A Newcastle Liberal councillor running as a state candidate in Wallsend came under fire at Tuesday's council meeting, where he admitted there was a "fairly good chance" he won't win.
Liberal councillor Callum Pull, who is running for the seat of Wallsend in this month's state election, put up numerous motions calling for both major parties to act on Wallsend flooding, re-opening Beresfield Police Station full-time, problem gambling and Minmi Road congestion.
The motions drew attack from Labor councillors, who pressed Cr Pull to make a commitment on the matters as the Liberal candidate.
"You've put this on our council agenda during a state election campaign as a candidate and you've written the original notice of motion as an advocacy document, which basically means that's something that we're all going to do on your behalf," lord mayor Nuatali Nelmes said of the Beresfield Police Station motion.
"I think it's great we've got some candidates running. What I want to see is someone strike a blow. Come to us and say 'guess what I've got a commitment to make Beresfield police station full-time'.
"If you want to make it full time - you're Perrottet's guy here, make it full-time. You can't just make us write a letter for you."
Cr Pull said no party had made a pledge on the issues, prompting Cr Nelmes' to encourage him to "strike a blow".
When asked if he would make a commitment, Cr Pull said he was "more than happy to continue advocating" for funding.
"Making a bold prediction, I'd say there's a fairly good chance Sonia Hornery might be returned to the safest Labor seat in the state," he said.
"So I think it's entirely prudent of us to make the request of someone who's probably the likely frontrunner for that seat I dare say.
"With the polls tightening you could end up with any government after this next election so after so many years of talking about it I think its time to hit the accelerator and try to get a commitment out of both sides."
Greens councillor John Mackenzie, who is running for the seat of Newcastle in the state election, said the Greens had made commitments in Wallsend and the debate was another example of Newcastle and Wallsend being "treated with disdain".
"What you've committed to tonight is to have further discussions," Cr Mackenzie said.
"It's not easy from an advocacy point of view within a political party, I understand that, but that's what we all do. We all work through the political structure to make sure that when we front up to the community we have a position on the things that matter.
"Wallsend flooding is fundamental and it goes right to the heart of the way that Newcastle is regarded by the state government, because that has been understood since the flooding event in 2007 as a risk to lives and livelihoods.
"If there was a flooding risk in any Sydney location, in most of the regional and rural seats in NSW, it would be fixed as a matter of priority.
"But instead we see Newcastle neglected time and time again on basic infrastructure requirements.
"Still here tonight instead of getting commitments to well overdue infrastructure spending we get commitments to more discussions.
"I'm torn between two emotional responses to this. One of them is mild amusement but the other one is just white hot anger about the way that this electorate and Wallsend electorate are treated with disdain in an ongoing way."
All four of Cr Pull's motions were overruled by amendments from Labor councillors, three of which included calling on him as the Wallsend Liberal candidate to make commitments.
Cr Pull said he made the requests "as a councillor" and the matters had previously been debated at council.
He said he believed it was more powerful for a unanimous council to push for something than "one individual".
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