It’s not beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Maree Miller a resident of  Penshurst for 25 years, described Georges River Council’s Christmas decorations as “disgraceful”, particularly at Penshurst and Mortdale shopping centre.

“There are a couple of bits of cardboard strapped to the bottom of a couple of telegraph poles,” she said.

“They are dog level. Dogs can pee on them.

“Some adjectives to describe the council’s effort - pathetic, woeful, disgraceful, and I could go on.  PC no longer means political correctness.  I congratulate Georges River Council in giving it a new definition, Public Censorship.  Hang your heads in shame gutless Georges River Council.”

Melanie Tong contacted Georges River Council earlier this week to ask where the Christmas wreaths are that are usually put up on the light posts outside the shopping strip along Forest Road, Lugarno.  

“I received an email back notifying me that the Council had decided to focus on larger areas this year and that they had to consider accessibility and also the safety of staff when choosing where decorations would be placed,” she said.  

“This makes absolutely no sense to me at all. I've lived in Lugarno for years and those decorations have gone up every year without any incident.

“I don't believe that the Council have safety concerns, personally I believe it's simply cost-cutting.  

“They say they have focused on other areas, however having travelled through Lugarno, Oatley, Peakhurst, Mortdale and Hurstville over the past few days I'm struggling to find any decorations.  

“Oatley residents are missing their usually decorations draped across the main road along the shopping strip.  They do have a token wreath on the clock tower, and there are a few flimsy green posters/boards tied around the bottom of lights post which are pitiful.

“Quite frankly I think it's a real shame.  The kids in the local area deserve better, as do us big kids!”

St George Business Chamber of Commerce president Allan Zreik said he had received a phone call from a resident who was upset at the lack of Christmas decorations.

“I’d like to see a lot more Christmas decorations myself,” Mr Zreik said.

“They used to have a lot more decorations. Whether it is from the amalgamation of Hurstville and Kogarah Councils, I don’t know.”

A quick tour of by the Leader of the Kogarah town centre found a lone Christmas tree in the town square, light pole banners along Belgrave Street and single string of Christmas bunting along the awning of the former Kogarah administration block.

Georges River Council hosted its Magic of Christmas family event in Carss Bush Park on Saturday, December 10 featuring Christmas carols and a visit by Santa and Mrs Claus.

A resident who did not want to be named, emailed council why there are no Christmas decorations at the main shops in Lugarno.

“For the past few years I have lived there there has always been Christmas decorations,” he said.

“This year, they look so terrible it would have been better if they had done nothing at all.”

He received an email saying, “Georges River Council has ensured that a fair and consistent approach to Christmas decorations across the Georges River Council LGA is adopted this year with emphasis on providing decorations at key town centres.

“Ensuring that community expectations are met along with delivering local services remains our priority. Christmas decorations are focused at key town centres to maximise community benefits.”

Georges River Council administrator John Rayner said the council had tried to spread the decorations across the entire local government area.

“The approach has been different in some centres,” he said.

“We have used the message ‘Merry Christmas’. We may not have installed as many wreaths as we have in the past but alternative decorations have been put in place.

“The budget is the same as last year, it’s just spread further around.”

Maree Miller said the council must be flush with money and should have spent more on Christmas decorations.

“Where there are three homes there are 20 units. Where there was Dominelli Ford there are now hundreds of units, so the council is getting plenty of money.

“It’s an insult to the children and it’s an insult to the residents. I feel personally insulted. It’s Political Correctness by increments. If we don’t wake up now we are going to lose this tradition forever. So wake up Georges River Council. There’s a reason for the season.”

Michelle  Tesoriero lives at Beverly Hills and shops at Mortdale said the lack of Christmas decorations is noticeable across the local government area.

“The decorations at Penshurst are at garbage bin height. It shows we are now at ground zero as far as the council’s priorities for Christmas are concerned.

“The colours are more in line with the United Nations environmental initiative than the festive season.

“I’ve got a message for Georges River Council, in the words of John Lennon,  so this is Christmas, and what have you done?”