Democracy for Sale

Shoalhaven City Council is dominated by councillors from the Shoalhaven Independents Group, an unashamedly pro-development party led by the Shoalhaven mayor, Greg Watson.  This party is largely supported financially by a small number of entities with property development interests on  the NSW South Coast.  It received $91,017 in donations prior to the 2004 election.  This made the party the fifth highest funded group in any NSW local government area - more than 10 times the funding of any other Shoalhaven candidate group.

Campaigning by the Shoalhaven Independents Group is supplemented by the use of printing presses owned by Greg Watson.  Printing was performed in 2004 under the name of "Haven Printing", on premises owned by Greg Watson.  Some printing for the party has recently been performed under the name of Robyn Watson (wife of Greg Watson) on the same business premises.  About six tonnes of brochures were churned out for party candidates in 2004, with just $2500 declared as expenditure to Haven Printing.  Printing services were also provided to like-minded candidates who recommended to voters that they direct mayoral preferences towards Greg Watson and councillor preferences to the Shoalhaven Independents Group.

Shoalhaven Independents Group councillors have attracted increasing public scrutiny over development decisions relating directly to donors.  These include the sale of council land at Berry to Beechwood Homes, rezoning of land in Nowra for Wollongong developer Michael Corban, approval of a development exceeding height controls for Elderslie in Ulladulla and support for expanded development in Sussex Inlet by Lucas Property.  The councillors historically neither declare an interest or withdraw from decisions relating to donors.


The Department of Local Government is currently investigating the circumstances behind the sale and development of prime land to Huscorp.