SOUTH Coast MP Shelley Hancock has revealed she has been left out of discussions over the possible site of a new police station for the Bay and Basin.
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And the Speaker of the House is not happy, saying she was frustrated by how long it had taken to get action over the new station.
Mrs Hancock fired a shot at her own government, saying the decision over the site had been a “secretive process”.
“Private contractors for police property, who manage police sites and also endeavor to find new sites around the state, have done the work,” she said.
“Apparently they have looked at multiple sites. I wish I had had the option to look at the multiple sites examined by the private contractors.
“I wasn’t given that opportunity. I felt I had the experience and knowledge of this area.
“Unfortunately this was a process which appeared to be confidential.”
She said the process was run between the contractors and Shoalhaven City Council.
“I won’t name the contractors but they consulted with council, which was instructed not to speak to anyone about the sites at all,” she said.
“This was not the councillors, but one senior planning officer who was consulted and instructed not to speak to the public, including me.
“Here we have a secretive process,” which Mrs Hancock raised with both the Premier and Police Minister.
“This can’t happen again,” she said. “Who’s running the show?
“Is it the contractor finding sites or should it be the Police Minister, the Premiers or local member to have some imput?
“We need to start running this show and local members have got to have input right the way through.”
She said she had had that sort of consultation with the Ambulance Service on its proposed new site for the region.
“Apparently this is a normal process for police property and it has to change,” she said.
“This secrecy has been unacceptable and it won’t be happening again.”
Mrs Hancock did reveal a site in Vincentia had been identified as the location for the new police station and contracts were being exchanged.
“It’s not my preferred location near the Bay and Basin Leisure Centre as identified in the master plan but we will be exchanging contracts on a site the police service will be happy with,” she said.
“I would expect an announcement within six weeks.”