12-9-05

Media Release

Labor By-Election Candidate under Fire over New Government Public Lighting Charges

The Marourba By-election campaign will flare up Tuesday when Greens Mayor Murray Matson moves to criticize the State Government over increased Energy Australia charges for public lighting costs.

It is expected that ALP Councillor Michael Daley, who is the Labor candidate for the by-election, will duck the meeting.

Mayor Matson said on Monday,

"It does not matter whether it is a State Government owned corporation or the Government itself that is imposing this underhand new charge - it's a new tax!

Marourbra by-election candidate Michael Daley is a serving Randwick City Councillor and former Deputy Mayor. I call on him to stand by his Council and its' rate payers by opposing this nasty and tricky backdoor tax condoned by Premier Lemma."

Mayor Matson will seek permission from the Council's Administration and Finance Committee to call for a Council report on the implication to the Council.

Mayor Matson believes that.

1. Council should regard as an act of unfair cost shifting Energy Australia's passing on of $1million per year of lighting infrastructure charges on to the residents and ratepayers of Randwick City Council;
2. The Council should assertively protest to the Premier of NSW and to the MPs for Maroubra, Heffron and Coogee that this increase amounts to a hidden State Government tax on the residents and ratepayers of their local seats; and