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- Gash accuses Guile of sour grapes
LESS than a month after being elected unopposed as deputy chairman of the transport lobby group South East Australian Transport Strategy (SEATS) Shoalhaven councillor Andrew Guile has been dumped, with his own council refusing to reaffirm his appointment.
SEATS lobbies state and federal governments to improve road and other transport infrastructure through eastern Victoria and south eastern NSW.
Cr Guile, who has been council’s representative on the group for six years, has accused Shoalhaven Mayor Joanna Gash of launching a political vendetta.
“This is the poisonous politics of Joanna Gash at work for everyone to see,” Cr Guile said.
He has been replaced as Shoalhaven’s representative by Team Gash councillor Patricia White.
“I've known that Mayor Gash has been planning this for some time yet I had some hope that councillors, who constantly say they are there for the community, might actually have been true to their word.
“They obviously caucused beforehand and voted en bloc and despite some saying they are there for the community, their actions demonstrate they are there for politics.
“Only the mayor spoke, indicating if you can’t be nice to council we’ll cut you off, making it clear that this is what happens to any councillor who does not toe the Gash line.
“However, bullying and intimidation is no substitute for leadership and it certainly doesn’t win my respect.”
Cr Guile said the Cr Gash’s “pathetic attempts to fabricate a case” he had been a poor representative for the past six years did not stack up against his record.
“During my time on SEATS the Shoalhaven has seen record investment in our road infrastructure with the promise of further projects in the pipeline,” he said.
“Significant funding for the Princes Highway upgrades achieved by our local state members has been the centrepiece of this period.
“Never has the Shoalhaven had the opportunity to have so much influence in advocating to government on our transport and infrastructure needs, yet Cr Gash's personal political agenda has overridden the interests of our community.”
Cr Guile said the “political treachery” was an embarrassment to the Shoalhaven.
“The deputy chair of SEATS was a strategic position for council and the community. We had the ear of governments to really push our local transport infrastructure strategy projects.”
He said that included stage three of the Princes Highway duplication from Berry to Bomaderry; the Nowra bridge which was more of an asset replacement issue and that is already set in place; and to sort out “the debacle” of Main Road 92 issues.
“There are also a number of other smaller projects that need addressing,” he said.
He said the area would now be back to square one in terms of lobbying power.
“It is now going to be difficult for someone to come in as Shoalhaven’s representative without experience in transport infrastructure. It has taken me time to gain knowledge and make intelligent contributions,” Cr Guile said.
“All the regional councils around us had confidence in me and to do the position, just not Jo Gash.”
Councillors Findley, Watson, Kitchener and McCrudden voted against the motion dumping Cr Guile.
A rescission motion has also been lodged.