YOU HAVE BEEN SERVED: Whistleblower Exposes Council Double Standards as Legal Action Commences
YOU HAVE BEEN SERVED: Whistleblower Exposes Council Double Standards as Legal Action Commences
What a win for the Bankstown Christian Community. Think again if you think you can knock down our war memorial churches. All glory to God for this breakthrough. ⛪️⚖️
🔻 THE WHISTLEBLOWER REVELATION
A sitting Bankstown Councillor, speaking on the condition of anonymity due to genuine security concerns, has issued a scathing indictment of the double standards at play within the City of Canterbury Bankstown:
"Council turned a blind eye. They allowed an illegal prayer hall just 290m away to run for years—a known hotbed linked to the Bondi killer—yet they want to knock down our Christian churches. They didn’t lift a finger to stop an illegal operator, yet they are fighting to destroy a church that houses the remains of servicemen who died for our country. They ignore community pleas and expert heritage advice by people they hired themselves to save a site of great heritage, yet the illegal prayer hall continues. You figure it out."🛑 THE LEGAL STRIKE: PROCEEDINGS COMMENCED
We have officially drawn a line in the sand. I am proud to announce that legal proceedings have formally commenced in the Land and Environment Court of NSW. We brought in the formidable team at Levitt Robinson (Mr. Stewart Levitt & Luke Richards) because some things are simply too holy to bulldoze.
The precedent is now set: try to erase a sacred church, and you will face a community united by faith and the law. To the City of Canterbury Bankstown: You have been served. 📂
A MONUMENTAL TEAM EFFORT
For the past seven months, a dedicated team of advocates, residents, and legal experts has been deeply embedded in this fight. This mission began as a calling. After seeing a distressed pensioner on A Current Affair—a woman whose entire life was tied to a church now facing the bulldozer—it was impossible not to act.
During this journey, I have had the privilege of writing 13 articles and producing a 5-part investigative series to shine a light on the truth. Working alongside Save St Pauls Bankstown Inc, our collective effort to coordinate media and brief legal counsel has finally culminated in a definitive strike for justice.
Had St Pauls Bankstown Inc not taken action, the 90-day appeal period would have lapsed and the bulldozers would have moved in. This legal action formally challenges the demolition, protecting a consecrated house of God and a living record of Bankstown’s multicultural history while the court reviews the case.
Background
On Friday, 17 October 2025, the Canterbury Bankstown Local Planning Panel officially approved the demolition of the historic St Paul’s Anglican Church at 459 Chapel Road, Bankstown, despite fierce opposition from the local community and heritage advocates. You can read the decision and meeting minutes here.
St Paul’s Church, established in 1914 and a cherished landmark for over a century, has been at the heart of Bankstown’s community and multicultural history. Heritage experts such as Dr Sue Rosen and Dr Roy Lumby have emphasized the church’s architectural and social significance, describing it as a rare and intact example of Interwar and Post-War ecclesiastical architecture.
The Anglican Diocese of Sydney has argued that the church is financially unsustainable due to costly roof repairs. However, many parishioners feel betrayed, viewing this as a prioritization of financial gain over community heritage. Prayers have been answered; this is truly a David and Goliath story when you go up against a behemoth like the Anglican Diocese and Bankstown Council.
State Significant Development Tracker
Project ID: SSD-79709963 TOD - St Paul's Anglican Church, Bankstown
UPDATE: Following the immediate commencement of legal proceedings in the Land and Environment Court, the project has been thrown into a state of uncertainty. Any move to proceed now is subject to the determination of the appeal filed today.
Proposed Site Use: 23-storey tower and community facilities.
Official Portal: NSW Major Projects - TOD St Paul's →
The Spiritual Line in the Sand
Heavenly Father, protect this consecrated site. Grant wisdom to Levitt Robinson and the advocates. Soften hearts that prioritize profit over prayer, and let this sanctuary remain a beacon of hope and a memorial to our heroes. AMEN.
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