“There is now a significant risk that the natural environment and the rural amenity will be traded away in the interest of developer profits and commercial interest,” he wrote.
Hornsby railway station is a major transport development zone in the Minns government’s sweeping housing reforms, under which thousands of new dwellings will be built over the next 15 years.
Tilbury’s allegations echoed those of 81-year-old Ruddock, who claimed his advocacy for appropriate development had been considered “unacceptable by property developer interests”.
“In recent months it became clear to me that I could choose to either allow developers free rein over the shire I have fought to protect, or to stand by my principles and face certain replacement as the Liberal Party candidate,” the former immigration minister said on August 5.
In a statement, Ruddock, who served as mayor for seven years, endorsed Tilbury, saying he was “collateral damage” in his exit and would bring “integrity, trust and experience” if elected.
“This local government election will determine whether Hornsby Shire is given a pro-development council or a council that delivers the right balance between appropriate development, maintenance of our rural areas and the preservation of our natural environment,” he wrote.
Former Hornsby Liberal mayor Philip Ruddock endorsed Nathan Tilbury’s mayoral run. Credit: Getty
Tilbury said the decision of 268 branch members to depose Ruddock and elect Warren Waddell as the party’s mayoral candidate was not reflective of the “wider view within the local party”.
“There has been a fundamental shift in the core values of the local Hornsby Liberal Party team,” he said. “These are not the values I stand for and [they] are also in conflict with the core beliefs of our party.”
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