September 12, 2011
Your independent local newspaper
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Issue 016
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Freewater censured but not silenced t a meeting on Tuesday, September 6, Gosford Council resolved to censure Cr Peter Freewater for code of conduct breaches
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Cr Freewater must provide a written apology to his fellow councillors as well as make a public apology at an open council meeting. Council has also forwarded its findings to the director general of the Division of Local Government for consideration. The decision comes following an investigation by an independent conduct reviewer regarding two separate incidents in February Cr Peter Freewater said he regrets his comments regarding calling Council’s weekend workshop a “junket, completely unnecessary and a waste of ratepayers money”, claiming they were”sensationalised in the media”. “I was simply providing my opinion that although we don’t have our own golf course, Council does have meeting rooms and we don’t need to spend 10s of thousands of rate-payers dollars to meet at a luxury
resort for a weekend. Cr Chris Burke said the Council has done all that it can in regard to Cr Freewater’s breaches. “All stones have been unturned, we’ve done the right process and gone the right way and now we just have to wait to see what they come back with,” said Cr Burke. “We didn’t take this lightly, the eight councillors. “When we put this up we wanted to make sure we were on the right track, so we put it out to an external reviewer,” he said. Cr Craig Doyle agreed and said as councillors “we accept the code of conduct, it’s an honorable product and we have to conduct ourselves appropriately”. “It’s a two edged sword, if you challenge the notion you have to be willing to accept the investigation and the findings. But Cr Freewater said he “completely reject[s] the findings of the so-called
independent reviewer”. “How can a solicitor repeatedly hired by the council and briefed by the Council be independent of Council? “In 2007 I promised the people of Gosford that if I were elected to Council I would fight corruption and mismanagement. “I have proven to them that I can be trusted to honour my promises,” he said. Cr Freewater said he is currently seeking legal advice to “challenge Council’s decision and possibly sue the Council for defamation.” Cr Doyle, however, said that Council considers “any breach of the code as an exceptionally serious manner. “We have to live by code. “When one of our own breaks the code, I guess this shows that we’re not prepared to accept that either. “Referring it to the director general is the highest we can take it,” he said. The complaint was lodged
with the general manager by Cr’s Laurie Maher, Craig Doyle, Chris Burke, Chris Holstein, Jim Macfadyen, Vicki Scott and Jeff Strickson regarding the conduct of Cr Freewater in an interview he did on ABC Radio on February 14 and a report in the Express Advocate on February 16. Cr Terri Latella did not sign the complaint. The councillors said Cr Freewater showed no respect for the Council or individuals and that this disrespect, using false information, breaching of confidentiality, undermining the authority and reputation of Council and its staff amounted to breached of the Council’s Code of Conduct. Council said it will be making no further comment on this issue. Gosford Council Agenda COM.17, 6 Sep 2011 Gosford Council Media, 6 Sep 2011 Kaitlin Watts, 6 Sep 2011 Media Statement, 9 Sep 2011 Cr Peter Freewater Cr Peter Freewater
Gosford to see improvements from first Liberal budget he people of Gosford will see improved roads and education as a result of the Liberals and Nationals first Budget, according to member for Gosford Mr Chris Holstein.
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$4.2 million allocated for completion of Gosford Police Station Photo: Naomi Bridges
Mr Holstein said the Budget delivers, over the next four years, 900 more teachers, 2475 more nurses and 550 police officers and a record infrastructure investment to address the building backlog left by Labor. This year it equates to 200 teachers, 150 police officers and 940 nurses. Spending on hospitals and health capital works over the next four years is $4.7 billion – 50 per cent higher than over the last four years. “Locally this means $17.4 million for the new Gosford Regional Cancer Centre and $500,000 to commence planning for the return of the Woy Woy Rehabilitation Unit,” said Mr Holstein. Gosford Hospital will also receive two special care nursery cots at a cost of $800,000. Gosford residents will also see the Gosford Public School relocation completed in 2014, an upgrade of Gosford TAFE with $1.3 million allocated in 2011-12 and due to be completed next year at a cost of $3.4 million.
$2.5 million has also been allocated for this year and next for the upgrades of local high schools as well as school maintenance to increase by nearly 11 per cent on last year. $1 million has been set aside for investigations into the upgrade of Woy Woy Rd as the first stage of a four year, $30 million project. The West Gosford intersection has been allocated $9 million to continue planning and preconstruction and $500,000 will go toward safety improvements on Wiseman Ferry Rd as the first stage of a four year, $5 million commitment. Gosford Police Station is due to be completed next year with $4.2 million allocated and $600,000 for new villas in Gosford for people with a disability. “The NSW Liberals and Nationals’ first Budget delivers for Gosford by allocating funds for the commencement of the projects committed to during the election and I look forward to seeing these projects finalised during this term,” said Mr Holstein.
“Rebuilding NSW means repairing what was left behind, improving services and building the infrastructure the people of NSW need. “The NSW Liberals and Nationals Government is very conscious that if we don’t get expenses under control, there are no funds to fix the services people rely on every day,” he said. In The Entrance electorate, $2.5 million has been allocated for the relocation of Gosford Horticulture Institute in Ourimbah. In the Terrigal electorate $20 million has been set aside to continue major work on the four lane widening of the Central Coast Highway between Matcham Rd, Erina Heights and Ocean View Dr, Wamberal. Media Release, 6 Sep 2011 Caroline Hutcherson, Office of Chris Hartcher MP Media Release, 6 Sep 2011 Chris Holstein MP Media Release, 6 Sep 2011 Aaron Henry, Office of Chris Spence MP