Category Archives: Media
Wollongong council candidate wants more buybacks to ease flood fears
By Ben Langford
August 30 2024
An independent Wollongong City Council candidate says protecting residents against the threat of flooding should take an “urgent” priority for the next council… Andrew Anthony, who is running for council and for Lord Mayor, said recent flooding in April and June had a “profound” impact on many Wollongong residents…
From my press release:
The Wollongong council’s budget currently allocates $26 million over four years for stormwater and flood management. While this is a start, it is far from sufficient to address the growing challenges of flood mitigation across the city.
“We need to be proactive, not just reactive. Insurance doesn’t cover everything, and the emotional toll on those affected is immense. My goal is to ensure Wollongong is better prepared for future flood events, minimizing the damage and stress on our community.”
Video link of Swan St Flooding April 2024
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x94oa30
Meet independent lord mayoral candidate, Andrew Anthony
ANDREW ANTHONY ANNOUNCES CANDIDACY FOR LORD MAYOR
Press Release – Wollongong, NSW – 17 July 2024
Former independent Councillor and lifelong resident of Wollongong, Andrew Anthony, has announced his candidacy for Lord Mayor in the upcoming Wollongong Council elections this September.
Andrew is campaigning for greater council transparency, fighting over-development, protecting our environment, and enhancing community consultation.
“I want to see well-planned development that respects both the natural and built environment and improves the liveability of Wollongong. I want to protect our escarpment and foreshores from unbridled development,” he stated.
Andrew fears Wollongong has become a dormitory suburb of Sydney, with a significant portion of the population commuting to Sydney for work.
“I want Wollongong to remain a vibrant city for people to live, work, and enjoy life.”
Andrew acknowledges some of the challenges the city is facing, such as keeping up with population growth, demands on housing supply and infrastructure, and flood mitigation. “Our creeks and flood management systems are under pressure, as recent floods have shown, affecting many residents. We need to address these issues proactively,” he noted.
Andrew is particularly concerned about the potential dominance of a single party in Wollongong Council if Labor were to win the position of Lord Mayor as well as six out of the twelve councillor positions.
“The Council benefits from a diversity of opinions, and I believe I can bring a fresh perspective. It is concerning to think that Wollongong Council could return to the days when it was dominated by one party.”
Andrew is also wary of the state’s planning minister, Paul Scully, pushing through reforms that favour more development without proper regard for the city’s planning regulations.
“Reducing red tape and streamlining planning approval times is important, but it should not compromise on quality and planning standards.”
Andrew is committed to greater efforts in community consultation and including the community in decision-making processes. He recently took up the volunteer role of Neighbourhood Forum 5 Convenor, where he actively engages with residents to ensure their voices are heard.
“All too often, decisions are already made by the time the community is consulted. My goal is to foster a more inclusive and transparent council that works closely with the community to address their needs and concerns,” Andrew emphasised.
Andrew acknowledges that his campaign faces challenges such as a limited budget and a small volunteer team. He is calling for community support to deliver flyers and assist on election day.
Andrew invited the community to follow and support his campaign by following his Facebook page.
Illawarra Mercury Article – ICAC failed to act on councillor’s complaints BY PAUL MCINERNEY 07 Mar, 2008
Former Wollongong councillor Andrew Anthony pictured yesterday with the reply he received from ICAC. Picture: KIRK GILMOUR
ICAC failed to act on councillor’s complaints
BY PAUL MCINERNEY
07 Mar, 2008 03:00 AM
Sacked Wollongong councillor Andrew Anthony wrote to the Independent Commission Against Corruption more than three years ago to blow the whistle on council planning processes, including cosy relationships between developers and councillors.
The corruption watchdog responded on December 2, 2005, saying his complaints did not appear to involve serious and systemic corrupt conduct and that it did not intend pursuing the matter.
Yesterday, Mr Anthony told the Mercury he decided to break his self-imposed silence in light of the dramatic events which unfolded at ICAC’s public inquiry in recent weeks.
“It’s also to let the people out there accusing independent councillors of doing nothing about what has been revealed by ICAC that some of us did try,” Mr Anthony said.
He revealed he had made two anonymous telephone calls to ICAC a few months before writing and signing his letter of complaint on November 2.
In the letter he made three specific allegations.
The first was that he and friends had witnessed a Labor councillor have a number of meals with a developer whose project the councillor later voted to approve and that the same developer had made significant donations to the Labor Party.
Mr Anthony said he did not want to make public the identity of the councillor, but said he was one of the four identified by ICAC Commissioner Jerrold Cripps as being at the heart of systemic corruption within council before his decision to recommend the council’s sacking.
Nor would he reveal the identity of the developer, who he said was not named at ICAC’s inquiry.
ICAC’s response was: “Councillors may vote on matters in which they have a non-pecuniary conflict of interest. Further, councillors may meet with developers and receive political donations.”
ICAC advised Mr Anthony that he could raise the matter with Rod Oxley, council’s general manager at the time, if the councillor failed to declare his interest in the matter.
Mr Anthony says he did not do so.
His second complaint involved an assertion that the council in early 2005 had ignored community opposition to a proposed subdivision.
ICAC said it did not consider this complaint corrupt conduct.
Mr Anthony’s third complaint, that he had been the subject of repeated threats from Labor councillors and that he feared for his safety, was a matter ICAC believed could be dealt with through the council’s Code of Conduct as a disciplinary matter.
This complaint was not referred by ICAC to council because Mr Anthony did not consent to the disclosure of his identity.
After a brief outline of the definition of corruption as defined under the Act, the ICAC assessment officer concluded his letter: “As the matter does not appear to involve serious and systemic corrupt behaviour, the ICAC does not intend to pursue the matter.
“The matter will now be referred to the Operations Review Committee for its advice as required under the ICAC Act.”
Mr Anthony said his concerns about the “abuse” of planning instruments, like SEPP1 in relation to height and floor space ration restrictions, were shared by other independent councillors at the time.
“It would be easy to say ‘told you so’, but the findings by the commissioner and the subsequent sacking of the council can give no-one any comfort,” Mr Anthony said.
“There were probably many complaints received by ICAC about what was going on, but I hope the concerns I raised may have helped in some way to bring about the investigation.”
Councillor wants stop to corporate political donations
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2007-02-20/councillor-wants-stop-to-corporate-political/2198550
A Wollongong city councillor is calling for an end to all political donations from corporations.
Independent councillor Andrew Anthony says he supports the Greens’ calls to ban donations because they can result in companies having undue influence on politicians.
Cr Anthony says he is particularly concerned about donations from the property development and real estate sectors.
“Ideally it would be great to ban all political donations from all corporations, but those two particular areas I think are just the people that are set to benefit from giving donations, particularly to local council,” he said.