Tuesday night's City of Newcastle council meeting saw tensions reach an all-time high, as the saga of the construction of basketball courts within National Park continues.
Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes moved a mayoral minute celebrated the construction of the six courts at National park after a public voice session last week, which saw council staff grilled about the process by community members.
Cr Nelmes said in her motion that she commends "our Parks and Recreation team for revitalising this desolate, black-asphalted eyesore and unused section of National Park and returning it back to the community, for local people and families to enjoy."
At the councils public voice session on the issue, members of Friends of National Park spoke outlining their angst among community members, who were hoping the area would become parkland. They asked for a commitment to more green space, no more asphalt, an open and transparent decision making process and genuine consultation.
Greens Councillor John Mackenzie spoke against the Mayoral Minute at Tuesday night's meeting describing the whole situation as “fake community consultation”.
"This motion looks to rewrite history and say this was the decision all along, which is not at all the case and in fact the horse has now bolted and is long gone. The construction of those basketball is now underway. This can't be how council does business.
"National Park is community land. When we seek community input, we are getting a mandate for the kinds of things that we do on that land. It's not up for council to decide. Unilaterally, no one on this council has the right to decide what happens on community land. That's why we go to consultation. That's why we have a whole series of process around a plan of management to ensure that the uses of our community land are consistent with all of the principles and do find a balance.
"The fact the basketball courts are well liked, has absolutely nothing to do with the decision to unilaterally push ahead with a decision during a plan of management process that we knew was going to be controversial," Cr Mackenzie said.
Cr Nelmes hit back by accusing some councillors of using community members as political pawns.
"It's very disappointing for the friends of National Park because I think they're being used as political footballs in this process. That whole speech [Cr Mackenzie's] and diatribe on council processes and staff, is very grandstandy at best, and very glib," Cr Nelmes said.
The motion was supported by the majority of councillors.
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| Picture: City of Newcastle |
