ANOTHER NSW LOCAL COUNCIL UNDER THE MICROSCOPE

NSW Opposition spokesman for Lands, Duncan Gay, questioned Canterbury’s Labor controlled council’s decision to sell a 1000 square metre piece of land at 67c Second Ave, Campsie, to a developer for just $500,000 in State Parliament in early April 2008.

Mr. Gay asked the Minister for Planning, the Minister for Local Government and other Ministers 17 questions without notice regarding the sale.  He asked the Parliament whether the sale price negotiated for the subject site was the best outcome for the ratepayers of Canterbury Council and sought assurances that “there was no collusion between the preferred tenderer and Canterbury Council in relation to the sale of this land.

The proposed sale infuriated three Councillors who attempted to block the sale, saying it was valued at below market value.  The Councillers, Carlo Favorito, Michael Hawatt and Joshua Nam, lost a recession motion 7 - 3 on Labor Party lines, in a closed session, when they attempted to halt the proposal.

As the public filed back into the gallery after the vote, Councillor Nam criticised Canterbury Mayor Councillor Robert Furolo, saying:  “This is wrong, you can’t do that, it’s not in public view.”

One wonders if the NSW Premier, Morris Iemma’s Labor Government ignores the questionable actions of Labor controlled Canterbury Council due to Mayor Robert Furolo being a former Senior Adviser to the Premier.

Link -  Update August 2007.

Mr. Gay said he asked the questions because: “There need to be safeguards put in place to make sure there for the local community.”  When Mr. Gay receives a response to his questions form the relevant Ministers we will post them on our website.