MEDIA RELEASE

13 December 2002

"ALP Mayor Kick's Greens Over ALP MP's Free Parking Agreement Plan"

A while ago Coogee Labor MP Ernie Page changed legislation to help frustrated residents stop strangers usurping parking spaces on private land.

Then he told Greens Councillor Murray Matson about it.

Cr Matson decided to get Ernie's new legislative power publicised and moved a motion that Randwick Council would mention it in the weekly 'Mayoral Column'.

The idea was voted down by Randwick's hard nosed ALP Councillors who know how to deal with motions from the Greens.

Why Labor Councillors needed to block the use of positive legislation brought in by a Labor MP to help their own residents is now for ALP Mayor Dominic Sullivan to explain.

Cr Matson is moving on and is advising that residents can independently apply to the Council's General Manager for their private parking spaces to be declared "Free Parking Areas".

Such declarations under section 650 of the Local Government Act will result in:

Council taking control of that portion of the land covered by the agreement for a period of time;
Council making it available for public parking;
Council and residents agreeing on time limits for parking and how or where it happens;
Council erecting suitable signs; and
Council rangers policing and imposing fines.

Cr Matson says the idea is not suitable for every parking dispute and is more,

"...a last ditch strategy taken by landowners fed up with the theft of their parking rights over their own land."

He clarifies further,

"It needs aggrieved residents to feel confident enough in the Council to trust that it will honour its side of the bargain by policing the area with rangers. The only way such trust can be built is by the agreements to be on a trial basis."