THE debate over plans to build a go-kart track in McPhillamy Park has divided the Bathurst community for the past two years, so perhaps it's only fitting that it should divide the NSW Parliament as well.
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Greens MLC David Shoebridge was claiming a significant victory on Wednesday afternoon after successfully getting a motion through the Upper House that both acknowledged the damage a go-kart track would have on an area of cultural significance to the local Wiradyuri community and affirmed the "desirability of finding an acceptable alternative site for the go-kart development".
A press release from Mr Shoebridge's office said the NSW Parliament had rallied around the motion, claiming: "The fact that the motion passed without any dissenting voices in the NSW Upper House with members from across the political spectrum including the Coalition, Labor, Greens and conservative cross bench members, shows the growing support for protecting First Nations heritage in the community."
It almost seemed to good to be true - and probably was.
It took just a single phone call from the Western Advocate to a single colleague of Mr Shoebridge's to quickly dissolve any grand notion of Upper House unity on this issue.
Bathurst-based Nationals MLC Sam Farraway flatly rejected Mr Shoebridge's assessment of the day's proceedings, saying Mr Shoebridge was being "selective" in his interpretation of what the motion might mean.
Mr Farraway said the fact the motion passed without discussion or dissent did not mean it had the approval of all members but, rather, that the House was prepared to pass the motion as a formal statement of Mr Shoebridge's view.
So, what does it all mean? Well, probably quite a bit - but also not too much.
Mr Shoebridge may have been waxing a little lyrical about the level of esprit de corps within the House on the issue of Bathurst's go-kart track, but the fact remains that the Legislative Council's official position is now supportive of Bathurst Regional Council finding a new site.
It all just adds up to more more words and more spin from two sides of a debate that has already seen more than its share of both.
The reality, though, is that it will take more than a vote within the NSW Upper House to stop work on the track starting in earnest on March 8.
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