[Greens-Media] Media Release: Baird’s New Inner West Council Administration censors opposition to WestConnex

[David Shoebridge MLC]

*MediaRelease: Baird’s New Inner West Council Administration censors
opposition to WestConnex*


*20 May 2016*



Just one week after the undemocratic amalgamation of Ashfield, Leichhardt
and Marrickville Council, the new Administration has censored Facebook
posts criticising WestConnex.



Mike Baird’s new “Inner West Council” is now under the administration of
his handpicked delegate Richard Pearson, who previously held the position
of Deputy Director General of Planning NSW.



All three former Inner West Councils have had strong opposition to the
WestConnex project, that is championed by Planning NSW, and it is clear
that this history of opposition to the unpopular WestConnex is now being
silenced and erased.



*Greens MP and Local Government Spokesperson David Shoebridge said:*



"Mike Baird's handpicked Administrator in the inner west is a former Deputy
Director General of Planning NSW, the government agency that has repeatedly
championed WestConnex.

“Going back in time and removing posts that are critical of the Baird
government has a terrible Orwellian feel to it. Political censorship should
have no place in 21st century Australia.



"These Councils have been under Premier Baird’s new administration for less
than a week and we are already seeing efforts to silence and erase local
opposition to WestConnex.

"These three councils have been a thorn in the side of Baird's plans to
bulldoze WestConnex through the inner west, so it's little wonder he wanted
to censor them.

"This can only be a sign of what's to come in Baird's undemocratic council
amalgamation agenda." Mr Shoebridge said



*Greens Member for Newtown and Westconnex Spokesperson Jenny Leong said:*



"This is the worst of all possible outcomes for the community of the former
Marrickville, Leichhardt and Ashfield councils. Not only has their local
representation been sacked and their local councils forcibly amalgamated,
but we now see an unelected Administration seemingly overturning previous
council decisions by stealth.

"When I met with the new Administrator yesterday he said that the position
of the Inner West Council in relation to WestConnex was yet to be
determined. This is despite the fact that I made it very clear that the
three former councils that make up the new council had a unanimous position
opposing WestConnex.

"My Greens colleague the Member for Balmain and I last night alerted the
community to this seriously concerning news at a public meeting in Balmain
on WestConnex - already hundreds of people have signed a letter calling on
the Administrator to honour the previous positions of the councils and make
it clear the new Inner West Council opposes WestConnex."




*Media Contact: David Shoebridge 0408 113 952 / Jenny Leong 0434 095 865--
David ShoebridgeGreens MP in the NSW Legislative CouncilP: (02) 9230
3030 |Media: 0408 113 952|T: @ShoebridgeMLC
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