We Shall Fight Them on the Beaches

A grass roots backlash on the eve of elections on Sydney’s Northern Beaches.

Narrabeen Lake. © Genevieve Wright.

A Hostile Takeover

Northern Beaches residents fear a loss of their independent voice as federal political parties fight for control in upcoming council elections.

A record 81 candidates are contesting for just 15 councillor positions available within the recently amalgamated Northern Beaches council on September 9th.

Under the NSW Government’s push for forced council amalgamations in December 2015; Pittwater, Warringah and Manly councils were disbanded and merged in May 2016.

The new council now comprises of five wards; Pittwater, Narrabeen, Curl Curl, Manly and Frenchs Forest with three councillors to be elected per ward.

Map of Northern Beaches Council and wards. © Land and Property Information (LPI).

“I can understand why people feel like they’ve lost their independence, because we have a much larger group of people managed by a smaller council body,” says Jayden Walsh, independent candidate in the Narrabeen ward.

Pittwater independent candidate, Selena Griffith, feels that the community lost their voice the day the councils amalgamated. “I think the saddest thing is that now it looks like we’re going to lose the independent nature of our council. We don’t necessarily vote along community needs but perhaps we’re influenced by the party line”.

Ian White, Pittwater candidate for Your Northern Beaches Independent Team, suggests that regular ward meetings where residents can express their concerns directly to their councillors might solve the “potential loss of access to elected members”.

The Rise of the Party Machines

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Bulldozer or Bush?

Avoiding overdevelopment is a campaign claim common to all Northern Beaches candidates.

Dr Stewart Jackson, Sydney University lecturer on government relations, says that development pressures can put people on edge so “places like council elections become a very easy place for people to voice their displeasure.”

The recent formation of the Independent Hearing and Assessment Panels (IHAP), which determines all local applications for developments of over $5million in value, has worried Northern Beaches council candidates. Decision making will now be taken out of the councils’ control, as the panel comprises three independent expert members and one community member selected by local council.

“The planning legislation itself has been evolving to actually strip some of those powers away from councils and from the community,” says Dr Jackson.

Jayden Walsh, independent candidate for Narrabeen, says that he’s willing to work with these agencies to ensure that the highest biodiversity outcome is achieved for the Northern Beaches. “I am concerned about overdevelopment on the Northern Beaches, particularly where development compromises the habitat and the environment. Obviously I am not completely opposed to development as a whole but it needs to be done in an ecologically sustainable way.”

Jayden Walsh, Narrabeen independent candidate, at Irrawong Reserve, Warriewood. © Genevieve Wright.

Rod Amon, Liberal candidate for Narrabeen, sees the protected Narrabeen Lagoon as an opportunity to become a recreational and tourist hub. “It has so much potential, it’s a shame more hasn’t been made of it yet.”

This fine balance between catering for the population increase and protecting the natural environment on the Northern Beaches, is what Selena Griffith calls a “really wicked problem”. The Pittwater independent candidate believes that “it’s something that needs to be worked on at state, local and national level, with an integrated approach.”