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Health Minister Skinner “Skinned” By Own Branches Over Forced Amalgamation

Health Minister Skinner “Skinned” By Own Branches Over Forced Amalgamation
Health Minister Skinner "Skinned" By Own Branches Over Forced Amalgamation

The Mosman branch is the largest branch of the Liberal Party in NSW, combined these branches also deliver the highest contributions to the Liberal Party. The Mosman branch was also personally set up by Robert Menzies the founder of the Liberal Party.
 
Several large Companies in Skinners electorate which includes some of the biggest technology Companies in Australia have said that they do not want Councils such as North Sydney and Mosman amalgamated.

These Companies are also some of the biggest providers of technology services to NSW Health.


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The slap in the face for Skinner who has been accused of deliberately avoiding public and community meetings on the issue of amalgamation came when 80% of Liberal members in the 3 key Liberal branches voted against forced amalgamation.
 
Liberal members from the Mosman branch have accused Skinner of being two faced claiming that prior to the NSW Elections in 2014 she openly came out and said that she was against forced amalgamation.
 
“Now she is running away from this position, she has become a lapdog for Mike Baird”, a Liberal Party attendee at the Balmoral meeting said. 




Skinner has also been accused of trying to manipulate further debate on the issue when a scheduled meeting of the North Shore Electoral Council which was set to discuss the motion voted on by members was according to one senior Liberal member suddenly turned into a Xmas Party with a decision taken that no matters raised by branches would be discussed, prior to Christmas. 

“You can bet that Skinner was behind this move” the Liberal member who is also a senior executive of a major International Technology Company said. 

The motion passed by the Mosman branch said that members, recognises the need for Local Government reform, and encourages the State Government to continue with this important reform agenda in the interests of all NSW rate payers.

b) Recognises that Mosman LGA is a distinct community of interest and does not support the forced amalgamation of the Municipality with surrounding LGA’s .

The motion was put by Roy Bendall a Councillor on Mosman Council. 

Several Liberal party members have said that Skinner who has been accused of doing little for her community, should not have been chosen to represent the North Shore.

One prominent Liberal Party member said” Skinner is running away from any contact with the community on the issue of forced amalgamation. She failed to turn up at the recent meeting called by Mosman Council. She was due to attend the Mosman branch meeting but as soon as she saw what was on the agenda she suddenly had another appointment”.

“As a local member she has failed to deliver road improvements, then there is the issue of transport and the delay in making a decision about the Spit Bridge. She spends more time bowing to the people of the Western suburbs than listening to the people who voted for her in her own electorate”.

Another Liberal Party member
said “Skinner and Baird are very quick to stick their hand up to support
CBD distric
ts such as Parramatta out West but what about North Sydney.
The North Sydney Council is about to be sacked and Skinner has done nothing to
support the growth of North Sydney as a key CBD district”


The decision by the Mosman Branch was in line with the other heavy weight Liberal Party branches on the North Shore and surrounding areas.

The motions passed at the Balmoral, Mosman and Clifton Garden branches of the Liberal Party will now be referred to senior members of the party.

 They motion against forced amalgamation follows the decisions of all Liberal Party branches in Woollahra LGA who met at Woollahra Golf Club in September.

These branches also voted against the State Government’s amalgamation agenda. 

The Liberals’ Woollahra “Conference” voted unanimously on two motions, firstly to oppose the amalgamation of Woollahra Council with any other local authority and secondly to demand the party’s state council support their opposition.