates for the upcoming State election on the 25 of March. Upper House Greens MLC Abigail Boyd hosted the official launch at Ourimbah State Forest on 24 February, calling on NSW to continue the “Greenslide” of the 2022 Federal election and put more Greens in the NSW Parliament.

The Greens candidates come from diverse backgrounds, including education, activism and law, but share a passion for genuine democracy, action on climate change and cleaning up State politics.

The Central Coast Greens have always kept a close eye on developments around the National Parks on the Coast. We were part of the community movement that helped to bring the private land at Bambara into the Brisbane Water National Park.

Since the housing development at Kariong on uncleared land was first proposed we have been monitoring the documentation, particularly around environmental and heritage impacts.

Central Coast Council’s 2019 Climate Change Policy included the following commitment statement: ‘ D2) Embed climate change planning within Council’s Integrated Planning and Reporting Framework, namely the Community Strategic Plan, Delivery and Operational Plans and Council’s Corporate Plan.’

Like the NSW Audit Office, we do not see any provisions for adaptation to the significant impacts of climate change in Council’s reports or matters circulated for consultation since 2019. If this practice continues while Council is under administration, a returning elected body of Councillors will likely be required to assess the extent of the accumulated risk left unaddressed immediately. A complete review of the Council’s financial and operational capacity to provide for and meet those risks in a timely and responsible way will be required.

The Central Coast Greens demand that the Minister for Local Government, Wendy Tuckerman, return the right of residents of the Central Coast to democratically elect our councillors.

The June 1 announcement by Tuckerman and parliamentary secretary for the Central Coast Adam Crouch to continue administration of our Council until September 2024 was met with universal surprise and disbelief on the Central Coast.

Initially, residents were led to believe that two years of administration plus a lengthy public inquiry were adequate. In fact, according to the administrator Rik Hart, the troubled financial affairs of the Central Coast Council have now substantially been addressed.

The Central Coast Greens are calling on Rik Hart, David Farmer, and the Central Coast Council to consider objections by Mooney Mooney residents, traditional custodians, and the Hawkesbury river community to the proposed development on Peat Island. We do not believe that the proposed development is appropriate to the site and the local community’s needs.

Greens are concerned about the future of Mangrove Mountain Landfill after the Court hands down its judgement.

Today, the Greens have responded to the judgment on the Mangrove Mountain Landfill handed down by the NSW Land and Environment Court.

Join us for this event to honour the work and contributions of the John Kaye Memorial Award winners, Leetona Dungay and Manyana Matters. The John Kaye Memorial Award recognises an outstanding individual or collective contribution towards social and environmental justice.

The award presentation event will be held online, with a screening of a short film by Manyana Matters and keynote speeches from First Nations rights advocate Professor Larissa Behrendt and Shoalhaven City Council Mayor, Amanda Findley. Leetona and a representative of Manyana Matters will also speak.

Dear Messrs. Farmer and Tarasenko,

I want Central Coast Council (CCC) to reject the current proposal (Option 3) to build a walkway around Terrigal Lagoon, DA62171/2021.

Firstly, I note that the link provided on the Your Voice Our Coast – Terrigal Walking Trail website to make an online submission does not work. Secondly, that CCC is asking for community input without providing access to the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is poor practice at best, and obstructionist at worst.

On Tuesday the 9th of March the Administrator Dick Persson confirmed that he would continue to impose his limited-range vision for a reconfigured Council, refusing to extend the options for the referendum questions.

The Central Coast Greens highlight that the referendum survey on display at Your Voice Our Coast does not represent consultation in good faith.

The Central Coast Greens call for a popular vote on de-amalgamation to allow the community to indicate whether or not they support returning to the former Wyong and Gosford Local Government Areas. (LGAs).

The push for the amalgamation of Wyong and Gosford Councils lacked a popular mandate and has angered locals – resentment is still present in our community today.

The forced merger of Gosford and Wyong Councils into the Central Coast Council has been a financial disaster for the people of the Central Coast for which the Coalition Government must take responsibility says the Central Coast Greens.

With Central Coast Council on the edge of financial meltdown and facing potential suspension by the State Government, the Greens, who are not currently on the council, are calling on the Coalition government to apologise to the residents of the Central Coast and deliver immediate substantial financial support.

The Central Coast Greens remain committed to protecting residents from noise, the environment from pollution and the council from wasting money, by standing against changes to the Warnervale aerodrome. Despite some former councillors’ grandiose plans for a regional airport, there is no commercial demand, and a great many reasons to retain the aerodrome at its current modest size. The Warnervale Aerodrome restrictions ACT (WAR Act) has unexpectedly been subject to plans by Rob Stokes, Planning Minister, for repeal, opening the way for large scale change which would negatively impact the Central Coast, and which cannot be adequately explained on the publicly available evidence.