Questions On Timing

Newcastle Herald

Friday December 12, 2008

By DAMON CRONSHAW Lake Macquarie Reporter

LAKE Macquarie City Council has been accused of delaying the rezoning of the controversial Trinity Point marina site at Morisset Park for political gain.

A council internal email dated July 11 said a report on the marina rezoning was due to be put to councillors for a vote on July 21, but the report did not go before councillors until December 1.

Labor councillor Daniel Wallace said the council delayed it until after the council election in September because it was a "sensitive issue".

The marina site is in the city's west ward, where Cr Piper's Independent Lake Alliance has its strongest hold.

Cr Piper said the marina rezoning was "absolutely not" delayed until after the election, but he did not know why council staff had delayed it.

Council staff blamed the council's lawyers yesterday.

A council spokeswoman said the council was seeking legal advice on whether "drafted changes" to the rezoning "needed amending" to allow the development.

"Council was also seeking legal advice as to what effect the change would have on [the] council's liability to acquire the adjoining land," she said.

"This legal advice was only received [about] two weeks ago."

Questions have been asked about the timing of the marina report's release.

Johnson Property Group is planning the $200 million marina development and a $1 billion housing project in nearby Cooranbong.

The council signed a $56 million community infrastructure deal with the property group for Cooranbong on November 26 and two days later the council released the marina report for a council vote on December 1.

Greens councillor Phillipa Parsons said the matter "warrants closer examination, including the relationship between the Cooranbong agreement and Trinity Point".

Cr Piper rejected suggestions there were any links between the two matters.

© 2008 Newcastle Herald

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