Mr MARTIN —Mr Deputy Speaker, events in Wollongong during the past week concern me greatly with the election of committee chairpeople and also the Deputy Mayor of Wollongong City Council. It concerns me because of what I perceive to be the growing alliance between the so-called Independents under Frank Arkell, the Lord Mayor, and the Liberal Party of New South Wales. That has been clearly demonstrated by two significant events; one, the appointment of the only Liberal Party alderman on Wollongong City Council to the second most influential chairmanship of a committee; second the appointment of my former opponent in the last election to the position of mall manager in the city of Wollongong.

Quite clearly there are forces at work within Wollongong City Council and within the Lord Mayor's office that would have Liberal Party and prominent Liberal Party people appointed to positions in Wollongong City Council, either on its staff or within the organisation itself. It is quite interesting to note that, as I understand it, the particular person appointed as the mall manager has nominated to stand against one of our colleagues in the seat of Throsby in the forthcoming federal election in another 18 months time. I find the actions of the so-called Independent-controlled council reprehensible. If they are Liberals in disguise, they should come out and say so and not keep fooling the people.