Maitland MP Jenny Aitchison has sent a clear message to Maitland council: in some matters, you aren’t needed.
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Ms Aitchison has called on Environment and Heritage Minister Gabrielle Upton to immediately step in and command her office undertake community consultation regarding potentially placing Morpeth on the state heritage list.
The move, made in state parliament on Tuesday, would sensationally sidestep two council decisions rejecting the motion in recent months.
Liberal and Penfold Independent councillors first knocked back the proposal for a program of community consultation at a meeting in October.
Cr Phil Penfold spoke at the time saying heritage listing would impact house values and “put a fence around Morpeth”.
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Labor Cr Robert Aitchison said at the time that he was “stunned” Liberal and Independent councillors voted the proposal down.
The Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH) subsequently wrote to council requesting a meeting to clear up “misinformation” that appeared in local news and social media.
The office then requested council reconsider their October decision.
But the matter was again voted down when it returned to the chamber in late February.
Following that decision, an OEH spokesperson said while council support is not legally required for community consultation or the listing process, it would be difficult to proceed without council’s support.
However, Ms Aitchison’s notice of motion would potentially override council’s decisions thus far.
Ms Aitchison’s motion included her call for action from the Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH).
It also added council “has twice voted against supporting the Office of Environment and Heritage in a process of consultation with Morpeth residents, despite widespread community support”, as well as noting that the OEH does not require permission from Maitland City Council to begin the consultation process.
Ms Aitchison said it was “just diabolical” for councillors to not allow community consultation on the matter.
The Labor MP said decisions so far to reject the program of community consultation had caused “angst” for Morpeth residents.
“The community deserves to have their say on it,” she said.
