1 00:00:00,280 --> 00:00:03,240 Speaker 1: Saah Instagram post this morning, Frank Pangelo put it up 2 00:00:03,240 --> 00:00:05,760 Speaker 1: regarding a tree that dumped a big branch, a gum 3 00:00:05,760 --> 00:00:08,240 Speaker 1: tree of course in Linton, which is in the Minsham 4 00:00:08,360 --> 00:00:11,720 Speaker 1: Council area. Luckily no one was driving by. It was 5 00:00:11,760 --> 00:00:13,880 Speaker 1: over a road, no one was driving or walking by 6 00:00:14,000 --> 00:00:16,520 Speaker 1: under it when this thing came down. And Frank, good morning. 7 00:00:16,520 --> 00:00:18,800 Speaker 1: I understand you'd warn the council about this tree. 8 00:00:19,239 --> 00:00:21,680 Speaker 2: Yes, good morning, and thank you for having me on, Matthew. 9 00:00:22,160 --> 00:00:26,840 Speaker 2: And what was concern is that, fortunately it happened, must 10 00:00:26,880 --> 00:00:29,280 Speaker 2: have happened in the early hours of the morning yesterday. 11 00:00:30,480 --> 00:00:33,680 Speaker 2: A few hours previously. My son had parked his car 12 00:00:33,920 --> 00:00:36,920 Speaker 2: right under that tree because he does that to take 13 00:00:36,960 --> 00:00:39,839 Speaker 2: his dog for a walk. But during the week it's 14 00:00:39,960 --> 00:00:43,080 Speaker 2: very busy, a lot of cars come through off Goodwood Road, 15 00:00:43,600 --> 00:00:46,000 Speaker 2: and if that had come down, that would have caused 16 00:00:46,120 --> 00:00:49,440 Speaker 2: enormous damage. Now I've been talking about, as you know, 17 00:00:49,640 --> 00:00:53,760 Speaker 2: overhanging trees, particularly in areas like the Mitcham Council area, 18 00:00:53,960 --> 00:00:58,080 Speaker 2: Wood Road, Blair Road and just a few meters down 19 00:00:58,080 --> 00:01:00,800 Speaker 2: from where this tree came down, where I've noticed that 20 00:01:00,840 --> 00:01:03,120 Speaker 2: there are a number of trees that were overhanging, not 21 00:01:03,160 --> 00:01:08,039 Speaker 2: only Baleero, but also Barrett Rode and of course the 22 00:01:08,080 --> 00:01:13,840 Speaker 2: council just and they continue to ignore it and to 23 00:01:13,920 --> 00:01:19,440 Speaker 2: their peril. Now, I support the preservation of trees, but look, 24 00:01:19,560 --> 00:01:23,320 Speaker 2: safety of people should be a priority, and you know 25 00:01:23,920 --> 00:01:27,360 Speaker 2: this sort of thing needs to be considered and is 26 00:01:27,480 --> 00:01:31,520 Speaker 2: concerning for a couple of reasons. Council indifference to trees 27 00:01:32,560 --> 00:01:40,520 Speaker 2: is really being putting people's lives at risk. And also 28 00:01:40,560 --> 00:01:44,559 Speaker 2: the Planning Minister's recent changes to tree laws is making 29 00:01:44,600 --> 00:01:48,240 Speaker 2: it near impossible to remove certain species of gum trees 30 00:01:48,760 --> 00:01:51,280 Speaker 2: and that makes it more difficult for people to be 31 00:01:51,320 --> 00:01:53,880 Speaker 2: able to build homes on blocks of land. Now I 32 00:01:53,920 --> 00:01:57,240 Speaker 2: have one constituent who's been trying to get a decision 33 00:01:57,440 --> 00:02:00,560 Speaker 2: for more than a year from t Tree Gully Council 34 00:02:01,000 --> 00:02:04,120 Speaker 2: about a huge gum tree on an empty block that 35 00:02:04,240 --> 00:02:06,960 Speaker 2: he brought to build his family home. And now he's 36 00:02:06,960 --> 00:02:11,079 Speaker 2: stuck in this limbo, made worse by Minister champions wars 37 00:02:11,120 --> 00:02:15,440 Speaker 2: which could have been grandfathered Matthew to take into account 38 00:02:15,800 --> 00:02:19,919 Speaker 2: the hundreds of other people that probably have development plans 39 00:02:19,960 --> 00:02:24,000 Speaker 2: in with councils regarding the removal of trees, and now 40 00:02:24,280 --> 00:02:27,760 Speaker 2: they just stuck. And this constituent now has to go 41 00:02:28,800 --> 00:02:35,680 Speaker 2: to a planning appeal in order to see if he 42 00:02:35,720 --> 00:02:39,080 Speaker 2: can remove the street now been to this property, and 43 00:02:39,120 --> 00:02:43,960 Speaker 2: he just cannot build his house because not only the 44 00:02:44,040 --> 00:02:47,760 Speaker 2: giant limbs a safety issue, but the root system covers 45 00:02:47,800 --> 00:02:51,520 Speaker 2: most of the land. Now, six neighbors have all written 46 00:02:51,639 --> 00:02:56,040 Speaker 2: letters to the Tea Tree Gully Council urging the removal. Now, 47 00:02:56,080 --> 00:02:59,760 Speaker 2: these neighbors also surrounded and have massive limbs that are 48 00:03:00,080 --> 00:03:02,760 Speaker 2: hanging their properties and they want to remove because it's 49 00:03:02,800 --> 00:03:06,200 Speaker 2: too dangerous. Well, the council is just silent on the 50 00:03:06,200 --> 00:03:10,680 Speaker 2: whole thing. I've got to you know. This constituent also 51 00:03:11,880 --> 00:03:16,560 Speaker 2: is bearing thousands of dollars of extra costs waiting for 52 00:03:16,600 --> 00:03:18,840 Speaker 2: a decision to be made. He just can't build his hut. 53 00:03:19,160 --> 00:03:23,120 Speaker 2: There's another constituent who lives in the Campbelltown Council area. 54 00:03:23,639 --> 00:03:28,320 Speaker 2: His house is alongside a walking path and a very 55 00:03:28,400 --> 00:03:32,120 Speaker 2: large gum tree is right on his fence and overhangs 56 00:03:32,160 --> 00:03:36,240 Speaker 2: his property and almost touches his roof. He fears that 57 00:03:36,280 --> 00:03:39,320 Speaker 2: this tree is going to collapse onto his room. Well, 58 00:03:39,400 --> 00:03:42,640 Speaker 2: all they do is send somebody out to trim the limbs. 59 00:03:42,760 --> 00:03:46,760 Speaker 2: I mean, it's just ludicrous. So he needs to be done. 60 00:03:46,840 --> 00:03:49,080 Speaker 1: Yeah, can't we have a policy where if a big 61 00:03:49,120 --> 00:03:52,640 Speaker 1: tree comes down, the owner plants is responsible for planting 62 00:03:52,680 --> 00:03:57,960 Speaker 1: another five, for instance, somewhere they will grow. Well. 63 00:03:58,080 --> 00:04:01,600 Speaker 2: Yes, in fact, I was talking about with a giant 64 00:04:01,600 --> 00:04:03,920 Speaker 2: gum tree. And if you've got to see this tree, Matthew, 65 00:04:04,120 --> 00:04:08,480 Speaker 2: it is absolutely massive, it is absolutely in fact, there'll 66 00:04:08,520 --> 00:04:10,680 Speaker 2: be so much wood for fire with that. He's actually, 67 00:04:12,080 --> 00:04:16,000 Speaker 2: you know, said that he'd donate the proceeds to charity 68 00:04:16,200 --> 00:04:20,599 Speaker 2: just to bring it down, but he's also happy to 69 00:04:20,839 --> 00:04:24,479 Speaker 2: plant another three trees there. Now. Look, as I said, 70 00:04:24,680 --> 00:04:28,240 Speaker 2: I love seeing old trees, but you have to consider 71 00:04:28,279 --> 00:04:31,400 Speaker 2: the safety of individuals. Now, we're also in a housing 72 00:04:31,880 --> 00:04:34,919 Speaker 2: crisis at the moment, Matthew, there's a housing shortage. The 73 00:04:34,960 --> 00:04:38,200 Speaker 2: government's releasing all this land to build on, but its 74 00:04:38,240 --> 00:04:42,240 Speaker 2: own laws are now adding tens of thousands of dollars 75 00:04:42,279 --> 00:04:45,280 Speaker 2: to the cost of trying to build your home. And 76 00:04:46,839 --> 00:04:50,080 Speaker 2: I think, you know, Minister Champion needs to have another 77 00:04:50,120 --> 00:04:53,200 Speaker 2: look at his legislation and say, well, look, we should 78 00:04:53,240 --> 00:04:56,159 Speaker 2: have grand fathered because I'm sure there'll be hundreds of 79 00:04:56,200 --> 00:05:00,000 Speaker 2: others around the state that accord in the same predication 80 00:05:00,400 --> 00:05:03,640 Speaker 2: that suddenly after his laws had come in. The councils 81 00:05:03,640 --> 00:05:06,279 Speaker 2: are just digging their heels in and are afraid to 82 00:05:06,279 --> 00:05:07,000 Speaker 2: make a decision. 83 00:05:07,040 --> 00:05:09,159 Speaker 1: Frank, is there a concern about, as you put it, 84 00:05:09,240 --> 00:05:11,920 Speaker 1: the indifference of counsels to being warned about a tree 85 00:05:11,920 --> 00:05:15,000 Speaker 1: that's potentially dangerous and then a branch does come down 86 00:05:15,040 --> 00:05:20,120 Speaker 1: and hopefully not but injure somebody or even again hopefully 87 00:05:20,120 --> 00:05:24,719 Speaker 1: not kill them. Is a council liable in that case. 88 00:05:25,360 --> 00:05:28,680 Speaker 2: Well, in fact that they probably have legal opinion that 89 00:05:28,720 --> 00:05:31,720 Speaker 2: says they wouldn't be liable for it. So that's probably 90 00:05:31,800 --> 00:05:34,560 Speaker 2: part of the reason that they are digging their heels in. 91 00:05:34,920 --> 00:05:37,960 Speaker 2: But if somebody actually warns a council beforehand and then 92 00:05:38,000 --> 00:05:41,000 Speaker 2: the tree comes down, that's where they could be liable 93 00:05:41,160 --> 00:05:43,800 Speaker 2: to some sort of damage. But I just do not 94 00:05:44,000 --> 00:05:48,120 Speaker 2: understand why it takes a planning department and a council 95 00:05:49,400 --> 00:05:52,640 Speaker 2: more than a year to make a bloody easy decision. 96 00:05:52,720 --> 00:05:54,760 Speaker 1: Yes, it's not a hard decision. It either comes down 97 00:05:54,839 --> 00:05:56,840 Speaker 1: or it doesn't it. 98 00:05:57,040 --> 00:05:59,640 Speaker 2: I mean, it's just that this is counsels for you, right, 99 00:06:00,080 --> 00:06:03,119 Speaker 2: they're just fearful of making a call. 100 00:06:03,480 --> 00:06:07,320 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, indeed, all right, appreciate the time this morning, Frank, 101 00:06:07,360 --> 00:06:08,560 Speaker 1: thank you for the call. 102 00:06:08,600 --> 00:06:10,560 Speaker 2: Thanks again, MAKEE and IM glad 103 00:06:10,560 --> 00:06:13,119 Speaker 1: Your son's car wasn't their goodness as this big brunch 104 00:06:13,200 --> 00:06:14,920 Speaker 1: came down seeing the photo, it's unreal.