Looking back at February 14, 1952
A Wollongong councillor spent ratepayers' funds pork barrelling and fixing up a road leading to his own Coniston home, the mayor claimed.
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Mayor JJ Kelly was firing back at Cr GS Parker, who had chaired a protest meeting of Coniston ratepayers, where speakers claimed only 25 per cent of their rates were spent in the suburb, with more spent at Tallawarra.
Mayor Kelly was displeased that Cr Parker didn't intervene and set the record straight - both suburbs got a similar amount.
The mayor also claimed Cr Parker spent most of the ward's rates in the suburbs where he got the most votes, neglecting those where the Labor vote was strong.
But before that alleged pork barrelling, the mayor claimed Cr Parker had another matter to attend to.
"The first thing he did was fix up Norman Street, leading up to his own home," the mayor said.
After he had finished, Mayor Kelly disallowed any further discussion.
Glen Humphries
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
