RESIDENTS will be holding a protest before the first meeting of the amalgamated Inner West Council at 5:45pm today in Petersham.

“People are furious at the way Mike Baird swept aside our elected councils and replaced them with his unelected stooge, Richard Pearson,” said WestCONnex Action Group (WAG) spokesperson Pauline Lockie, who will be speaking at the rally.

“Baird’s choice is no surprise. Pearson was in a very senior position at the NSW Planning department when the early stages of WestCONnex were being waved through. 

“We doubt he’d have been parachuted into this position unless he represented the NSW Planning culture of rubber-stamping disastrous projects like WestCONnex and putting the interests of big business above ordinary citizens. 

“All three councils that have been forced together in this amalgamation – Ashfield, Leichhardt and Marrickville – were strongly opposed to WestCONnex, and took critical actions to support the campaign stop the project. 

“Now WestCONnex is devastating parts of the inner west – but the 341-page agenda for this first Inner West Council meeting doesn’t even mention the word WestCONnex once! 

“This entire process has been designed to trample over our democratic rights and bulldoze WestCONnex through. Pearson should be removed from his role immediately and our elected councillors restored to their positions,” said Ms Lockie.

When: Tuesday 24 May 2016, 5:45pm

Where: Marrickville Administrative Centre, 4-14 Fisher St, Petersham (near Petersham train station)

Speakers: Prof Wendy Bacon; Pauline Lockie (WAG); John Hyde (Save Ashfield Park); Jamie Parker MP (Balmain); Jenny Leong MP (Newtown). Apologies: Jo Haylen MP (Summer Hill).

Media contacts: Pauline Lockie 0414 470 106, Anne Picot 0404 090 710