16 September 2014

The government has released its amendments to the Shooters and Fishers Party bill which merely tinker at the edges while maintaining the fundamental assault on the long standing democratic principle of one-vote-one value. The amendments are available HERE.

Mr Greenwich said:

“The Baird Government appears set to make a dogs breakfast of democracy in local government elections.”

“Doubling the vote of non-residential voters flies in the face of fairness and ignores the advice given to the Victorian Liberal Government, the unanimous view of the board of Local Government NSW, and the NSW Legislative review panel.”

“From the back-bench to the front yard, people across NSW are appalled by the government’s assault on democracy at the most local level of government”

Mr Greenwich had hoped to work with the government towards support for his bill to improve business voting in the City of Sydney:

“Rather than working with the community, businesses, and affected councils, the Baird Government appears to have done a deal with the Shooters and Fishers Party that could see radical and undemocratic changes rolled out across New South Wales."

The proposed amendments also include a potential fix to a major flaw in the Shooters and Fishers Party bill that could have seen thousands of small business losing their existing voting rights – a flaw the government denied existed when Mr Greenwich first raised it.