A well organised gathering of around 75 individuals including, members from the central coast community, state members of Parliament, and animal welfare and protection advocates, united on Friday 14 October, for a peaceful protest to demand urgent action over the controversial, Palm Grove, planning development for an intensive, commercial dog breeding facility.   

The protest, held on the steps of the Central Coast Council’s (CCC) Wyong office, included speeches from local resident Tony Voller and Animal Liberation’s Campaigns Director, Alex Vince, with statements read out on behalf of Greens MP Abigail Boyd and Member for Wyong, Labor MP, David Harris. The event concluded with a ‘List of Demands’ being delivered to Council’s Administrator Rik Hart, and a rousing series of passionate 'chants' led by Animal Liberation’s Newcastle branch leader, Darren Brollo. 

The gathering projected a strong mood of togetherness, with people from all walks of life, ages and backgrounds, supported by dozens of bright posters and corflutes depicting powerful images and key messages targeting decision makers and state legislators.

The event speakers and statements left no doubts about the frustrations and concerns felt, regarding the three-year protracted and questionable nature of the planning assessments, including retrospective approvals, the now expired Central Coast Local Planning Panel (LPP) approved 15-month trial period, the lack of council compliance enforcement in response to ongoing consent condition breaches, and the general lack of response from Council and the LPP.  The palpably determined mood of protesters clearly echoed the ire of angry and distressed locals and Animal Liberation, Australia’s longest running animal rights organisation.

Lisa Ryan, Animal Liberation’s Regional Campaigns Manager confirmed: “The protest was a positive and very successful demonstration of people power. We’re buoyed by the enormous amount of good will, positive feedback and support we’ve received from the community and the broader public. Many people who were unable to attend the protest, have reached out to us asking what they can do to support the campaign. The only surprise on the day was the Applicant himself attending and filming attendees and speakers without their consent.”

Determined to maintain the campaign’s momentum, Lisa confirmed: “Animal Liberation has now launched an online protest follow-up action allowing anyone to directly email Anthony Roberts, NSW Minister for Planning, requesting his urgent intervention with this Central Coast puppy factory. 

“Clearly, everyone is fed up, and Council and the LPP must start listening and remembering who pays their wages. Right is on our side, and sloppy planning assessments, poor decision making and puppy factories aren’t acceptable, and won’t be tolerated.”

“We’re not backing down and will always fight for the rights of all animals without fear or favour. With the public’s support, we will continue to mandate for compassion without compromise. That we can support the central coast community on a platform of shared values and collectively challenge our appalling planning system which fails to recognise the welfare of animals, is a bonus. We will continue to support this local community and we will never abandon these dogs.”

“For the community, we are here with you and for you every step of the way for the long term until we reach a resolution and agreement with the decision makers. We will not walk away or be diverted from our mutual goals. For each and every dog and puppy, we will not forget you or abandon you. We recognise you all as individuals, unique, sentient and precious. We see you, we hear you, and we will continue to advocate for you without fear or favour until justice is achieved. That is our promise and our commitment to you all.”

Local resident Tony Voller said: “This 30 dog Puppy Farm development has sorely tested our trust and faith in Central Coast Council’s processes and compliance system -  we are fed up with Council’s management where their systems continue to deliver poor outcomes for the community! Complaints of non-compliance are rewarded with retrospective approvals that have already happened on three separate occasions and a 4th retrospective approval is pending.”

“These retrospective approvals include approval for a buried Septic Waste Water System associated with the Puppy Farm. How you approve a covered septic system that is buried in the ground when its features are supposed to be inspected prior to burial?”

“This Puppy Farm development also highlights other concerns with Council’s management systems. Council’s planning portal malfunctioned on many occasions during the submission process for the latest DA to amend the provisional 15-month approval to permanent approval. This delayed the DA process when the submission date had to be extended. Then Council assigned a part time employee to deal with more than 1,200 submissions for this DA. Delay after delay since March for this DA. Meanwhile local residents continue to suffer from the noise problems associated with this Puppy Farm.”

Animal Liberation’s Campaign Director, Alex Vince added: “We have been able to send a strong message to the Central Coast Council, the Local Planning Panel and decision makers. We will continue to mount public pressure. More than twelve hundred submissions to this harmful development have been lodged. The vast majority of these have been objections – this is because of you standing up for what you believe in.”

“There is no ‘humane’ way to exploit animals and we have all seen or heard about the horrors inside puppy factories. Some are less cruel than others but, in all, the dogs are money-making commodities and become expendable when they no longer turn a profit.”

“Our animal protection laws are weak. They are inadequate and they continue to fail the very animals they are supposed to protect. Our planning system is outdated and not fit for purpose. The animal welfare agencies tasked with upholding the laws are often under-staffed and under-resourced. The decision-makers, in the main, either don’t care or comprehend the public’s demand for progress in line with the community's expectations about animal welfare, democracy and justice.”

“In recent weeks, the Select Committee on Puppy Farming in New South Wales has published their final report. It contains two findings and 18 recommendations. This is the second puppy factory inquiry we have had in NSW. The first was in 2015, some seven years ago. Yet the dogs, puppies and public are still waiting for progressive change and justice.”

A statement read out of behalf of Greens MP Abigail Boyd, said, “This outrageous puppy farm has been allowed to operate in the Palm Grove community, despite the strident opposition from the local community and animal advocates across the state, because of a fundamental failure of our planning laws and our democracy. The failures are widespread and far-reaching - from the planning loopholes that mean intensive companion animal breeders don’t have to meet the same planning standards as animal agriculture, to the removal of planning decisions from local councils, to the shameful decision by the State Government to leave the Central Coast without democratic council representation and in the hands of a high-powered bureaucrat for four long years.”

“The Greens stand with the Palm Grove community in opposing the shameful puppy farm that operates in their midst. There is no excuse for treating living beings like machines in a factory. The Greens endorse the demands made today by animal advocates and the Palm Grove community. Together we will see the end of this shameful puppy farm.”

Local Member for Wyong, Labor’s David Harris who has also met with local community members and was unable to attend the event, added his support stating: ”I am sorry I could not be at your action today. I am supportive of your protests against this facility. As you know I have raised the issue in the NSW Parliament after meeting with residents. I have also forwarded concerns to Council regarding noncompliance with statutory requirements. Good luck with your meeting today and I continue to offer my support.”

In a Private Members Statement on 11 May 2022, and referring to the development, Harris said: ”There are two issues. One is that some people have a fundamental disagreement with puppy farms because of the way they operate and the stress they cause to animals et cetera. The other issue is the way the planning system works. For both those reasons, this particular development is causing genuine concern for the residents and the wider community.”

“There is no use in having a planning panel and planning laws if people can deliberately flout them and then seek retrospective approval. An operation either complies or does not comply. If it is noncompliant, the operators should be compelled to discontinue, particularly when so many objections have been made. The residents need a resolution. The operation needs to be stopped and this issue followed up as quickly as possible.”

Media enquiries: Lisa Ryan, Regional Campaigns Manager – lisa.r@animal-lib.org.au

Protest event link: Facebook (includes speaker details, background, why this event is important)

Post protest action targeting NSW Minister for Planning: here.

Published 17 Oct 2022