A makeover of the council chamber is the reason Campbelltown Mayor George Greiss is smiling for this photo.
He briefed the councillors at last night’s meeting about the new look chamber, which obviously has got his thumbs up.
The main feature is a brand new heritage brown panel behind where he sits during council meetings, alongside the general manager, Lindy Deitz.
During our photo session – a few days before the council meeting – I reminded him that a council to our north had just opened snazzy new chambers and they’re up for hire to anyone.
“I am a traditionalist and this chamber will only be used for the serious business of making decisions at our monthly meetings,’’ he said.
Speaking of last night’s council meeting, the first for 2024, the ambience may be new but our elected councillors remain as feisty as ever.
I won’t be unkind so early in the year and describe last night’s collective effort as a rabble but there was nonetheless plenty of sniping back and forth across the chamber.
This mostly involved Labor Party councillors and one of their former colleagues during debate on a motion regarding raising foreign flags on council’s poles.
Eight councillors, including the mayor, voted for the motion, with five against.
The five were the four Labor Party councillors and the independent Masud Khalil, who argued the proposal would be divisive in the multi cultural community of Campbelltown.
What was really interesting though was that everyone found out, for the first time, that currently any applications for flag raising are decided by the mayor of the day along with the general manager.
Earlier One Nation’s Adam Zahra addressed the council on a plan to include the national anthem at the start of each council meeting in future, urging them to give it the green light.
Which they did, so it will be interesting to see how this goes at the March council meeting.
“I am grateful for the motion as this is really important,’’ Mr Zhara told the council.
“It’s important to send a message to our city of Campbelltown of how proud we are of our heritage.’’
