1. 1. The vision implicit in NSW Labor's urban environment and housing policies is of mixed  communities, where people of diverse socioeconomic backgrounds live together in fairly close proximity. The opposite model of urban development is the formation of enclaves and ghettoes, or distinct zones of affluence and disadvantage.
    

   The broad objective of Labor's policy is clear from the use of phrases such as "diverse range of housing stock … available to meet the needs of all sections of the community” and “a viable and positive housing alternative for lower and moderate income earners”. An aspect of this is the desire to ensure that historically mixed suburbs or localities do not lose this character.

    

   The policy accepts that when economic forces threaten to transform a mixed community into an exclusive one, government intervention is appropriate to redress the balance.

    

   2. The preferred means of preserving or creating mixed communities is urban consolidation, the promotion of medium to high density residential development in established areas such as inner city municipalities. This policy is necessary and appropriate for social, economic, environmental and political reasons.

   
   

   ·   Social

    

   The evolution of mixed communities into exclusive enclaves usually takes the form of a movement by middle to low income earners from areas of established infrastructure close to the city centre to new fringe suburbs which lack basic facilities. This is associated with the gentrification of inner city suburbs, which has raised property values beyond the reach of most ordinary people. The residents of the new unserviced fringe suburbs face many of the problems attendant on social alienation and isolation.

    

   During the 1980’s the population of the region between Fairfield/Campbelltown and the Blue Mountains rose by 24 per cent, but by only 3 per cent in inner Sydney. And even though Sydney's population centre of gravity continues to move westward, the jobs do not follow. A recent study notes that two thirds of Sydney's labour force live west of Strathfield, although just one third of Sydney's jobs are located there. This means that the ratio of local jobs to labour force participants is four times as high in Sydney's north and east as in the west.

    

   The consignment of large numbers of the working class to undeveloped suburbs is contrary to Labor's egalitarian principles.

   
   

"Pursue strategies to accelerate urban consolidation to overcome the huge costs to the community of the urban sprawl and encourage medium density development in appropriate services areas. There will be a stamp duty exemption on land purchases for medium density developments for the lower, middle end of the market."
- Housing Policy, para. 20

“The public housing sector should continue to be developed as a viable and positive housing alternative for lower and moderate income earners. It should not be a residual or stigmatised form of housing, and should provide public tenants with equivalent advantages and amenities experienced by home owners”.
- Housing policy, “principles”

·   Economic

 

The public funds required to service the new suburbs and housing estates on Sydney's southwestern and northwestern outskirts with water, electricity, sewerage, schools, hospitals, main roads and other infrastructure - estimated at about $40,000 per block - is a significant drain on State and national resources. About 29,000 lots have been released by just three new housing estates at Rouse Hill, South Creek and Macarthur South between 1992 and 1997. Many economists criticise such expenditure as a diversion of capital from more important investment priorities.

 

·   Environmental

 

Urban sprawl is closely linked to a range of serious environmental problems. If Sydney's current population resided in a more compact European-style city, our per capita fuel consumption would be roughly halved, with obvious benefits in terms of pollution, the greenhouse effect and, indeed, a range of other problems associated with our dependence on the private motor vehicle.

 

Nor does the burden of pollution appear to be equitably shared across Sydney. Figures from the Environment Protection Authority indicate that in one year air pollution in the north-west region of Sydney, centred on Blacktown, exceeded the previous highest level on 64 days, compared to just 29 days in the region east of Parramatta.

 

Frequent flash flooding is also attributed to urban sprawl. And of course it consumes vast tracts of bushland.

 

·   Political

 

It will be increasingly difficult for Labor to retain seats in inner city suburbs if the population becomes predominantly affluent.

 

3. 3. Traditionally, many inner city suburbs such as Balmain, Leichhardt, Pyrmont and Ultimo performed a high density dormitory function for workers employed on the waterfront at Mort Bay, Blackwattle, White Bay and Rozelle Bay, and in the many light industrial sites which ringed the western flank of the CBD. Over the past two decades, many of these traditional residents have been displaced by an influx of professionals in upper income brackets, particularly in the Balmain peninsula. If this process of displacement continues unchecked, parts of Sydney City and Leichhardt Municipality will lose their character as a relatively mixed community and become a pocket of affluence like the inner city suburbs east of the CBD.
    

4. 4. It would be contrary to Labor's policy for the inner west to become a social and cultural extension of the eastern suburbs. It is noteworthy that although a number of redundant industrial/commercial sites became available for residential development during the 1980s, the population of Leichhardt local government area did not change between during the 1980’s. The inner west has reached a critical period in terms of its future demographic composition, and this calls for an urgent response from Labor. There are clear long term implications for Labor's prospects of retaining the seats of Sydney and Port Jackson
    

5. 5. Opponents of urban consolidation in the inner west maintain that our local government area cannot support a population density higher than at present. This flies in the face of the clear evidence of a substantial population haemorrhage over recent decades. Leichhardt local government area had a population of 74,950 at the 1966 Census, 25 per cent higher than at the 1991 Census.
   
   

1. 6. In accordance with the urban development policy's focus on urban consolidation, the State member and ALP councillors should as a general rule support development and building applications which meet some of the following criteria:
   
   

   1. i. The stock of medium to high density housing will increase.
   3. ii. The stock of housing or accommodation allocated to the disadvantaged or low income earners and pensioners will rise.
   5. iii. Local employment opportunities will be generated.
   7. iv. Local commercial activity will be promoted.
   9. v. A community facility will be built, particularly one which serves the needs of the disadvantaged or low income earners and pensioners.
   11. vi. The development will promote demographic diversity, attracting residents of all age, ethnic and socioeconomic groups.
   13. vii. It will to some extent preserve links with the area's historic socioeconomic character.
   14. 
       

“Continue traditional support for public housing for a broad cross-section of the population with funding being provided by federal and state revenue and private sources”
- Housing policy, Para 11.1

"Investigate the social aspects of population distribution and mobility in relation to the distribution of services and facilities, and to take appropriate action to ensure the adequate provision of those services and facilities. Particular regard should be had to the provision of child care centres, senior citizen centres, and active and passive recreation facilities."
- Urban Environment policy, Para. 2.2

1. 7. ALP representatives should not as a general rule oppose a contentious development or building application on any of the following grounds:
    
   1. i. It will not satisfy optimal demands for open space.
   3. ii. It does not meet optimal environmental standards.
   5. iii. It will require attention to transport and traffic problems.
   7. iv. It will entail the demolition of an old building (which is not a listed heritage item).
   9. v. It will diminish the middle class tone of a locality.
   11. vi. It will reduce socioeconomic exclusivity.
   13. vii. It will raise population density, either in the immediate area or across the local government area.
   15. viii. It will have a negative impact on property values.

2. 8. ALP councillors should oppose attempts to curtail the trading of traditional and longstanding venues such as popular hotels, clubs or sporting facilities. Any such action, which may over time motivate longtime residents to leave the area, should be avoided.

    

   Councillors should take seriously their obligation, consistent with longstanding Labor tradition, to preserve and generate local jobs, particularly in our rapidly disappearing local manufacturing industry.

    

3. 9. The State member and ALP councillors should above all be advocates of the community interest over private interests. They should clearly and firmly explain the whole community's interest in relation to any development proposal according to the above criteria. This calls for much greater unity, commitment and sense of purpose than has been shown by ALP councillors and Party units in the recent past. Resident action groups who are only self-serving should be exposed and resisted if the development they oppose broadly meets the criteria in (6), above. Development and building applications should be assessed on a case by case basis in this regard. Rank and file members should support candidates for local government office who undertake to support these principles.

    

4. 10. In accordance with the urban environment policy, representatives should support the creation of a regional planning committee to co-ordinate attempts by State and local government to solve problems associated with developments, such as increased traffic volumes, parking and new demands on public transport services.

    

5. 11. ALP councillors should consider a more extensive use of section 94 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act to create housing trust funds to augment housing stock.