Pittwater Life October 2023 Issue

Editorial
Pittwater suffers budget blues
After reviewing the NSW
Government’s first Budget,
it seems difficult to disagree
with Pittwater MP Rory Amon’s
assessment that Labor is
playing “postcode politics”.
Pittwater was left wanting.
The only good news was
partial funding for urgently
needed refurbishments at
Narrabeen Sports High School.
The fears we reported last
month – that the Mona Vale
Road West Upgrade would be
canned – were on the money.
And there is confusion
over whether the Government
has actually chipped in with
its promised $13.1 million
in additional funding for
flood mitigation works on the
Wakehurst Parkway.
Minister for Roads John
Graham has trumpeted the
funding; however Mr Amon
notes there is nothing in the
lines of the budget – although
other projects the government
has committed to in other
(Labor-held) seats have details
about the cash pledged.
Then again, it could well be
NSW Labor has noted the years
of delay on the Parkway works
and figured they will come
up with the cash if and when
Council gets serious about the
matter.
* * *
It’s not our job to tell you
which way to vote in the
October 14 referendum, which
will determine whether the
Federal Government establishes
an Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander Voice to parliament.
However, we ask readers to
do ‘due diligence’ and acquaint
themselves with both the ‘yes’
and ‘no’ cases.
We will though give voice to
local identity Neil Evers, who
discovered his Indigenous
heritage 18 years ago, to have
his say: “It’s a very modest
request,” says Neil.
Read his remarkable later-life
story on page 44. – Nigel Wall
The Local Voice Since 1991
OCTOBER 2023 3