The Camden chamber of commerce has once again been put on the spot by a Camden councillor. There hasn’t been any love lost between the ruling Liberal Party council group and the chamber since the spat last year between the business group and the mayor, Lara Symkowiak. The latest little run in involves Councillor Debby Dewbery, who went on the offensive after receiving a message on her mobile phone. Cr Dewbery wrote an email which she sent separately to the members of the Camden Chamber of Commerce. Cr Dewbery’s email said:
“On Friday I received the following message on my mobile.
‘Camden Chamber of Commerce and Industry is going to start a move to change the regulation so that any council nominees for the 2016 election will have to be independent and competent. They will not be able to a member of any political party and have to pass a competency test.’
“The message was left by a student from UTS Journalist Student.
“There are a couple of things I would like to know:
1. When was this voted on by all members of the chambers?
2. Do you know if the student lives locally?
3. Has all Councillors in NSW been contacted regarding the move? – it would have to apply state wide
4. If you have a copy of the competency test I would appreciate it
5. Has the idea been sent to the NSW Local Government Association?
6. Has the idea been sent to the NSW Minister for Local Government?
Cr Debby Dewbery
The Camden Chamber of Commerce president, Miriam Roberts, responded with this polite reply:
“Dear Councillor Dewbery
“Thank you for your Email to some of the Executive of the Camden Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc, on Friday 1 May 2015.
“The Camden Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc is not seeking to challenge the local government elect regulation.
“We are therefore unable to answer any of the questions you have raised.
“Yours sincerely,
Miriam Roberts | President
Who knows how this saga will end, but in any case it’s not a good look for Camden and the sooner council and the chamber kissed and made up the better.
♦ Still on business issues, the Campbelltown chamber of commerce has made an interesting decision on what sort of lucky door prizes it will accept in the future. After rejecting an offer of its services as a prize from a local firm, the chamber explained its reasoning: At our most recent meeting one of the solicitors offered a prize of a free ‘power of attorney’. We believed if we allowed this to continue many people would offer their own services as a prize,’’ the chamber said. We didn’t see this as meeting our guidelines for prizes. To counteract this at our most recent board meeting we passed a motion that all future prizes must be a “tangible’’ item. That is wine, tickets to Event cinemas, etc, the chamber concluded. Which is well and good if you run Event Cinemas or even a local winery, but everyone else who wants to promote their business in this way at chamber functions will have to dip into their wallets to buy an appropriate lucky door prize.
♦ Greg Warren was elected as Member for Campbelltown on March 28, and now, almost two months later, he is holding an official opening of his electorate office on May 22. The Queen Street office used to be occupied by the man he defeated at the state election, Bryan Doyle, who has since vowed that his short political career is over.
♦ Trooper John Ivor Mulholland was born in Wagga Wagga circa 1897 and his father was Thomas John Mulholland from Rosewood Farm Wagga Wagga. The trooper died from illness at Liverpool camp 100 years ago on April 5, 1915 and was buried at Liverpool New Cemetery. Now Liverpool’s unofficial military historian and former mayor Gary Lucas is trying to find Trooper Mulholland’s relatives in Wagga Wagga. He has written to the local paper, with this note: “I am seeking the next of kin to Trooper John I. Mulholland with the intention of seeking their approval for the grave (pictured) to be rebuilt by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission due to the poor state of the existing grave that is not befitting to a WWI soldier that died in the service of his country. If a next of kin wishes to discuss this matter further they can contact me by email gjlucas@bigpond.net.au or 1 Rugby Crescent Chipping Norton NSW 2170.
