In response to our earlier story, South Kiama developer speaks out, the Member for Kiama, Gareth Ward, says he has never supported the South Kiama planning proposal.

While he met with White Constructions’ Graham Morcom in 2016 and arranged for him to have a meeting with the Minister for Planning, Mr Ward says this could in no way be characterised as lending his support as no detail was given.

“He wanted to discuss possible proposals for land at South Kiama. My door is always open to hear people out and if they want to see ministers I will introduce them,” he says.

“But you don’t offer a view about a legal process until you know the detail.

“As soon as I became aware of the detail, it has been my consistent view that it shouldn’t go ahead. For Morcom to suggest that I was in favour of this is actually ridiculous.”

Mr Ward says that he made his opposition to the proposal clear to the Minister, and refused to meet with the developer in February.

“My position has been the same on similar projects looking to massively expand the outskirts of towns where there is no infrastructure, such as in Berry, Jamberoo and Kangaroo Valley.

“I’m not anti-development, and that is why I suggested the Government stick to their plan at Bombo Quarry.”

He says the Minister has undertaken to seek information from the Department of Planning on where the matter is up to, and he has asked for all possible options from this point to be laid on the table.

“For him [Morcom] to try and badge this as affordable housing is lunacy,” says Mr Ward.

“Does he honestly think that people in our community are so silly that we think that White Constructions is doing this out of the generosity and goodness of their hearts? I think not.”