LOCAL COMMUNITY FORUM

More than 200 local resident including state politicians and former councillors, expressed their great concerns and sent strong messages to the NSW Baird government – Stop Denying local Democracy and Call the Council election due in Sep 17 to be brought forward .
Lakemba ALP State Electoral Council local government community forum was held at Riverwood Community Centre last Wednesday 17th August 2016
The shadow minister of local government Peter Primrose and Lakemba state member Jihad Dib , former Premier of New South Wales Morris Iemma addressed the forum.
Shadow Minister for Local Government Peter Primrose said, “A council election needs to be held on the Canterbury Bankstown before the September 2017 date currently put forward by the NSW Government “
Mr Primrose said he had made formal requests to the Electoral Commissioner and the premier, Mr Mike Baird, under the Government Information Public Access Act 2009 (GIPA) asking them to show reasons why the elections for merged councils can’t be held until September 2017. “They won’t tell us…they have refused my application stating it is not in the public interest to tell me why we can’t have elections earlier” Mr Primrose said.
“Mike Baird and Paul Toole have absolutely no idea what they are doing. “ This whole mess shows again that forced council mergers just do not work.” Mr Primrose added.
The former Deputy Mayor of Canterbury council Khodr Saleh who organised the forum said the delay for local Government election for Canterbury Bankstown Council is denying residents the basic principles of local democracy.
“The well attended local government forum today shows a clear message that people in our local community are concerned and they not happy about the local Council amalgamation process and want the council election for Canterbury Bankstown Council to be brought forward he added.