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I called a public meeting at Manly Public School hall; at which Doug Sutherland, a member of the Water Board and soon to be the new ALP Lord Mayor of Sydney, would explain the proposal with the aid of a senior engineer. The meeting was not well attended, and virtually ignored by Manly Council, who only sent their town planner as an observer.

Sutherland told the audience that the ourfall tunnels could not be completed until the late 1980's, "but Peninsular beach users will see a progressive improvement in swimming  conditions very soon." The engineer assured us that the grease which now washed up on beaches would be removed and burnt when the new primary treatment works was put into operation.

To divert some attention away from the negative aspects of the outfall, I had also invited an officer of the National Parkes and Wildlife Service to address the meeting about the future of the park on North Head. I had also ensured that several members of the audience would suggest the formation of a special association to act as a watchdog on the whole of North Head.

This association was soon established, with the name of "Friends of North Head". Its foundation president was Hilton Mace, a local conservationist and a member of the Manly ALP.

We anticipated that the Liberals would push the emotive sewage issue, and decided to pre-empt them by

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