LORD mayor Nuatali Nelmes is in Singapore this week to attend the World Cities Summit, a conference described as a gathering of key players in the ‘smart cities’ space.
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However, the timing of her trip has been questioned by some councillors, with a decision on the council’s amalgamation with Port Stephens imminent and following three failed attempts last week to convene an urgent extraordinary meeting to debate a legal challenge to the merger.
The Singapore trip was approved by council on June 28 in a late item of business introduced towards the end of a long meeting, after several councillors had left.
Liberal councillor Lisa Tierney was one of three who voted against it, arguing it was a promotional exercise for commercial companies and poorly timed given the possibility the council could be dissolved by the state government as early as this month.
“I don't think we should be committing council money to this and also, this late in the day, committing the lord mayor to go on an overseas trip,” she said.
Her Liberal colleague Cr Brad Luke has also lashed out over the trip, after being on the end of criticism from Cr Nelmes for his inability to attend a fourth extraordinary meeting on Thursday this week.
Having arrived late for the second of the three aborted meetings called last week, Cr Luke was criticised by the lord mayor for declaring himself unavailable for meetings this week because he was going skiing.
Cr Luke told the Herald he made no apology for going on an annual family ski holiday "booked well in advance" in a week not originally reserved for council meetings.
"The lord mayor is flying to Singapore for a week at ratepayers' expense. At least I am paying for my own holidays," he said.
The extraordinary meetings were called to debate a motion lodged by three Liberal councillors, including Cr Luke, seeking to rescind a council decision to pursue legal action against the state government over the proposed amalgamation. The meetings were abandoned because they failed to reach quorum, with a fourth set down for Thursday.
The four-day Singapore conference being attended by Cr Nelmes began on Sunday. Interim chief executive officer Frank Cordingley, who recommended council’s participation in the summit, said it was an “ideal opportunity” for council to tap into developments in the smart cities realm.
Update
Speaking from Singapore, Cr Nelmes defended her presence at the summit, saying it was “examining practical solutions to complex issues in cities using innovation and smart technology".
“I am looking toward our long-term future with the development of our Smart and Innovative City vision aims to improve liveability, sustainability and economic diversity,” she said.
“My vision will see Newcastle benefiting from a smart and digitally connected public and urban infrastructure, by developing a thriving ecosystem to drive innovation and creativity.”
Her Labor colleague Cr Declan Clausen accused Cr Luke of negative, “Tony Abbott style” politics.
"Brad Luke and the Liberal councillors remain committed to Tony Abbott style politics, with continued character assassinations on other councillors rather than working collaboratively to deliver this council's progressive agenda," Cr Clausen said.
Deputy lord mayor Cr Jason Dunn (Labor) said Cr Luke had also travelled to a smart cities conference, with former general manager Ken Gouldthorp during the term of the previous council, but was now intent on “throwing mud at other councillors”.
