A 10,000-signature petition opposing Shellharbour City Council's proposed $57 million City Hub project is on its way to the NSW Parliament.
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After weeks of negotiations over whether Labor Shellharbour MP Anna Watson or Liberal Kiama MP Gareth Ward would present the petition, the Stop the Hub community group handed the petition to Ms Watson to do the honours.
Ms Watson said the Minister for Local Government would be notified of the petition and had 35 days in which to respond to its concerns.
The petition will be presented to the clerk of the Legislative Assembly. Debate on the petition will be on a date to be fixed by the clerk.
"I have always been upfront and consistently honest in my dealings with the Stop The Hub group representatives ... I remain of the view that the Hub project will not be stopped by the state government or the State Parliament," Ms Watson said.
She said she hoped her proposal for a face-to-face meeting between a Stop The Hub group delegation and all Shellharbour City councillors, plus the general manager and senior council officers involved in the project, could be arranged prior to the petition being debated in Parliament.
"It is of course up to the council and the Stop The Hub delegation to agree to meet and, if not, to explain the reasons publicly," Ms Watson said.
Stop the Hub convener Diane Quinlin said considering members of the group had spoken at council meetings, community meetings and made submissions, she believed the councillors and staff knew what the group wanted.
"They are just ignoring us."
Mr Ward said he was happy Ms Watson had accepted the petition but said she should not be putting a caveat on whether the group should first meet with Shellharbour council.
"I think that is pretty rich of Anna Watson. Shellharbour council are the ones that haven't consulted," Mr Ward said.
Ms Watson said the petition would be presented to Parliament regardless of whether the meeting between the parties took place.