events and important dates
Getting active on local government
Truepenny Media Director, Jacquelene Pearson, will be guest speaker at the June meeting of the Central Coast Activist Collective and the topic will be ‘where to next with local government democracy on the Central Coast?’
By the time the next NSW-wide local government election rolls around in September 2024, the Central Coast local government area will have been under administration for over five of the past eight years.
We were under administration for an initial period of 16 months following the replacement of the former Gosford City and Wyong Shire Councils with the Central Coast Council (May 2016 to September 2017).
Democratically elected councillors were in place between September 2017 but they were suspended in October 2020. That’s when the current period of administration started and we have been informed by the recently-elected Labor Premier Chris Minns that we will not get an election until September 2024.
There’s also going to be a referendum at the same time as the next election to give the community an opportunity to vote on whether or not to reduce the number of elected councillors from 15 to 9.
If we retain 15 councillors we will have one elected local government representative per 23,333 residents. That’s one of the lowest rates per capita of local government representation in NSW and probably Australia. Why would we want to reduce that?
Meanwhile, while we wait for September 2024 to roll around, the current administrator and staff at Central Coast Council are running free. Here are some of the issues Ms Pearson will examine in her presentation to the Central Coast Activist Collective:
- Council continues to sell community assets even though they have already sold over $60 million worth of public land which they said was the amount required by their commercial bankers
- Council continues to swim in debt and it is taking on more debt to do a major upgrade of some water infrastructure.
- Our rates and charges have gone up exponentially and services have remained reduced
- The Administrator, as stand-in for an elected council of 15 has made substantial delegations of authority to the CEO that take matters of public importance, such as spending millions on master planning an airport, restructuring or even privatising Central Coast’s $4 billion water business and the future of the Gosford waterfront, to name but a few.
- The council’s approach to public consultation is leaving the community in the dark about major issues of public importance.
Jacquelene will have more to say on the day. To express interest in attending the meeting, you can email her for more information.
See you at the Winter Solstice
The Community Environment Network (CEN) will hold a Winter Solstice celebration on Friday, 23 June and The Point’s publisher has been invited to speak.
CEN is holding a Winter Solstice celebration for the second year running on Friday, 23 June including three speakers, craft stalls, and wine and cheese.
This year three speakers have been chosen to present on the evening: Dr Bob Fuller who is a cultural astronomy teacher, Paul Craig a Guringai Traditional Owner and Jacquelene Pearson, poet and publisher of The Point.
Last year’s event was well attended and an opportunity to enjoy networking and socialising in CEN’s wildplant nursery at the Ourimbah Campus of the University of Newcastle.
This year gates will open at 3.30pm for a 4pm start and the event will run until 6pm.
Jacquelene Pearson will be reading poems from her collection, Mother’s Song, and speaking about The Point and public interest journalism.
“It is an absolute privilege to be chosen to speak alongside Dr Bob Fuller and Paul Craig. I have a great deal of respect for both men. I cannot wait to hear them speak about Indigenous astronomy and the local Indigenous history of the Central Coast.
“I will be reading some poems from Mother’s Song that are about the moon, tides, the ocean and nature. I hope you can join me.”
Tickets are available via CEN’s website – $10 for CEN members and $15 for non-members.
Author Talk at the Curious Rabbit
Jacquelene Pearson will visit Wagga Wagge on April 22 and 23 and will present at two events for the Booranga Writers' Centre.
The first will be an author talk and poetry reading at the Curious Rabbit.
The Curious Rabbit describes itself as a Home to the Curious. It's a cafe, arts space and events venue.
Author Talk
Friday, 22 April
6.30pm to 10pm
Fresh Festival Wagga Wagga
Jacquelene Pearson has been invited by the Booranga Writers Centre to run a workshop on Saturday, April 22, called HOW TO BECOME AN ACTIVIST WRITER. This is part of Wagga Wagga's 2023 Fresh festival.
Do you want to leave behind a safe and beautiful world for future generations but feel overwhelmed by the enormity of the planet’s problems?
If you want to make positive changes to benefit future generations, you could use your talent and skills as a writer.
Tickets are $40 and available now.