NSW local government

Iemma leaves NSW local government electors in dark about political funding sources

Thu, 2008-09-04 08:36 by admin

Parties exploit funding loopholes - voters left in dark on donation sources

NSW Greens Media Release, 4 September 2008

Greens MP Lee Rhiannon said the latest data from the NSW Election Funding Authority reveals that while Labor has received millions of dollars in donations, voters at the coming local government election will not know who is bankrolling the candidates until 2009. (Sydney Morning Herald 4 September 2008 page 7)

"The figures show Premier Iemma's talk of donations reform is cheap and that he has failed to close the door on corporate donations," Ms Rhiannon said.

"The bulk of the donations for the local government election will be contributed in the weeks leading up to September 13. This money will not be publicly disclosed until February next year.

"While NSW Labor collected over $4.3 million from donations and fundraisers in the 14 month period from April 2007 to 30 June 2008 very little of this money is linked to local candidates.

"Labor has adopted the Liberal tactic of funnelling the bulk of donations through their head office. This avoids scrutiny by destroying any paper trail that links individual candidates with corporate donors.

"The Noreen Hay and Jodi McKay scandals would not come to light under Labor's new style of reporting

"Developers continue to invest in Labor with Walker Corporation donating $200,000 and Hong Kong property developer Kingson Investments donating $250,000.

"Greens analysis shows that NSW Liberals collected 15 per cent of the donations pocketed by NSW Labor.

"Donors see little distinction in policy between the major parties and put their money into the hands of the government of the day because it wields real power.

"The National Party failed to lodge a party return and have been granted a one month extension. This robs the public of the opportunity to scrutinise their returns before the upcoming council elections.

"The Iemma government in on the ropes. If the Premier honoured his promise to reform political funding he would take a significant step to restore his own credibility and most importantly the public's faith in the democratic process," Ms Rhiannon said.

For more information: 9230 3551, 0427 861 568

Developers should not be rewarded for donations scandal

Fri, 2008-03-07 15:42 by admin

"Developers donated millions of dollars to the Labor Party’s election campaign. They employed a Labor Party insider to head one of their main lobby groups." "Since being elected Labor has pushed ahead with proposals for the biggest re-write of planning laws since the 1970s with the stated aim of making it quicker and easier for developers to get their projects approved." "Labor did not disclose to the public that it intended to change the planning laws but does anyone doubt that this was being discussed at those Labor fundraising dinners to which the developers turned out in force," said Ms Hale. "The public are now deeply suspicious of just what the developers were expecting in return for their political donations, yet the developers continue to lobby for the government to push ahead with planning laws changes that cut the community out of planning decisions." "The developers" suggestion of so-called independent panels is exposed by what has happened at Ku-ring-gai where planning powers were taken from the Council and handed over to a panel and the Minister appointed a former development industry lobbyist as chairperson. The panel subsequently recommended a big increase in the areas to be zoned for development." "Planning panels are not independent when they are made up of people who work in and for the development and construction industry." "There is greater accountability when planning decisions rest with elected Councils rather than appointed panels," said Ms Hale. For more information: Chris Holley 02 9230 3030, 0437 779 546 Originally from www.sylvia.nsw.greens.org.au

Labor dodging election backlash with Wollongong Council sacking

Fri, 2008-03-07 15:18 by admin

Election Should Be Called For Wollongong Council

The Iemma government should announce an election for a new Wollongong council rather than appoint a long-term Administrator to run the Council’s affairs.

"The appointment of an Administrator would deny the people of Wollongong the opportunity to pronounce their judgement on how the Labor Party has behaved in Wollongong," said NSW Greens MP Sylvia Hale.

"There is widespread community anger in Wollongong about the behaviour of Labor’s councillors and their developer mates. The Iemma government has not earned the right to expect the people of Wollongong to trust it to appoint a long term Administrator."

"Elections for a new Wollongong Council were scheduled for September. That election should be brought forward and take place as soon as possible."

"Failing that, elections for a new Wollongong Council should take place as part of the state wide local government elections scheduled for September this year,” Ms Hale said.

NSW Greens MP, Lee Rhiannon has renewed her call for a Royal Commission into the relationship between developers and political parties.

"The public’s suspicion of corrupt relations between developers and politicians extends beyond Wollongong Council and into the state government."

"It is time for a Royal Commission to question under oath the developers, the Councillors, the Ministers and the party officials," said Ms Rhiannon.

"The Commission could then determine what undertakings were given to the developers when Labor Party officials solicited their donations and whether the donations influenced the Ministers’ decisions."

"With revelations about the use of stand-over tactics many potential witnesses in Wollongong are understandably reluctant to come forward, especially with Police Minister David Campbell being a former Mayor of Wollongong and the recipient of donations from some of those named at the ICAC inquiry. There is a need for witness protection for those with evidence of corrupt activities."

"The ICAC inquiry into Wollongong is too limited to properly investigate and expose the relationships between developers and politicians that have undermined public faith in the political process in NSW," said Ms Rhiannon.

For more information: Lee Rhiannon - 0427 861 568, 9230 3551. Sylvia Hale 02 9230 3030 / 0437 779 546

Originally from www.sylvia.nsw.greens.org.au

New South Wales Greens demand residents have a say in who runs their Councils

Fri, 2008-03-07 15:13 by admin

These articles came to me by way of the NSW Greens E- brief from the NSW Greens Office. To receive a regular e-brief, email andrewm AT nsw greens org au

Residents must have a voice in who runs their council

With local government elections scheduled for mid-September this year, the state government has been busy sacking councils to try to divert attention away from its Ministers’ relationships with property developers. The State government has ignored the democratic right of residents of Port Macquarie and Wollongong to elect the people who represent them on local councils, and instead imposed an Administrator who is totally unaccountable to the local community. With elections only a matter of months away, if genuine incompetence and corruption has occurred, it would have been appropriate to appoint an Administrator until the scheduled elections, but it is totally inappropriate for that Administrator to hold power until September 2012.

Royal Commission needed into relationship between Labor donors and ministers

Sylvia Hale called this week for a Royal Commission into
the relationship between property developers, their political donations and the decisions of Labor government Ministers. See also SMH story Sartor and One Burwood project of 27 Feb 08.