‘Inappropriate commercial interests’: Deputy mayor to leave Liberals over development concerns

The deputy mayor of one of Sydney’s safest Liberal councils will run as an independent mayoral candidate at September’s elections, alleging “inappropriate commercial interests” in party branches were placing profit before people.

Hornsby Shire Council deputy mayor Nathan Tilbury announced he would tear up his 13-year membership just weeks after outgoing Liberal mayor Philip Ruddock accused property developers supported by “senior party members” of orchestrating his ousting during a mayoral preselection.

His exit caps off one of the worst weeks in the state party’s history.

Sitting Hornsby Deputy Mayor Nathan Tilbury will resign as a Liberal and run as an Independent candidate in the forthcoming local government elections as a protest over Philip Ruddock’s sacking.Credit: Janie Barrett

NSW Liberals will be totally absent in seven council elections, and the party will be short some candidates in another eight, after the party failed to complete nomination paperwork by last Wednesday’s deadline.

The party’s state executive unanimously resolved to terminate the employment of former state director Richard Shields, saying the incident was sufficient cause to end his 10-month tenure.

In one Hornsby ward, only two Liberal candidates will stand in contrast to the usual five. Tilbury’s decision is likely to deepen the conservative fissure in the blue ribbon heartland.

His resignation letter, tendered to Shields on Monday and obtained by this masthead, alleged commercial interest in two branches had been “artificially elevated to falsely represent the majority view inside the party”.

“I fear for the future of the local party and the community when those who claim to represent the community sell out to protect their political careers,” he wrote.

He alleged that the consequence would be support for inappropriate development applications that were not in the interests of the wider community.

“There is now a significant risk that the natural environment and the rural amenity will be traded away in the interest of developer profits and commercial interest,” he wrote.

Hornsby railway station is a major transport development zone in the Minns government’s sweeping housing reforms, under which thousands of new dwellings will be built over the next 15 years.

Tilbury’s allegations echoed those of 81-year-old Ruddock, who claimed his advocacy for appropriate development had been considered “unacceptable by property developer interests”.

“In recent months it became clear to me that I could choose to either allow developers free rein over the shire I have fought to protect, or to stand by my principles and face certain replacement as the Liberal Party candidate,” the former immigration minister said on August 5.

In a statement, Ruddock, who served as mayor for seven years, endorsed Tilbury, saying he was “collateral damage” in his exit and would bring “integrity, trust and experience” if elected.

“This local government election will determine whether Hornsby Shire is given a pro-development council or a council that delivers the right balance between appropriate development, maintenance of our rural areas and the preservation of our natural environment,” he wrote.

Former Hornsby Liberal mayor Philip Ruddock endorsed Nathan Tilbury’s mayoral run. Credit: Getty

Tilbury said the decision of 268 branch members to depose Ruddock and elect Warren Waddell as the party’s mayoral candidate was not reflective of the “wider view within the local party”.

“There has been a fundamental shift in the core values of the local Hornsby Liberal Party team,” he said. “These are not the values I stand for and [they] are also in conflict with the core beliefs of our party.”

The Morning Edition newsletter is our guide to the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up here.