The Shellharbour community has chosen a design for the contentious $57 million City Hub, but critics say the community still has not been asked one key question – do they want the hub at all?
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For more than a year, the hub has progressed through important milestones with the seven-member council usually split 4-3 on key votes.
At times, Shellharbour Mayor Marianne Saliba has been forced to use her casting vote in the absence of councillors to avoid the process being stalled.
Two recent surveys have given opposite responses, with the results questioned by both sides.
A Lake Times newspaper survey with 800 responses found 70 per cent in favour of the hub, but this result was criticised because the survey allowed multiple votes from the same computer.
Meantime, another survey from Shell Cove-based survey company Dellpark Pty Ltd – which only allowed one vote per computer – had 100 responses, but found just 6 per cent were in support.
Hub supporters argue the respondents to this survey were likely to be critics of the hub just wanting to make a point.
Dellpark’s Ken Stratton said it was an independent survey and he was not for or against the hub. He created the survey on behalf of a neighbour, with the 10-question survey open to anyone to have their say.
An artist’s impression of the planned hub.Shellharbour councillor Kellie Marsh, who is opposed to the hub, said the best way to gauge community support was through a referendum.
Cr Marsh said she had been ‘‘overwhelmed’’ by the groundswell against the hub.
‘‘I want to put a referendum formally on the table and I think this is a good time to do it,’’ Cr Marsh said.
Barrack Point resident Harry Gooden said a private meeting of 30 people was held on Wednesday night to discuss opposition to the hub.
‘‘There are an enormous amount of people that do not want a hub at this stage,’’ Mr Gooden said.
‘‘The hub rests on the council selling assets for what they value them. If they don’t get the money, it could be stopped in its tracks anyway.’’
Labor councillor John Murray argued people opposed to the hub usually changed their opinion once they understood the proposed complex was more than just an administration building and would provide city-wide services.
He said they also changed their minds when the finances were explained.
‘‘This is very affordable,’’ Cr Murray said.
‘‘A new central library, museum, auditorium and community rooms are good for the city and good for the people.
‘‘We won’t be closing libraries...a central library has been promised for 30 years and we’ve been taking section 94 funds from developers for it for 25 years.’’
Cr Saliba said the council had an obligation to meet the needs of the community ‘‘today and tomorrow’’.
‘‘People are not bowling me over in the street telling me they do not want this,’’ she said.
‘‘I have no personal attachment to the hub...we make decisions in good faith based on the evidence we are given.
‘‘If there was genuine community angst they would be out there protesting in force – and they are not.’’
