The NIMBY Syndrome !

Just about everybody agrees that we badly need more housing in Sydney - just so long as it doesn't happen in our suburb ! The NIMBY syndrome is alive and well in Sydney - and that poses an interesting question. How do we strike a balance between the rights of local residents to be heard and have a say on matters affecting their way of life ? And the needs of government planners to make decisions for the common good ? Common sense dictates that we need to make more use of existing facilities such as power, gas and water. New estates are more costly to develop and facilities such as roads and rail transport on the existing corridors into the city are underused by world standards. Our city can not ever expand outwards. It is inevitable that the ratio of people per square kilometre must expand - and that usually means " Upwards " ! To many people the thought of unit blocks - or even villas or townhouses on the average quarter acre block conjures up a nightmare vision. They have lived in a nice subrban home in a chosen suburb - and they will fight tooth and nail to keep it that way. The moment any form of rezoning is proposed they are out on the street waving protest placards. Even usually mild mannered people can be driven to a demonic fury once the mob instinct takes hold. It usually ends in the political arena. If the suburb slated for change has the majority voting pattern of the political party in office then that suburb is spared - and the focus changes to an area that encompasses people of an opposite political persuasion. It is all a matter of counting numbers - and making sure the government in office continues to get the nod at the next election. That is constant, no matter wich side of politics is in office. Ideally, removing the housing density question from politics and placing it squarely under the control of an independent body would achieve more logical decisions, but the usual " CATCH 22 " situation arises. The selection of the members of that independent body has to be made by someone - and that brings the politicians back into the equation. Many people with long memories remember the inequities when the feared NCDC ruled every minor decision in Canberra. Most would shudder at the thought of a similar fate for Sydney ! It seems that we are stuck with the present system simply because there is no acceptable alternative. Unfortunately, as a result this city will not progress to a well coordinated plan to make the best use of what we have in abundance - but remains under used because urban renewal is stifled by the NINBY way of doing business. That old adage about the squeaky wheel getting the most oil still applies !