Inaugural speech in NSW Parliament: Robert Stokes, Planning Minister

31 May 2007 “..Our planning system is so overloaded with regulation that councils simply cannot enforce the conditions placed on development to ensure the local environment is protected. It is so easy for government to transact business as usual. It requires more to transform our society into one that is conscious of its natural surroundings. We have long battled over our environment: we have sought to explore it, to subdue it, to conquer it and, all too recently, to save it. Now the battle is about our collective consciousness and sense of justice for our environment. Such a transformation is not simply change for the sake of it; we need to change direction. Parliament is a forum for leading this change, and I am proud to be part of it for the people.”

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The need for him to uphold his own values when assessing the plans for the quarry.

Information provided by <name confidential> (Royalla Resident)