Gosford Central Community News
July 4, 2011
Your independent local newspaper
-
Ph: 4325 7369
Issue 011
Councils discuss possible Coast airport iscussions into whether the Central Coast will house the second international airport service to Sydney took place at the Central Coast Regional Organisation of Councils meeting held on Thursday June 30.
D
Protestors at the Carbon Tax Rally
Carbon Tax rally a success he first Central Coast No Carbon Tax rally saw hundreds of residents voice their concerns over the Labor-Greens Government’s proposed Carbon Tax at the Gosford Waterfront on Sunday, June 26.
T
“With problems securing a site for the rally, we were expecting only 200 people, but we exceeded that on the day, and this shows how deep the community’s discontent is with the proposed carbon tax,” said rally spokesperson Mr Darren Jameson. On the lead up to the rally, street stalls at local community shopping precincts were held where residents were invited to sign a petition. “The petition is running strong, with people queuing up to sign it. “We have been happy, but not surprised with the genuine concerns over this proposed Carbon Tax,” he said. “Central Coast residents understand that the proposed carbon tax will increase the costs of living, cost jobs, close business and hurt our international competitiveness, but it will not make a difference to the climate.
“This was the perfect spot to hold this rally, as it reminds us of the two dimensions in this debate. “The first is to protect the environment, and the second is to protect families, business and jobs, and a Carbon Tax in Australia does neither. “The rally heard that many Central Coast families will be unable to cope with the increased costs of food, fuel and electricity, and with Energy Australia given the green light to raise prices by 18 per cent from the 1st July, electricity will be harder to afford. “What this carbon tax will do to the already unaffordable costs of power, will see that electricity will no longer be a necessity, it will be a luxury,” said Mr Jameson. “The Government has gone to great lengths to say that this is a tax on the country’s biggest 1000 polluters, but the rally heard that the real situation
was that households will eventually pay, changing nothing. “The flaw with this proposed tax, is that those that emit higher levels of carbon dioxide won’t pay, as the costs will be passed onto the consumer driving up the prices of virtually everything. “Many in the rally voiced their concerns that the implementation of this tax was hidden from the community prior to the 2010 election, where prime minister Julia Gillard said that there would be no carbon tax under the government that she leads. “The rally saw this as an issue of trust, an issue of truth, and this government has misled the Australia people over implementing a Carbon Tax, and it was evident from the rally that this is not easily forgotten,” said Mr Jameson. Wyong mayor Cr Doug Eaton outlined that he expects the increase costs
to council under this tax to run into the millions each year. Gosford Cr Jeff Strickson informed the rally of how he saw the proposed tax will affect the Gosford Local Government Area. But it was the point about compensation by Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells, the Patron Liberal Senator for the Central Coast that raised the roof, when she said “you only pay compensation when you hurt people”. “The truth is that this proposed tax will hurt families here on the coast,” said Mr Jameson. “We need a government that takes the protection of the environment seriously, a government that gives us real solutions, not just a new tax and we will continue to hold these rallies until they listen,” concluded Mr Jameson. Media Release, 30 Jun 2011 Darren Jameson, Former Liberal candidate for Robertson
Possible airport locations on the Central Coast are all west of the F3 freeway in the plateau area of Kulnura, Peats Ridge and Somersby. Mayor for Gosford Cr Laurie Maher said the region has been considered as an option for more than a decade. “I think that’s a big step forward for the Central Coast,” said Cr Maher. “It’s a big factory that employs 6000 jobs. “35,000 people a day going down to Sydney on that F3 is not a good look and its terribly demanding on family life and social life generally and it takes money out of the Coast. “We’re really looking to the new government to give us a hand. “We’ve got the three musketeers up here who will be making sure we don’t waste too much time on some of these other peripheral areas like Sydney and Newcastle and just concentrate on the centre
of the earth, namely the Central Coast. “We might be able to provide the solution for the Federal Government,” said Cr Maher. Cr Maher said the Central Coast has several advantages over Newcastle. “It’s close to Sydney,” he said. “The Government is doing the feasibility on the fast train from Newcastle to Sydney, that could be part of the whole infrastructure. “It’s got the population base of both Newcastle and Sydney, and of course we’ve got a population here of 300,000 locally to go to 400,000 plus,” he said. The debate continues after a new defence report appeared to have ruled Newcastle out of the competition. Media Release, 24 Jun 2011 Kay Williams, Pearl Beach Media Statement, 27 Jun 2011 Laurie Maher
Confusion over relocation grant osford residents have expressed their confusion at a media release put out by member for Gosford Mr Chris Holstein’s office on Friday, June 24, claiming that Sydney families will be paid $7000 to move to the Central Coast.
G
The media release stated that the NSW Government is encouraging Sydney families to relocate their homes from the city to the Central Coast with a $7000 relocation grant available from July 1. Mr Holstein’s office has since said this information is incorrect and the Central Coast is actually part of the Sydney Metropolitan region and Central Coast residents may be eligible to be paid $7000 to move out of the Central Coast if they wish. “It was based on a
release given to us by the deputy premier’s office,” said Ms Wendy Masula from Mr Holstein’s office. “Unfortunately, after it went out, we were then advised that the Central Coast is part of the Sydney metropolitan area,” she said. Mr Holstein said he apologises for any confusion or inconvenience caused. Kaitlin Watts, 30 Jun 2011 Media Release, 24 Jun 2011 Wendy Masula, office of Chris Holstein MP