From Illawarra Mercury

“Anthony Albanese’s staunch defence of Wollongong in Federal Parliament.

Federal Minister for local government Anthony Albanese blasted the Opposition in Parliament yesterday for their criticism over money Wollongong council received at the local government summit in Canberra.”

Audio file:

http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/multimediaplayer.aspx?id=4408

From WCC website

“ICAC’s recommendations

As part of their third and final report into corruption allegations affecting Wollongong City Council, the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) made 27 anti corruption recommendations.

Council confirmed that of the 18 anti corruption recommendations related specifically to Council, all of them have already been implemented or are in the process of being introduced.

Last Modified: 5/11/2008 “

For a more detailed list of anti-corruption activites taken by WCC see “Anit-corruption activities” (sic) pdf file .02MB downloadable from:

http://www.wollongong.nsw.gov.au/council/icacrecommendations.asp

“… the next ROC meeting will be held on Tuesday, 16th December 2008 at 7.00pm at the Old Wollongong Court House.

Agenda :

1. Future action for the Wollongong Harbour Campaign
2. Role of ROC in Wollongong City Council consultation framework

Hope to see you there and please circulate this notice broadly to members of the community who may have an interest in this matter.

Regards,
Arthur Rorris “

Illawarra Mercury story:

“Liberal Party in damage control
BY PAUL MCINERNEY 22/11/2008

NSW Opposition Leader Barry O’Farrell on Friday defended Wollongong City Council’s right to $2.15 million in assistance grants, saying attacks by federal Liberal colleagues this week were regrettable.

“Wollongong and the Illawarra should certainly not be punished for the sins of the Labor Party,” the Liberal leader told the Mercury. “

full story
http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/news/local/news/general/liberal-party-in-damage-control/1366981.aspx

NEWS RELEASE – 20 November 2008

Sharon Bird MP
Federal Member for Cunningham

The Leader of the Opposition, Malcolm Turnbull, must stop the attacks of his Liberal Party on the people of Wollongong and make clear whether or not he supports the $2.15 million funding assistance to Wollongong by the Commonwealth, Federal Member for Cunningham, Sharon Bird, said today.

Ms Bird was commenting after the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Julie Bishop, attacked the funding grant of $2.15 million provided by the Commonwealth to Wollongong on the ABC World Today and the Sky News AM Agenda programme.

“It is now clear, from the second most senior Liberal in the Opposition, that the Liberal Party would strip Wollongong of the $2.15 million funding assistance provided by the Commonwealth for local community infrastructure.

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“In March then Local Government Minister Paul Lynch declared that the three Wollongong council administrators should each receive a salary of $80,000 per year, together with travel and out-of-pocket expenses, to be paid from the council’s consolidated fund. On average the Wollongong administrators spend just over two days each week at the council.”

http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/news/local/news/general/sacked-council-delivers-1m-saving-to-city/1363789.aspx

BY MARIO CHRISTODOULOU
18/11/2008

“Wollongong and Shellharbour councils have been told they are not welcome at a ground-breaking meeting with the Federal Government in Canberra today.

Administrators from both councils have been denied access to today’s historic local government conference which begins with an address by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd this morning.

The meeting of 565 councils, described as a “new era” for federal-local government relations, will focus on issues such as infrastructure, sustainable cities, affordable housing and constitutional recognition of local government.

Yet the names of Wollongong and Shellharbour’s state-appointed administrators are not on the guest list, instead the councils will be represented by federal members Sharon Bird and Jennie George.”

Full story
http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/news/local/news/general/regions-councils-snubbed/1362615.aspx

“If you want to be engaged in the future Council matters, please email you name, address, phone number to our consultation team.

Contact us

For more information please contact our Community Engagement Team

Phone: 4227 7059

Email: consultation@wollongong.nsw.gov.au

Fax: 4227 7580

Mail:
Wollongong City Council, Locked Bag 8821, Wollongong NSW 2500. Att: Engagement Coordinator, Communications and Strategy Division”

(from WCC website)

ACTIONS:

1. Encourage a new broad alliance.

What we need is not another group but beter use of the existing groups which have reform of WCC as part of their objectives.

Such groups include the Illawarra Greens; Reclaim Our City; Wollongong Against Corruption and existing LAMs (Local Area Meetings). There are also Actions Groups. If you are a member of these groups, lobby your other members for a joint meeting of interested groups.

Early December or late January would be a good time for a joint meeting of groups and individuals who seriously want to reform Wollongong City Council.

2. Join your area’s Neighbourhood Forum (NF).

Now that WCC has passed its new Community engagement policy one thing people can is join your local Neighbourhod Forum. These Neighbourhood Forums (revamped Local Area Meetings) come into effect in 2009.

See details of Neighbourhood Forums at http://reformwcc.info/?p=247

You should also be able to find out contact details for your local NF from Council’s website at www.wollongong.nsw.gov.au – or phone Council’s Community Engagment Coordinator on 4227 7096

3. Write to Parliament seeking new Council elections in 2009.

Who knows how long the present ALP government in NSW will survive? We may be looking at another State election before we know it.

A good lobbying campaign is required to get our rights to vote for our own Council on the election agenda.

Wollongong council may make early return
BY MARIO CHRISTODOULOU
Illawarra Mercury 7/11/2008 4:00:00 AM

NSW Premier Nathan Rees has left the door open for an early return of an elected Wollongong City Council.

Mr Rees said he would take advice from Wollongong’s state-appointed administrators about when democracy would return, but signalled it could be earlier than the four-year time frame set down by former local government minister Paul Lynch.

“I want locally elected councils but we need to be satisfied that the ship has been set right again and that the checks and balances are in place,” he said.

“If those administrators came forward with an accelerated plan then we’d be happy to give it our consideration.”

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