Community website “Bangthetable.com” has released interim results from its consultation on the draft strategy, released by the State Government last month.

Only 24 per cent of the 351 people who commented on the website over the past four weeks were satisfied with the way the strategy addresses regional issues.

Bang The Table co-founder Dr Crispin Butteriss said many respondents had commented that the draft strategy was more about the needs of the people in Sydney than the needs of local people.

“Site users have pointed out that areas are preserved for Sydney’s water, being developed for Sydney’s homes and other areas preserved for Sydney’s tourism and leisure,” he said.

“Overall there is a feeling that the needs and aspirations of the local people have been ignored in the development of this draft strategy.

“People feel that they have not been consulted and their views are not important.”

Dr Butteriss said respondents commonly expressed bewilderment that the Sydney to Canberra corridor is being considered a region.

“The community tend to reject the idea of being a region defined by a highway and instead relate to the Southern Highlands, the Goulburn Mulwaree area or the Canberra area,” he said.

However, not all the comments on the website are against development.

“We are in a position to use Sydney and Canberra as our major markets for economic develo