Democracy died a little at last night’s Campbelltown Council meeting.
IHAP or Independent Hearing and Assessment Panel, the new body that will now take over the power of consent over development applications, was given the green light.
But our elected representatives gave the thumbs up to their own demise with such grace and good humour they emerged with their integrity enhanced.
Their counterparts at State Government and Federal Government level can only dream of the statesmanship that was on display last night.
It is impossible to believe state or federal politicians would vote themselves out of power.
Ironically, IHAPs are being set up at all Sydney and Wollongong mainly because this State Government believes councillors are all potentially vulnerable to corruption.
Yes, there have been cases of corruption in councils – there are one or two bad apples in every organisation.
But the IHAP play has tainted every single councillor in Sydney and Wollongong.
And it means that our elected representatives can no longer have a say when someone wants to knock down the house next door and build a church hall.
IHAP is meant to be a move to professionals deciding planning issues, but everyone knows there’s more to a development than the application of local environment plans or other rules and regulations.
The changes will mean increased powers to senior council staff – including general managers and department directors – to approve developments valued up to $5 million.
IHAP will handle those between $5 million and $30 million, and regional planning panels will determine anything over that.
Having watched councillors from the media gallery for almost 40 years, I have no doubt most of them are decent, honest locals who want the best for their area.
Unlike a lot of senior staff and no doubt some members of the new independent panels, councillors live in their local area, know what’s really going on and are able to make the right call most of the time.
What was needed in reforming councils was more transparency in decision making, especially at staff level, not ripping power off our elected representatives.
What’s more, state politicians have a hide pointing the corruption finger at local councils.
I don’t remember the last corrupt councillor who ended up as a guest at Her Majesty’s Corrective Services quarters.
But the names Eddie Obeid, Ian Macdonald, Rex Jackson and others may ring a bell.
At the federal level the rogues gallery includes Craig Thompson, Andrew Theophanous and Michael Cobb (suspended jail sentence).
Talk about the pot calling the kettle black.
Despite this brutal reality, our councillors last night stood up to suggest ways that IHAP could work more efficiently and how to ensure their decisions are easily available for all to check out.
At first last night I felt a little sad at the end of an era, and I guess that was the old school journalist in me.
But by the end of the night all I could do was be heartened by the dignity shown by our elected representatives.
