Greens ask Minister for immediate council elections
The Central Coast Greens are asking the Minister for Local Government Ms Wendy Tuckerman to hold immediate council elections on the Central Coast with a five-year term.
The five-year term would "avoid holding two elections in two consecutive years", according to Greens local government spokesperson Mr Jamie Parker.
"If the Minister succeeds in delaying the election until 2024, the Central Coast will have been without Councillors for four years," he said.
"Four years is too long to wait for local people to get a democratically elected voice back on their council.
"We're calling on NSW Labor to commit to bringing this election forward if they win government in March 2023."
"Initially, residents were led to believe that two years of administration plus a lengthy public inquiry were adequate.
"In fact, according to the administrator Mr Rik Hart, the troubled financial affairs of the Central Coast Council have now substantially been addressed.
"To suspend an elected government requires exceptional circumstances.
"The Greens contend that exceptional circumstances no longer exist at Central Coast Council and that Ms Tuckerman must return the normal governance by elected councillors at the earliest practicable occasion."
Since the announcement, many signatures have been added to a resident's petition to have the Minister reconsider her decision have accumulated.
"Only one election is needed to restore councillors to the council, and that election should be held sooner rather than later," Mr Parker said.
"Government by elected representatives remains the expected form of all government in Australia."
SOURCE:
Media release, 15 Jun 2022
Chantelle Bastow, Central Coast Greens