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."

Government ready to hear from Singleton

BY SARAH BARONOWSKI and JESSICA ROUSE

The state government is heading to Singleton today to hold a community cabinet meeting to hear from the people who matter most, those who live within the council area and find out what issues are affecting them.

Up for discussion is the distribution of funds for the Resources for Regions program, the status of the Singleton Bypass and the government's response to the flying fox population.


Mayor Sue Moore says the Resources for Regions program will be a key focus of the meeting.

"We were fortunate to receive $3.5 million in the last round of the program, however we had asked $7 million, so that leaves a shortfall of $3.5 million so we're actually asking for some understanding as to how the resources for the region and the money is allocated so hopefully we'll be able to see the release of some more funds."

Having ministers on the ground and hearing from the community themselves is the most valuable part of today's meeting, and giving a great opportunity for all according to Mayor Moore.

"Council can say as much as they like and what these issues are, but there's nothing like hearing from the people on the ground."

Housing Industry Association hits back at developer ban

BY JESSICA ROUSE

The Housing Industry Association (HIA) in the Hunter is hitting back after the state opposition called for a ban on real estate agents and developers from running in local council elections.

The legislation would aim to avoid another electoral donations scandal like that in the Hunter in 2011, and the opposition maintains allowing real estate agents and developers to make decisions about property and planning matters creates a major conflict of interest.

HIA Executive Director Craig Jennion disagrees, and believes it is really short sighted to say people in these professions shouldn't be involved just because of the occupation they work in.

"From the simple matters like what is a small or medium business and often they also handle very complex strategic plans and projects, they're involved with intricate financial matters, they have to market projects to the general public - these are skill sets and experiences which are highly desirable to local government," said Craig Jennion.

Measures like checks and balances are already in place to avoid any conflict of interest influencing decisions on council, and HIA believe that should be enough.

"The view that individual councillors have the capacity to influence a council vote on matters that will benefit them commercially is completely ignoring many of the checks and balances that are being developed in our system planning proposals where conflicts of interest exist have to be declared," said Craig Jennion. 

Calls for a ban on developers and real estate agents running in council elections

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Shadow Minister for Local Government, Peter Primrose has chosen Newcastle to announce Labor is putting forward legislation to ban developers and real estate agents from holding office on local councils.

The new legislation is being put forward in a bid to avoid the electoral donations scandal which surrounded the state election in the Hunter in 2011 and stamp out corruption or the perception of corruption in local government decision making.

The opposition believes having individuals who are affiliated in development or real estate given the power to make decisions on a council is a major conflict of interest.

"We're not saying that real estate agents and all developers are bad people, we're just saying that the conflict of interest is such that it's just not appropriate for them to sit and make judgements and decisions in relation to local government planning and other matters," said Peter Primrose.

Newcastle MP Tim Crakanthorp, Shadow Minister for Local Government
Peter Primrose and Lord Mayor of Newcastle Nuatali Nelmes. Image Newcastle Herald

"The parliament has under both parties unanimously agreed to introduce bans on developers making donations at the council and state elections and yet despite the fact that that ban continues on making donations we're still allowing those same people to sit as  councillors in local government."

Banning property developers and real estate agents from running in local elections is one part of a three-point plan Labor has for the legislation, which also includes popularly elected mayors for four years to end horse-trading between parties for the position and give locals a say and also putting a cap on political donations.

Labor is calling for the cap to be placed on political donations and campaign spending ahead of the local council elections in September, less than 100 days away.

"At the moment, be it the leader of the opposition or Premier Berejiklian when they're running, there are limits on how much money they can spend but that doesn't apply at local council level so we are calling upon premier Berejiklian to introduce spending caps as recommended by the electoral matters committee," said Peter Primrose.