Friday, 13 April 2007

Media Release

Randwick Labor Councillor tries to Silence Greens Councillor

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A Randwick Labor Councillor wants a Green Councillor disciplined after he revealed that Labor accepted an election donation from an applicant for a contentious Coogee development site.

Greens Councillor Murray Matson expressed disappointment after being told that ALP Cr Alan White was attempting to have him referred to the Council’s Conduct Committee.

Cr Matson stated,

“Councillor Alan White is trying to intimidate me into being silent about the fact that the Labor Councillors accepted an election donation from the development company Meck Investment Pty Ltd in 2004. This is a crude bullying tactic.

Any political party that accepts donations from developers should expect to have such a connection raised in Council – the broader community would certainly expect it to be acknowledged.”

Council is currently considering a development application for the contentious 155-157 Arden Street site. One of the project's developers is Mr Boris Meck who is linked to Meck Investments Pty Ltd.

North Ward Greens Councillor Margaret Woodsmith is against the applicant’s proposal to partially demolish and then realign the historic Arden Street retaining walls. She intends to recommence heritage listing for them. She said

“Council’s heritage consultants Godden Mackay Logan have advised us to protect the retaining walls and I fully agree with that. I have initiated a motion to the next Council meeting that will re-commence heritage listing for the walls.”

Cr White initiated his Conduct Committee Action against Cr Matson after the latter asked Labor Councillors during last Tuesday’s meeting whether they were planning to declare an official “interest” in the application.

A summary of political donations submitted on behalf of the Randwick ALP Councillors shows that Meck Investments Pty Ltd purchased $3,000 worth of tickets to a Randwick ALP Council election fundraiser at State Parliament House.

The Greens have raised the Meck Investment Pty donations before when Council considered another contentious development at 47-53 Dudley Street, Coogee.

At that time it was brought to Greens Councillor Bradley Hughes’ attention by a concerned resident that, in addition to the $3,000, Meck Investments Pty Ltd also paid a total of approximately $12,446 for two newspaper advertisements at $6,223 each for the 2004 ALP council election campaign. Cr Hughes said,

"It is not good enough for ALP Councillor to simply say they did not know about the donations when we have brought the Meck Investment Ptly donations to their attention previously. It was encouraging that the ALP Councillors did acknowledge the link during the Dudley street debate but dissapointing that they have not done so for the Arden Street matter."