Council censors objectors' submissions

Central Coast Council has censored submissions opposing a three-storey development at 75 Brickwharf Rd, Woy Woy, according to one objector.

The censorship has resulted in detail being removed or obscured by "redaction" of parts of two objections, according to Mr Frank Wiffen of Woy Woy.

He said a substantial point in his own submission was initially "redacted" by council staff.

Mr Wiffen's submission objected to the lack of shadow diagrams in the documents available with the development application on the council website.

In their absence, Mr Wiffen provided his own shadow diagrams.

However, a part of his explanation of the impact of the shadowing of neighbouring properties was deleted.

Mr Wiffen said he challenged the redaction and his full submission was later published on the council website.

He said that, had he not challenged the redaction, the censored version which affected the strength of his submission would have remained on the council website.

Mr Wiffen said he was concerned with another submission, where council staff had removed in its entirety one of the two reasons given for the objection.

No explanation was given on the council website for the "redaction".

"Council staff should not be changing or suppressing objections of the community to development proposals," he said.

"The process should be open and transparent.

"Procedural fairness should require that the community has the opportunity to express its views without interference.

"It should be remembered that the purpose of the public exhibition of development applications is to give the community the opportunity to consider the merits of a proposal.

"Access to the full submissions of others is an important part of that consideration.

"Censorship should only occur in extreme cases, and where it occurs it should be explained.

"Redaction of the substance of objections to development applications only further undermines the current low level of community confidence in the operation of Central Coast Council.

"People can reasonably infer that council staff are attempting to manipulate the process and its outcome when censorship of this nature occurs, even if that is not the intention.

"In public administration, it is not only important that justice is done, but that it is seen to be done," Mr Wiffen said.

SOURCE:

DA Tracker, 18 Aug 2021

DA61806, Central Coast Council