Now-independent councillors Israel and Fitzgerald both voted against the increase, splintering from their former Labor colleagues, who all supported it.
$42 million sale a ‘bad decision’
Fitzgerald said he also had concerns about the $42 million sale of a huge portion of land and property in Blacktown’s city centre to developer Walker Corporation, the group responsible for the transformation of Parramatta Square. The sale, which councillors voted to accept with no tender by a single vote in 2022, meant the council began renting its own chambers from Walker Corporation.
The Blacktown City Council building.Credit: Sitthixay Ditthavong
“I can support a [special rate variation] for maintenance, but not one for a bad decision made by councillors in the past,” he said. “When I was elected, I swore an oath to do my very best for the people of Blacktown and the city,” said Fitzgerald, who retired last year as the chief inspector for Blacktown Area Command after close to 40 years in the police force.
“The more I see it, the more I dislike local politics. I’ve been elected to represent all the people, however at a local level, I cannot respect, I cannot trust, people who I believe do not have the community at heart.
“I’ve got to make sure our financial sustainability is sustainable, and we’re not leaving future residents with our bills today.”
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Israel, a trade unionist, is facing disciplinary action by Labor for voting against the caucus in relation to the sale of the land and the rate hike. She said she resigned “to fight for the best interests of my constituents”.
But Bunting accused the pair of leaving the party “for their own self-interest”, after the Liberals nominated Israel, now independent, for the position of deputy mayor. He said the rate rise was required for three reasons: addressing backlog maintenance work, building new council offices, and managing the day-to-day management of sites created by the NSW government.
Fitzgerald said the rise would leave “future residents with our bills today”.
“I’m a believer in the Labor Party but not a believer in some of the members of the Labor Party who play politics at a very inept and dangerous level,” he added. “Labor, Liberals and the Greens all have some fascinating policies I support and respect. Unfortunately, it’s got to the stage now where I, in good conscience, cannot support some of those projects going forward.”
The Sydney Morning Herald has opened a bureau in the heart of Parramatta. Email parramatta@smh.com.au with news tips.
