Councillor Chris Harris

Election day for councils across NSW.

Details for the City of Sydney can be found here.

Norman Thompson’s article in The SMH about political donations drew some letters to the editor, shown below.

1. From Clover Moore, 27 August

Independent and transparent

Norman Thompson overlooks that the Greens use similar manoeuvres to misrepresent the cost of their campaigns, including channelling donations through head office and using taxpayer funds from the unaccountable “political education fund” (”Coming clean on donations can be a ‘dirty’ business”, August 26). The Clover Moore independent team has no well-resourced head office, receives no taxpayer funds and, unlike the Greens and other parties, our local campaign donations and costs will be directly reported.

I have consistently refused donations that could compromise my independence. Before the last council elections we accepted a donation from Living Sydney - a political organisation being wound up. It came with no conditions and the unknown sources have no ability to influence us. It was accepted in good faith, disclosed, and has been public for four years.

Clover Moore MP Lord Mayor of Sydney

2. From Lee Rhiannon, 28 August

No Green light to channelling

Clover Moore (Letters, August 27) is wrong when she alleges funding impropriety by the Greens. The Greens do not “channel donations through head office”. Each local group raises and expends its funds locally, but we are obliged by electoral law to make disclosures on a statewide basis.

The Greens do not accept donations from corporations or others with interests in development, liquor, gambling and the like. We spend the funds we receive from the NSW Political Education Fund within the requirements of the law, mostly on educational items and some on party administration. Our claims on this fund are audited and available for public scrutiny.

Lee Rhiannon, MP Sydney

3. From Chris Harris 28 August (unpublished)

Moore misleads again

According to Ms Moore, independents receive “no taxpayer funds” (letters, SMH 27th August) - this is a blatant untruth. In the 2007 state election for the seat of Sydney, Ms Moore won the election and received $17293 in public funds for her efforts. In fact any candidate in a state election who achieves 4% or more is assisted with public funds in this way - The Greens received $6790.

Ms Moore cannot avoid the fact that she accepted $30000 from Living Sydney, Frank Sartor’s old political party, which sourced a majority of its funds from developers and hoteliers. All this was on the public record for years and she should have checked this before she accepted the money.

If Ms Moore is fair dinkum she should return it immediately

Chris Harris
Greens Lord Mayoral Candidate
Chippendale

August 16th 7pm to 12:30am (numbers depending)

Please come along on 16th August to the Sydney City Greens Trivia night, for an evening of socialising and fun, trivia and fundraising.

Cost $20 per person ($10 Concession $30 Keen Green)

All enquiries and bookings (whole tables or individual seats) to willsyd@gmail.com 0415870582 add TRIVIA BOOKING in email subject please.

Drink prices are very reasonable, $10 jugs Coopers Green.

Some nibbles supplied, BYO Food welcome.

http://www.thegaelic.com/

A proposed sell-off of an Eastern Suburbs community centre by the City of Sydney Council has prompted Greens Councillor, Chris Harris, to throw his support behind a community campaign to save the much loved facility.

“The Reg Murphy Community Centre in Elizabeth Bay should be upgraded and enhanced for the local community, not used to line a developer’s pocket,” Councillor Harris said today.