By MATT NICHOLLS
DESCRIBED briefly as the “elephant in the room” by mayor Laurie Bishop, the feud between him and Armidale Dumaresq Council general manager Shane Burns was seemingly off limits at a scheduled Armidale Business Chamber gathering last Thursday.
Around 50 business representatives heard from Cr Bishop and deputy mayor Jenny Bailey at the Quality Hotel Powerhouse, where they participated in a Q&A-type discussion.
However, not one question was asked about the ongoing saga between councillors and the general manager.
Councillors Bishop and Bailey spoke on a wide-range of issues and their vision for Armidale, which included making the city a “mini-Silicon Valley”, by using the NBN to advantage.
“We want this to be the most progressive council in NSW,” Cr Bishop said.
“We want to walk towards change and opportunities, not away from them.”
Contentious issues such as the landfill project and new library were also tabled in what was largely an informal session.
Cr Bishop also said he and his peers wanted to see Armidale grow by another 10,000 people in the long term.
“We want to see growth and see more jobs created here,” he said.
Asked what was holding back the council, the mayor alluded to an “elephant in the room”, pointing towards the relationship breakdown between him and the general manager.
Cr Bishop went on to say that there was “no one silver bullet to growing industry”.
“We have to promote our lifestyle, we have to promote our education, the NBN, and some of the natural beauty we have around us.”
Both Cr Bishop and Cr Bailey said they expected Armidale to benefit significantly after being named the third hottest destination in the country by Australian Traveller magazine.
Armidale Business Chamber president Andrew Murray, who moderated the session, thanked the mayor and deputy mayor for their appearance.
“I think everyone here tonight would have got something positive out of it,” he said.
