Cumberland Council considers giving general manager more power to reject motions for meetings

A plan to give a council general manager more powers to control what lands on the agenda has polarised councillors, with some labelling it “horrendous” and others deeming it a win for “fed up” ratepayers.

A western Sydney council’s plan to give its general manager more powers to reject controversial issues coming before meetings has sparked a heated debate, with critics saying it is undemocratic while supporters say it will stop wasting time on irrelevant issues.

Under a clause proposed for its draft code-of-meeting practice, Cumberland Council general manager Peter Fitzgerald could rule out councillor’s motions if deemed unlawful.

Councillor Steve Christou, who recently quit the Our Local Community party to join the Libertarians, slammed the proposal as horrendous.

“I cannot believe a bunch of elected representatives … would allow – and are willing to hand over power – to the general manager to veto and decide anything that in his opinion might cause divisiveness or ruin Cumberland’s reputation,’’ he said.

“We are failing our local community. It’s not up to an unelected bureaucrat to decide if that makes a council business paper.

Cumberland Council has 250,000 residents and includes Auburn. Picture: Angelo Velardo

“Under no circumstances as an elected representative in anywhere in this country has any elected representative given up any democratic right to the general manager.’’

Cr Helen Hughes criticised the changes including reducing meetings from twice a month to once a month.

“To have it monthly, it’s a tick and flick exercise, and to me it seems very lazy,’’ she said.

But other councillors embraced plans for the general manager to have more control because it would eliminate wasting time debating issues out of the council’s control.

“Let me tell you residents are sick to death of us talking about federal matters,’’ Cr Joseph Rahme said.

“I hear about it every day.

Councillor Steve Christou.

Councillor Joseph Rahme.

“Residents are sick to death of the fear mongering, half-truths and lack of productivity of this council.

“The lies and fear mongering need to stop and this does not in any way hand over power to the general manager.

“He’s still accountable to the councillors and he’s still governed, and we still run this council.’’

As an “exaggerated” hypothetical example, Cr Rahme said if a councillor tabled a motion advocating for Australians to follow sharia law or the Amish religion, it would have to be debated at a council meeting because the general manager could not intervene.

“It is to ensure we minimise political grandstanding and focus on what matters, and what residents actually vote us to focus on,’’ Cr Rahme said.

“Residents vote for us to focus on rates, roads and rubbish and footpaths and making our local government area a better place to live.’’

Non-local issues brought before the council over the past year include advocating for the Voice to Parliament, supporting Palestine and flying the Lebanese flag outside its chambers.

Deputy Mayor Michael Zaiter suggested the general manager’s intervention would be safer for the council and staff.

“It wasn’t long ago we had riot police in this chamber,’’ he said.

Riot police were called to the council’s Merrylands chambers in May.

“Our staff were in danger because of certain things that were put forward, certain social media beat-ups that were put out.’’

Riot police were called to a council meeting in May after protesters clashed outside in response to Cr Christou proposing a ban on same-sex books at its libraries.

Councillors Hughes, Christou, Paul Garrard and Eddy Sarkis were against the general manager clause.

However, with the support of the remaining councillors, the draft code-of-meeting practice will now go on public exhibition for community feedback.

Cr Christou will also write to the Local Government Minister Ron Hoenig complaining about the proposal.