Wollongong Cleans Up at 2008 Bad Developer Awards

 Wollongong Council and the Illawarra’s corrupt developers have featured prominently in this year’s “Toasters” awards for bad development, hosted by NSW Greens MP Sylvia Hale.

Corrupt Wollongong developer Frank Vellar took out the coveted “Golden Toaster” as the Bad Developer of the Year for 2008.

The sacked Wollongong Council, which has had ICAC corruption findings made against eight former Councillors and staff members, was named Worst Council.

“I can’t think of any developer in the history of these awards who so richly deserves the title of “Bad Developer”, said Ms Hale

“The corruption surrounding Wollongong Council has exposed the sleazy side of the property development industry. I guess they have done us a favour by showing just how compromised the planning system can become when developers start splashing around money to buy results.”

There were over 50 nominations across 10 categories for this year’s awards.

 “Its not surprising that we have had so many nominations this year. Encouraged by the state government’s new planning laws unscrupulous developers are outdoing themselves finding new ways to make a quid out of wrecking the environment and the heritage of our villages, towns and cities.”

 Other notable award “winners” were the V8 supercar track at Olympic Park which won in the worst commercial development category and the proposed Tillegra Dam in the Hunter Valley for most environmentally damaging development, both of which have state government backing.

Proposed housing developments at Currawong on Pittwater and Catherine Hill Bay, south of Newcastle took out the metropolitan and regional awards respectively for worst residential developments.

The Coalition for Planning Reform, made up of various development industry lobby groups won the award for “most insidious industry group lobbying effort” for its support for Frank Sartor’s recent pro-developer amendments to the planning laws

On a more positive note the Camden Haven Eco-Village on the mid-North coast won the best development category and The Friends of Currawong and the Catherine Hill Bay Progress Association shared the award for best community campaign.

2008 Toasters Awards for Bad Development

Hosted by NSW Greens MP Sylvia Hale