Pittwater Online News

Newport Rugby Club are 2024 Barraclough and Blunt Cup Winners - Congratulations Breakers!

Grand Final - 24 August 2024 for Barraclough Cup
Briars 29 v 31 Newport 

First Grade Barraclough Cup winners 2024 - Newport!

Grand Final - 24 August 2024 for Blunt Cup
Newport 22 v 13 Petersham

Grand Final - 24 August 2024 for Richardson Cup
Newport 3 v 6 Epping

Newport are also Division 2 Club Champions for 2024.

With 3 out of 5 Newport teams making the Grand Final, the strength, skill and sportsmanship at Newport continues to consistently be a part of Rugby at the pointy end of the Season.

2023 Inaugural Joy Johnson cup winners, the Newport Breakers Women's X, may not have had the Season end they worked for, but they had a great time throughout the rounds and will come back better in 2025.

Newport's Colts and 2s were defeated in the Preliminary Finals, with both games coming down to nail biting finishes. However - they all made the finals to begin with.

See: Newport Breakers Rugby Club's Fantastic 2024 Season: Club Champions in Division 2, Semi Final berths booked (post- Round 14 report)

Throughout the Season the club has hosted Womens matches, Family Day, Ladies Day, kept a focus on Mental Wellbeing and upheld its education against domestic violence across all age groups.

To cap off another brilliant Season for the Breakers, up and coming youngsters have been named for the NSW Waratahs U16's, U15's and U14's teams, details here, while Newport's Tim Anstey captained the Deaf Rugby Australia Team on their very successful tour of South Africa.

See: Newport Breakers Player Captain of Australia's Deaf Rugby team now on tour in South Africa 

Newport Breakers Rugby Club remains at the heart of the Newport community - continuing throughout its 2024 Season to be a family focused rock solid base for what is great in sport and greater for including everyone, all year round.

MORE HERE

Surf Life Saving NSW Awards of Excellence 2024

A huge season with a record number of rescues has been celebrated and reflected on by nearly 500 volunteer lifesavers and their supporters, coming together on Saturday 24 August for the annual Surf Life Saving NSW Awards of Excellence event in Sydney.

Newport were awarded the Community Education Program of the Year for the 'Fit to Learn' program. 

''The ‘Fit to Learn’ program run in conjunction with the NSW Police Youth Command has been a rewarding experience that we are looking forward to continuing this season. Well done to everyone involved, it has been an amazing success.''  Newport stated afterwards

It was a strong night for the Sydney Northern Beaches Branch with members winning four awards respectively across the night: Youth Volunteer of the Year to Amanda Cannon (South Curl Curl SLSC), Assessor of the Year to Scott Stein (South Curl Curl SLSC), and  Facilitator of the Year to Caroline Hjorth (Mona Vale SLSC), along with the Community Education Program of the Year.

The spotlight was also shone on Manly LSC’s Ray Petersen – a stalwart of the movement and an invaluable contributor to preserving the history of Surf Life Saving in NSW in his role as founder of the SLSNSW History Panel. For his more than six decades of service, he was honoured with the prestigious President’s Medal.

President’s Medal – Ray Petersen (Manly LSC)

Ray Peterson first joined Surf Life Saving in 1959 and did his Bronze Medallion in 1971. 

Ray has held pretty much every position under the sun at Manly Life Saving Club over the decades, as well as being a representative-level competitor, coach and official. He is a Life Member of the club, the Branch and Surf Life Saving NSW. 

Along with his work on the SLSA History panel from 1996, Ray was the founder and still heads up the Surf Life Saving NSW History Panel, formed in 2000. Since 2010, Ray has painstakingly researched and compiled the names of all Australian lifesavers who died while serving in our armed services, work which was critical to the creation of the national Fallen Lifesavers Memorial at Coogee Beach. 

The large bronze statue and digital honour board sits sentinel overlooking the ocean, a fitting tribute to all those volunteers who made the ultimate sacrifice to protect their country. Hundreds and hundreds of hours of research and liaison with clubs across the country has seen Ray document over 900 names of members who lost their lives in armed conflicts, dating back to World War One. 

Fallen Lifesavers Memorial at Coogee Beach. Photo: Sardaka

The commitment has been enormous, and in doing so, Ray’s legacy is an indelible record of the past that will be available to generations of lifesavers in the future.

Ray was honoured with Life Membership of Manly Life Saving Club in 2000 and the Surf Life Saving Sydney Northern Beaches Branch in 2009.

National Drowning Report 2024 Shows Increased Drownings in NSW: summer safety campaign begins

Tuesday August 20, 2024

Coastal drowning deaths and drownings in total in NSW are up for the 2023-24 year, detailed in the National Drowning Report released today. Sixty-one* (61) drownings occurred in the coastal zone (beaches, ocean and coastal waterways) out of the 128 total drownings in the state for the 12 months.

Drownings at unpatrolled locations are overwhelmingly the key take-away in the coastal statistics, and significantly, there has been a big spike in fatalities over the winter months.

Somewhat alarming is the fact that 21 people drowned during the months of May/June/July and August, compared with the 10 year-average of 10 drownings per year.

The rise in drownings outside the patrol season and in colder months is of concern to Surf Life Saving NSW and reinforces the need to focus on initiatives outside the red and yellow flags, as part of the state’s drowning prevention strategy.

“We are seeing increasing participation in coastal and ocean activities during off-season, from swimming and paddling, to rockfishing and boating. While it’s fantastic to see people enjoying our beautiful coastline year-round, it puts our resources under pressure to respond to incidents and emergencies at any time,” said SLSNSW CEO Steve Pearce.

“With the support of the NSW Government, Surf Life Saving NSW is implementing a range of measures and innovations designed to protect and save lives away from patrolled locations and outside patrol hours or the patrol season itself.”

From installing more Emergency Response Beacons at blackspots, to increased coastal surveillance capabilities through an expanding drone program, Surf Life Saving is looking for ways to use technology to save more lives including the use of camera technology and Artificial Intelligence to remotely surveil and monitor hazards at high risk locations.

Exciting new initiatives are being explored including flying drones further distances and for longer, and controlling flights remotely from anywhere in the state.  

Increased water safety education is another focus, targeting at-risk CALD and inland communities and activities such as rockfishing through programs tailored to specific audiences.

“While we have recorded more drownings last year, it is a testament to the incredible work of our 21,000 active lifesavers that none of these occurred at a patrolled beach between the flags.”

Coastal drowning deaths 

• 61 total incidents (10 year average is 46)
• 22 swimming/wading incidents (10 year average is 15)
• 9 rock fishing incidents (10 year average is 8)
• 18 incidents occurred in summer (10 year average is 19)
• 17 occurred in winter (10 year average is 8)
• 11 incidents in March (10 year average is 5)
• 42 incidents (69%) occurred more than 1km from a patrolled location

* Note on statistics – Due to changes in the classification process, additional incidents have been included in the 2023/24 season. Historically these incidents would not have met the criteria for a coastal drowning death, and work is currently underway to re-evaluate previous seasons’ incidents using the new classification process.

National Drowning Report 2024

The National Drowning Report 2024, released on Tuesday 20th August at Parliament House, Canberra showed drowning is a persistent and traumatic issue that affects thousands of families, first responders and communities every year.

The National Drowning Report 2024, published by the Royal Life Saving – Australia in partnership with Surf Life Saving Australia, found there were 323 drowning deaths over the past 12 months, 16 per cent higher than the ten-year average (278).

Increase in drowning prompts an urgent reminder about water safety ahead of summer

The National Drowning Report 2024, released Tuesday August 20 at Parliament House, Canberra showed drowning is a persistent and traumatic issue that affects thousands of families, first responders and communities every year.

The report records another tragic summer, with drowning incidents in rivers, at beaches and in swimming pools, prompting urgent calls for a strong community focus on water safety ahead of Summer.

The National Drowning Report 2024, published by the Royal Life Saving – Australia in partnership with Surf Life Saving Australia, found drowning deaths over the past 12 months were 14 per cent higher than last year (278).

MORE HERE

Vietnam Veterans Day 2024: Commemorative Service held at Palm Beach

On Sunday August 18 2024 Vietnam Veterans and Presidents, Vice Presidents and Members of Narrabeen, Pittwater, Avalon Beach and Palm Beach Sub-Branches, along with special guests, including the Patron of Vietnam Veterans (Northern) Association, the Hon. Bronwyn Bishop AO, Mackellar MP Dr. Sophie Scamps, and Pittwater MP Rory Amon, and past NSW RSL State President and current Chair of the Invictus Games Australia, James Brown, attended a Commemorative Service held at Palm Beach RSL (Club Palm Beach).

Vietnam Veterans Day takes place on 18 August. On this day we pause and reflect on service and sacrifice that Australian troops displayed throughout the war and commemorate all the battles fought by Australians in Vietnam, from large-scale operations to platoon and section-level encounters. We remember the sailors of the Royal Australian Navy who supported land operations, and members of the Royal Australian Air Force who served in combat and transport roles.

We honour those veterans who lost their lives during battle; returned home wounded, ill or injured; lost their lives in the years since they returned, and still carry the physical and emotional scars of their service.

The arrival of the Australian Army Training Team Vietnam during July and August 1962 was the beginning of Australia's involvement in the Vietnam War.

Australia's participation in the war was formally declared at an end when the Governor-General issued a proclamation on 11 January 1973. The only combat troops remaining in Vietnam were a platoon guarding the Australian embassy in Saigon. These six soldiers were the last to leave on 30 June 1973.

The majority of this deployment comprised army personnel, but significant numbers of air force and navy personnel, and some civilians also took part. During its 11 years of involvement, more than 60,000 Australians fought in Vietnam, at a cost of 523 who died and almost 2,400 wounded.

Music was provided by the Avalon Public School Band, and Adelaide Nichols led all in the National Anthem.

Mark Ferguson OAM, President of Palm Beach RSL Sub Branch and President of the Vietnam Veterans (Northern) Association gave the Prologue, Prayer of Thanksgiving and Commemoration of the Fallen.

Mark served in Vietnam, joining the Army a few days after his 18th birthday. He trained at Wagga, then in Infantry Training at Holdsworthy for a further three months. He was in the 12th Platoon of the Delta Company of the 8th RAR (Royal Australian Regiment) which served at Malacca, Malaysia and then was sent to Vietnam, arriving November 17th, 1969. Of the 521 Australian service personnel died as a result of the Vietnam War, 496 of these were from the Australian Army. The Australian population in1968 was around 12 million, which means 1 in 200 served in Vietnam. Every community was affected.

Wreaths and books were laid by the following:

Mrk Ferguson OAM, Bryan Webester, President of Palm Beach Club, Deborah Carter, President of Pittwater Sub-Branch and Vice President of the Northern Beaches District Council, the Hon. Bronwyn Bishop AO, Dr. Sophie Scamps, Federal Member for Mackellar, Rory Amon, Member for Pittwater, Tamara Sloper-Harding OAM, Vice-President of Avalon Beach RSL Sub-0BranchBernie O’Neill, American Legion, Chris Hendrickson, Palm Beach RSL Sporting Clubs.

MORE HERE

No Liberal Party Members in Local Government Elections 2024: Final List reveals record numbers of women standing + Voting by post in NSW council elections? Apply now

The final list of candidates for the 2024 NSW Local Government elections were made available on Thursday, 15 August.  

The lists were released as it was revealed the New South Wales Liberal Party had missed the candidate nomination deadline for a number of councils ahead of next month's statewide local government elections.

A number of incumbent councillors, including ones who are in blue ribbon Liberal areas, will no longer be able to run.

According to the NSW Electoral Commission website, the Liberals who had announced they would contest for a seat in the Northern Beaches LGA, are not listed.

In the Northern Beaches Council LGA, the Liberal party gained a new member after a Your Northern Beaches Independent Team councillor, Michael Gencher, defected in January 2024. 

Labor, who is contesting several NBC LGA wards for the first time in their history, will be on the ballot.

Liberal state director Richard Shields has stated: "With the secretariat resources that we had available, unfortunately we were unable to nominate in all of the local government areas that were put forward by the State Executive."

Candidate nominations for the elections closed at 12 noon on August 14 2024.  

The 2024 NSW Local Government elections will be held on Saturday, 14 September.  

Following the ballot paper draws for each local council candidate details were published in the order they will appear on the ballot paper on the NSW Electoral Commission website. This applies for councillor and mayoral elections. 

Those confirmed on the NSW Electoral Commission website show an overwhelming number of women candidates for the NBC LGA, including former Candidate for the State seat of Manly, Joeline Hackman, who has become part of the Your Northern Beaches Team.

 Joeline Hackman, standing for a Curl Curl seat

Popular Mayor Sue Heins is again standing, this time for the Frenchs Forest Ward. The only other political party to have candidates listed for the Frenchs Forest is The Greens.

Pittwater has the only ungrouped candidates in Phil Walker, and Mandeep Singh, who was listed, at one stage, as a Liberal Party Candidate but now stands alone.

A new Your Northern Beaches Team member in Newport Chamber of Commerce Rowie Dillon, is also standing for a Pittwater seat.

Rowie Dillon, standing for a Pittwater seat

Pittwater Online News will run a 2024 Candidates Profile page, including those who want to tell you more about how they will serve their communities, on Sunday September 1, Issue 634.

Those listed on the NSW Electoral Commission's website as contesting for seats in the NBC LGA, by Ward (NB: Candidates are displayed in order of receipt. Lead Candidate of a Group is listed first) are collated in Pittwater Online HERE

Council states Avalon Shared Space to be Permanent: insufficient funds in Long Term Financial Plan to Deliver Avalon Place Plan 

Council announced on Thursday, 15 August 2024, that it is planning to make the Avalon Streets as Shared Spaces permanent following a high level of support from the community during the 12-month trial, and will seek funding to design upgrades and improvements. 

The Streets as Shared Spaces was an action as part of the Avalon Place Plan adopted by Council in July 2022. 

The key part of this project was a temporary trial of a one-way shared zone on Old Barrenjoey Road north, between Avalon Parade and Dunbar Park carpark to improve traffic flow and pedestrian safety as well widening paths, the installation of temporary infrastructure including seating and planters to improve the streetscape of the area and changes to the bus stops.  

Funded by the NSW Government under the Places for People program (Streets as Shared Spaces) work commencing in October 2022 and was completed in March 2023 when the 12-month trial began. 

''Feedback was sought from the community, visitors and business owners during the trial period with 1,680 submissions received. The feedback indicated a high level of support for the trial to either be extended or made permanent 67% (with 25% and 42% respectively), and 32% not wanting the trial extended or made permanent.'' Council states

''This week Council agreed for the project to become permanent with the works already installed to be maintained and further design works planned in the future to formalise and upgrade the amenity of the precinct, in keeping with the character of Avalon Beach.''

Currently, there is not sufficient funds in Council’s Long Term Financial Plan to deliver the entirety of the Avalon Place Plan and as such it is proposed to seek grant funding to deliver future works, Council has stated. 

Further works requested by the community including vegetated traffic calming and wider footpath garden areas and umbrellas will be subject to design, community consultation and funding being available.

Council has only recently closed feedback for a proposal for a bike park in Avalon. 

MORE HERE

Wakehurst Parkway Improvements Project approved: Transport for NSW - $100+ million project to commence

Transport for NSW announced on Tuesday August 6, it is progressing plans for road improvements, including intersection upgrades along Wakehurst Parkway between Frenchs Forest  Road, Frenchs Forest, and Pittwater Road, North Narrabeen.

The government states the project will improve safety and reduce congestion and delays for this key link in Sydney’s northern beaches.

Transport for NSW states it recognises the area surrounding Wakehurst Parkway has a diversity of wildlife and vegetation which are important to the local ecosystem and community.

To minimise impacts on local wildlife TfNSW states it will be:

• extending our fauna fencing to create a single corridor of protection between Frenchs Forest Road and Dreadnought Road. Adding to the existing fencing in the area, this will create a total of 1.4km of fencing on the western side and 1.6km on the eastern side of Wakehurst Parkway
• investigating self-closing gates and other fauna fence features
• upgrading four of our pipe culverts to help provide a safe crossing for animals such as the Swamp Wallaby, possum species and reptiles
• avoiding areas of high-quality bushland and retaining as many trees as possible.

Key features

North (Elanora Road and Mirrool Street)

• Shoulder widening along Wakehurst Parkway northbound and southbound to improve traffic flow and create a new left turn bay into Mirrool Street

• Relocating the existing give way line and kerb line at Elanora Road intersection to improve visibility

• Converting the service road near Palm Terrace to left-out only to improve safety and directing all other movements to Mirrool Street.

South (Dreadnought Road and Oxford Falls Road)

• Upgrades to the Dreadnought Road intersection including new bus stops, additional signalised pedestrian crossings, new southbound left turn slip lane and extension of the right turn bay from Wakehurst Parkway onto Dreadnought Road

• Additional lanes in both directions between Dreadnought Road and Oxford Falls Road to improve traffic flow

• Upgrades to the Oxford Falls Road intersection including a new southbound right turn bay and a dedicated northbound left turn lane

• Flood improvement work to help address flooding in this section of Wakehurst Parkway, in partnership with Northern Beaches Council

South (Dreadnought Road and Trefoil Creek)

• Widening of the southbound lane between Oxford Falls Road to Frenchs Forest Road to create dual lanes, improving traffic flow

Council works

The NSW Government is funding 100 per cent of the council-managed flood improvement project with $31.1 million to deliver the work, which includes:

• $5 million from the NSW Government’s Stronger Communities Fund
• $26.1 million – from Transport for NSW in two stages, its initial $13.1 million committed in 2021 and the further 2023 election commitment of $13.0 million.

Council's Update: July 2024

The Wakehurst Parkway Flood Improvement project, combined with Transport for NSW (Transport) Safety and Capacity Upgrades, represents an investment of more than $100 million into the critical road network.

Council and Transport are working together to undertake these improvements in an efficient manner, with the goal of minimising inconvenience, lowering costs, and ensuring community and road user safety.

Council is currently looking at two options for Oxford Falls Road West which include a Box Culvert or a Bridge option. We are working with various authorities to confirm approvals required for each option prior to selection.

Oxford Falls Road (West)

Council states it has progressed two concepts, a box culvert and a bridge, and are now undertaking an environmental review to assist in a tender process.

Oxford Falls West - Box Culvert Option

MORE HERE

PEP11 Proponents File New Claim in Federal Court: 'Determine applications within 45 days'

BPH Energy Limited and Bounty Oil & Gas NL (Bounty) for the PEP11 Joint Venture announced on 5 August 2024, Asset Energy Pty Ltd (Asset) as operator for and on behalf of the joint venture partners, has filed an Originating Application for Judicial Review in the Federal Court seeking the following:

1. A declaration that the Commonwealth-New South Wales Offshore Petroleum Joint Authority has breached an implied duty by failing to make a decision under the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006 (Cth) with respect to two pending applications relating to Petroleum Exploration Permit NSW–11 (PEP11 Permit); and

2. An order that the Joint Authority be compelled to determine the applications within 45 days.

The securities of BPH Energy Ltd (‘BPH’) were placed in trading halt on Wednesday August 7 at the request of BPH, pending it releasing an announcement. Unless ASX decides otherwise, the securities will remain in trading halt until the earlier of the commencement of normal trading on Monday, 12 August 2024 or when the announcement is released to the market.

Asset states it initially applied for federal determination in late December 2019, seeking a variation and suspension of the conditions of the PEP11 permit and an extension of the term of the permit. Asset sought further time to drill an exploration well in PEP11 and, if successful, to conduct post-well studies rather than a 3D seismic survey.

The National Offshore Petroleum Titles Administrator (NOPTA), Asset states, accepted the first application on behalf of the Joint Authority on 23 January 2020. In late January 2021, Asset applied for a variation and suspension of the conditions of the PEP11 permit and an extension of the term of the permit. The application was sought to, among other things, enable Asset further time to drill an exploration well and to invoke decision-making principles set out in the April 2020 COVID-19 fact sheet: work-bid exploration permits. NOPTA subsequently accepted the second application on 4 February 2021, BPH states

On or about 26 March 2022, the joint authority formally determined to refuse the first application. On 14 February 2023, this first application decision was set aside by Australia’s Federal Court on the ground of 'apprehended bias'.

''Between March 2023 and October 2023, Asset provided further information to NOPTA, which then made a recommendation to the joint authority with respect to both applications. To date, neither the first application nor the second application has been determined by the joint authority according to law. '' BPH Energy’s executive director, David Breeze has stated in a missal to the ASX

Asset alleges that – with it having been 1,656 days (inclusive) since the first application was accepted by NOPTA and 1,278 days (inclusive) since the second application – the failure by the joint authority to make a decision with respect to either or both applications constitutes a breach of its duty to consider them within a reasonable time.

On April 23 2024 the Hon. Madeleine King, Federal Resources Minister, announced she had recused herself and delegated her decision-making power on the PEP11 applications to the Hon Ed Husic, Minister for Industry and Science. 

In March 2024 the NSW Government passed The Environmental Planning and Assessment Amendment (Seabed Mining and Exploration) Bill 2024. This amends the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 to prohibit:

• Seabed petroleum and mineral exploration and recovery in NSW coastal waters; and
• Other development within the state for the purposes of seabed petroleum and mineral exploration and recovery anywhere.

''These activities can have a devastating effect on our marine wildlife by releasing toxic materials, destroying habitat and creating harmful sediment levels. We must prevent this happening.'' the government said in a released statement

MP for Warringah Zali Stegall said on August 8;

''The PM promised that PEP11 would be dead under a Labor govt. I have now tabled Stop PEP11 for ever again this term and call on the Albanese Govt to kill PEP11.  For once I agree with BPH, a decision is long overdue. And it’s time to stop PEP11 for ever. Every community from Manly to Newcastle values our coast line, our ocean and thriving local communities, and we all reject this licence. 

Prime Minister, it's time to keep your promise and make PEP11 dead in the water.''

Mackellar MP Dr Sophie Scamps, stated;

''It’s time Asset Energy Advent Energy & Bounty Oil & Gas and BPH listened to the people of northern beaches and Central Coast. We DO NOT want drilling for oil or gas off our pristine coastline. We’ve fought this for decades and will continue to fight it.

It’s time to say NO to this project. It’s environmentally risky and NSW has already moved to ban any onshore gas facilities.

PEP-11 needs to buried once and for all!''

MORE HERE

Newport Breakers Rugby Club's Fantastic 2024 Season: club champions in Division 2 - semi final berths booked after round 14

Newport are Division 2 Club Champions for 2024. 

The boys took a few minutes post training to get together and celebrate this achievement but the job is not done yet. A huge day at Porters on Saturday August against St Patricks with multiple grades playing for minor premierships. 

The Reliance Shield was presented to the club after the Saturday August 3 1st Grade match for winning Division 2. 

Saturday was also Ladies Day 2024, which sold out again this year and featured scrumptious food, a great raffle with brilliant prizes, special guests and some brilliant entertainment from local musicians. 

To wrap up the day players and supporters were joined by the United Notions Band in the clubhouse.

On Saturday August 3 2024 NSW Rugby stated:

''With the completion of the minor premierships in Divisions Two - Five, we acknowledge and congratulate our first Club Champions for 2024.

''Well done to Newport, winning the Reliance Shield in a season-long dominant display in Division Two.''

''Knox have pipped their strong rivals, Sydney Irish and Merrylands, in a close three-way race for the Div. Three Doc Harris Shield. And big congrats to Western Raptors for grabbing the Herlihy Shield in Div Four.''

In related news, Newport's No 8 Tim Anstey is currently Captain of a tour to South Africa.

Visit: Newport Breakers Player Captain of Australia's Deaf Rugby team now on tour in South Africa 

Saturday's results mean all Breakers teams are in the semi-finals again this year.

MORE HERE

Proposal to Reinstate Pittwater Council on its former boundaries: revised s215 document

s215 Proposal to Reinstate Pittwater Council on its former boundaries

Protect Pittwater have revised the previous proposal document and are encouraging all electors of the former Pittwater Council area to sign the s215 proposal addressed to the Minister for Local Government, asking him to refer the proposal to reinstate Pittwater Council to the NSW Boundaries Commission for a full review and report back to the Minister.  

''This was how Pittwater Council was formed in 1992 and now we need to do it again to Protect Pittwater and restore local democracy.'' Protect Pittwater states

The document is available at: protectpittwater.org/pp/proposal

If you are enrolled to vote in the former Pittwater Local Government area you are invited to print the 2 page proposal document (double-sided printing if possible), sign it and encourage up to 9 other Pittwater electors to do the same. Please return the fully signed form to Protect Pittwater – PO Box 402 Avalon 2107 or to a Protect Pittwater volunteer staffing tables at shopping centres and other prominent locations.

If you can’t print off a proposal sheet, you can sign in person at one of their volunteer tables that pop-up at shopping centres or during business hours at the office of Dunn Legal – Suite 4, Level 3 Gateway Building – 1 Mona Vale Rd, Mona Vale.

The document reads:

We, the undersigned electors of the former Pittwater Council area, currently part of the Northern Beaches area, initiate this proposal to the Minister for Local Government under section 215 of the Local Government Act 1993. We propose that:

 the part of New South Wales which formed the Pittwater Local Government area immediately prior to its amalgamation on 12 May 2016 (see map on reverse of this page) be constituted as an area in accordance with section 204 of the Local Government Act 1993 and be named the “Pittwater Local Government Area”

 the newly constituted Pittwater Local Government Area be divided into three wards named: North Ward, Central Ward and South Ward and that three Councillors be elected from each ward with the Councillors electing the Mayor of the new Pittwater Council.

 those three wards are to have substantially the same boundaries as existed for the wards of the same name which existed immediately prior to 12 May 2016, those boundaries adjusted only to the extent required by section 210 of the Local Government Act 1993 to ensure the number of electors in each ward does not vary between them by more than 10%

 the remaining portion of the Northern Beaches Council area continue to be known as the Northern Beaches area and the Northern Beaches Council continue to govern that remaining area without dissolution – such that this proposal only applies to the former Pittwater Council area.

Protect Pittwater is a not-for-profit incorporated association formed in 2017 by residents of the former Pittwater Council area who were committed to restoring true local government by re-establishing Pittwater Council and with it the strong environmental protections which made the preservation of Pittwater's natural environment a top priority.

''Pittwater Council was formed in May 1992 following a long battle by residents of the Northern portion of Warringah Shire Council, known as 'A Riding'. It was dissolved by the NSW Baird Government in May 2016 under its fundamentally flawed and undemocratic policy of forced amalgamations.'' the organisation states

Find out more at: protectpittwater.org

Map on reverse of this page