Letter to the editor

Letter to the editor

Clover Moore equals more spin

I wish to correct misunderstandings about the state election results for the Seat of Sydney (“Inner city rollercoaster, City News, March 31).

There was a mammoth swing to the Liberal Party candidate, Adrian Bartels, surfing a wave of state-wide Labor Party discontent, and who also highlighted important local issues such as alcohol-fuelled on-street violence.

Clover Moore’s campaign included a matrix of state and council issues covering an impressive 23-year legacy of social and environmental planning issues.  But are statements like “The City under my leadership, created new parks”, alongside photos of Paddington Reservoir, state parliamentary matters?  Her jobs fusion was a double-edged Damoclean sword which reduced her primary vote: it enabled other candidates to bring in more non-state issues, giving voters opportunities to include anything she’s done anywhere to justify their choice.

We conducted exit polls of those who did not vote for Clover Moore at Surry Hills, St John’s Darlinghurst and Reg Murphy Centre, Elizabeth Bay. 79.3%  said they were fed up with a top-down approach by Sydney Council, also seen as having an off-the-scale BF quotient: cow manure is being spread thick and fast apparently. “Not enough consultation and too much dictation” was a common comment.

Fitzroy Gardens and Lawrence Hargrave Reserve, Kings Cross, will not “refreshed” as people wanted. Bulldozing Rory Miles’ historic 1948 caretaker’s cottage didn’t meet community desires for retention for community uses, a proper planning use. Her new Heritage Control Plan does not protect heritage with its new clause 1.13 allowing demolition on economic grounds, smuggled in at the last minute after the public consultation process ended and before being passed by council.  New FOI rules make freedom of information an oxymoron. New bike paths create adverse impacts.  Regular council community meetings have been cancelled.

None of these is a state parliament issue but all mattered on the day.

Her primary vote was only 54 votes ahead of the Liberal candidate: 16,855 -v- 16,909*, but after preferences were distributed, she held onto a slim overall percentage vote of 53% over Bartels’ 43%.

With all the spin of a pink fairy floss machine, Clover Moore claims “my primary vote was only reduced 3%”, a mathematical misnomer only providing more fodder for her increasing BF quotient. 

Andrew Woodhouse
 
President
Potts Point & King Cross Heritage Society

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