Far North Coast regional plan lacks strategy, says Page
The Draft Far North Coast Regional Strategy lacks substance and detail, according to the Shadow Minister for North Coast and Member for Ballina, Don Page.
Mr Page said the document failed to address the region’s infrastructure needs and omitted the majority of the vital component plans included in the working draft that added more detail and local content to the strategy.
These were originally included in the working draft prepared for the Minister, Mr Page said.
He says the draft strategy does not include the:
- Infrastructure Investment Plan
- Employment and Economic Plan
- Biodiversity Plan
- Water and Energy Conservation Plan
- Coastline and Waterway Conservation Plan.
“The component plans presented practical target figures in areas such as unemployment, labour force participation rate and water and energy usage.
“These plans were prepared locally and are vitally important to the implementation of the draft strategy, yet they are no where to be seen.”
“This strategy has been a long time coming and I welcome its arrival. Whilst it is better than no strategy, it does have a number of serious shortcomings.
“The region’s infrastructure needs such as water and sewerage have been ignored. This reflects the NSW Labor Government’s lack of an integrated plan for the Far North Coast, which is so important when planning for the future.
“It also demonstrates the current State Government’s failure to co-ordinate a whole-of-government approach to the Far North Coast. It seems the Minister for Infrastructure does not want to be guided by the Minister for Planning.
“This absence of an integrated approach presents another argument for having a Minister for North Coast who understands the issues.”
March 14th, 2006 at 4:58 pm
[...] Ballina Information Blog « Far North Coast regional plan lacks strategy, says Page [...]