Christian Democratic Party leader Reverend Fred Nile launched the March 28 state election campaign on Friday of another reverend — George Capsis.
Mr Capsis’s campaign for the seat of Cronulla has a promise of a parliamentary inquiry into development in the seaside suburb.
Mr Nile said that over-development in Sutherland Shire needed to be scrutinised by that inquiry.
‘‘George is bringing honesty and transparency. He will be as transparent as a sheet of glass.’’
- Reverend Fred Nile
Mr Capsis, a Baptist minister and former shire deputy mayor, said Mr Nile’s call for a parliamentary inquiry into the use of Cronulla Fisheries probably saved the site from developers.
‘‘At least we got our concerns out there that no development would be allowed on the site,’’ he said.
Mr Nile was more forthcoming: ‘‘We thwarted them.’’
He is still hopeful Fisheries will return to the site.
Mr Nile also launched his Upper House re-election and marked his 34th year in Parliament.
‘‘When I’m re-elected, I’ll set up an Upper House inquiry into the development applications and approvals for buildings, liquor licences and related matters at Cronulla,’’ he said.
‘‘Submissions will be made under parliamentary privilege.’’
Mr Nile chaired the 2014 Upper House inquiry into planning decisions in Newcastle and the broader Hunter region, including the decision to shut down part of the Newcastle rail line. The findings are due to be published in April.
Mr Capsis ran for the Christian Democratic Party in the Miranda by-election in October, 2013.
That seat was returned to Barry Collier (Labor) with a massive swing of of 27 per cent.
The Christian Democratic Party achieved 7.2 per cent of the primary vote and Mr Capsis is hopeful of achieving similar results at Cronulla.
‘‘I hope to try to reduce the margin, so the major parties will no longer take this community for granted,’’ he said.
Mark Speakman, with a margin of 24.8 per cent, holds Cronulla for the Liberal Party.
But Mr Nile is ambitious. ‘‘Put George at No. 1,’’ he said.
‘‘I’m proud of George. He is a wonderful leader of the community, a one-on-one candidate who has worked to help the victims of family breakdown, drugs and homelessness.
‘‘He has done it all on a shoestring.
‘‘I think people have a lot of frustrations with the two major parties, especially after the ICAC hearings last year.
‘‘Put George in and send a message to the major parties.’’
‘‘George is bringing honesty and transparency. He will be as transparent as a sheet of glass.’’
What do you think of Reverend Fred Nile’s promise to hold a parliamentary inquiry into development at Cronulla?
