A group of concerned Central Coast residents attend a public hearing on March 30 regarding the reclassification of Community land to Operational land known as 73-75 Mann St, Gosford.
The hearing was held at the back of the Central Coast Stadium in a hot and sticky tent with no air-conditioning or fan with sunlight streaming through, while peak hour traffic flew overhead and both commuter and freight trains rumbled past as speakers struggled due to having no PA system.
Michael Murray and Associates was the convener with four Council officers in attendance, as a requirement of the Local Government Act 1993, that a public hearing must be held if reclassification of Community Land to Operational Land was intended with the outcome of a sale.
Attempting to stifle debate from the seven registered speakers, one Council officer adamantly attempted to limit each speaker to five minutes only, which was quickly howled down by the residents.
A final Q&A session was allowed with several other residents raising many concerns with the process.
The result of an informal show of hands regarding the proposal resulted in 21 people opposed, one in favour and one abstaining with Michael Murray, the independent arbiter, concluding that his report would be available the following Monday on Council’s website.
This did not occur and a further week passed with the final report simply reflecting the minutes of the meeting with no answers or suggestions for Council to consider.
We can only suggest that the process was nothing more that a “tick the box” exercise in which Central Coast ratepayers wore the cost for an incomplete Public Hearing Report.
Email April 19
Gary Blaschke, Lake Munmorah