Parramatta Advertiser, 17 March 2010

PARRAMATTA Lord Mayor Paul Garrard has been described as “cunning as a fox’’ by NSW Housing Minister David Borger in emails intended to be confidential. Mr Borger had sent emails to Labor councillor Mark Lack, suggesting that he and his fellow Labor councillors should be more critical of the Lord Mayor, particularly on the issue of lack of parking in Parramatta.

But Cr Lack unwittingly forwarded the emails to all councillors, rather than only his Labor colleagues, and they were then sent to NSW Opposition Leader Barry O’Farrell and the Advertiser.

Mr O’Farrell has criticised Mr Borger for interfering in local matters when he should be concentrating on state issues.

While our foxy mayor is bemused by the whole affair, Mr Borger maintains that, as local State MP, he has a right to comment on local issues concerning his constituents.

But the drama highlights simmering animosity between Cr Garrard and Mr Borger.

When NSW Housing Minister David Borger referred to Parramatta Lord Mayor Paul Garrard as ``cunning as a fox’’ in an email to a Labor councillor, he did not expect to be outfoxed.

The jousting between Mr Borger and Cr Garrard reached farcical proportions this week when Labor councillor Mark Lack sent emails between Mr Borger and himself to all councillors by mistake.
Somehow they also reached NSW Opposition Leader Barry O’Farrell.

The emails showed Mr Borger a former Lord Mayor trying to push Labor councillors into opposing Cr Garrard more actively in the council chamber and the media.

Mr Borger had tried to put words into Labor councillors’ mouths, even drafting a media release of them calling on the Lord Mayor to improve parking in Parramatta.

But Cr Lack told Mr Borger said he felt uncomfortable attacking Cr Garrard on parking when Labor’s record had not been any better. “To attack Cr Garrard on the lack of new parking in Parramatta over the past 10 years is attacking ourselves and yourself as you were leader in that period . . .,’’ Cr Lack wrote.

Cr Lack told Mr Borger that “any foray in the media’’ would give Cr Garrard the opportunity to “kick’’ Labor councillors and would be “counter productive’’.

In reply, Mr Borger said Labor councillors had been bullied by the Lord Mayor whom he said was “as cunning as a fox’’.

Cr Lack did acknowledge that Labor councillors needed to show up Cr Garrard for his “abuse of power’’ and “reckless spending’’.
“The best attack of course is to work behind the scenes to displace him (Cr Garrard) and break the coalition of convenience,’’ Cr Lack wrote.

Both Cr Lack and Mr Borger are now embarrassed the emails have become public, all because of Cr Lack unwittingly sending them to all councillors, rather than just his Labor colleagues.

Cr Lack said he sent out a recall when he realised his mistake and did not expect anyone to take advantage of his mistake.

The emails highlight the long-running feud between Mr Borger a former lord mayor and Cr Garrard, who used to be a member of the Labor Party.

Both frequently attack each other privately and in the media. Cr Garrard told the Advertiser the animosity went back to the days when both he and Mr Borger were after the seat of Granville.

Mr Borger denies there is animosity and said he was only interested in doing his job as State MP.
“I believe I have every right as the local member to draw attention in any way possible to issues that could be, or should be, brought to the attention of the public,’’ Mr Borger told the Advertiser.

As for the emails, Cr Garrard is having a good chuckle. He said he could not understand Mr Borger throwing dirt at him when the Labor Government had broken so many promises.

Click here for the original Parramatta Advertiser article, 17 March 2010