27 August 2008 (brought forward)

Nothing wrong with our council: John Hatton’s letter published on Friday August 22 is just so bloody typical of the Shoalhaven Action Campaign and their supporters. E. Crowley has expressed an opinion, one that I agree with as a resident and business owner in the area, and is told that it is “an inaccurate and dangerous view of the world”. From a Letter to the Editor, South Coast Register. Read more...

Airfield victory - at least for now: After years of battling to expand a skydive business operating out of Jaspers Brush Airfield, the applicant has withdrawn his proposal. A group known as the Jaspers Brush Residents Action Group, comprising residents in the vicinity of the airfield, mounted strong legal arguments against the development application. The airfield’s owner has given Shoalhaven City Council an undertaking not to recommence skydiving activities from the site without the appropriate development consent being obtained. From the South Coast Register. Read more...

20 August 2008 (brought forward)

Opponents bad for business: We write as members of the Greg Watson Support Crew, local hard working unknowns sitting in our low-cost houses and trying to make a go of it in the Shoalhaven. We read in this paper the events and comments leading up to the election and always come up with the same question. Why would anyone vote for members of the Shoalhaven Action Campaign? They seem to have made their political entrance by degrading and abusing others. Not very nice, nor very democratic. From a Letter to the Editor, South Coast Register. Read more...

29 August 2008

Different faces, same bad form: Way back in March 1998 I had a letter published in your paper concerning the wisecracking and bad behaviour of councillors who treated their responsibilities with contempt. Unfortunately, although some faces have changed, the arrogance, rudeness and contempt has not. At Tuesday night’s meeting of council, Mayor Watson in the chair was an abject failure at controlling the unruly mob. Councillors cracked jokes across other councillors speaking; had private chats; left their chairs to deliver messages to other councillors or to talk to the Press gallery and generally behaved – as they regularly do – like a bunch of unruly schoolboys. From a Letter to the Editor, South Coast Register. Read more...

Shoalhaven Action Campaign ready for the council election: SAC have released brief profiles of their candidates for the election on 13 September, including their endorsed Mayoral candidate John Fergusson. SAC have also outlined a set of principles endorsed by all their candidates, covering council governance, transparency, public participation in policy-making, and best practice in the area of electoral donations. From a release by SAC. Read more...

27 August 2008

Killer whales seen off South Coast: A pod of killer whales has made an appearance near Montague Island, sparking hope the creatures may have put the area back on their itinerary after many years' absence. Three females and a male sporting the distinctive extra-large dorsal fin were spotted 500m off the island last Thursday…."In recent times killer whales have become infrequent visitors to the NSW coast, due in part to a reduction in their prey from historic whale and seal harvesting,….They would have come from the Southern Ocean - they tend to prefer the colder water. The water at the moment is quite cold and there's a lot of seals so that's probably why they're around."….Thursday's sighting follows the discovery near Eden last week of a humpback whale carcass thought to be the mother of the euthanased orphan calf Collette. A spokesperson for National Parks and Wildlife Service said DNA tests linking the carcass to the calf were continuing. From the Illawarra Mercury. Read article with photograph here...

25 August 2008

Not abuse, just the way it is: E. Crowley (SCR Letters, August 20), Greg Watson has had nine years at the helm and as you acknowledge, the Shoalhaven has one of the highest unemployment levels in NSW (sic). Have you considered that prospective developers may want a fresh mayor? ....For an example of degrading and abuse, I invite you to check the SAC website and the link to what the ABC presented on Stateline - film clip of one of Greg Watson’s council meetings. From a Letter to the Editor, South Coast Register. Read more...

22 August 2008

Openness is a firm policy: E. Crowley from Old Erowal Bay (SCR Letters, August 20) says Shoalhaven Action Campaign candidates have no policies. The writer doesn’t recognise openness in decision making, accountability and community consultation as a policy. Neither do Mayor Watson and his Independents team. Giving well-connected people a walk-up start and ignoring the views of whole communities are Mayor Watson’s policies. Shoalhaven Action Campaign policy is a level playing field and meaningful community consultation with candidates pledged to end secret deals....Bad planning where only some developers are favoured to stand up awful box buildings will destroy the beauty and atmosphere which attracts tourists, growth, development and jobs….I am not a member of Shoalhaven Action Campaign. I have worked with them to develop honest open accountable practice and policies to ensure growth and jobs....E. Crowley appears to me to say let’s ignore the culture of improper practice, playing favourites and bad planning, then argues it will create jobs. An inaccurate and dangerous view of the world. From John Hatton in a Letter to the Editor, South Coast Register. Read more...

20 August 2008

Community bodies plan dumped by council: Council will not proceed with proposed changes to the guidelines for Community Consultative Bodies (CCB). The proposed amendments related to the inclusion of specific interest groups under the CCB banner and were opposed by various groups and individuals in the community. The issue was sparked earlier this year when Shoalhaven City Council recognised the Huskisson Chamber of Commerce as a CCB......The [community] submissions argued the Huskisson Chamber of Commerce was not representative of all areas in the Bay and Basin region. Because of the strength of the submissions received, council staff recommended council not proceed with the incorporation of the proposed amendments with regards to specific interest groups. Business operators who are not residents of the area where they operate their business will, however, be eligible to become a member of a CCB. From the South Coast Register. Read more…

Doctor calls for Mayor to stand down for inquiry: Shoalhaven Mayor Greg Watson has been called on to step down as the community’s leader until an investigation into his infamous “good Jew” comments has been finalised. Nearly four months after Cr Watson made comments to a public meeting about being “a good Jew” to “screw the last dollar” out of a deal late in April, the Department of Local Government is continuing to investigate what was said and whether the comments breached codes of conduct. However, on Monday respected Nowra medical practitioner Dr Danny Harmelin called on Cr Watson to step down from his position, questioning the message Cr Watson’s position as Shoalhaven Mayor was sending about the council not only to the local community, but also to business and civic leaders throughout Australia. Dr Harmelin claimed the comments revealed Cr Watson as “an unsatisfactory individual to be mayor”. Issuing his call to council and the South Coast Register, Dr Harmelin said, “I can’t understand how he’s still functioning in this role while there’s this serious issue unresolved.” From the South Coast Register. Read more…

15 August 2008

Another Huscorp deal suspended: Council has suspended negotiations with Huscorp on the proposed sale of the Owen Street carpark in Huskisson. The decision to put a hold on the deal followed a caution by the Local Government Department last month about the Nowra hotel site. From the South Coast Register. Read more...

Willmott back in the race after U-turn: In an 11th hour backflip, John Willmott has registered with the Shoalhaven Independents Group to stand for Mayor as well as councillor for ward three. Last week, on commercial radio and in the South Coast Register, he was adamant he would not be standing. “After that coverage, I had many approaches to stand, including from Joanna Gash to stand as a councillor.” Yesterday, Mrs Gash, Federal Member for Gilmore, said she had endorsed one candidate and that was Andrew Guile. “And I am not going to discuss private conversations I may have had with anyone,” she said. “I waited to see what the weekend would bring and then on Monday morning decided to register with the Shoalhaven Independents Group,” said Cr Willmott. “I am running for Mayor to provide an option for generational change,” he said. From the South Coast Register. Read more...

11 August 2008

Censure move against councillor: Councillor Richard Bates has been scrutinised for a fortuitous breach of confidentially and may be formally censured. But Cr Bates maintains he did not intentionally breach confidentiality and described the complaint as “politically motivated vexatious”....It was alleged in an interview on ABC NSW Stateline on March 14, Cr Bates disclosed confidential information of negotiations with Huscorp about $90,000 compensation for car parking spaces ….In November 2007 Cr Jim McCrudden disclosed confidential information during a council meeting regarding the sale of the Owen Street carpark in Huskisson. That same month Mayor Greg Watson also revealed information under consideration in a confidential committee process, however neither councillors were exposed to a conduct review.....[Cllr Bates said] “The only people who have raised any concern about this matter have been other councillors, one of whom no doubt made this complaint, so I don’t believe any harm has been done. “If the complaint had come from Huscorp I might have been more concerned. “This to my mind amounts to a politically motivated vexatious complaint.”....Mayoral candidate Dennis Argall has contacted the Department of Local Government director general Garry Payne about the issue, describing the focus on Cr Bates as discriminatory. From the South Coast Register. Read more...

8 August 2008

Rhiannon backs rail extension: Shoalhaven towns could become “ghetto communities” as the impacts of climate change and soaring petrol prices isolate people in the various villages, according to State Greens MP Lee Rhiannon. Offering her support to a proposal by Federal Member for Gilmore Joanna Gash to extend the South Coast rail line from its terminus at Bomaderry to the Victorian border, Ms Rhiannon said the suggestion “is a responsible way to go”....But with increasing concerns about climate change and greenhouse gas emissions gripping the globe, and forecasts petrol prices could hit $8 a litre within the next 20 years, planning for extended public transport needed to start immediately, she said. Failing to act will result in increased isolation of people in areas including the South Coast, with Ms Rhiannon pointing to a future where people could not afford to travel beyond their town boundaries for shopping, education or health needs.... Similar concerns were expressed by Shoalhaven mayoral candidate Dennis Argall, who questioned the logic of building four-lane highways “with no cars”. “Mrs Gash’s proposal for the railway to come south from Bomaderry is the smartest and most energy appropriate plan for our future,” said Mr Argall, who wanted to see a railway station adjacent to the carpark at Nowra’s Stockland shopping centre, with a link into the CBD. From the South Coast Register. Read more...

A stop on the very fast line to Canberra: A proposal to extend the South Coast rail line from Bomaderry all the way to the Victorian border is not the only rail plan that involves Nowra. One of the proposed routes for a Very Fast Train link between Sydney and Canberra travels along the South Coast through Wollongong and Nowra, before heading inland to Canberra alongside Main Road 92. A VFT link travelling through the South Coast was at the centre of an infrastructure forum in Wollongong last week to discuss the region’s future infrastructure needs. One of the people behind the forum, Arthur Rorris from the South Coast Labour Council, said magnetic levitation train technology was discussed in detail, with the forum told it offered a number of benefits to the area…..There was even an offer to run a line to Wollongong, linking with a Maglev service between Sydney and Canberra, although Member for Gilmore Joanna Gash said the Maglev representatives had previously spoken to the former Coalition Federal Government and offered to run a spur all the way to Bomaderry. However Mr Rorris said a fast rail service would inevitably follow a second Sydney airport if it was located out of Sydney in the State’s south, particularly if it was built at either Canberra or at a greenfield site at Goulburn. From the South Coast Register. Read more...

These southerners have every right to stop off for a break in Jervis Bay: Two southern right whales made a pit stop in Jervis Bay yesterday during their northern migration. The pair of adults was first spotted Wednesday and according to Jervis Bay Marine Park ranger, Frances Clements are likely to stay around for a week. “The last time we saw these whales was a couple of years ago, and they hung around for nearly two weeks,” she said. As the rarest large whale in the Southern Hemisphere, only a handful are spotted along the NSW coast each year. From the South Coast Register. Read more...

Hatton turns up the heat: There may have been a break in the weather on Wednesday evening but inside the Ulladulla Civic Centre 300 locals gathered to witness a storm unleashed on their elected mayor and council. The corruption-busting, former independent State Member for the South Coast, John Hatton, presented the findings of a detailed investigation into political donations and development decisions of Shoalhaven City Council. Electoral Funding Authority records for the previous Shoalhaven City Council elections, said Mr Hatton, showed the Mayor and his team received in excess of $91,000 in donations. It was by far the highest donation ever accepted in the history of the Shoalhaven. “This extraordinary level of funding swamped the financial capacity of any individual or group running in the election.” Mr Hatton pointed out that almost $80,000 of that came from just 10 donors – all but one of which are involved with property development. From the South Coast Register. Read more...

Tilt at the boys’ club: The only female mayoral candidate has dropped out of the Shoalhaven local election race, but there are several women standing as councillors to represent the city. The most recent addition to the Shoalhaven Action Campaign’s ticket was Monica Taylor, a Milton resident standing in ward three... “I am keen to see council engage in true community consultation rather than deal with issues with their mind already made up. I’ve seen it with the Ulladulla DCP and the extra-ordinary meeting last month. It was the grossest example I’ve seen of council ignoring the community.” From the South Coast Register. Read more...

Not all the facts were presented: I refer to the letter to the Editor entitled “Land Deals Must be Transparent” from M Corrigan, Vincentia, published in the South Coast Register, Monday, August 4, 2008. Whilst not wishing to enter into the merits of the political debate contained in this letter, it is important to point out some factual omissions in Mr Corrigan’s letter. Mr Corrigan refers to a donation to Mayor Watson in January, 2003, from C&M Bricks and then states, “a month later council proceeded to sell the donor a large piece of industrial land for $900,000 under the authorisation of Mayor Watson and the general manager”. This statement is very misleading....In November, 2002, council signed the contract for sale and forwarded it to its solicitors. However, contracts were not exchanged until February, 2003, with settlement and transfer occurring later in that year. It is healthy to engage in public debate on such important issues, but selective quoting of only part of the facts simply misleads the public. R. Pigg, General Manager, Shoalhaven City Council. From a Letter to the Editor, South Coast Register. Read more...

6 August 2008

Legal mess of Mayor’s making: “If Shoalhaven Mayor Greg Watson and his council colleagues had followed professional and legal advice they received in 2007 before selling land to Huscorp, we wouldn’t be in the legal quagmire now facing council. They were warned back in the 1996 to review the classification of land following a High Court ruling that dealt with a related issue. So was every other local government in NSW. Mayor Watson knows this....Whilst the Mayor can effectively control the Huscorp dealings in private if the land is considered to be “operational”, he would surrender such control to an LEP panel, public exhibition, and a mandatory public hearing chaired by an independent person if reclassification was necessary.” From a Letter to the Editor, South Coast Register. Read more...

Apology warranted over inappropriate behaviour: A Milton resident has called for an independent review into the conduct of a Shoalhaven councillor, unhappy with the outcome of a Conduct Committee review. Ian Beckwith has requested an independent assessment of a complaint against Councillor Jim McCrudden and his behaviour during a development committee meeting earlier this year. The complaint also included Councillor Josie Young, chair of the meeting, for failing to control Cr McCrudden’s inappropriate behaviour....“When it came my turn to speak, after three minutes I was told my time was running out. Josie Young, I feel deliberately, from the chair, did not do her job. Then Cr McCrudden launched into a personal attack that had nothing to do with the DA.” Following the meeting Mr Beckwith lodged an official complaint concerning the actions of both councillors. Cr McCrudden would not comment on the issue as the complaint was still under consideration. The Conduct Committee dealt with the issue and found Cr McCrudden’s actions during the meeting were “inappropriate in the circumstances”. From the South Coast Register. Read more...

Gash urges Feds to get on board and extend rail: The Shoalhaven, South Coast and Far South Coast need to get on line – on a rail line, that is. Federal Member for Gilmore Joanna Gash has started pushing for the South Coast line, which stops at Bomaderry north of the Shoalhaven River, to be extended all the way to the Victorian border. It is not a new idea, as a rail committee in 1891 recommended extending the line from Bomaderry into Nowra, including building a new rail bridge about a kilometre downstream from the road bridge. Then in 1901 a route for extending the rail line to Jervis Bay was surveyed. However the plans did not eventuate, as rail line construction throughout the State ground to a halt. However concerns about greenhouse gas emissions, and claims petrol prices will rise to around $8 a litre in coming years, have put rail back on the agenda and Mrs Gash has appealed for the South Coast line to be extended. From the South Coast Register. Read more...

Shoalhaven Tourism Manager Tom Phillips: “Extending the South Coast rail line to the Victorian border will revolutionise life in many coastal communities, opening new opportunities to the region’s residents.” From the South Coast Register: Back to the Future. Read more...

5 August 2008

SAC to support John Fergusson for Mayor: The Shoalhaven Action Campaign (SAC) has decided to support a single Mayoral candidate for the Council election on 13 September. Previously both John Fergusson and Patricia Mason had expressed interest in this, but Mrs Mason has decided not to proceed [Mrs Mason remains a Ward 1 councillor candidate], throwing her support instead behind Mr Fergusson. John Fergusson, who is also standing as a councillor in Ward 2, said he is honoured at the opportunity and looking forward to the challenge. “The Shoalhaven Action Campaign supported group of candidates is a team of honest, experienced individuals from diverse backgrounds working to offer a viable alternative to the current council. If elected, I would like to bring to Council the fundamentally important principles of Accountability, Transparency and Integrity, which have been sorely lacking with the current Council under the dominance of current Mayor Watson and his aligned councillor’s…” From SAC Media Release: SAC to support John Fergusson for Mayor, 5 August 2008 Read more…

4 August 2008

Land deals must be transparent : “Mayor Watson has again sought to justify the sale of prime public land for an amount significantly lower than market value by referring to a 30-year history of similar deals for council-owned industrial land. Was the land adjacent to his South Nowra business one such site? In January 2003, Mayor Watson received a donation of $2500 from C&M Brick towards his campaign for the NSW State Election. A month later, council proceeded to sell the donor a large piece of industrial land for $900,000 under the authorisation of Mayor Watson and the general manager…” From a Letter to the Editor, South Coast Register. Read more...

Bates wants inquiry into airstrip rezoning: Councillor Richard Bates has called for a public inquiry into Shoalhaven City Council following the adoption of changes to the Local Environment Plan.... One issue Cr Bates raised relates to the stalled development application for an expansion of a parachute business at Jaspers Brush. The controversial application has been the subject of various legal tussles between council, the community and the applicant for about two years....“Now we [Council] have written into the new LEP a rezoning of the affected land to SP2 Infrastructure which would allow a fresh application under the new LEP and enable council to approve a new DA. This rezoning would effectively overcome the applicant’s need to prove existing use rights. I believe that this rezoning has been written in to the draft LEP to overcome the inability of council to approve the DA under the current zoning, in effect making an LEP amendment on behalf of a developer and demonstrating significant councillor bias in drafting a planning instrument. I do not believe that this amendment should go on public exhibition until a departmental investigation has been mounted,” Cr Bates said. From the South Coast Register. Read more...

Councillors say they weren’t invited to alleged caucus meeting: At least three councillors have denied they were invited to a meeting in the Mayor’s office ahead of last week’s extra-ordinary meeting of Shoalhaven City Council. In last Friday’s South Coast Register, Mayor Greg Watson denied claims members of the Shoalhaven Independents Group gathered to caucus on the Ulladulla Development Control Plan 56. He conceded there had been a meeting, in his office prior to the council meeting but claimed all councillors had been invited and no caucusing had occurred. However, on Friday, three councillors not aligned with the Shoalhaven Independents Group were adamant they had not been invited to the meeting. They were Richard Bates, Gareth Ward and John Finkernagel. Cr Paul Green was out of town and unable to check his records. On Friday, Cr Richard Bates signed a Statutory Declaration saying he had no record of being invited to the meeting in question…. From the South Coast Register. Read more...

Caretaker time now: The Local Government election is now 40 days away, with the obligatory caretaker period coming in to effect today. Local Government Department director general Garry Payne said like Commonwealth and State Governments, councils were expected to assume a caretaker role during election periods. The idea was to ensure major decisions were not made that would limit the actions of an incoming council. The period begins at the date of the close of rolls 40 days before the election, today, and continues until the day the election is declared. “Caretaker government conventions promote transparency and accountability in local government decision making and improve community confidence in councils,” Mr Payne said. “During caretaker periods, councils should exercise due caution in making major policy decisions that would bind an incoming council.” From the South Coast Register. Read more...

3 August 2008

The Mail (Council subsidized newspaper) has been subject of much community discussion in recent times. We remind readers of this site’s coverage in early March ‘08. In particular there was an amusing item “More fuel for the idiot box” that appeared in the South Coast Register Letters page. Read more...

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