ee! e r F ke on Ta
Edition 425
7 August 2017
The fire-damaged NSW Fisheries boatshed next to Fisherman’s Wharf at Woy Woy Photos: Tim Conway
A prompt call by a resident to NSW Fire and Rescue meant the fire was contained and did not spread to Fisherman’s Wharf
Waterfront cordoned off after fire Part of the Woy Woy waterfront was cordoned off as a crime scene following a suspicious fire at a boat shed on the morning of Wednesday, August 2. Minor traffic diversions were put in place around The Esplanade
and Brick Wharf Rd with an exclusion zone of 100 metres. Fire and Rescue Central Coast’s Inspector Bob Barton said the fire started at around 4.25am and was attended by three fire trucks, police and ambulance. The timber-clad six metre by
three metre shed with a steel roof was owned by NSW fisheries but, according to Mr Barton, it was mostly empty apart from some tools. Fire crews and emergency services worked throughout the morning to contain the blaze and
SOURCES: Website, 2 Aug 2017 Daniel Sullivan, Brisbane Water LAC Facebook page Interview, 3 Aug 2017 Bob Barton, NSW Fire and Rescue Central Coast Reporter: Dilon Luke
prevent it from spreading to nearby structures. What started the fire remains unknown and investigations are ongoing. The fire did not spread to the adjoining Fisherman’s Wharf restaurant, Mr Barton said.
Belinda Neal fights Labor expulsion Woy Woy Bay resident, Ms Belinda Neal, continues to fight her expulsion from the NSW Labor Party and has called for the preselection ballot held on Sunday, July 23, to be counted. The former Gosford councillor, NSW Legislative Council member, Federal Member for Robertson and Senator was expelled by party officials on the advice of the Internal Appeals Tribunal the day after she participated in the ballot at the Woy Woy CWA Hall. NSW Labor general secretary Ms Kaila Murnain made the announcement via Twitter shortly after 9am on Monday, July 24. “The IAT received a number of challenges to the eligibility of voters for the pre-selection,” she said. “The Internal Appeals Tribunal found that Ms Neal engaged in unworthy conduct and failed to
support the Rules of the Labor party to the best of her ability,” NSW Labor said in a written statement. “The NSW Labor Internal Appeals Tribunal instructed the Party Office to delay announcing the result of the public selection ballot for Central Coast Council. “The result of the ballot will be provided to party members as soon as the Review Tribunal has met to consider the challenges. “NSW Labor is dedicated to ensuring that Labor candidates for Central Coast Council are out campaigning as soon as possible,” the statement said. Ms Neal made a statement via text message at 11.45am on July 24. “I have been in hospital since 6am,” she said. “I have not seen anything but the media has rung. “The ALP Tribunal proceeded with a hearing in my absence when
I had a medical certificate. “So with only one side of the story being told, what would you expect? “The decision is subject to appeal to the review tribunal and I hope that they will deal with the claims fairly,” she said. Ms Neal has since appealed the expulsion but no outcome has been announced. She has called on the party to count the votes from the preselection. Labor Party pre-selection for the Gosford West and Gosford East Wards took place at Woy Woy but officials told candidates the ballot box would be sealed and taken back to Labor Head Office where it would remain until the resolution of Ms Neal’s appeal and other internal disputes about the eligibility of some members to vote. On Friday, August 4, Ms Neal said: “The rules of the party require
the ballot to be counted and it hasn’t been. “The ballot should have been counted on the day,” she said. “I have written to the ALP to call for it to count the vote it has already conducted,” she said Ms Neal said her main concern was for Labor to have a strong and electable team of candidates in the field campaiging. She had told Peninsula News on Thursday, July 22, that she was standing for pre-selection in West Gosford Ward. She was in hospital on Saturday with an illness, attended the preselection ballot at Woy Woy on Sunday, and then returned to hospital on the Monday morning. Her husband, former NSW parliamentarian Mr John Della Bosca, attended the pre-selection ballot using a walking frame, as it is understood he had a hip surgery in the days prior to the vote. On Friday, August 4, Ms Neal
repeated her statement that she remained keen to represent the Gosford West Ward on the new Central Coast Council Senator Deborah O’Neill, who is junior vice president of NSW Labor, would not comment on internal party matters. SOURCES: Media statement, 24 Jul 2017 David Dobson, NSW Labor Media statement, 24 Jul 2017 Interview, 4 Aug 2017 Belinda Neal, Woy Woy Bay Reporter: Jackie Pearson
More Local Government election coverage pages 8 to 12
THIS ISSUE contains 56 articles - Read more news items for this issue at www.peninsulanews.info Office: 120c Erina Street, Gosford Phone: 4325 7369 Mail: PO Box 1056, Gosford 2250 E-mail: editorial@centralcoastnews.net Website: www.centralcoastnews.net