‘Jetties don’t get up and move’: Shellharbour Council reworks Lake Illawarra dredging motion

A trio of Labor councillors have pushed back against an Independent’s motion to “go it alone” in researching the feasibility of dredging Lake Illawarra.

Ongoing quarrels about dredging Lake Illawarra continued during Shellharbour Council’s meeting on Tuesday night.

Labor councillors Rob Petreski, Moira Hamilton and Maree Edwards tabled a rescission motion against Independent councillor John Davey’s motion for staff to compile a report into the feasibility of dredging parts of Lake Illawarra, namely Koona and Burroo Bay at Albion Park Rail and Oak Flats.

The trio opposed the original motion in February given it didn’t go through the “correct process” of working collaboratively with Wollongong Council.

“The correct process is to go through the Lake Illawarra Coastal Management Program Implementation Group,” Cr Petreski said in the chamber.

“To bypass this group would be to put the cart before the horse, there could be merit in [getting a feasibility report], but we need to go about it the proper way.”

Cr Petreski told his colleagues a feasibility study for the entire lake could cost $300,000 which he claimed would be “before we even turn a load of sand”.

Koona Bay in Albion Park Rail is one of the bays in question. Picture: Homely

Cr Davey argued Shellharbour shouldn’t be “subordinate” to Wollongong, citing restoration works the northern neighbours had undertaken on some of its jetties without consultation with them.

“I don’t think jetties get up and move with the current,” Cr Petreski retorted.

“The currents, the sands and the sediments do move between boundaries.”

Cr Davey made a point of order claiming sediment doesn’t “sit there” with mayor Chris Homer asking if that was a fact or an opinion.

Cr Davey said it was a fact before Cr Petreski replied “Thanks for your opinion”.

The rescission motion was carried six votes to three with Cr Davey, councillor Kellie Marsh and councillor Jacqui Graf opposing it.

The alternate motion, which included details about working with the LICMPIG and Wollongong Council, was passed by the same six councillors.

Any other business…

Light at the end of iVote tunnel

The NSW Electoral Commission has been ordered to cover the costs of holding new elections in Shellharbour (Ward A), Kempsey and Singleton.

The three councils were affected by the iVote meltdown in December‘s local government elections with the NSW Supreme Court ruling on Tuesday the election of 19 councillors (including Shellharbour’s Cr Edwards and Cr Marsh) will officially be declared void on May 3.

The judgement means fresh elections must be held within three months of that date, with the likely polling day to be sometime in July.

As well as the costs of new elections, the NSWEC has also been ordered to cover the legal bills of the respective councils.

Councillor Maree Edwards will have to recontest her position. Picture: Shellharbour Council

Cr Edwards said it was a no-brainer for the Electoral Commission to cover the costs of the second ballot, but she said it was still a disappointing outcome for ratepayers.

“The fact the three councils are getting reimbursed is good,” she said.

“It means a lot to ratepayers and had I not instigated that early in the piece we may not be here, but overall it’s pretty sad we have to go back.

“It is a long period (before the election is held) and it means for myself and Kellie, we have to go through all the council planning and all the inductions and that’s very expensive if that has to be done for new councillors coming in.

“Plus we‘re decision-making so again, that puts council on the backfoot which is sad for ratepayers.”

Individual candidates will have the opportunity to pursue costs when the matter is addressed again in May.

The Electoral Commission is prepared to make an “act of grace” payment to cover candidates’ expenditure.

Shellharbour’s first female CEO

Melissa Boxall is the acting CEO of Shellharbour Council. She is the first woman to hold the position. Picture: Shellharbour Council

The meeting was the first since the departure of chief executive Carey McIntyre with the void being filled in the interim by director of community and customers Melissa Boxall.

Ms Boxall is the first woman to have the CEO badge in the city, having also served in the role for a brief period when Mr McIntyre was absent.

The public servant of 14 years has held various senior management and director roles and explained to The Illawarra Star the importance of having women in high-ranking positions.

“The significance is it’s an opportunity for role-modelling for our women in the organisation and in the industry,” Ms Boxall said.

“We are definitely seeing more women in CEO and general manager positions in local governments around NSW, but for me it demonstrates to the younger women within the organisation that there is an opportunity to progress through the ranks.”

Shellharbour’s staff comprise of 48 per cent women, while 43 per cent of management and supervisors’ positions within the council are occupied by women.

Ms Boxall will hold the position for eight weeks before Ben Stewert, who is the director of amenities and assets, takes up the mantle until mid-July when a full-time CEO is set to be appointed.