Greens Shoalhaven Councillor Debbie Killian will move a rescission motion at Tuesday’s Council meeting, seeking to overturn last month’s decision to sell off community land that houses a children’s disability service, a homeless shelter, a youth centre and a much-cherished community craft cottage.
The council narrowly voted to rezone and sell more than 20 properties, including land used by Ulladulla-based Noah’s Inclusion Services, the 12-bed Safe Shelter Shoalhaven, the Nowra Youth Centre, and Werninck Cottage as part of a $14 million land sell-off aimed at avoiding a rate rise.
The affected organisations were not consulted before the decision was made public. Council CEO Andrew Constance has since publicly apologised to Noah’s Inclusion Services, admitting the council “got it wrong.”
Cr Killian said the decision was made without proper community consultation and would fall hardest on locals who rely on community support.
“Council’s decision to sell land that houses important local community groups and parcels that hold interest for other groups across the city has outraged the community,” Cr Killian said.
“The Mayor and Deputy Mayor can talk about ‘sharing the pain’, but it’s not being shared. It’s being dumped on the people who can least afford it.
“On Tuesday I’ll be moving to rescind this decision. It should never have been rushed through without consulting the people it directly affects. Council needs to properly consult to find a way forward.
“Some of the other parcels proposed for sale which do not house community services have deep connection and meaning to residents. The much-loved informal village green at Depot Beach and the vacant RFS shed at Bendalong where local community members have ambition at some future time to run activities are just two examples.”
Cr Killian said the rescission motion would give the council a chance to correct course before any rezoning application was lodged with the Office of Local Government.
“There is still time to do this properly. I’d urge every councillor, regardless of politics, to back the rescission on Tuesday and commit to real consultation before any decision is made about divesting community assets which are valuable now and into the future.”
NSW Greens spokesperson for local government, and former Deputy Mayor of Albury, Dr Amanda Cohn MLC, said selling off public assets was short-sighted.
“Regional councils in NSW have been set up to fail by state and federal governments giving them more and more responsibilities with less and less funding. But selling off precious public assets to balance the books is the wrong solution.”
“Once public assets are sold, they’re gone forever.”
Julie Ashby, President of Werninck Cottage said “Selling the cottage would not only impact the 35 members of our craft club, but also the many, many visitors to the cottage; the thousands of supporters who have signed our petition; others who have walked through the doors to express their shock and dismay; and more who have rung to tell us stories of the cottage history. Our community resource this cannot be dismissed lightly.”
