The party political balance at Hurstville Council has changed somewhat with the resignation of Michelle Stevens from the ALP.
Cr Stevens, who announced her resignation at a council meeting on April 2, is now representing Peakhurst Ward as an independent.
The council now comprises five ALP councillors and an independent who is an ALP member, four Liberals, one Unity Party and one independent but for voting purposes, Cr Stevens describes it as five Liberal, one independent and six ALP.
Cr Stevens acknowledges that it was through the ALP’s support that she entered local government in the September 2012 election.
However, it was after much thought that she decided to resign from the political party.
‘‘I believe that the ALP has lost its way and do not feel party politics needs to play a role at local government level,’’ she said.
‘‘I was elected to serve the residents of the Hurstville Council area and I feel I can only do this an independent councillor, someone that is not aligned with any political party.’’
Cr Stevens believes that by not being aligned with a political party she will be able to serve the residents’ needs better rather than a political party’s needs.
She looks forward to working with her fellow councillors to continue to make the Hurstville Council area a better place for people to live and work.
As for the ALP losing its way, Cr Stevens said the party was not always complying with its core values of ‘‘opportunity, responsibility and fairness’’ and some of that came across at the local government level.
‘‘There is no communication or consultation,’’ she said.
‘‘I felt I would be ridiculed and not taken seriously if I did anything.
‘‘You have to play the game, toe the line and do what the boys say.’’
Cr Stevens acknowledged there were ALP charges pending against her for not voting along caucus lines in the Hurstville mayoral election last September - charges she denies.
She also insisted that the charges were not the reason she had resigned.
‘‘It was a secret ballot and there is no evidence,’’ she said.
‘‘If they want to play dirty, they have to acknowledge there are more serious and longer-term charges pending against other ALP members.’’
In the mayoral election, Vince Badalati expected to become mayor but lost when Jack Jacovou, a Liberal, was elected for a second term.
Should party politics play a part in local government?
