Perth Voice Interactive

VINCENT mayor John Carey has warned Perth councillors to expect a lot more community lobbying once the two councils are merged.

Mr Carey took aim at comments like those from Cr James Limnios, who claimed he’d been “badgered” by people over the Michelides tobacco factory.

“It’s not badgering, it’s actually democracy at work, and get used to it,” Mr Carey says.

“This is called local democracy: It’s not just commercial interests and developers lobbying you.

“If you have a strong residential community they have a right to lobby you, they have a right to tell you they don’t agree, it is very simple and what I find extraordinary … is that there are people on the city of Perth who do not get this.”

Mr Carey says he feared that if a merger goes ahead there will be a “rigged” ward system to give each original municipal area an equal number of representatives. Such a system would be “weighted” in favour of Perth as it has only 18,988 residents compared to Vincent’s 31,549.

Mr Carey says last Tuesday night’s performance by Perth councillors was evidence that proper democratic representation was required.

“It’s critical that there is one vote one value, we’re not going to accept or tolerate a scenario where there is a weighted rigging in favour of City of Perth councillors.”

Cr Limnios explained this week he was referring to the inundation as “badgering” as people contacting him didn’t have the full facts about how little heritage value was left in the building after its many modifications.

Perth lord mayor Lisa Scaffidi says “we choose not to reply through the media and will attempt yet again to communicate directly and respectfully with [Mr Carey]”

by DAVID BELL