Northern Beaches Advocate:

Minister for Local Government Ron Hoenig has set a milestone to consider splitting Pittwater from Northern Beaches Council.

Minister Hoenig announced on social media in February he had met with Pittwater MP Jacqui Scruby (image below, R-L) to discuss the future of local government on the Northern Beaches and de-amalgamation of Northern Beaches Council to reinstate Pittwater Council as a separate entity.

“I have made it clear that if sufficient community support is demonstrated — including the threshold I’ve publicly outlined — I am prepared to refer the matter to the Boundaries Commission for proper assessment,” said Minister Hoenig following his meeting with Ms Scruby.

De-amalgamation lobby group Protect Pittwater Association presented Minister Hoenig with over 4,000 signatures supporting de-amalgamation in a meeting at NSW Parliament in March last year.

Protect Pittwater Association President Simon Dunn (image below) said Minister Hoenig had not previously set the number of signatures required for de-amalgamation to be considered, until now.

“Minister Hoenig conceded in a parliamentary speech on 08 May 2024 that the legislation only required 250 signatures for a community-led s215 proposal to be valid. Back then, he added that it would take a lot more than that to convince him to refer such a proposal to the Boundaries Commission — but never gave a precise number.

“In the months that followed that speech, Protect Pittwater’s hard-working volunteers set about gathering those signatures from Pittwater electors and well over 4,000 signatures were presented to the Minister at Parliament House on 19 March 2025,” said Mr Dunn.

Minister Hoenig’s response to Mr Dunn recognised their effort, but asked for the number of signatures to be a minimum of ten percent of the proposed Pittwater Local Government Area (LGA) before referral to the NSW Local Government Boundaries Commission.

“Accordingly, I request that you seek at least a further 2,000 signatures,” wrote Minister Hoenig in his reply.

Mr Dunn said that Protect Pittwater volunteers would now hit the streets to gather the required additional signatures.

“Protect Pittwater is now regrouping to achieve the new target set by Minister Hoenig and is spurred on in its mission not only by the growing discontent with Northern Beaches Council but also by Minister Hoenig and the NSW Boundaries Commission furthering two other proposals for de-amalgamation.

“The Pittwater community will see our volunteers back on the streets in the coming weeks as we gather additional signatures from those residents who desperately want to bring back a lean and local council that listens to its community and safeguards Pittwater’s precious natural environment.

“We are confident that Pittwater’s proposal will be next to be referred to the Boundaries Commission and that local government will be restored to this area,” said Mr Dunn.

Pittwater MP Jacqui Scruby took a swipe at the ‘forced Liberal amalgamation’ that created Northern Beaches Council, but also urged Protect Pittwater Association to share its financial modelling with the public.

“Having a say in where you live and how it is governed, is the essence of democracy. Ten years after the forced Liberal amalgamation of Pittwater into Northern Beaches Council, I understand many people remain frustrated with the change and want to protect Pittwater.

“However, residents need to make informed decisions, including an understanding of benefits and risks of a demerger, and the financial business case, which I encourage Protect Pittwater to share with the public.

“I support people having the ability to vote on de-amalgamation when they are fully informed about the benefits and risks,” said Ms Scruby.

Once referred to the NSW Local Government Boundaries Commission, the issue of de-amalgamation of Pittwater will undergo examination and a report will be prepared for the Minister. Factors considered will include results of public consultation, assessment of financial viability, and impacts on service delivery.

Based on that report, a decision on whether to proceed with the de-amalgamation will be made by the Minister, who can then recommend the creation of a new Pittwater LGA.

Any such decision will have far-reaching impacts however. Key among those is that targets set for local government such as new housing, would need to be delivered solely within a Pittwater LGA.

Additionally, with no clear definition of where boundaries of a Pittwater LGA may be set, access to existing services may be lost, such as Kimbriki at Ingleside and free beach parking across the Northern Beaches.

Dale Cohen