No one will ever achieve what I have: Mackenzie on his retirement

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Not two weeks after he pronounced no one is better for the job than he is, Port Stephens Mayor Bruce Mackenzie has now decided to retire.

After 49 years on council, he says the "time is right" and he's leaving the council in a good position to move forward.

"As I drive around Port Stephens no one will ever, ever duplicate the things that I have organised and the investments I've made for Port Stephens rate payers in Salamander, Raymond Terrace and especially Newcastle - take Newcastle, for instance, my investments are bringing in the Council excess of $2.25 million a year," said Bruce Mackenzie.

Image portstephensexaminer.com.au

Next year would have marked 50 years since Bruce was elected into council and he's played a big part on council ever since.

He says no one will ever achieve what he has during his time.

"There's that many councillors running, the people that are thumping their chest and say they're going to do wonders and some of the things they say they're going to do I just sit back and laugh and think mate you're just comedians."

Now Bruce says it's time to spend time with his grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. He won't be sitting still, he plans to tend to his 10,000 acre cattle property at Gloucester.

If he ever did decide to stand again, Bruce believes there's no doubt in his mind that he would win.

"I can't continue to stand and seek re-election because who's going to go there, I've just got to run my life after all of the service I've given to Port Stephens. And while I've got a lot of knockers, I've got a lot of supporters too."

Port Stephens Council Meeting Ends In Farce

BY IAN CROUCH

Last night's final meeting of Port Stephens Council before the September elections has ended only minutes after it started with two councillors storming out in disgust.

Councillors were handed a massive agenda of more than 900 pages to deal with before council goes into caretaker mode.

Councillors Geoff Dingle and Peter Kafer stormed out just 5 minutes into the meeting after a motion to deal with only essential items was defeated.

Geoff Dingle said the agenda was more than twice the size of any other council paper he had seen, leaving a lack of opportunity for consideration of decisions made.

With three other councillors absent, the meeting lacked a quorum and had to be abandoned.

However, Mayor Bruce MacKenzie believes there will be enough councillors available to reconvene the abandoned meeting next week.

Port Stephens Mayor Bruce MacKenzie

'Bout time for Bucketts

BY RACHEL STORER

The Bucketts Way, the major thoroughfare from Newcastle to Gloucester, is set to receive $8 million in funding as part of the government's Fixing Country Roads program.

NSW Roads Minister Melinda Pavey made the announcement last night, and also earmarked $5.5 million for the replacement of the Clarence Town Bridge in Dungog, allowing for heavy freight to use the crossing.

The notorious Bucketts Way is riddled with blackspots and has been labelled as "deplorable" by Port Stephens Mayor, Bruce MacKenzie.

The money will be split between the Mid-Coast and Port Stephens councils for the road upgrades and work is expected to be completed by 2019.

Section of The Bucketts Way near Stroud. Image: ozroads.com.au

Port Stephens Mayor Bruce MacKenzie Supports Dungog and Port Stephens Amalgamation

BY SARAH JAMES

Port Stephens councillors have supported a Mayoral Minute which will the Council write to the NSW Government in support of a voluntary amalgamation with Dungog Shire Council.

Port Stephens Mayor Bruce MacKenzine said the merger would be a natural fit and bring together like-minded communities, as opposed to merging with Newcastle.

95.3% of Port Stephens residents supported a merge with Dungog over Newcastle and 21.6% of all Dungog residents signed a petition in favour of a merge.

Mayor MacKenzie went on to say the merge will future-proof Port Stephens by increasing the scale and capacity of the council. The amalgamation will also be of benefit to both Councils.

"I think the advantages for Dungog are that we can help with planning matters, health and building matters, clerical matters, library matters, and I think it has a lot to offer jointly between Dungog and Port Stephens as far as tourism is concerned," said  Mayor MacKenzie.

Port Stephens Mayor Bruce MacKenzie

Labor set to run in Port Stephens September local elections

BY JARROD MELMETH

Labor's Port Stephens Local Government Committee and local branches, the Tomaree Peninsula and the Raymond Terrace Branch, are today outlining their plan to run candidates in the upcoming Port Stephens Council elections in September.

The Local Government Committee's President, Giacomo Arnott has claimed the current government is "hiding behind the word 'independent' to put forward their hidden agendas and "our community is sick of it."

"With controversy being the main outcome of the last four years of Council, it is time for a refresh, and these elections will be a great opportunity for the residents of Port Stephens to see a refresh occur," Mr Arnott said.

Port Stephens Mayor Bruce Mackenzie has fired back at the claims saying there is no one more independent than Bruce Mackenzie.

"I'm the most independent, rebel, outspoken, tell-it-how-it-is person that you will ever come across in your life.

"As for saying I'm hiding behind a political trend and I've got a hidden agenda shows the mentality of the people that said it because it is so far from the truth.

"As for running Labor tickets in Port Stephens, God help us.

"The day they have the Liberals, Labor, the Greens, One Nation, whatever, running for council and trying to control the council.

"Local council is not like that, it should not be like that, and there will be a big fat campaign against politics in local government at the next election for sure," Mr Mackenzie said.

Move to name women's refuge after mayor MacKenzie criticised

BY MICHAEL COOK

A unanimous decision by Port Stephens council to name a women's refuge after mayor Bruce MacKenzie has drawn criticism after it was revealed that he was convicted of assaulting his partner in 1997.

The Raymond Terrace facility will be known as "The Bruce MacKenzie Centre for Victims of Domestic Violence" in a move that has angered many in the community.

Ann Morris from the Hunter Women's Centre has slammed the decision, saying it is a totally inappropriate name given Cr Mackenzie's past.

"There's a bit of a stench around the whole thing," she said.

Bruce MacKenzie. Photo courtesy of Port Stephens Examiner

Cr MacKenzie plead guilty to assaulting his de-facto partner before Raymond Terrace Court in November 1997.

He was ordered to enter into a 12-month good behaviour bond, however the magistrate did not record a conviction against his name.

Cr MacKenzie says he understands the concerns around naming the centre after him, but believes without his efforts, the shelter would not have gone ahead.

Williamtown contamination zone rates relief

BY JARROD MELMETH

A notice of motion has been put forward for tonights council meeting calling upon the General Manager to investigate how Port Stephens Council can give relief to property owners and residents in the Williamtown contamination zones.

Under the Local Government Act 1993 council is not empowered to write-off or reduce rates where ratepayers are experiencing hardship. Under provisions of the Council's Hardship Policy, the preference is to negotiate regular, manageable repayments with ratepayers experiencing financial hardship.

Port Stephens Mayor Bruce Mackenzie said this is an issue that needs to be fixed by the government not ratepayers.

"The federal government should be subsidising rates, guaranteeing loans if people want to sell their property and the potential buyer can't get a financial institution to give them the loan due to the area they are buying in."

Council property records indicate there have been eight completed sales within the investigation area since the announcement, with a total sale value of $3.295M.

Port Stephens Mayor Bruce Mackenzie. Photo courtesy of The Newcastle Herald

Williamtown contamination zone. Photo courtesy of EPA.

Christmas has come early for Port Stephens community groups

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Community groups in Port Stephens have had all their Christmases come at once, with local council formalising more than $850, 000 in funding for community projects.

Service clubs, environmental groups, sports clubs and church groups were among the successful applicants with the funding enabling them to continue to run events and programs important to the community.

Mayor of Port Stephens Bruce Mackenzie says the local government is rewarding the efforts of the community he couldn't be happier.

"For me Port Stephens is an example of local government working with the people, rewarding the people for their efforts right throughout the length and breadth of the local government area and I'm just so happy that we're in a financial position to be able to do that."

The mayor has raised concerns however, that if the proposed amalgamation with Newcastle goes ahead, the important community groups could be left behind.

"It's probably the last time Port Stephens will be making those allocations to the people and I would imagine that especially if we amalgamate with Newcastle, those organisations will see peanuts in the future where we last night gave them gold because we appreciate the volunteers and the people that put in efforts beyond the call of duty."

It was also announced that the proceeds of the sale of a new housing block at Tarrant Road in Salamander Bay, will also be endorsed to go towards unfunded projects totalling  $660, 000.

New Pulse for Anna Bay

Artists impression of The Pulse, Gan Gan Road Anna Bay

Port Stephens council has announced a $19million entrainment complex for Anna Bay.

Located on Gan Gan Road the complex, called ‘The Pulse’, promises to be a world class entertainment venue with areas for artists and musicians as well as a restaurant-style dining area and a play area for children.

The complex also boat three interactive cinema’s with are expected to be a draw card for locals and visitors alike.

“You can get married in Paris, visit Las Vegas, you can go for a spaceship ride,” Port Stephens Mayor Bruce MacKenzie said, “there will be educational facilities for school children and it’s a great addition to our tourist empire.”

Mr MacKenzie said he believes the complex will provide “quite a considerable amount of employment” for locals, particularly young people.

“Anything that creates jobs and provides employment, especially for young people, I am 150% behind,” he said.

As well as the theatres the complex will include merchandise area, food and drink premises and retail outlets.