YambaCAN invited to address parliamentary committee

By Tim Howard

A community group (YambaCAN) at the centre of the opposition to housing development on the West Yamba flood plain has been invited to give evidence to a NSW Parliamentary Committee later this month.

The invitation to Yamba Community Action Network from Portfolio Committee No. 7 – Planning and Environment represents a change of mind from the committee.

Earlier this year the committee had visited the NSW South Coast and Sydney, conducting site visits and taking submissions from residents.

But it decided to cut its North Coast commitments to just two days of site visits to areas between Port Macquarie and the Tweed.

Four members of the committee toured West Yamba and Maclean on May 31, where YambaCAN presented seven folders of documents, photographs and thumb drives containing Powerpoint presentations, videos and other evidence gathered during flood events in the area.

YambaCAN chair Col Shephard said the change of heart from the committee was welcome.

“We welcome the invitation of now being given the opportunity of a hearing,” he said.

“Two representatives will be providing evidence at the hearing for the inquiry into the planning system and the impacts of climate change on the environment and communities.

“The two representatives are Lynne Cairns, Secretary of Yamba CAN Inc, and Helen Tyas Tunggal, member of Yamba CAN Inc.”

The Portfolio Committee No. 7 – Planning and Environment invited YambaCAN to give evidence at a hearing for the inquiry into the planning system and the impacts of climate change on the environment and communities in the Jubilee Room at NSW Parliament House, Sydney on Monday June 17 between 11am and 11.30am.

West Yamba residents were out in force for the committee site visit with at least 50 line streets waving banners and signs.

Mr Shephard said there needed to be a moratorium on development in the area while new evidence about the effects of climate change on areas like West Yamba were investigated.

He said residents who lived through the flooding in February and March 2022 had noted and collected data on flood heights and water flows which seemed to differ from the information planners relied on.

The committee’s terms of reference were established last year.

YambaCAN secretary Lynne Cairns, right and member Helen Tyas Tungal will present the group’s submission about the problems of flood plain development to the NSW Parliament’s Portfolio 7 Committee in Sydney later this month.

That Portfolio Committee 7 inquire into and report on how the planning system can best ensure that people and the natural and built environment are protected from climate change impacts and changing landscapes, and in particular:

• developments proposed or approved:
• • in flood and fire prone areas or areas that have become more exposed to natural disasters as a result of climate change,
  • in areas that are vulnerable to rising sea levels, coastal erosion or drought conditions as a result of climate change, and
  • in areas that are threatened ecological communities or habitat for threatened species
• the adequacy of planning powers and planning bodies, particularly for local councils, to review, amend or revoke development approvals, and consider the costs, that are identified as placing people or the environment at risk as a consequence of:
• • (i) the cumulative impacts of development,
  • (ii) climate change and natural disasters,
  • (iii) biodiversity loss, and
  • (iii) rapidly changing social, economic and environmental circumstances
• short, medium and long term planning reforms that may be necessary to ensure that communities are able to mitigate and adapt to conditions caused by changing environmental and climatic conditions, as well as the community’s expectation and need for homes, schools, hospitals and infrastructure
• alternative regulatory options to increase residential dwelling capacity where anticipated growth areas are no longer deemed suitable, or where existing capacity has been diminished due to the effects of climate change
• listening to, and learning from, Aboriginal voices and experiences to better inform planning outcomes1
• any other related matters.

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