Special Meeting: Ombudsman Victoria report recommendations

Seven items were tabled, relating to recommendations in the Ombudsman Victoria report into "the alleged improper conduct of councillors". The items specifically related to matters such as declarations of gifts, access to (Council) information, councillor conduct (behaviour), and meeting procedure.

Each was forced through the agenda, as the old guard of new (and some not-so-new) Labor-aligned councillors read in turn their carbon copy statements about 'unity-of-the-future' and the 'somewhat unfortunate' past.

The TV media were there, the local papers, Council's entire Media team, and Liberal MPs David Davies and Jeanette Powell amongst others. Some councillors were so bold as to declare, hand-on-heart, that none of the present councillors are Labor-aligned. (A partial admission that Brimbank Labor is on the nose for good reason.) Presumably 20-odd years of stacking and factional shuffling had folded with the previous council, the memory of their own recent (and now documented) deals for upcoming mayoralty conveniently forgotten.

I put forward a motion that motions (including recission motions) should not to need to be seconded in order to be brought to the chamber. If this were the case back when the Sunshine Pool was being used as a political football, we would not have a Sunshine Leisure Centre to speak of today.

I also proposed that motions put to the chamber that are not seconded also be recorded in the minutes. To which Cr Guidice and the Mayor Cr Atanasovski replied such unseconded motions need no air time in the chamber as it would cause embarrassment to the Council. I can only take this to mean that any view that is not consistent with theirs ruling faction is an embarassment. How soon they forget that those 27% of Harvester who had hoped that I would champion their interests in the chamber deserve also to be represented.

It's very easy to be drawn into the cynicism (about community participation, about party politics and the like) but we really needn't be. Brimbank is bigger than the Labor Party. And change in the Brimbank political landscape is occuring, whether they're paying attention or not.

Dr Richard di Natale Greens lead Senate Candidate
Congratulations to Richard on yesterday's announcement of his preselection as the Greens lead Senate Candidate for Victoria. Greens members across the state voted to see Richard elected in the next Federal Election. The Senate needs a Victorian Greens Senator.

Twice Richard came within 1000-odd votes of winning the lower house seat of Melbourne in the Victorian Parliament in 2002 and 2006. The Age reports that he ran second to John So in the 2004 lord mayoral race. Richard has contested the Senate in 2004 and 2007 for the Greens and is now well-placed to be the party's first Victorian Senator.

Richard is a doctor who worked in rural and remote health and an articulate advocate for action on climate change, biodiversity, worker's rights, public health and education.

Adele Carles - Stunning Result in Fremantle By-Election
The Victorian Greens congratulate The Greens (WA) and candidate Adele Carles who has won an historic by-election in Fremantle.
Adele made history on the evening of Saturday 16 May 2009, becoming the first ever Greens candidate to win a Lower House seat in any State Parliament in Australia.
It is the first time the Greens have beaten the ALP on primary votes. And we're looking forward to many more such occasions.
“The people of Fremantle have put the port city on the map, giving the Greens their first seat in the WA Legislative Assembly,” Adele said at the election night party.
“This is a victory for democracy. We have forever shattered the two-party myth in Australia. The voice of the community has finally come through in Fremantle. People have dared to look beyond the old parties which have continually let us down. It has shaken the dominance of the old parties and sends a strong message around the country that people are ready for change. What we have seen tonight makes history, but it is also the shape of the future. Fremantle is going to be Australia’s first truly green city.”

Sack the ALP!
I am ploughing through the rest of the Ombudsman’s report into Brimbank Council and I am keen to extend the message that so far seems to be predominating in the media calling for the sacking of the council.
We can't rely on the Labor Party to fix this mess. Bringing in an administrator will be bringing in an ALP person. Suggesting the Local Government Victoria or the Local Government Minister (Richard Wynne MP) can fix it is nonsense when they are the ones who refused to address it up til now. Every ALP MP in this area has been implicated - right up to Premier Brumby who relies on them for his numbers.
I think we need to call for another election immediately, and let the people of Brimbank decide. Let them face the electorate having disgraced themselves and run down democracy in the West. I want to see people genuine in their commitment to our community step up and redefine our local politics for the public good.

Interview with 774AM Jon Faine
I am interviewed by Jon Faine, who has an instinct for inducing a sensationalist sound bite and cuts me off when I explain the importance of voting for the Greens.
Link to the interview

Greens candidate Geraldine Brooks elected on 27% of the primary vote!
Geraldine Brooks has been elected as councillor on Brimbank City Council. She was elected in November 2008 to serve the community of Harvester Ward. Geraldine is endorsed by the Brimbank Branch of The Greens. You can learn more about the policies of The Greens at http://www.vic.greens.org.au/.
Geraldine is a qualified Podiatrist, with post graduate qualifications in Public Health and has spent most of her working life in community health services in Melbourne’s West. She is currently on leave from Sunshine Hospital caring for her 3 young children and lives in Ardeer.
Geraldine cares passionately about the local community she lives in, and is committed to the delivery of parks and quality open space, community engagement, public transport, cycling and walking, preventative health, arts and culture, support for new and emerging communities, social justice and environmentally sustainable planning.
Geraldine is a breastfeeding Counsellor with the Australian Breastfeeding Association Brimbank group, president of the Ardeer Community Playground Committee, a member of the Brimbank Transport Action Group, and a member of the Friends of Kororoit Creek. Geraldine values the role local government can play in strengthening communities and providing a high quality, liveable environment for residents and visitors.