Premier Gladys Berejiklian says forced council mergers will not be the issue that decides North Shore by-election
PREMIER Gladys Berejiklian says North Shore voters are more interested in traffic and education than the vexed issue of the State Government’s forced council amalgamations.
Mosman
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COUNCIL mergers have been billed as the issue that could swing the North Shore by-election.
Activists are campaigning hard against the State Government plan in the run up to the vote on April 8 and one of the area’s leading anti-merger identities, Mosman councillor Carolyn Corrigan, has entered the race as an independent candidate (see below).
But the most important figure in the election is dismissive of the supposed power it holds over voters.
“It’s really interesting. I spent the whole day in Mosman a few Sundays ago and I didn’t have anybody raise it with me,” Premier Gladys Berejiklian said.
“I don’t want to take away from how upset some people feel but it’s interesting that other issues are coming up ahead of that.”
Traffic, transport and education were the topics that she found were on voters minds.
In the lower north shore there are several projects on the cards to tackle traffic congestion.
The B-Line route aims to improve the bus infrastructure along Spit and Military roads and construction is due to start soon on the Sydney Metro with new stations at North Sydney and Crows Nest.
The most contentious plan is the road tunnel to the northern beaches which would bypass Mosman and the notorious bottle neck of Spit Bridge. The issue is becoming a political football in the run up to the election and Ms Berejiklian says she will be making an announcement in the very near future.
“I’ll definitely have something to say about it in the next little while,” she said.
“We’ve been working very hard behind the scenes for a couple of years on this. It’s not as though it’s something that’s going to pop up out of nowhere.
“I’ll be looking forward to demonstrating all the action we’ve taken to this point and then talk about the next stage.”
The Premier sees the tunnel as a critical part of the “medium to long-term future” but that’s it’s only part of the transport puzzle.
The B-Line bus route, which will shuttle commuters from the northern beaches to the CBD, has raised the ire of locals along the route.
Residents are upset about potential compulsory purchase of land and changes to traffic flow.
Ms Berejiklian believes that the B-Line is needed because public transport for growing communities has to cater for greater demand.
And she assured residents that planners are listening to them.
“When you have a major project like the B-Line you can actually amend things as you go along ... to support the community,” she said.
“I’m confident that a lot of people who are concerned about the impact it is having on them will have those concerns addressed.
“We very well may be able to address their concerns directly by amending the route or taking less space than we need.”
The Liberal party has not yet chosen the candidate who will potentially replace Jillian Skinner in the long-held seat.
Five hopefuls have put their hands up for the job and the party will hold an official selection event next week in North Sydney.
Ms Berejiklian is impressed by all the candidates and assured party members that the process would be fully democratic. She said she could have had the option to move things forward.
“We are having a full preselection where the locals get to choose and I’m really confident whoever they choose will be great,” she said.
The Premier is already a regular visitor to cafes and restaurants in the area and her daily bus journey takes her through the patch.
North Shore voters can expect to see much more of her in the coming weeks as she hits the campaign trail with the chosen candidate.
“There’s no doubt by-elections are always extremely challenging and I knew from day one it would be challenging,” she said.
“A Liberal member will be able to make positive change for the community and a Liberal member will have a direct voice with me and the Ministers to make sure we get things done.”
CORRIGAN NOT ‘A SINGLE ISSUE CANDIDATE’
Mosman councillor Carolyn Corrigan will contest the seat of North Shore as an independent.
The by-election in former Liberal member Jillian Skinner’s seat is on April 8.
Ms Corrigan said she decided to run last week.
“As it became clearer that other candidates were not proceeding, I was reapproached by a significant number of people to run. I think the time is right for a change,” she said.
Ms Corrigan, who has resigned as Save Our Councils Coalition president, said that issues important to her went beyond forced council amalgamations.
“I certainly don’t feel like I’m a single issue candidate,” she said. Her concerns include: youth, the environment (Save Middle Head campaign), overcrowded schools, traffic/transport and the B-Line.
Ms Corrigan’s campaign launch is in the Kirribilli Club on Monday at 6pm.
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