[Greens-Media] Amalgamations: Coal appointee to head Mid Coast Council & planning insider in charge of the Inner West

[David Shoebridge]

Amalgamations: Coal appointee to head Mid Coast Council &
planning insider in charge of the Inner West



The Administrator appointed for the new Mid Coast Council is a former Nationals MP and a heavyweight in the coal industry while the new Inner West Council will be headed by a former Deputy Director General of Planning.



The Mid Coast Council includes Gloucester which is a strong opponent of CSG and Coal development, and all three former Inner West Councils have had strong opposition to the Westconnex project that is championed by Planning NSW.



Greens MP and Local Government Spokesperson David Shoebridge said:



"The community of Gloucester has spent years campaigning to protect their area from the impact of coal and coal seam gas.



"Not only has Mike Baird overturned local democracy, to add insult to injury he has appointed a coal heavyweight as administrator of the new Mid Coast Council.



"Elected representatives who have worked for the community have been thrown out to allow Baird's hand-picked appointees to run the expanded councils.



"The new Administrator is the Chair of a number of "Community Consultative Committees" including those of the hugely controversial Maules Creek and Boggabri coal mines.



"Administration of the new Inner West Council has been handed to a planning insider, in a clear sign of the Government's plans to cruel local opposition to the Westconnex.



"Councils in the Inner West have stood up strongly for their residents against Westconnex and its association overdevelopment, Baird's agenda is clearly to remove this voice.



"There is no evidence, no mandate and no democracy in any of the amalgamations that Baird is forcing through, and his choice of administrator in both of these areas demonstrates this.



"The Greens are committed to ensuring that residents, not Mike Baird, have the final say on the make-up of their local council. This struggle is far from over.



"We guarantee to support and develop legislation that will give residents in every council the subject of a forced merger the right to vote in a binding plebiscite on de-merging.



"Whether the legislation passes in 2016 or 2019 our commitment to allow communities to hold a binding plebiscite remains firm, and residents deserve nothing less," Mr Shoebridge said.



Media contact David Shoebridge 0408 113 952





Kym Chapple

Policy | Communications | Legislation

Office of Greens MP David Shoebridge

P: (02) 9230 3030|M: 0433 680 244

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