Protect Pittwater leaps across first hurdle in reinstatement case
Protect Pittwater’s proposal to reinstate Pittwater Council was presented to Hon. Ron Hoenig, Minister for Local Government, on 19 March by our committee members, President Simon Dunn, and Vice President Prof. Peter Gray. Jacqui Scruby, Member for Pittwater, accompanied us in a show of support.
Our submission included a summary of our comprehensive business case prepared by PP member Frank Peylaire, along with our petition, signed by nearly 5,000 residents from North Narrabeen to Barrenjoey.
Minister Hoenig was receptive to our presentation and reiterated comments previously made in parliament: amalgamations on the whole have been a failure, and large councils over time become inefficient.
The Minister confirmed that if our proposal meets legislative requirements, he will refer it to the Boundaries Commission for further consideration.
We now await the Ministerial assessment. If the proposal meets technical standards, the minister’s expectation is that the community wanting to reinstate Pittwater Council will have to meet the cost of drafting our implementation plan and ensuring our business plan is up-to-date.
Your committee is currently briefing consultants to assist in preparing this supporting documentation.
To support this critical next phase, we will be launching a fundraising campaign. We ask all members to please pay their 2025 membership dues and encourage others to join and support our cause.