The Labor Party has been slammed for the announcement of their intention to bring party politics to the floor of Port Stephens Council.
Councillor Ken Jordan, a former Liberal candidate for Port Stephens, believes party politics has no place in local government because whether they're Labor, Liberal or Greens they'd only answer to their political superiors.
Over the weekend nine people were selected by local Labor Party members to contest the 2017 Port Stephens Council election including Desmond Maslen for mayor.
"The negative impacts are having people that are not there for the people, they're there for the party - they don't answer to the community, they don't answer to people, they're not there for the people, they answer to what the party tells them to do."
He adds if Port Stephens is to maintain its image as one of the best councils in the state, party politics can't come to pass within the council.
"Local government is grassroots, it's about the people and you know the parties in there, you wan't people to answer to the community. Port Stephens Council is one of the best councils in the state on just about every measurement you can measure, why do you want to ruin it?" said Cr Ken Jordan.
Professor of Politics at the University of Newcastle Jim Jose says there is merit in the argument that when you're a member of a political party you follow the political ideology.
"There's some merit in that argument that when you're a member of a political party and there is a party platform on a given issue then given that issue comes up in council and is up for debate there is a significant amount of pressure from the particular party to ensure that as a member for that party you tow that line."
"However there have been occasions when members of parties have stood up and basically followed the issues to do with their local constituency and sometimes they pay the penalty for this and sometimes they're applauded," said Professor Jim Jose.
