Parking decision deemed a betrayal of the people
HISTORY was made in the Grand Hall of the Mosman Art Gallery and Community Centre on Tuesday night, April 28.
Mosman Council passed its controversial paid parking proposal before the largest crowd of outraged denizens attending a Council meeting in living memory.
The meeting had to be moved from Mosman Council Chambers to the Community Centre to accommodate a record-breaking crowd of about 300.
There were more than 60 registered speakers. Most argued strongly against the scheme to cheers, applause and whoops from the crowd.
Mosman resident Brian Wilder said: “Balmoral is a wonderful, rare, exotic jewel … surely one of the best beaches in the world. We don’t want it turned into another Bondi or Manly.”
Steve O’Halloran of Balmoral argued that the scheme was a “revenue-raising” proposal in breach of RTA regulations.
Esther Rd resident Don Mickleborough likened Mosman Council to a dictatorship.
“There was a man in Germany who didn’t listen to his people and he brought the world undone,” he said.
Only one man standing in the back corner dared to vote in favour of the proposal.
And only Tony Larnach-Jones, of Raglan St, Balmoral spoke in favour of the proposal.
Three councillors – Libby Moline and Tom Sherlock from Balmoral ward and Jim Reid from Middle Harbour ward – voted against the paid parking scheme.
Members of the gallery slammed the decision as undemocratic, ill-informed and a “betrayal of the people”.
Cr Denise Wilton said the lampooning response from the crowd was rude and disrespectful.
Mosman Council director of corporate services Max Glyde said the parking meter machines and signs are expected to be rolled out, beginning with Balmoral and The Spit, in July this year.
Source: The Mosman Daily
