For the first time in its history Mid-Western Regional Council streamed its meeting live online to the general public. If you had not been to a Council meeting before it would have been hard at times to understand the process.

But here is how we saw it.

Councillors listened to their community when unanimously refusing a development application to demolish the Old Gulgong Hospital. This was despite Council staff suggesting the demolition be approved.

Later in the evening it appears some councillors had forgotten about protecting the community.

Earlier in the week Council staff had prepared a report and proposed submission objecting to Wilpinjong Coal’s latest modification. Behind these objections were strong endeavours to protect the Wollar community. This is especially true if you look at the correlation between a letter from the Wollar Progress Association and Council’s report.

After The Weekly published a front page report highlighting Council’s planning staff objections – something the mine would not be happy about – some councillors obviously took it upon themselves to ensure all objections were removed by Wednesday afternoon.

This was a total backflip and a staggering change in position. Is it listening to the Wollar community’s concerns?

It should not matter if it is 700 people in Gulgong or 30 people in Wollar, Council has a duty to serve its community. 

A watered down submission, backflip, or whatever you may call it, is hardly the leadership expected from those we elect.