Hunter not forgotten in budget: MacDonald Howard slams Labor ‘greed’ over port sale cash THE Baird government has brushed aside all  the recommendations of a parliamentary inquiry into its Newcastle planning decisions, declaring that there is no conflict between its dual roles as a planner and developer in the city. Instead, it has reiterated that it will get rid of the heavy rail east of Wickham and install light rail. It will stick with controversial building height limits for the GPT-UrbanGrowth Hunter Street mall redevelopment it says were set in ‘‘response to community views expressed through an open and transparent consultation process’’, despite criticisms the biggest changes were publicly exhibited for only 16 days.  Christian Democrats MLC Fred Nile joined with the Greens and Labor to issue the highly-critical report following public hearings late last year and in the lead up to the March state election. It recommended the height limit for the city’s east end be lowered to 27 metres, that the heavy rail remain, and that the government refer all development applications for the east end precinct to the Planning and Assessment Commission – yet at the same time make Newcastle City Council the planning authority for all city land. It also called on the government to ‘‘clearly separate’’ the Department of Planning and state developer UrbanGrowth NSW, amid deteriorating public confidence in the integrity of government decisions. But it did not find any evidence of corrupt or improper influences, beyond allegations of developer donations to Liberal election campaigns aired at the Independent Commission Against Corruption. The ICAC also declined to investigate matters the inquiry referred about UrbanGrowth and the Hunter Development Corporation. In its response tabled to Parliament, the government said ‘‘strong governance arrangements’’ were in place to separate UrbanGrowth and the department, but it would involve the council in future. ‘‘The revitalisation of the former rail corridor will be central to the revitalisation process and Newcastle City Council will have the final say about what development occurs and will tick off on any proposal before it proceeds,’’ it said. Greens MP David Shoebridge said  it was a ‘‘slap in the face to residents’’. ‘‘These internal conflicts on development matters greatly trouble the community, and rightly so, and this is a real missed opportunity to provide some integrity in developments being pushed by UrbanGrowth,’’ he said. Newcastle Labor MP Tim Crakanthorp said: ‘‘The majority of Novocastrians don’t support high rise in the east end and would prefer the light rail to go down the current rail corridor if anywhere’’. ‘‘They’ve been heard but ignored – Newcastle deserves better.’’