All eyes are on Ku-ring-gai Council, and not for good reason. 

On the 19th of September, Ku-ring-gai Council held both an Ordinary and Extra Ordinary Meeting.

The Mayoral Election took place during the Ordinary Meeting, with Councillors Pettett and Ngai as the nominees.

Councillor Pettett served a two-year term as mayor, with achievements ranging from increasing community engagement with the “Meet the Mayor and Ward Councillors” sessions, to the modernisation of Council Chambers, to “Try Turramurra” an outdoor experience funded by the NSW Government’s Streets as Shared Spaces program, to giving regular community radio updates with HHH Radio, Northern Beaches Radio and Northside Radio. Despite this, councillors voted for Councillor Sam Ngai to step in as Mayor, with Councillor Christine Kay elected as Deputy Mayor.

After the Election, Mayor Ngai continued with the Extra Ordinary Council meeting, though Council fumbled through amendments, requests for clarification, and debate across the floor which Councillor Pettett implored Mayor Ngai to control.

‘A number of councillors have mentioned that the culture needs to change within [Ku-ring-gai] Council,’ stated Councillor Wheatley when advocating for the rescission motion. ‘Maybe the five out of six councillors who celebrated the General Manager’s termination at the local pub should revaluate their definition of what culture means. This is a disturbing behaviour and definitely not one that the community expects of you.’

The rescission motion was eventually defeated, though it was not a smooth process. The ordeal leading up to the decision was amateurish and disjointed. Councillor Lennon proclaimed during a discussion of an amendment to the recission motion, ‘I’m confused as to what’s going on.’

Council has yet to publicly thank John McKee for his 17 years of service.

Mayor Ngai moved a motion for the recruitment of a new General Manager, asserting that Council should engage Local Government NSW Management Solutions to screen and connect with suitable candidates through their networks and market knowledge. Final interviews with candidates are to be conducted during November and December of 2023. The motion was carried.

‘These Councillors don’t mind spending hundreds of thousands of ratepayers’ money in recruitment fees and payouts,’ Former Mayors Elaine Malicki, Jennifer Anderson and Cheryl Szatow said in a press release. ‘We add our concern that there may be the added risk of litigation for termination which could add hugely to this ratepayer burden.’

The consequences, whether they will be good or bad, of removing General Manager McKee are unknown. Friends of Ku-ring-gai Environment Inc (FOKE), the community group, are weary that the NSW Government are looming over Ku-ring-gai Council. During the 12th of September Public Forum, President of FOKE Kathy Cowley gave a speech to Council, expressing on behalf of the group their shock and dismay at the sacking, insisting the ordeal is a “tawdry political hatchet job” backed by a local MP with “no right to interfere with Ku-ring-gai Council”. Suspicion surrounding Member for Wahroonga, Alister Henskens, and his fingers allegedly churning within Council seem to be steadfast and growing.

‘We fear the destabilisation of senior staff could lead to the intervention of the State Government – such as an appointment of an Administrator,’ says President Cowley.

This recent debacle involving the General Manager has fostered distrust in the doings of Councillors, and as such, a distrust of Ku-ring-gai Council itself. We could only hope trust, and respect, can be felt once again for Ku-ring-gai Council.