Irate locals board the freedom train to parliament

Community group Wollongong Against Corruption has continued its campaign for council elections to be held this year, this time taking their demands to the NSW Parliament.

Last week around 500 supporters caught what they dubbed the ‘freedom train’ – an otherwise normal rail service from the Illawarra to Sydney, to rally at parliament.

The group demanded councillor elections in 2008, a Royal Commission into corruption and the re-establishment of neighbourhood committees.

Spokesman Paul Matters said WAC called on the NSW Premier Morris Iemma to reinstate September’s proposed elections.

“The ALP knows that if they go to the polls in September they will be crucified in Wollongong, that is the only reason Iemma has cancelled the elections,” he said.

“People in Wollongong have had enough – our democracy is being destroyed by money paid to the major political parties in return for favours.

“Why should the people of Wollongong not have a right to vote for honest people in democratic elections because of the systemic corruption of one political party in this area – the Australian Labor Party?”

Protesters, many armed with placards and banners, boarded the train in Dapto, Wollongong and Thirroul to attend the rally on Tuesday, April 1.

Before boarding the train Wollongong resident Helen Remyss said locals are being punished for nothing.

“We screamed out about corruption and now we’re being punished twice by having our democratic rights taken away,” she said.

The 18-month old Wollongong Against Corruption community group also expressed outrage at NSW Premier Morris Iemma’s decision to appoint “three ALP government appointed over-paid bureaucrats” as administrators until the 2012 councillor elections.