Georges River Council has asked its residents to share their thoughts about the proposal which would see its new boundary stretched to the M5 – taking in Narwee and Riverwood – and will discuss the proposal at its next meeting this month.
The council said the change would unite communities south of the M5 and it could more efficiently and effectively service the area.
However, it’s a move that Canterbury Bankstown Council has strongly objected.
“It has no substance, no benefit and no public interest,” Cr George Zhakia said.
“We shouldn’t even be entertaining this idea,” he said.
“It’s self serving and nothing more.”
The plan would affect 1,600 properties, including residential areas as well commercial properties and significantly, the Narwee shopping centre, and means a loss of $1.6 million in revenue for Canterbury Bankstown.
It could also mean the loss of a number of significant and critical community assets – such as the Riverwood Community Centre, newly completed Riverwood Library, the Morris Iemma Indoor Sports Centre and a range of recreational and other sporting facilities – “which Canterbury Bankstown ratepayers have invested in significantly and serve a community far greater than one confined by the suburb in which they are located”.
A report to the council said Georges River Council failed to identify any beneficial impacts and the only real basis for the proposal would appear to be the alignment of the LGA boundary with State and Federal Electoral Division boundaries, which can, and do, change from time to time.
“The proposal provides no direct and/or material benefit for our community, particularly as to how the change would result in any improvement for the residents throughout the defined proposal area,” it stated.
