Liverpool Council has come under fire for spending $5000 to create a photo wall celebrating current and former politicians, despite criticism over the state of basic services.
The proposal, approved during a heated three-hour council meeting last week, will fund an expanded photo display on the 11th floor of the council’s Civic Place headquarters featuring current and former mayors, deputy mayors and councillors alongside a new digital archive documenting Liverpool’s elected representatives.
The decision has sparked backlash, with Liverpool Labor MP and former councillor Charishma Kaliyanda using state parliament to condemn what she described as a ratepayer-funded “shrine to themselves” while residents continued to raise concerns about overgrown parks, potholes and rubbish.
“The people of Liverpool are not asking for a hall of fame; they are asking for clean parks, safe roads, tidy streets and basic services that work,” Kaliyanda said.
“I plead with Liverpool Council to put down the selfie stick and pick up the mower.”
The proposal was introduced by Liberal councillor Matthew Marte, who said the display would preserve Liverpool’s civic history and recognise all elected representatives as opposed to the current photo display of former mayors.
“This is essentially about putting the civic into Civic Place in our new council chambers. It’s a very modest budget and I think it’s a nice thing to have,” he said.
Deputy mayor Peter Harle said councillors deserved recognition for their service, noting their annual allowance of $34,820 was less than one-fifth of the $178,616 salary received by state backbenchers.
“We get a pittance for what we do compared to what state and federal politicians earn. I put in my 40 to 60 hours a week for what I do, and I think the very least we should get is recognition,” Harle said.
Critics argued the decision sent the wrong message as residents raised concerns about the condition of local infrastructure.
Office of Local Government figures show Liverpool Council funded 76.6 per cent of the $38 million required to maintain its assets last financial year, the third-lowest allocation among metropolitan Sydney councils.
While acknowledging $5000 represented a fraction of the council’s overall budget, Kaliyanda said it could have been better spent.
“I had a look at Bunnings and, for that price, one can buy a new ride-on mower, two compactors to help fill potholes, 38 whipper-snippers to maintain parks or 10 pressure-washers to clean Macquarie Mall,” she said.
Opposing councillor Sam Karnib questioned whether the display could be completed because the council lacked suitable group photographs, suggesting AI may have to be used.
Mayor Ned Mannoun dismissed those concerns, joking “Photoshop existed before there was AI”, before defending the display.
Mannoun noted Kaliyanda had supported a motion in 2017 to display group photographs of councillors during her tenure.
“We’ve just passed a record budget and if there are particular potholes she’d like fixed, I’d encourage her to report them to our hardworking customer service team,” he said.
The $5000 allocation will be funded by a one-off budget increase.
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David Barwell is an urban affairs reporter for The Sydney Morning HeraldConnect via email.
