Last Sunday, February 5th, Pittwater residents joined other communities and their residents at a Save Our Council's Coalition (SOCC) organised rally to reinstate an ongoing determination to have councils restored. The rally was held outside the North Shore Electorate Office at Neutral Bay of Mrs Jillian Skinner, MP, the former Minister for Health, who recently announced she will retire from politics. On the same day a 'news'- 'paper' published an 'Editorial' advising the newly elected Premier Berejiklian to 'hold your ground' on council amalgamations - addressing the lady as 'Madam' - that's not good French!
This was 'backed up' by a Media Release on Monday 6th by the "Property Council of Australia" who 'urged NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian to hold the line on council amalgamations in NSW against the forces of political self-interest ...' - words and 'advice' so similar they may have fallen from the same pen.
The Property Council of Australia went on to state that 'the Property Council has been a long term, strong supporter of the local government reform agenda because it will provide better outcomes for local communities, transparency for business and industry and a stronger future for NSW.'
Members from the Save Our Councils Coalition,met new Local Government Minister Gabrielle Upton on Monday.:
SOCC Representatives meet with the Premier and reinforced the position
MEETING NOTES – 6 FEBRUARY 2017
1. SOCC who we are
a) Members and supporters are community groups, residents and councillors from across NSW.
b) The aims are to keep councils local, no forced amalgamations and properly conducted plebiscites.
c) Non-party political and transparent.
2. What we want
ALL MERGER PROPOSALS MUST BE WITHDRAWN NOW
There are 10 councils in court, 11 councils affected by court decisions and others being considered for mergers. All must remain as local councils.
FOR LOCAL COUNCILS FORCIBLY MERGE and in administration since May 2016 with no elected councillors.
a) The Greens, Labor, the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party and the Christian Democrats are offering a legislative route for the de-merging of these councils which is both effective and quick.
b) This commitment was made at a public Rally called by SOCC on 5 February 2017 and has strong community support – see videos on https://www.facebook.com/saveourcouncils.
c) This has a number of advantages over conducting plebiscites. If the Government decides to go the way of plebiscite it must take place in every original council area and be determinative of the issue of de-merger and take place as soon as it can be properly arranged.
d) If the Government does not move quickly to resolve this matter as outlined, local communities will continue and indeed increase the battle to keep their local democracy.
3. What the situation is at the moment
LOCAL COMMUNITIES ARE ANGRY AND DISMAYED
There is considerable anger and dismay in local communities across NSW at the way the Government has attacked local communities and their elected councils. There is only one way that may abate to some degree, and that is to withdraw all forced mergers now.
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Rallies and protests continued through the week, one sparked by a reported comment from the Cabinet Meeting of Tuesday the 7th by Coogee MP Bruce Notley-Smith who said, in speaking against a retreat from amlagamations: "Turkeys don't vote for Christmas".
Wednesday the 8th brought the protest to the Honourable Member for Coogee's office where placards displaying the word 'vote' but with a different context decorated the exterior of his rooms, replete with one who had donned a turkey costume.
At Coogee
Wednesday was also a day when the new Premier's Office attracted some placards as added response to the 'turkey comment'.
On Thursday the 9th the "Free Canturbury - Demerge now" launch of the Save Canterbury Petition by the Hands Off Canterbury Community Group demanding the reinstatement of Canterbury Council as a stand alone entity was held in ANZAC Mall, Campsie. This one was called on the afternoon of February 8th.
SOCC reported "This afternoon in Campsie Sophie Costas ex councillors and SOCC reps and residents have started their demerge petitition. A special thanks to Brian Halstead for joining us all the way from the Northern Beaches. What a champion."
At Campsie
The last for this week was on Friday at Queanbeyan where hundreds gathered,. travelling from Dubbo, Delgate and Tumbarumba, despite oppressive 45 degrees heat, to make sure deputy premier John Barilaro's electorate office could hear the opposition to forced amalgamations is not going away.
At Queanbeyan
Meanwhile, the opposition shadow minister for local government Peter Primrose, along with local government spokesperson and Greens minister David Shoebridge, have stated this week their parties will put forward legislation when parliament resumes this week to work with the government to end the controversial policy. That may be an interesting Valentines Day!
In a Sydney Morning Herald article, 'Taxpayers fund council merger surveys as government searches for a resolution' (Lisa Visentin, Thursday February 9th) it was reported that telephone surveys are being conducted by researchers from National Field Services asking specifically about council mergers, among other matters. Mosman residents as well as at least one Strathfield resident have been contacted and all expressed absolute opposition to council mergers in their areas - one is currently part of a legal action to stop it occurring, in Mosman, while the other is part of a pending merger with Burwood and Canada Bay.
Here in Pittwater the protest isn't using bullying words or stooping to rudeness and condescension but the emphatic message remains the same:
RESTORE PITTWATER COUNCIL
February 6, 2017: Media Release
Community umbrella group Pittwater Forever, representing 18 community groups and their members, today urged Premier Gladys Berejiklian to restore local democracy to Pittwater.
Pittwater Forever chairman Craig Boaden made the call, saying “The Premier has identified forced Council amalgamations as the top liability for her government. The merger of Pittwater with two other Councils continues to be intensely opposed by a large majority of Pittwater residents, with 89% surveyed favouring retaining Pittwater Council.”
“Under the new arrangements Pittwater is once again being submerged by the interests of others from outside the area. Pittwater residents feel they have lost their representation and independence.”
“If the Premier is fair dinkum about really listening to the community and acting on their clearly expressed wishes, she should immediately reverse the ill-considered merger of Pittwater with other areas and re-establish Pittwater Council on the boundaries as they were pre May 2016.”
The Pittwater area includes suburbs at the northern end of Sydney’s coastline, stretching from Narrabeen up to Palm Beach. Until the forced mergers in 2016, it was the last new LGA, seceding from Warringah in 1992. The Pittwater community fought hard to leave the much larger Council and was deeply angered by the government’s unilateral decision to force a merger with Manly and Warringah Councils
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As the Office of Local Government's annual report states the NSW government has spent $357, 750, 000 million on council reform last financial year, people are beginning to wonder how and where the continually touted 'savings' are occurring in commonly accepted definitions of such. The NSW Government's tax payer funded costs for court cases of those councils still fighting amalgamations cannot be tallied yet due to these being unresolved and ongoing.
John Illingsworth has published videos of Pittwater residents at last Sunday's rally - these run below.