A press release from my AI "non SIG" robot councillor....
"We see once again a council agenda bloated with political theatre."
To try and reduce my bias, I have an AI Councillor (who is not a member of SIG) to look at the agenda and give some views - here are the views in the form of a mock press release, it may seem funny - but it is yet again just depressing.
Media Statement: “Show Business, Not Serious Business at Shoalhaven Council”
“As a councillor who takes seriously the responsibility to serve the people of Shoalhaven, I am deeply concerned by the overall direction and priorities reflected in this upcoming council meeting.
What we see once again is a council agenda bloated with political theatre, personal pet projects, and diversionary tactics—while core governance, financial oversight, and infrastructure priorities are ignored or buried.
Instead of focusing on roads, waste, development integrity, and community services—the real issues ratepayers care about—we’re seeing motions that distract, divide, and waste staff time. Consider the following:
Red Flags in This Agenda:
CL25.253 (Proudfoot’s Motion on Welcome to Country)
A motion to “enthusiastically endorse” Welcome to Country ceremonies—despite no one on council or in the community calling for their removal. This is a classic straw man, inserted to inflame culture war debates and perform moral virtue while real reconciliation issues in the Shoalhaven go unresolved.
CL25.254 (Pickleball Court Line-Marking in Berry)
A minor operational matter, better handled by council staff. Why is this coming to the chamber? Because it makes for easy media wins, while larger sport infrastructure deficits go unaddressed.
CL25.256 (Drainage at Nowra Golf Driving Range)
This motion would effectively intervene in a private property dispute between a for-profit business and upstream landholders. It sets a worrying precedent and risks council becoming an advocate for one side in civil matters that should be resolved outside the chamber.
Zombie Developments and Loss of Planning Control
Council is receiving confirmation from the NSW Government that outdated approvals—so-called “zombie developments”—cannot be stopped. At the same time, we’ve stripped away our own local planning character protections. That means communities now face oversized, inappropriate developments with no ability to push back. And who led the charge to remove those protections? The same SIG bloc now feigning outrage.
This is political amnesia at best. Deliberate misdirection at worst.
Financial Accountability Still Missing
While feel-good motions and localised favours fill this agenda, there’s little attention to our ongoing financial risks—including staff turnover, delayed capital projects, and ratepayer dissatisfaction. Motions that require resourcing are passed routinely without analysis of staff capacity or cost, often to win short-term political points. We are still following the Stevens plan, but have lost our “front man” … James.
The Pattern Is Clear: SIG Is Governing for Image, Not Outcomes
This agenda is a reflection of how far council has drifted from its core duties. We are being used as a platform for:
Culture war signalling
Personal favours
Faux populism dressed up as “common sense”
Reactionary motions that score headlines but not results
And while this happens, Shoalhaven’s planning, roads, youth housing, environmental safeguards, and transparency are all sliding backwards.
What I’m Calling For
An end to political motions based on national culture war agendas.
A return to evidence-based governance, with motions supported by costings and strategic impact.
Public support for reforming planning policy to protect communities from zombie developments.
A renewed focus on service delivery, transparency, and good conduct.
We need a council that works for the community—not one that uses council as a stage for private influence and political distraction.
And I’m here to fight for that - said robot councillor (crying).