COUNCILLOR Jess Jennings has moved to hose down talk of a rift on Bathurst Regional Council, saying there was nothing personal in his criticism of a number of colleagues.
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Cr Jennings sparked a furore in the days after Gary Rush was elevated to the region’s top job by going public with his reservations about the new mayor’s professional credentials and commitment to community engagement.
He also suggested Cr Bobby Bourke had been “conned” into supporting Cr Rush’s mayoral bid, and accused Cr Rush and his key supporters – councillors Warren Aubin, Greg Westman and Michael Coote – of undermining former mayor Monica Morse during her 12 months in the role.
But in another statement to the Western Advocate, Cr Jennings likened politics to a game of football and said he did not want his colleagues to take his concerns personally.
“I can definitely say they are not the slightest bit personal for me, and I have deliberately and clearly stuck to facts surrounding the debate of good policies through better community engagement,” Cr Jennings said.
“If any councillors take it personally, that’s a shame; and [they] are probably being a bit thin-skinned for public politicians. I’ve copped my fair share of criticism, and the fact is, it goes with the job.
“To me politics is a bit like a good game of footy (or union for Cr Coote), where you play hard on the field to achieve your policy goals and, after the final whistle blows on each and every policy decision, you can down a well-earned beer with all the players of both teams in good spirits because, ultimately, everyone’s concerned with the same continuous challenge of making Bathurst the best place it can be.”
Cr Jennings said his decision to go public with his concerns stemmed from a “deep-seated desire for greater community engagement”.
“Achieving better policy requires a true contest of ideas that is founded on informed relationships with the local community, not simply rubber-stamping business as usual from the mayoral position, which is what I believe we have mostly seen over the last five years,” he said. “Precisely this concern has spurred me to document my policy vision for Bathurst.”
Cr Jennings said he was yet to see any “real policy direction” from Cr Rush.
He has previously circulated his policy vision for the region to fellow councillors and the local media, highlighting two areas he sees as priorities for council: boosting local tourism and planning for the future of the old TAFE building and Bathurst Town Square. The policy is available at www.jesswecan.net.