Revelations in the Newcastle Herald November 27 and 28 2013 have prompted TRRA Inc. to delve into our archives and resurrect a controversial document written in the aftermath of the Port Stephens Council Election in September 2012. This document was actually only a draft, and considered too strong to be published on this website by the majority of the TRRA Management Committee at the time.
However in the light of these articles in the paper, we feel that the analysis at the time has been vindicated and the warnings that we published on the website, AFTER the Candidate forums, but the week BEFORE the elections, were also very timely and accurate. We also think that what has been printed in the paper is only the tip of the iceberg….. We will be commenting further on the implications soon.
The document must be read in the context of when it was written in September 2012 and sections relating to the Election Funding Authority have since been highlighted. A link to Our wrap-up of what WE THOUGHT was going on the week BEFORE the election, and published on this site, is attached at the bottom of the article.
‘How Macka Stole Port Stephens’ is: HERE
The performance of this Council so far has exceeded our worst expectations as expressed in our last ‘Council Report Card Project’ and reinforced in last weeks shenanigan at Council HERE
DID MACKA BUY THE PORT STEPHENS COUNCIL ELECTION ?????!
Aggregated Media Coverage As It Happened:
Newcastle Herald 26 November: Electoral Cash Trail Revealed: Poll
Newcastle Herald 26 Nov: Editorial – Seeking Electoral Fairness
Newcastle Herald 26 Nov: McCloy’s Majority Flexes Its Muscles – Newcastle Too!
Newcastle Herald 27 Nov: Jet Lane Housing Gets Council Nod
Newcastle Herald 27 Nov: Member Of Mackenzie Team Reveals Strategy
Newcastle Herald 29 Nov: Vote Idea Just The Ticket –Tucker Bells The Cat… !
Newcastle Herald 29 Nov: MacKenzie Unmoved By Air Marshal
Newcastle Herald 02 Dec: Councillors Deny Code Breach – The spin…..!
Newcastle Herald 02 Dec: Just How Independent? – Cllr Dingle
Opinion Newcastle Herald 29 Nov –Letter: Deceptions Belie Wisdom Prayer
Opinion Newcastle Herald 29 Nov – Letter: Blinkered View Of Our Councils
Opinion Newcastle Herald 4 Dec: – Letter: Ward Foretold Of Dangerous Times
Examiner 04 Dec: Councillor Reveals Election Plot For Pro Development Council
Newcastle Herald 12 December: Firefighters Between A Rock And A Hot Place
Daily Telegraph 12 December 2013: Environmental Rules Slammed – Port Stephens Area Under Flames was About To Be Back Burned
Here are the electronic links to the stories in the Herald.Saturday 01. Monday 03 March;
Bruce MacKenzie’s 31 running mates
The secrets to Bruce MacKenzie’s political staying power
OPINION: Vote catching can be tough to grasp
Macca ‘Bloc’ Drives Key Port Decisions
Mayor MacKenzie proud of council’s financial health
Just a comment please on these financial donations to budding Councilors :
TRRA is to be commended on informing people about this current controversy, but a point that should not be lost in this debate about donations to electoral candidates, …. is “The Law”.
Whether we all like it or not, the current State Government changed Legislation allowing Developers, per se, to remain and have a role to play on Local Councils.
These legislative changes also defined limits on the role that donors to candidates could play and required that candidates disclose “all” amounts that come to them …. it is a Government report on this process that has created the controversy covered by the N’Castle Herald in the last two days
The information provided to all candidates was very simple and clear:
Property Developers, being incorporated bodies involved in “relevant planning applications” for profit, are Prohibited Donors.
Also, corporations engaged in/with a business concerned with the sale of alcoholic products, are Prohibited Donors.
It is unlawful for Prohibited Donors to make any political donation.
These rules were set to protect our community from the influence of wealthy donors in Local Elections.
The rules are also laid out about “groups” vs individual candidates, in the same Legislation … if you are part of a group you must register before nominations close.
We are being told only now that more than half of all the 60 plus candidates, were in the same group, but did not register it!
The issue then is whether or not the funds came from a Prohibited Donor.
It seems clear from the statements made in the Herald, firstly and repeated, that “The Law” was not followed, nor did many candidates attempt to comply with it, during the 2012 PSC Election. The Election Funding Authority must be called upon to consider the information made public and if found to be the actions of a Prohibited Donor, require the dismissal from office of all candidates not complying with “The Law” in September 2012.
As a simple old voter, I feel betrayed by the scam that happened at our last election, and i trust others will join with me in asking the EFA to intervene.
Signed: A Council Watcher