Mayor set for Killalea clash
By SARAH ALLELY
A MOVE by Shellharbour Mayor David Hamilton to stop a private development lease at Killalea State Park could be undermined by his own councillors.
Some councillors have reacted angrily to the mayor's statements this week opposing a 52-year lease for a tourism resort, saying he should have discussed the matter with them first.
On April 30, NSW Lands Minister Tony Kelly signed an agreement to lease three parcels of land to Killalea Coastal Investments, a joint venture between Mariner Financial and Babcock & Brown.
It allows a maximum of 202 residential lodges, swimming pools, tennis courts, restaurants and a conference centre.
Councillor Hamilton's mayoral minute to Tuesday's meeting asked councillors to oppose any move by the Killalea State Park Trust or the Department of Lands to lease any land to private enterprise.
The recommendation also said that the trust and the minister be advised that "any move to bypass the council and proceed with the matter by way of a development application being submitted to the Minister for Planning" would be unacceptable.
Several councillors have objected to Cr Hamilton going out on his own, others have accused him of being a hypocrite, while some say he has risked prejudicing the development application and encouraged the State Government to take it out of council's hands.
Cr Hamilton said he was not speaking out on an issue before the council, as there was nothing before the council on Killalea.
He said it was the long-term lease of public recreational land to a private company which he opposed, and he would support a more modest tourism development that remained in the total control of the trust.
Cr Jeff Bailey supported the mayor and said he was also against the lease on face value. But Cr Tom Hawker said he would not make a decision until he saw the development application.
Cr John Leedham was surprised the mayor had gone public without consulting his Labor peers: "He's taken a risky step."
Cr Don Briggs was opposed to any development at Killalea, but was concerned that if the council made a formal recommendation against the lease, the State Government would say councillors were hostile and not fit to assess it.
Illawarra Mercury - 30/06/2007 (Page 9)
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