FOKE has declined to speak at the Better Cities Initiatives ‘Curating Ku-ring-gai’ event on Wednesday 28 August 2024.

Why?

• This event favours three candidates standing for Ku-ring-gai Council election on the eve before residents vote on 14 September 2024 – making it politically charged.
  
  
• Risks undermining Ku-ring-gai Council’s court case against the NSW Government’s Transport Oriented Development (TOD).
  
  
• Risks undermining Ku-ring-gai Council’s strategic placed based planning underway.
  
  

FOKE’s letter to Dr Elizabeth Farrelly declining her invitation can be read HERE

FOKE understands that Ku-ring-gai Mayor Sam Ngai has also expressed similar concerns. He too has declined to speak and attend this potentially controversial political event.

It is also disappointing that Dr Farrelly does not appear to support Ku-ring-gai’ Council’s legal action against the Transport Orientated Development (TOD).

Yet legal action is the only option Ku-ring-gai Council has in holding to account the NSW Government’s blunt, one-size-fits-all planning policies which remove Council’s ability to plan strategically for Ku-ring-gai!

NSW Planning Minister Paul Scully refused to give Ku-ring-gai Council the time needed to strategically plan. He also refused to meet Ku-ring-gai Council to discuss and negotiate the TOD.

The four Ku-ring-gai TODs are the equivalent of three major TOD 1’s which are master planned. Yet the Ku-ring-gai TODs – Roseville, Lindfield, Killara, Gordon – have no master planning!

More than ever, we need candidates standing in the local government election to support Ku-ring-gai Council’s legal action against the TOD.

One size fails all.