Team Gash promised to be all about the community, to bring high standards of behaviour to meetings and to remove politics from local government. Yet in reality we see Team Gash looking after themselves with positions and promotion usually funded by ratepayers. Council meetings often end up in disarray as they attempt to shut down councillors with differing views. All this from the most party political dominated council in living memory.

Community groups and businesses who fail to support the Team Gash party line are also singled out for intimidation and threats – a situation made worse if they are known to have spoken to non-Gash councillors. Then there are the council staff who are afraid to speak out for fear of losing their jobs.

This is anything but a joke. Joanna Gash has dominated the Shoalhaven for more than 20 years, during which time we have seen our local economy struggle with high unemployment and little or no significant infrastructure investment.

Now we do have a government investing well in excess of $1 billion in our hospitals, schools and most significantly roads. So it was fitting that when Premier Baird, Roads Minister Duncan Gay and Illawarra Parliamentary Secretary Gareth Ward opened the first stage of the Princes Highway project that will revolutionise our economy, Cr Gash was notably absent.

Shoalhaven City Council seems to be the last outpost of tired old-world politics. We are due for a fresh approach.

Cr A. Guile,

Bomaderry.