NSW STATE ELECTION

GRRRP are so proud of Councillor Natalie Mort who put her hand up to contest the state seat of Oatley as an Independent candidate in the recent NSW state election. 

Natalie ran a short but sharp campaign focused on local issues and aimed at sending a message to the former government and current member that the seat for Oatley should not be taken for granted.

Natalie has helped achieve that with the previously safe seat now considered marginal.

Natalie’s inclusion in the campaign also applied pressure on the current member and saw funding for Carss Park Pool be front and centre of the campaign.

New Premier Mr Chris Minns made a commitment over a year ago that if elected Premier he would rebuild Carss Park Pool. GRRRP look forward to this wonderful community asset being rebuilt and returned to the community for future generations to enjoy.

Congratulations to Mark Coure, who has retained the seat of Oatley. Congratulations also to the other candidates for Oatley, Taylor Vandijk, Glenn Hunt and especially my Georges River Councillor colleague Ashvini Ambihaipahar who ran a tireless campaign to get her message out to the community.

Congratulations to our new Premier Mr Chris Minns and his Labor team who ran a positive and ideas based campaign that saw the people of NSW get behind them and deliver a Labor government.

It is our hope that under the new government, Georges River will receive a fair share of state government funding for infrastructure projects like Carss Park Pool and the Oatley to Como pathway as well as for precious once-in-a-lifetime community spaces like Glenlee.

Thank you to all the wonderful volunteers who helped Natalie’s campaign.

Our GRRRP Councillors congratulate Mr David Tuxford on his successful appointment as the new General Manager of Georges River Council.

David has been acting in the role of General Manager since April 2022 and Councillors unanimously supported his appointment to the permanent position.

David’s extensive local government experience in leadership roles speaks for itself, but it is David’s humble nature, empathy and focus on people (staff and the community) that will make him a standout in this role. 

We look forward to working in collaboration with David to deliver positive outcomes for our community.

Read this extensive Q&A interview with GM David Tuxford that touches on many of the key areas of concern in our community

Read more about David in this Leader article.

In November 2022, Council resolved to build the LGA’s third aquatic centre on the existing site of the Kogarah War Memorial Pool. 

GRRRP Councillors had maintained the position that they would not endorse the demolition of the existing pool, until there was a resolution and plan in place for the pool’s replacement.

Thus, as part of the Nov 2022 resolution, Council also endorsed the immediate commencement of DA2020/0405 for the demolition of the existing pool and ancillary structures, remediation of contaminated land, earthworks and associated landscaping works.

As this DA relates to remediation of contaminated land, these works are funded from Council’s waste reserve and this is work that needs to happen before the construction of a new facility can commence.

Council Officers have advised that the demolition process will be commencing on 4 April 2023, starting with the removal of existing vegetation by a suitably qualified arboreal contractor. There will be 54 trees removed from the site, the majority of which are exotic specimens. Appropriate tree protection measures have been identified to negate impact to trees remaining on site.

Notification letter sent to residents

Question with Notice - Kogarah War Memorial Pool

CAMPAIGNING TO SAVE GLENLEE

Councillor Peter Mahoney continued his advocacy for the protection, preservation and acquisition of Glenlee during the state election campaign.

Councillor Mahoney shone a spotlight on the importance of this issue by joining other campaigners and visiting the offices of the former Premier Mr Dominic Perrottet and former Minister for Environment and Heritage Mr James Griffin. This followed the former government's refusal to grant a new Interim Heritage Order on the site or use their Ministerial powers to grant access to the site for the purposes of carrying out inspections for Aboriginal and natural heritage assessment.

During the state election campaign new Minister for the Environment, Penny Sharpe MLC committed to issuing a new Interim Heritage Order for Glenlee and ensuring that proper site heritage assessments will be conducted.

Councillor Peter Mahoney will continue to push this issue on Council to ensure that this commitment is urgently executed.

The business paper with Council Officers recommendations for the Beverly Hills Master Plan will be published on Council’s website on Thursday 6th April. Council has previously resolved the following;

1. Council reaffirms its previous resolutions that any further Master Plan for the Beverly Hills centre must not incorporate any form of compulsory acquisition of private property.

2. Further to this, that the Green Corridor and Public Link proposed in Option 3 are not incorporated in a future master plan for the Centre.

PUTTING THE SPOTLIGHT ON SEWERAGE OVERFLOWS IN GRC

Councillor Peter Mahoney, who belongs to the volunteer Streamwatch group which regularly tests the quality of the water in Myles Dunphy and Dairy Creeks, submitted a Notice of Motion to the March Council meeting for Council’s General Manager to write to The Minister for Lands and Water, Hospitality and Racing and The Minister for Planning and Environment requesting a response to a number of questions about sewerage overflows in the Georges River. 

See the full Notice of Motion and list of questions here.

IN THE NEWS

• Right of public to speak at Council meetings - Coucilllor Elise Borg submitted a motion to the February 27 Council meeting calling on the Council write to the Minister for Local Government to request an amendment to the Model Code for NSW council meetings to provide a mandatory clause allowing members of the community to directly address Councillors during the public forum item on the agenda of Council and Committee meetings.

• Fines for the illegal removal of trees should be strengthened, Georges River Council told - Councillor Peter Mahoney called for the council to write to the State Government requesting a review of the penalties applicable to illegal tree and shrub works including pruning, removal, poisoning and vandalism.

EVENTS & COMMUNITY ACTIVITY

There has been many events over that Summer that our GRRRP Councillors have attended, including;

• Clean up Australia Day

• Paddle Against Plastic

• Seniors Day

• International Women's Day

• Lunar New Year

• Australia Day Citizenship Ceremony

UPCOMING COUNCIL MEETINGS

TUES 11 APRIL (COMMITTEES) | MON 24 APRIL (COUNCIL)

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