Dismal results at ‘conservative’ conference

In keeping with state-wide swing towards the Liberal Party at the September Council elections, a conservative response was evident in the 100 motions raised at the Local Government Association (LGA) Conference.

With the backing of the Leichhardt Council, Greens councillors put forward a pecuniary interest motion seeking to overturn state legislation enabling councillors to vote on planning and development decisions in which they hold direct financial interest. The motion was not supported at the conference, which was held in Dubbo from October 28-30.

Cr Rochelle Porteous was disappointed with the result.

“That was very, very concerning,” Ms Porteous said. “Council needs to be very transparent on these sort of issues and it was very disappointing that they were not going to vote for that transparency with this particular motion.”

The change in legislation – enacted by Barry O’Farrell in April – allows councillors to vote even when they may profit by the proposed changes.

“I think the pecuniary interest motion was as good as saying that it’s ok for councillors to vote for a change in the local planning legislation, which would enable them to make a profit,” Ms Porteous said.

“That’s basically what happened and when I spoke to councillors afterwards, they said they thought that was ok.”

A motion to ensure 25 per cent of the land on the Bays Precinct was available for community and open space was rejected.

“This was again just ridiculous,” Ms Porteous said, attributing the response to an overwhelmingly conservative atmosphere at the conference.

“There was quite a negative aggressive and very non-progressive culture to the conference, and it was not productive in the sense of dealing with motions on its merit … and so a lot of good motions didn’t get through because there was a very reactive conservative response.

“It was a very poor result for progressive politics at the conference.”

A motion to have the LGA prioritise affordable housing in its dealings with the State and Federal Government was endorsed. But an amendment to change legislation requiring big developments to include a portion of affordable housing was rejected.

Mayor Darcy Byrne was pleased his proposal for local governments to campaign for a second airport was supported.

“It’s a real slap in the face to Barry O’Farrell; he is now becoming increasingly isolated with his opposition to a second airport in Sydney and we know that delivering a second airport is a national economic necessity,” Mr Byrne said.

“So with people like Joe Hockey, Nick Reiner and Alan Joyce – the CEO of Qantas – all now openly campaigning for the second airport for Sydney with the LGA, which is controlled by the conservative parties, speaking out about the need for one – it’s time for the premier to rethink his opposition to it.”