Public Forum

Evening everyone. I'd like to start by Horsley City Council acknowledge the Darrug and Darrug people as the traditional custodians of the land of the Hawkesbury. We pay respect to all elders past, present and emerging and acknowledge all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders people as first peoples of the country. The General Manager will read.

Thank you, Mr Mayor. Members of the public attending the public forum are advised that in the event of an emergency, you will be asked to proceed in an orderly manner to the nearest exit following the guidance of our warden. I would also like to advise that in accordance with clauses 4.2 and 5.34 of the Code of Meeting Practice, public forums are recorded. In the terms of the Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act, this may involve the recording of personal information provided at the time of the public forum. The provision of any information that is recorded is voluntary. If any person does not wish to be recorded, they should not address or request to address the public forum. The gallery can be seen in the live stream video.

If you do not wish to be recorded in the live stream, please move to the foyer and we will turn the foyer speakers on for you. Excuse me. The recordings may be made available to other persons where such access is in accordance with the relevant regulations. The recording is stored on Council's record management system and uploaded to Council's website. For the benefit of those persons who will be addressing the public forum tonight, it is expected that you will refrain from making any insult, allegation or personal reflection against any person present or not at this public forum. This request relates to both your address to Council and any answers given in response to questions from councillors.

Finally, it is also requested that if any person participating in or attending the public forum has a mobile phone, that they either turn it off or turn it to silent. Thank you, Mr Mayor. Thank you

General Manager. Welcome everybody tonight. With the public speakers, we've got a pretty full night. There's quite a few speakers. The speakers have got five minutes, and there's two minutes with questions, and there'll be a bell at four minutes in relation to one minute before the five minutes, and then one minute after that when questions start. And we're going to have to stick pretty close to those times. If we go over them, we're not going to have the last speakers.

Is there any declarations of interest, first, councillors?

Yes, Mr. Mayor.

Mr. Mayor, could I have some clarification? We received an email, just, I've only just seen it now, about a speaker who's reading a statement from the Forbes Gazette. Do you know which item that is actually in, or if it's in both?

In both.

Okay. Even though one motion's not about the Gazette. Okay. All right. Okay, Mr. Mayor, I'll declare a significant non-pecuniary interest in Notice of Motion 2, which is about founding of media organisations, and I'll leave the room for that. Do you want me to read it on now, or will I read them in the actual council meeting?

In the meeting will be fine. In the

Meeting. And also in Notice of Motion 1, I was declaring a less than significant non-pecuniary interest. I'll remain with that, Mr. Mayor, and depending on the content of what the speaker speaks about, I may leave the room. Thank you.

Thank you, Councillor. Councillor Wheeler.

Thanks, Mr Mayor. I have a significant non-pecuniary interest in Notice of Motion 2 , item 11.1.2. I have a— yep, I'll leave

It at that. Thanks. Thank you. Deputy Mayor.

Thank you, Mr Mayor. I have a pecuniary interest and a significant non-pecuniary interest in this forum in item 3, 9.3.5, and I'll be leaving the room.

9.3.5.

Thank you.

Councillor.

Thank you, Mr Mayor. I have a less than significant pecuniary interest in the Notice of Motion 2, 11.1.2.

Thank you. Councillor Durey.

Mr Mayor, I have a less than significant non-pecuniary interest in item 11.1.1 and 11.1.2, which involves the speaker. Will I declare that before they speak? Yes.

I too have an interest in relation to 11.1.1, and I'll declare that at the time.

Thank you, Councillors. The first speaker this evening in relation to 9.3.5 , Councillor McMahon.

Thank you, Mr Mayor. I have a pecuniary and significant non-pecuniary interest in relation to DA 0060/26, as people who I have interactions with are significantly involved in that DA, and I'll need to leave the room. Thank you.

Thank you, Councillor.

Mr. Sean Walker, you're to address this first, if you'd like to come forward.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor, councillors and council staff. As previously stated, my name is Sean Walker. I'm the current commodore of the Upper Hawkesbury Powerboat Club. Obviously, we wish to address the council in relation to the item number 9.3.5, the development application in relation to the DA for demolition and the new building at Governor Phillip Park, which for us that we know as our clubhouse and has been our home as a club for a number of years. Just a little bit of history on our club. On Friday the 29th of October 1932, there was an article published in one of the local papers, an enthusiastic meeting at Windsor for the purpose of discussing the advisability of forming a motorboat club in the Upper Hawkesbury.

An enthusiastic public meeting was held at the School of Arts, Windsor on Monday night, that being 24th of October 1932, which was the birth of the Upper Hawkesbury Motorboat Club and then later to be known as the Upper Hawkesbury Powerboat Club.

The Hawkesbury region is well known for its heritage and, in my opinion, our club most definitely forms part of that heritage. The club initially conducted activities on the riverbank located at the end of Bridge Street in Windsor, and later proudly held permissive occupancy of their very first clubhouse at that location. In the early '80s, discussions between the club and council began in relation to the club relocating its activities downstream, and the club at that time voluntarily relinquished the permissive occupancy and council assumed management of the land as part of the Thompson Square restoration project. The new building was constructed for the club, which is currently the building located at Governor Phillip Park, and in 1987 the club was given occupancy of the new building.

However, we were required to complete the fit-out of the building at the time in lieu of rent for a number of months, which was completed by the club members via obviously gifts in kind from members and fundraisers. As a club, we have forged a working relationship with council over the years and have continued to manage and maintain the building that is currently there, as it was not just another hall or function venue; it was a clubhouse and most importantly, it was our home, as I previously stated. The club has ensured the clubhouse was used responsibly and has run a multitude of events from our clubhouse, including monthly club days, annual spectaculars, bridge-to-bridges, double dashes, junior development programs, and going on to club meetings, fundraisers and other presentations, and obviously a whole lot more that we could probably talk for hours on, the things that have been run in that building.

Not only has our club run these events, other like-minded organisations such as Ski Racing New South Wales, Ski Racing Federation, Wakeboard New South Wales, to name a few, have conducted state and nationally recognised events, including their bridge-to-bridge and the Hawkesbury 120, just to name a couple. Over the years, various other organisations have utilised the clubhouse for the conduct of meetings, first aid courses and other sorts of education programs. These events together cement Governor Phillip Park, or the Windsor Marine Stadium as it's affectionately known amongst the boating community. Our clubhouse has affectionately cemented that name as our clubhouse and as our home, not just for us but also water-based competition in Australia.

The current clubhouse is built to be utilised as a home for our club and a hub for other like-minded river user groups, and we hope this will continue when the replacement building is completed for the benefit of our club and, most importantly, other river users and the community. Thank you. Thank you.

Any questions, councillors?

Shaun, tonight's about the DA. Yes. You haven't mentioned your likes or dislikes in relation to the DA.

Yeah, look, we're certainly supportive of the DA, and I think what you will find is there's a number of us speaking. Just, we wanted to paint a bit of a picture and obviously lead into—obviously we appreciate there's limited time. The general DA, I think the building , we're certainly supportive of it, and there's a number of things that we brought up by another speaker, from a couple of little concerns that we'd like to raise. In general, I think the concept of the building is certainly going to be a good thing for our boating community.

Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Thank you, councillors. Thank you.

Before I call the next speaker, I'd just like to make note, in the gallery this evening—excuse me—we've got a former councillor and member for Riverstone, Kevin Connelly. Thank you, Kevin. Former

Councillors in here tonight, Mr. Mayor.

Sorry.

And we've got Christine— sorry, Christine, she's nearly a regular now—former councillor Christine Payne. She's hiding behind. The second speaker we have is Alan France.

Councillors, council staff, ladies and gentlemen, I come to talk to you tonight about the building in 9.3.5, and I speak against the plans for this building. Not that I am against an aquatic users hub as such, not that I am against an Upper Hawkesbury Powerboat Club or a powerboat clubhouse run by boat users of our river. What I am against is a lot of the things about the building itself that don't offer to the boating fraternity the amenities that they require to conduct their events, and I'm also, I've

Got to say, I'm very annoyed about the way the toilets have been designed. And I know that may not only be something to do with council, that may be to do with the state government. I've read many things lately in the paper about the toilets, but I'll move on from there. The plan itself looks more to me like a community centre than it does a powerboat clubhouse. The upstairs works quite well, and I have no real issue with that. The

Clubhouse has been there, as Sean said, for many, many years, and it's been used by like-minded associations who have used it for For ski, for water skiing, for racing, for education, and that's, to me, is that's what it was put there for, 1932, and that's what it should still be there for. The couple of things about it as I see. The canteen downstairs, as I understand, is likely to be leased to a private venture . This is not really a suitable use for the canteen if this is to be a clubhouse for competition to be conducted at that premises. On a race day, the clubs, and there are many various clubs, and as we said, Upper Hawksbury, Veteran and Vintage, here they've conducted an event there and possibly will more in the future.

There's a lot of plans for Governor Philip House, for Governor Philip Park, if we get a clubhouse there that we can use to benefit the community. That canteen would normally be staffed on race days by volunteers, and that would go into the coffers of those clubs to pay for looking after the building and for paying rent on the grounds of Governor Philip Park to the council. So I'm not that happy about the canteen. The storage areas downstairs, originally, as I understand it, there was an area on one end which was designated for a mystery dragon boat club that doesn't exist. So. That area needs to be looked at as to who would use these areas and whether the design of them is the best in functionality for the storage of boats and the equipment used to conduct events on the river.

I feel that there possibly could be room to move and have even roller shutters on the front and back of the building so that boats can get in and out of there easier.

The downstairs toilets, that's probably my biggest bugbear. They're not suitable for river users. Anybody who races there or canoes there, even users who go to the river just to ski, come out of the river quite often they're muddy, quite often they're wet. They're looking for somewhere to possibly have a shower. They're looking for somewhere to get changed. We have a multi-use toilet down there, and I know for one, I certainly wouldn't want my granddaughter walking into those toilets with a lot of old men. I just don't believe where we're up to. Also, I notice that these toilets are not to be locked up. They're an open toilet that can be there 24/7. We all know there's quite a few homeless people in Windsor, which is not great , and that's what'll happen there.

Okay. Thanks. Any questions, councillors? Councillor Zappo? Yes.

Thank you for coming in, sir. Can I just get your clarification? Are you broadly accepting of the idea that because this has been built with public funds, that there needs to be a greater degree of public access and that it's a bookable space rather than a proprietary space only belonging to the clubs?

I think if you look back over the years, you'll find that although the Upper Hawkesbury has had— The overriding lease on the building, they have booked it out to many other venues. Now, I think what we miss sometimes is when there's a powerboat race, when there's a bridge to bridge there, it's not just on the Sunday. It starts Friday morning with getting the place ready to go. It goes Saturday, it goes Sunday, and then it's usually packed down Monday. Nights during the week, Tuesday to Thursday, the Upper Hawkesbury, and we've discussed this at length, other associations are more than happy to have community use in those times and happy to come to some agreement with council on that. But to me, it still should be a river users hub or aquatic users hub, as I think it's described as in the DA.

Okay. Who are you representing tonight, Alan?

Representing Ski Racing New South Wales, Water Ski Federation, and Wakeboarding New South Wales.

Thank you. You've got a couple of seconds, Councillor

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Do you happen to know offhand how many competition days are held there per year, the approximate number of days?

Per year, when ski racing's racing, we normally hold two to three on a weekend, which are full weekend events. The Upper Hawkesbury, I believe, runs a couple of spectaculars and eight or nine club days. Is that correct? I think that's about correct. There's also wakeboarding runs a couple of events there, and I know the New South Wales Federation has plans for a day in November this year, thanks, which is for two days to showcase.

So about 20 or so.

20 odd, yeah.

Thanks, Al. The next speaker we have is Nicole Sherry.

Good evening, everybody. My name is Nicole Sherry and I am the treasurer of the Upper Hawkesbury Powerboat Club and a local resident. I would also like to talk to you, the councillors, council staff and the community this evening about 9.3.5 and our clubhouse. After what you've already heard, I'd like to talk to you about some history around the commitment that the council has already made to the club and our clubhouse. The club has had an ongoing lease with the council on that building, and we've paid rent every month since the 1st of September 1987, when we were given occupancy. This was until the initial flooding in 2021, where flood damage was received in the building, and we were asked to stay out of the building.

Council property officer informed us that due to flooding, we were no longer to enter the building, and council would contact us when it was safe to return. At the time, we received an invoice for the April rent, and we were asked to respond in writing if we required any rental relief. We continued paying the rent and receiving invoices until later in the year, when they stopped being sent to us because it looked like it was going to be a much extended period that we wouldn't be able to reoccupy the building. In regular discussion, received correspondence from the acting manager, property and strategy in October 21, informing us that the council would negotiate a new lease. With us when the building was near completion.

In February 23, the club received a financial statement from Council, with the club being in credit of $1,517.77. When asked, the property officer advised us that that amount was a credit on the rent, and it would stay on our account for when the new build was complete and we would resume occupation. In November 21, the then Mayor Patrick Connelly shared with the Upper Hawkesbury River Users Group in writing that the replacement building was to be funded through an insurance claim as part of the March 21 flood claims process, and the Council intended to engage with the club before finalising the design. They would keep us informed as further details became available in regards to timeframes and would keep us updated on a regular basis as the project progresses, as it was intended to resume being our clubhouse.

In March 23, Parks Planner requested a letter of support from our club for an application for grant funding to repair the slumped riverbank after the 22 floods. In May 25, Project Manager Anit Mugar notified the club as a relevant stakeholder on the bank stabilisation and bed amendment project at the park that was due to begin in front of our club. In 2016, the park master plan, there was a reference to a proposed clubhouse extension, and plans were drawn up that were used at one stage of this current building proposal. In 2025, after receiving the federal grant that Susan Templeman has herself referred to as the Upper Hawkesbury Powerboat Clubhouse, the Council has made several media releases.

And has designed the building around a river users hub. This is a place that will provide all of the aquatic groups of the Hawkesbury a place as their own to utilise the river and continue to hold some of the largest and best aquatic and boating events in Australia, right here in Windsor. The Boat Club has been working with other aquatic boating clubs, as we've discussed this evening, including those mentioned previously. They are all wanting to hold their major events right here in Windsor. Our club, working alongside our Mayor, is looking to lead the development of a management strategy and a team of people led by our club that will bring the council's vision of that river users hub to life and increase the income that can be brought into the council through hire, as well as the club paying a higher rent, after we've already been paying a higher rent for local storage for the last five years.

So, in summary, what we are hoping to have conveyed in our short time available is the commitment that we have made to the council and the community over the last 94 years, and the commitment that council has made in written communications to the club since December '83 and since flooding in 2021. We're seeking the councillors and council staff to make a commitment to honouring the ongoing tenancy, occupation and management of the clubhouse building at Governor Philip Park by the Upper Hawkesbury Boat Club and its final design making it suitable in this DA that is suitable for all aquatic users

Thank you.

Any question, councillors?

In relation to, you're talking about the opportunities into the future for, what about the past in relation to records and world records, state records, national records. Where does Hawkesbury sit there?

As I said, the events that we hold here in Windsor, I don't know if everyone's been to some of these events. I know we had Mary, we had Councillor Ryan and Les come along to our last event just to see the size of the event that we are running. Now, as we presented last year, that's now being televised across not just Australia but internationally as well. And we actually did a plug on the Hawkesbury River as part of that. But when it comes to history, we've got the world titles for drag water ski racing. Some of the other guys would have to go into that history for me a little bit more. But Windsor is the hub of these activities. We're not asking for to be the sole use. We would just like to assist in making sure that your vision of a river users hub is used in that matter.

Thank you. Thanks very much. And the last speaker we have on this item is Alison James.

Thank you. Good evening, councillors. My name is Alison James. I am the secretary of the Upper Hawkesbury Powerboat Club, as well as an active racer within the club. I'm here tonight to speak in support of the DA application for the rebuilt clubhouse as a multi-user facility, its future use and the management of the building, and why it's so important for Upper Hawkesbury Powerboat Club to continue as the primary user and manager of this facility. For over 90 years, the club has successfully and responsibly operated this. From this site, the Hawkesbury is recognised across Australia as the home of circuit boat racing, and that reputation exists because of the dedication, volunteers, and the work, investments and investments of generations of Upper Hawkesbury Powerboat members.

The proposed future use of this building is not something new or uncertain. It is just simply the continuation of what has already worked successfully for decades. When the club first received this building, it was essentially just a shell. It was our members who volunteered, who gave their time, money, skills and resources to fit out the entire building. Over many years, the club continued to maintain and improve the facility with minimal impact on the council, which shows our dedication to this building. The solar panels, for example, on the roof were provided by the club. We upgraded those systems over time. We replaced carpets, upgraded kitchen facilities, organised plumbing works, using our own plumbers, and even booked professional cleaners to maintain the exterior of the building.

This is not the behaviour of a group simply occupying a space. This is a club that has taken ownership, responsibility and pride in maintaining a community asset for decades. Importantly, while Upper Hawkesbury Powerboat Club held the lease, we also opened the doors to a wide range of other clubs and river users. The building became a genuine river users hub because like-minded aquatic organisations were welcome and supported there. This included New South Wales Ski Racing, New South Wales and National APBA, so that's the Australian Powerboat Association, Wakeboard New South Wales, the River Users Group. Water Ski Federation, drag racing events occurred, barefoot drags occurred. There was even remote-controlled boat racing at one stage, as well as other secondary users such as boot camps and other community activities, as mentioned before.

The model already worked successfully. Different river and aquatic user groups coexisted, supported one another and benefited from this shared use of the facility. We want to see this continue in the future. Upper Hawkesbury Powerboat Club also delivers enormous benefits to the Hawkesbury region. Regular club days bring in competitors, families and spectators into the area, supporting local cafes, accommodation providers, fuel stations, businesses. Beyond grassroots racing, Upper Hawkesbury runs some of the biggest events in powerboat racing across Australia. We are nationally and internationally recognised. Competitors travel from across the country and across the world, the globe, to travel to the Hawkesbury because of our venue, of this club and how iconic we are within the sport.

These events generate significant economic activity in the region. If major events such as drag boat racing no longer comes— oh, sorry, I've skipped a line. I'm sorry.

It's also important to remember why this building is being rebuilt. A community building would not ordinarily be constructed on this flood-prone land. The reason this facility is being rebuilt is because the existing clubhouse required replacement. We wouldn't be having these conversations if it didn't require replacement. This site already has an established purpose, history and sporting use that justifies its continuation. Council has long been aware of the club's commitment to this facility. We are correspondence and letters that are confirming that this will be rebuilt for our purpose and that rental arrangements would resume once construction is completed. This management model isn't being discussed tonight, but we want to push that forward, that we're not looking for special treatment. We just want to be successful and work with the council to benefit

Our community. Thanks, Allison. Councillors?

Allison, with any refurbishment of the clubhouse itself, did the club do that or did council do it?

So refurbishment was within the internal components of the clubhouse. That was the club. So we installed air conditioning, the solar panels, the walls, the plumbing, they were all things that we did.

Okay. In about '95, there was a management plan done for the park, for the use of the park and for the convenience of the residents in North Windsor. Do you know of any complaints that the club got from council after that was done?

Not that I'm aware of, no. Thanks. Thanks,

Alison.

Thank you, everybody. Thank

You. The next item we've got is 9.4.5,

Kevin Conolly

Paul, it doesn't matter a lot

Kevin, you might hang five for one sec, just getting a missing councillor.

Might start, Kevin.

Mayor and councillors, thanks for the opportunity to address you this evening. I originally felt the need to talk about the draft terms of reference of the Floodplain Management Committee, of which I am a member, but I've realised the problem I see with that committee's terms of reference also exists in relation to the other committees as well. Basically, the problem is that the terms of reference as drafted may prevent the committees being able to give Council the full benefit of the knowledge, experience and expertise of the members that form that committee. That's because one of the obvious stated objectives of an advisory committee, to give advice and recommendations to Council, it's the first one listed.

Seems to be contradicted or at least constrained by a statement under the heading authority. And that statement I can illustrate by referring to the core committee terms of reference that relate to all of them. The first objective says, provide advice and recommendations to the council about XXX, where XXX is the subject matter of the committee, whether it be heritage, access and inclusion, or floodplain management. Yet the next item under the heading authority says that the committee is prevented from considering any matter outside a specific reference. So if a particular matter is not specifically referred by council through a resolution to be placed on the agenda, or if it's not placed there by council staff, the committee cannot offer any advice about that matter.

Given that committee members have been selected specifically because of their knowledge, experience and expertise about the field in question, isn't it possible, even likely perhaps, that they may have worthwhile ideas and suggestions to raise that haven't previously been noted by councillors or staff? Preventing them from even discussing any such ideas would seem to defeat the purpose of having expert advisory committees.

Given that there are already constraints on the committee preventing a committee from making decisions on behalf of council or incurring expenditure or directing staff, all of those things are already ruled out. There's no real downside to allowing committee members to raise ideas and suggestions in their relevant field. In the case of the Floodplain Management Committee, the problem is compounded by the absence of that first generalised objective from the new draft. The objectives in the draft for that committee very narrowly confine the work of the Floodplain Committee to formal flood studies and flood risk management plans. As these studies and plans are conducted only infrequently and would be expected to remain in place then for several, perhaps many years once adopted, the committee is effectively given no role in the intervening years.

By contrast, the current terms of reference, the ones adopted in 2024, there is an objective which says that the committee is to assist Hawkesbury City Council in monitoring and assessing the effectiveness of these management plans during and after their implementation. I think it would make good sense to reinstate that objective in the new terms of reference. I also believe that the limitation under the heading authority, which stops committees from considering matters not subject to a specific reference, is too limiting and should be reworded or deleted. I'll give a couple of examples of matters I raised last year which were not subject to a specific reference. One relates to the Hawkesbury Valley flood evacuation route over Jim Anderson Bridge and beyond through Mulgrave and Vineyard.

That route was planned and designed to remain open until flood waters reached 17.3 metres. Yet last year I noticed that due to some oversight at the time, a section of the route at Mulgrave was actually left at a lower level, reducing the effectiveness of the whole evacuation route. I raised this at the committee. The matter's been looked into by the SES, my observation confirmed, and the agency is now aware of the problem and can consider appropriate action. I'm sure members of other advisory committees act in the same sort of way to help achieve the best possible outcomes for the Hawkesbury community. They simply want to offer the benefit of their advice. My suggestion is that Council defer adoption of the draft terms of reference for committees to allow time to consider whether the current drafts unduly restrict the capacity of the committees to give Council the full benefit of their knowledge, experience and expertise.

Thank you, Mr Mayor. Thank you, Mr Conolly. I tend to agree. However, I'm just probably will bring up when we're speaking about it the difference between consider and raise. I don't know if consider means, by saying consider any matter outside a specific reference, that that means actually deliberating on and voting, etc., as opposed to someone raising an issue that then perhaps could come back. So I'll get that clarified.

As a committee member, I'd be concerned that it wouldn't even let me get it up at a meeting. It'd be ruled out of order. So I

Would think that raising is fine, considering— Well

That's why deferring to get some better wording might be helpful.

Yeah. Okay. Thank you for that

Thank you, Mr Mayor

Mr Mayor, Councillors and staff, appreciate the opportunity to speak tonight here together on Section 9.5.1. My name is Philip Callaghan. I'm speaking on behalf of the Carols Committee in relation to the suggested moving of Hanna Park Carols to Peel Park. In the recommendations that have been made in your manual here tonight, I'm speaking in favour of recommendation number three, and I would just like to take the opportunity, in regards to, just talk through some of the A, B, C, D, E and F areas there. Hannah Park Carols is a well-run event over many years. Our second speaker will just run some of that information past you shortly, and it has been well managed. Due to the building of the bridge, we need to move somewhere else for three years.

While we agree in principle for recommendation number three, there are some things there in regards to us paring back and decreasing the size of the carols, which we are in favour of in helping the situation in North Richmond. But some of the caveats in here do add a burden to be able to execute the event, if I may just talk of those, please. Section 3A, titled Removal of Rides and Fireworks. Yes, we agree with the removal of the commercial rides. We would just hope we'd be allowed to have maybe the Scouts come and run a little event there—not event, a little activity there—which is not a commercial ride. Regarding fireworks, we have spoken with our commercial provider of the fireworks. They understand the situation here.

He has suggested a low-rise, no-salute aerial fireworks, which would have minimal impact and would be just low and beautiful. He has operated fireworks for us in this park of Peel Park prior for us during COVID. Section B, compliance with attendant limit. In regards to reducing the limit of people, we will promote no rides, no food trucks to decrease, actively decrease, the quantity of people attending. However, the place is not fenced. We cannot guarantee attendance levels, and so we just ask Council that we can't be responsible for that quantity of people, but we will work with Council to promote no rides, no food trucks. Regarding Section C, traffic plans, we normally do all those sort of traffic plans for Hannah Park Carols, and we appreciate in continuing operating with that.

Section D, acoustic monitoring noise management plan. This is difficult for us. This is a burden of costs that we just don't have the funds for. Down at Hannah Park, I can tell you, via six maps has been measured, our stage is 130 metres from the surrounding houses that surround Hannah Park, and we have been running in a very well managed time over the last 15 years with our community. Down at Peel Park, the distance from the stage will be 160 metres. And as you all know, decibels over distance decrease even more rapidly. We feel that we would be good stewards of this area if we could self-manage this with our professional engineering staff who supply our sound and lighting. Regarding E, no rides, food trucks, fireworks, heavy infrastructure.

Yes, of course, no rides, no food trucks. I've just asked about the fireworks before. No salute and have low rides. I just want to acknowledge again, in regards to heavy infrastructure, we normally have our stage donated by a trucking company, and they take trucks off the road to provide us with a free stage. Obviously we wouldn't be able to have this here, and we know that. I just want to let you know it would significantly raise our costs in hiring a stage to come into the park, which we will do, but we're just letting you know it is a significant cost for us. In regards to F, wet weather, just no unit of measurement there. We just seek that things are fair in regards to judgement for us in regards to any potential wet or quantity of weather due to the amount of commitment that we show to putting the event on.

I just want to let you know we have an awesome cleanup crew that comes in every time we have our carols, 8 a.m. the next day on the Sunday, and they leave the park at Hannah Park looking better than what we do than when we found it. In regarding to lights in the evening, I know there's a talking point in regards to the council lights in the park. If they aren't able to be put on, well… Well, we would have some mobile lights to enable us to pack down after the event into the evening. Appreciate your time. Thank you for hearing.

Thank you. Mr Callahan, thank you for coming in. I've got two brief questions. One is, does the Hawkesbury Carols Committee represent a business, a service organisation, a collection of churches? Who are you? Yeah, sure. We are responsible to Hawkesbury Valley Baptist Church, and

That is our, I

Presume, our next speaker. Okay. I was associated with the minister's returnal that put on carols with great success for many years in other locations. So that's my second question. Given the very considerable constraints that you've articulated, and considering that you are the Hawkesbury Valley Carols Committee, why wouldn't you consider another venue within the Hawkesbury, like McQuade Park, Richmond Oval, or the Showground?

In regards to that, we are located, as in Hawkesbury Valley Baptist Church is located in North Richmond. It's where, since 2011, we have cultivated our community relationship, which also goes amongst the community, but also the business community, our sponsors as well, who sponsor the event and sow into the event for it to happen. In regards to Richmond Park, I don't know if they want to have two carols events before Christmas, and obviously going to the Showground does incur additional cost.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Just quickly, have you considered Colo Soccer Fields?

I understand they have been contacted and they have declined.

With the committee

That organised it, how many's been on the committee for a long time? Is it a new committee?

There is a number of people there. There's quite a core in the committee, and we do have people that come in and participate and swap in and swap out. I've been there from day one. Thank you.

Thank you.

Our next speaker, Mr. David O'Connor, or Doc.

Thank you for the opportunity to speak tonight. My name is David O'Connor. I'm the senior pastor of Hawkesbury Valley Baptist Church in North Richmond. On behalf of our church, I want to appreciate the relationship that we've had with Council for many decades now. Our church has had the privilege of coordinating Hannah Park Carols for many years, and we do so motivated purely by the love that we have for our local community, particularly those who reside north of the river. We have a strong sense of place as a church, and the vast majority of our programs and services are geared towards those who reside north of the river. My job at the carols is to wander through the crowd for six to eight hours and talk to people, and to bring encouragement to them, and to represent our church to the community.

It's an honour to have quite literally hundreds of conversations with locals over that six to eight hour period. What those conversations have told me is how much our community appreciate the opportunity to gather together and to be generously blessed by a vibrant, entertaining, family-friendly and hope-filled experience that the Hannah Park Carols has been. We recognise the need to adjust the program to suit a new location, and we're willing to work with Council on this. We've proven to be faithful community partners over many years, and I can assure Council our posture remains the same. However, I do want to ask that at a time when the world is faced with incredible uncertainty, when families and people are faced with great economic and social challenges, that Council considers giving us the ability to richly bless our local community, particularly those north of the river, through this event, which many describe as a highlight of their year and their Christmas season.

I'm requesting to you that you provide us with the provisional approval that we need to move forward. Organising an event like this takes many, many thousands of man hours and many different conversations with community partners, sponsors and the like, and also for Council to just have a flexible posture to work with us to negotiate, as those details are decided upon, as to how the event can move forward. I want to just ask that you give us as much scope as possible to keep the carols as a vibrant, entertaining, family-friendly— Rich in generosity event as possible for our community. We will scale back, but we also don't want to scale back so much that people don't want to come again next year.

We want to continue to serve those north of the river in that way. I'd just like to finish by reading an email from Matil Haik, who's the Head of Community and Digital at Redbank Communities, and he's given us permission to read this. He says this: I wanted to put in writing Redbank Communities' strong support for relocating the Hawkesbury Valley Carols to Peel Park while Hanna Park is unavailable. This event has always been an important part of the North Richmond community, and Peel Park offers a unique opportunity to make it even more accessible and inclusive. For the first time, the majority of attendees, including thousands of Redbank and North Richmond families, can walk safely to their local carols without needing to cross Bells Line of Road.

That alone makes Peel Park a safer and more community-friendly location. The carols consistently attract large crowds because people genuinely love the event. It brings families together, strengthens neighbourhood connections, and reflects exactly the kind of community spirit highlighted in Council's own Community Strategic Plan. Relocating the event to Peel Park supports those goals and keeps the carols alive during the years Hanna Park is unavailable. Redbank Communities remains supportive of the organisers and the event, and we are committed to being constructive partners as needed. We simply want to see this much-loved community tradition continue in a location that makes sense for local families.

Thank you.

Thank you. Questions, Councillors?

Were you part of the survey? Have you seen the survey? I have seen the

Survey, yeah. Yeah. So, do you reflect some of the outcome? Yes, I walked many of the streets of North Richmond and Redbank as distributing that, and so yes, I've seen the survey results that were overwhelmingly positive and in support of the event. And I'm sure you've all seen the survey as well. Typically, a few concerns about sound, a few concerns about traffic, but overwhelmingly positive.

Were the negative ones predominantly very close proximity to it, or…? I'm

Not sure if we knew that detail, but I would imagine so. Okay. Yeah. Thanks very much.

The next item we've got is 11.1.1. It notes the motion one. Councillor Lyons-Buckett. Thank you,

Mr Mayor. I've got a less significant non-pecuniary interest. The nature of the interest is affiliations with a variety of media organisations. The reason for no further action is that the motion relates to the review of a policy overall and does not specify any information relative to any individual organisation.

Thank you.

Councillor Durey. Thanks, Mr Mayor. I have a less significant non-pecuniary interest in that the person who is going to speak on this matter is part of a group that edited a campaign video that I used. The reason I'm staying is that it was only a singular, in-kind interaction that has nothing to do with the… The main matter, thanks. Thank you, Councillor.

I too declare a non-pecuniary interest at this stage, and it depends on how the conversation goes whether it needs to go any further than that. And it relates to donations, electoral donations. The first speaker we've got, the only speaker we've got on the matter is Phil Branford.

Thank you, Mr Mayor, Councillors. Appreciate the opportunity. Phil Branford, Hawkesbury Business Group. Not that I'm particularly representing; I'll get close to the microphone here, I realise I couldn't hear myself. Particularly represent the Hawkesbury Business Group, but I am the president, so I need to declare that. It probably doesn't take too much imagination to realise that there's been quite a bit of activity lately in relation to media and council to join the dots together. What I'm really trying to convey here is I'm trying to help. I can see that this matter is dragging on and is possibly going to drag on for some time, and I don't see this proposal is going to help the situation.

In fact, I think it's going to make it worse. I read it here, I see lots of words, well thought out words, and they talk about things like suitably qualified and media organisations. And then, of course, I can go on the net and find out what a media organisation is and suitably qualified, and I find this quite ambiguous, and it's going to be difficult to try and necessarily apply. To any media organisation, it will be like a viewpoint.

So I'm sort of implying that I think you're going to dig a deeper hole if this gets up. I don't think it's going to help the situation. I don't think it's going to help the current policy, which I don't even know what the hell the policy is, to be perfectly honest with you. But I don't see changing some wording going to make the

Situation of infighting any better. And I think if the council decides to circle the wagons and dig in with some wording,

It looks like a gag tool. It's what it looks like to me. And that's what I think the public are going to think it looks like. So I don't think it's going to help. So I think what would help a lot better is that more focus is on delivering good products and services and good news that then can be published. And we won't have this infighting or banters or all the stuff that's going on, not necessarily in the background, in the public view. So that's all I particularly want to say on the matter. I don't think it's going to help. I think you need to all have a bit of a look at what's been going on and come up with a solution that's going to put the fire out. And I don't think it's going to put the fire out.

Thank you. Councillors. Deputy Mayor.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Thank you, Mr. Bamford. I can see that you're coming in with intentions to try and solve the situation. However, you've just admitted you haven't read the policy. You don't even know what it is. Correct. So how have you come here tonight to say what's being proposed is a gag order when you don't even know what the policy is?

You don't need to be Brian Freedy to work out when you're trying to put these little words in that it's a tool to give someone or some organisation more power to decide who, what, when and how,

Whatever the other policy is, it doesn't reflect or doesn't add any importance to what this is trying to do. So

You're saying that an organisation can't protect itself?

Of course it can, and I've got every right. And look, you've got more protection tools here. I've printed them all off. For example, which you all well know, if you've got a problem with speech of the media, I've got a whole list of defamation laws, codes of ethics, regulation bodies, criminal—there's all these tools exist if someone's doing the wrong thing. I don't think changing a couple of words is going to fix the problem. One

More question, Mr Mayor. Could you please define your association with the Hawkesbury Gazette?

I have no association at all with the Hawkesbury Gazette. I am a supporter of them.

Your organisation, not you personally.

The organisation has no affiliation with that, I'm aware of whatsoever. No

Members at all have an affiliation with the Gazette?

The only person that I know is a member is Jeff, who's a member of the Hawkesbury Business Group. I believe he works at the Gazette. There may be others, but he's the only one I'm aware of.

Any further?

Thanks very much.

The next item is 11.1.2.

Bradford, you're back again. Before you speak, Councillor Wheeler.

Thanks, Mr Mayor. I have a significant non-pecuniary interest in item 11.1.2. The organisation in question, Hawkesbury Gazette, have been, in my opinion, consistently unbalanced and disproportionate in their coverage of a personal matter. They've been so personal that a reasonable person—

Councillor, we just need a brief description.

I'm giving you a brief description, Mr Mayor.

Make it briefer.

They have been so personal that a reasonable person might conclude that I could not help but be personally offended and therefore might doubt that I would be objective and professionally detached when considering this agenda item. I'll therefore leave the room.

Thank you, Councillor. Councillor Lyons-Bucket.

Thank you, Mr Mayor. I have a significant non-pecuniary interest and also a less than significant non-pecuniary interest. The ban relates to two media organisations, the Gazette, with which I have familial connections to people who reportedly own it, and the Hawkesbury Radio, where I've had past affiliations, less than significant. Thank you, Mr Mayor.

Thank you. Councillor.

Thank you, Mr Mayor. I have a less than significant non-pecuniary interest in 11.1.2. I was a member of the Hawkesbury Radio previously . I am no longer a member and I will be remaining in the chamber. Thank you.

Mr Mayor, I have a less than significant non-pecuniary interest. The gentleman speaking on the matter is part of a group that edited a campaign video that it used. The reason I'm staying is that it was only a singular in-kind interaction, and I don't believe it has anything to do with the main matter. Thanks.

Thank you, Councillors. I declare a mayoral interest. The speaker, with his last speak, said he had no association with the media. I have no interest to declare.

Thank you.

So this one's a little bit more formal than the last one. I actually prepared something instead of off the cuff. So obviously you know who I am and who I represent. So again, thank you for the opportunity. Let me start by saying the Hawkesbury Business Group condemns council's ban on the Hawkesbury Gazette and Hawkesbury Radio from council buildings and meetings. The Hawkesbury Business Group is shocked and in disbelief at the Hawkesbury City Council's decision to ban representatives of the Hawkesbury Gazette and Hawkesbury Radio from attending council meetings and from entering council premises. The ban, signed by Mayor Les Sheather and Acting General Manager Will Barton, relies on council's obligations under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 New South Wales.

Council's justification, in essence, is that the presence of the Gazette at meetings poses a risk to the well-being of council staff, journalists, and physically excluded from the chamber. The Hawkesbury Business Group rejects that reasoning out of hand. This is not work health and safety. This is an overreach designed to silence the Gazette. The Work Health and Safety Act was written to protect workers from genuine hazards. It was never intended to be used as a tool to remove journalists from the public forum because their reporting is uncomfortable. Ratepayers are feeling real psychological stress. If council was genuinely concerned about psychological harm, the Hawkesbury Business Group suggests it looks closer at home at the stress caused by its own conduct on the ratepayers and businesses of Hawkesbury.

Case in point: budget blowouts on major projects, including the much-publicised Richmond Pool, we've got this sewage works, to name a few, raise real questions about the prudent use of ratepayers' funds. A proposal for special rate levy has caused widespread angst among households and small businesses already struggling at cost of living. Long drawn-out delays in development applications are leaving local businesses owners and families in financial limbo, in some cases for years at a time, while costs mount and opportunities are lost. These are the things keeping Hawkesbury ratepayers awake at night and causing real, measurable psychological stress in the community. Yet there is no Work Health and Safety Act to protect the residents and businesses that receive of council's conduct.

A free press is part of good governance, not a threat to it. The Hawkesbury Gazette has been reporting on the community since 1888. Local journalists is one of the few remaining ways ordinary residents can find out how the rates are being spent and how decisions affect their homes, businesses and futures being made. Banning the local paper from the chamber does not make the council safer. It makes it less accountable. Councils that welcome scrutiny do not need to issue ban orders. If councillors and staff are under pressure, the answer is to address the underlying issues reported, not to remove the reporter. The Hawkesbury Business Group calls on Mayor Sheather and Acting General Manager immediately rescind the ban, restore Hawkesbury Gazette access to council meetings and premises, and refocus council's attention on the issues that are causing genuine distress to the people it is elected to serve.

We are all ratepayers here, and despite differences of opinions, we all want what is best for the Hawkesbury. Councillors are elected to serve, and as such, give up much of their time, dedicate themselves to the betterment of the Hawkesbury. I suggest that a free press... is the backbone of our democracy. If we all focus on doing what is right for the ratepayers, I think we will find a much more favourable press.

Thank you. I've got one question. Seeing that all our meetings are live, how does that stop the press from reporting on our meetings? I agree. They can.

Okay, thanks.

Councillor.

You stole my question, Mr Mayor. Since it was so emphatically stated, if there isn't any curtailing of the right of the two organisations involved in this, if there's no curtailing of their reporting, why were you saying that it's reducing transparency of council activities? I don't understand. That doesn't make any sense.

Well, I think it comes down to the point that

WHS

Act is being used as a tool I find quite absurd, particularly being in a roofing industry where I'm very familiar with WHS regulations and outcomes. So I think the fact that they're being banned, I agree they can still report, but I think why go to the need of not having them building? Now, having said that, I've never been here when they've— I've only been to one other council meeting before, and I didn't observe them doing anything at the meeting, but of course there's been lots of other meetings. Can

I ask another question?

We need to pull it up, Councillor. We're five minutes over.

Just one more question. Have I got 34 seconds?

Yes, Councillor.

Do you have an understanding of the Work Health and Safety Act in as much as it goes beyond physical injury? Because I think there's been a lot of scuttlebutt in the community about work health and safety somehow being only visible in the physical.

Councillor, we need to stop there. We're over time, and thanks very much.

Councillors, we need to have a couple of minute break while the staff hook up the electronics for the council meeting. It will only be a couple of minutes because we're over time now.