Developers may soon be banned from holding positions on local councils in NSW, according to a story in The Australian newspaper.
Property developers, real estate agents and their associates will not be allowed to stand for election under proposed changes to the NSW Electoral Act.
Developers are already banned from making donations to the NSW Liberal Party but there is nothing preventing them seeking endorsements as candidates, writes the Oz’s state political reporter Yoni Bashan.
The changes would bring the Electoral Act into line with a separate piece of legislation governing electoral funding, and which clearly defines what a developer is.
Environment (and former Fair Trading) Minister Matt Kean said he was strongly in favour of the proposal, saying developers elected to local councils were often in direct or perceived conflict during debate on planning approvals and rezoning measures.
“Putting a developer on council is like putting Dracula in charge of the blood bank,” he told the Australian.
“We want to clean up the party. The public expects the Liberal Party to run candidates who will fight for community interests and not their own interests.”
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian is thought to support the proposal, and it’s unlikely Mr Harwin’s submission will encounter great resistance.