Two bills attempting to re-instate council elections in Port Macquarie are not expected to be debated before parliament adjourns today for the winter break.

Shooters Party MLC Robert Brown said his Port Macquarie-Hastings Council Election Bill 2008 was “still alive” but would not be debated before the mid-year break.

Local Government Minister Paul Lynch’s Local Government Amendment (Elections) Bill also is unlikely to be debated.

The bill was amended in the Upper House in April to include that an administrator be appointed to dismissed councils for a period of not more than 12 months or until the next general election, whichever was sooner.

Mr Lynch dismissed Port Macquarie-Hastings Council on February 27 for its handling of the $43 million Glasshouse entertainment centre, under construction in Clarence St.

Administrator Dick Persson is expected to continue his role until 2012.

Mr Brown said he would not give up on attempts to give local voters a democratic say in their council elections.

“We will be back in September to try to get the Lower House to amend the bill to allow an election in 2009, and have another crack,” he said.

Parliament will resume on September 23 after the three-month winter break.