Shellharbour council will be asked to withdraw legal action aimed at staving off a merger with Wollongong during this week’s sitting of NSW Parliament.
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Liberal Kiama MP, and the Illawarra’s parliamentary secretary, Gareth Ward will use a notice of motion to call for Labor Shellharbour mayor Marianne Saliba to pull the plug on what he described as a “Labor vanity exercise” funded by ratepayers.
Earlier this month, the Land and Environment Court ordered the state government not to make any recommendation about the Shellharbour-Wollongong merger after a court injunction was sparked by Shellharbour council legal action.
Mr Ward understood the council was now “seeking a full-blown court case” it would “throw absolutely everything at”.
“What this will mean is that hundreds of thousands of ratepayers’ hard-earned dollars are being spent in a Labor vanity exercise, in a feckless attempt by the Labor mayor for her own selfish salvation,” he said.
“Botany Council tried a similar case and not only did they cost their ratepayers thousands, they also lost which meant they had to pay the government's costs.
“Labor has form in Shellharbour when it comes to ridiculous ratepayer spending, such as the City Hub. This is just another indulgence from Labor’s mayor being paid for not by her, but by the ratepayers of the city of Shellharbour.”
Councillor Saliba hit back, saying Mr Ward should get behind the fight instead of “standing on the other side criticising”.
“This isn’t about me, tell him to get over me,” she said.
“He has got a job to do and that job is to represent the people of the Illawarra ... he is the parliamentary secretary for goodness sake.”
Councillor Saliba said the court case had nothing to do with Mr Ward.
“We sought an injunction and as part of that injunction it is for us to look at how we have been treated by this state government,” she said.
“I tell you what, how we’ve been treated by the Member for Kiama and the parliamentary secretary for the Illawarra is far, far worse.
“We’ve got our history, our dreams and our future riding on this court case and I am appalled that Gareth Ward wouldn’t get behind it.”
Mr Ward also urged Labor Member for Shellharbour Anna Watson and Opposition Illawarra spokesman Ryan Park to “call their Labor mayor to heel and put ratepayers first”.
