In the Media
This letter was published recently in the star in response to an application for pokies by a local club.
To the Editor,
Congratulations to Brimbank Council for taking a stand on pokies. I was thrilled to read about council’s decision to reject a planning permit application from Club Italia in St Albans to increase the number of gaming machines it has from 38 to 60. What would be the point of council having a gambling action plan if they were to ignore it?
Pokies are causing untold damage to our community, through stress-related physical and psychological ill health. Other adverse effects include family breakdown, domestic violence, criminal activity, disruption to or loss of employment and social isolation. Additionally, problem gambling may compromise their capacity to afford necessities such as adequate nutrition, heating, shelter, transport, medications and health services.
Pokies in Brimbank are taking people’s hard earned wages to the tune of $ 9.7 million, money that could be directly spent on shopping locally and supporting our local community.
I support council’s brave decision. We need to say no to pokies and start demanding adequate levels of funding for local sports and recreation so that clubs are not dependant on pokies revenue.
Taking action on this issue is long overdue. We need a state wide cap on pokies and the removal of ATM’s from gambling venues immediately.
Showing posts with label Brimbank. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Brimbank. Show all posts
20.4.10
1.4.10
Housing Crisis in Victoria
I sent a letter to one of the local papers today in response to an article they ran about affordable housing.
To the Editor
When we bought our house in Ardeer in 1998 it was because it was affordable and we could not even contemplate buying where we had been renting in Spotswood. House prices and rents are now so high they have pushed many working people out of the market altogether and more and more families are being forced in to sub standard accommodation on the fringes of Melbourne with poor facilities.
Brimbank has been facing a severe shortage of affordable accommodation for some time now and Victoria’s housing affordability is in crisis - a crisis that the private housing market cannot fix.
In fact we need to understand that it is the private market which is the cause of the problem. Developers build houses for profit, not to meet the housing needs of all Victorians. When times are good for the housing industry and they are building houses hand over fist, the supply increases and the problem is not so acute for most of us, but when the market dries up the few who dropped off the edge before become a large number indeed as more people cannot afford to buy or to rent. And because of a rapidly increasing population in Victoria and years of inadequate state and federal funding for public housing the problem has been exacerbated.
Housing is a basic human right. It is the right of every person to have access to affordable, appropriate, safe, secure, healthy, environmentally responsible housing, and yet in Brimbank we have a situation where residents are forced to living in illegal rooming houses often with sub standard kitchen and bathroom facilities and paying extortionate amounts for the privilege.
While Labor has invested some stimulus money in public and community housing, it has a very long way to go to undo the years of selling off, neglect and underfunding – and of course the stimulus money was to keep industry going so now the GFC is over the spending is at an end. Labor has no plan.
Melbourne needs high density living if the population is going to keep increasing and we need much more public housing, but there is currently no plan to make it liveable.
We must have a Government-led plan to provide more public housing and at the same time:
- Efficient, high frequency public transport
- More high quality open spaces next door to housing (multi-use – parks, places for kids to hang out, community gardens)
- High quality sustainable design
- Govt-funded services for families (community health centres, schools, childcare centres etc)
If we are serious about addressing this issue we need to look at providing housing differently. We need to increase the public ownership of housing and we need to make it work really well.
I sent a letter to one of the local papers today in response to an article they ran about affordable housing.
To the Editor
When we bought our house in Ardeer in 1998 it was because it was affordable and we could not even contemplate buying where we had been renting in Spotswood. House prices and rents are now so high they have pushed many working people out of the market altogether and more and more families are being forced in to sub standard accommodation on the fringes of Melbourne with poor facilities.
Brimbank has been facing a severe shortage of affordable accommodation for some time now and Victoria’s housing affordability is in crisis - a crisis that the private housing market cannot fix.
In fact we need to understand that it is the private market which is the cause of the problem. Developers build houses for profit, not to meet the housing needs of all Victorians. When times are good for the housing industry and they are building houses hand over fist, the supply increases and the problem is not so acute for most of us, but when the market dries up the few who dropped off the edge before become a large number indeed as more people cannot afford to buy or to rent. And because of a rapidly increasing population in Victoria and years of inadequate state and federal funding for public housing the problem has been exacerbated.
Housing is a basic human right. It is the right of every person to have access to affordable, appropriate, safe, secure, healthy, environmentally responsible housing, and yet in Brimbank we have a situation where residents are forced to living in illegal rooming houses often with sub standard kitchen and bathroom facilities and paying extortionate amounts for the privilege.
While Labor has invested some stimulus money in public and community housing, it has a very long way to go to undo the years of selling off, neglect and underfunding – and of course the stimulus money was to keep industry going so now the GFC is over the spending is at an end. Labor has no plan.
Melbourne needs high density living if the population is going to keep increasing and we need much more public housing, but there is currently no plan to make it liveable.
We must have a Government-led plan to provide more public housing and at the same time:
- Efficient, high frequency public transport
- More high quality open spaces next door to housing (multi-use – parks, places for kids to hang out, community gardens)
- High quality sustainable design
- Govt-funded services for families (community health centres, schools, childcare centres etc)
If we are serious about addressing this issue we need to look at providing housing differently. We need to increase the public ownership of housing and we need to make it work really well.
31.3.10
Werribee Plains Sustainability Framework released
http://www.acfonline.org.au/default.asp?section_id=260
The Werribee Plains Regional Environmental Sustainability Framework was released last week at Victoria University, Sunshine and the framework has been uploaded to the ACF website today. The Framework is a huge disappointment for residents of the West who urgently want the Brumby Government to demonstrate leadership on emissions and climate change.
Geraldine Brooks, Greens candidate for the lower house seat for Derrimut attended the launch and said “I am extremely upset that this is an opportunity that has been squandered. The research undertaken by the Australian Conservation Foundation clearly states that industry is the biggest energy waster and yet almost the entire focus for solutions in this framework is put on to households”.
The metal manufacturing, and petroleum and coal industries are responsible for nearly half of all emissions and that figure does not include the building industry or agriculture which account for further large contributions. Brimbank is number one for energy emissions; however while households in Brimbank had the lowest per capita emissions at 6.8 M tonnes, industry was responsible for around 17M tonnes
We cannot address the issue of zero emissions in Victoria until the Brumby government is willing to take on poor practice in industry in a real way and for that we need a complete shift in our thinking, not business as usual with some tinkering at the edges. Some of these industries may just not be needed any more and the jobs need to be relocated in more sustainable sectors such as renewable energy creation, for example, through a container deposit scheme.
While the data clearly acknowledges the link between lack of access to public transport, increased car use and decreased housing density in Moorabool as contributing to the highest per capita energy emissions, it utterly fails to advocate for ceasing housing development in areas of Melbourne with large travel distances,and immediately call a halt to the outer metropolitan ring road and the Sunshine West tollway.
http://www.acfonline.org.au/default.asp?section_id=260
The Werribee Plains Regional Environmental Sustainability Framework was released last week at Victoria University, Sunshine and the framework has been uploaded to the ACF website today. The Framework is a huge disappointment for residents of the West who urgently want the Brumby Government to demonstrate leadership on emissions and climate change.
Geraldine Brooks, Greens candidate for the lower house seat for Derrimut attended the launch and said “I am extremely upset that this is an opportunity that has been squandered. The research undertaken by the Australian Conservation Foundation clearly states that industry is the biggest energy waster and yet almost the entire focus for solutions in this framework is put on to households”.
The metal manufacturing, and petroleum and coal industries are responsible for nearly half of all emissions and that figure does not include the building industry or agriculture which account for further large contributions. Brimbank is number one for energy emissions; however while households in Brimbank had the lowest per capita emissions at 6.8 M tonnes, industry was responsible for around 17M tonnes
We cannot address the issue of zero emissions in Victoria until the Brumby government is willing to take on poor practice in industry in a real way and for that we need a complete shift in our thinking, not business as usual with some tinkering at the edges. Some of these industries may just not be needed any more and the jobs need to be relocated in more sustainable sectors such as renewable energy creation, for example, through a container deposit scheme.
While the data clearly acknowledges the link between lack of access to public transport, increased car use and decreased housing density in Moorabool as contributing to the highest per capita energy emissions, it utterly fails to advocate for ceasing housing development in areas of Melbourne with large travel distances,and immediately call a halt to the outer metropolitan ring road and the Sunshine West tollway.
30.3.10
Bottle shop in West Sunshine not wanted
I was recently contacted by a local resident over the issue of council approval for a liquor outlet in West Sunshine. On visiting the bottle shop it was clear that the area already has too many opportunities to purchase alcohol and the location is completely inappropriate.
Brimbank Council and the Department of Justice have approved a permit for a liquor outlet in Glengala Rd West Sunshine while local police and community members are battling alcohol issues within the area.
Geraldine Brooks, Greens candidate for the lower house seat of Derrimut said “Residents are angry that they have been told by Council there is nothing they can do and they have no elected councillors who can advocate on their behalf to stop this shop from selling alcohol only metres from where children go to school”.
At first Council denied knowing about the application but after residents contacted the Department of Justice it was found Council had the opportunity to voice concerns but did not.
Local Resident Larrissa Stewart points out that “There are already 3 alcohol outlets on Glengala Rd and at least 8 within a 3km radius. This premises is located directly across the road from a secondary school campus and less than 15 metres to the west is a manned children’s crossing catering for the school children. Located less than 200 metre along the same road (east) is a hotel with packaged liquor facilities”.
“Ardeer and West Sunshine have significant alcohol problems amongst young people and this irresponsible decision will only lead to more alcohol fuelled antisocial behaviour and long term health problems in our community” said Geraldine.
Follow the link below to see the story ran in the local paper the Advocate.
http://www.the-advocate.com.au/news/local/news/general/sunshine-west-bottle-shop-raises-ire/1788752.aspx
I was recently contacted by a local resident over the issue of council approval for a liquor outlet in West Sunshine. On visiting the bottle shop it was clear that the area already has too many opportunities to purchase alcohol and the location is completely inappropriate.
Brimbank Council and the Department of Justice have approved a permit for a liquor outlet in Glengala Rd West Sunshine while local police and community members are battling alcohol issues within the area.
Geraldine Brooks, Greens candidate for the lower house seat of Derrimut said “Residents are angry that they have been told by Council there is nothing they can do and they have no elected councillors who can advocate on their behalf to stop this shop from selling alcohol only metres from where children go to school”.
At first Council denied knowing about the application but after residents contacted the Department of Justice it was found Council had the opportunity to voice concerns but did not.
Local Resident Larrissa Stewart points out that “There are already 3 alcohol outlets on Glengala Rd and at least 8 within a 3km radius. This premises is located directly across the road from a secondary school campus and less than 15 metres to the west is a manned children’s crossing catering for the school children. Located less than 200 metre along the same road (east) is a hotel with packaged liquor facilities”.
“Ardeer and West Sunshine have significant alcohol problems amongst young people and this irresponsible decision will only lead to more alcohol fuelled antisocial behaviour and long term health problems in our community” said Geraldine.
Follow the link below to see the story ran in the local paper the Advocate.
http://www.the-advocate.com.au/news/local/news/general/sunshine-west-bottle-shop-raises-ire/1788752.aspx
21.9.09
Elections NOT an administrator
Ever since last year’s release of the Ombudsman’s report into the City of Brimbank, the State Labor Government has been on notice to do something, and being a political party up for election very shortly it acted.
The Labor councillors who have been acting inappropriately on Brimbank Council deserve to be dismissed; there is no doubt about that.
However, the Minister has the power to dismiss those councillors after proper investigation. He did not have to sack the whole council.
The Local Government Act 1989 – Section 219 says that
(1) The Minister may recommend to the Governor in Council that all the Councillors of a Council be suspended, if the Minister is satisfied on reasonable grounds-
(a) subject to subsection (1A), that there has been a serious failure to provide good government; or
(b) that the Council has acted unlawfully in a serious respect.
Clearly there has been no unlawful act by council so the government is trying to claim that there has been a serious failure to govern.
There has not been a serious failure to govern. There are individual councillors who have been found to have acted improperly and fail to understand their responsibilities.
There is not a majority of councillors that have been found to have conducted themselves improperly or fail to understand their responsibilities.
There may be a larger number of Councillors under investigation (the report fails to name these individuals so we cannot know), but this includes Geraldine Brooks - who is being investigated on trumped up allegations.
There are problems at Brimbank and they are:
1. Councillors who fail to understand their responsibilities and councillors who have used their position for personal or factional gain
2. Councillors who do not act in the community interest- but this does not constitute a failure to govern, it means we need to vote them out at the next election
Instead of sacking those councillors found to have acted improperly the Minister is replacing elected representatives with unaccountable, unrepresentative, Labor administrators and has removed the only Green on Council, someone, who genuinely represents the community interest, and was elected precisely because of these concerns that state Labor are claiming they are dealing with.
An administrator for the next 3 years is not the solution. The Brimbank Community deserve better. They deserve to keep the councillors who were working in their interests and they deserve access to new representatives via election.
Sacking Brimbank Council is less about dealing with the problem and more about drawing attention away from the next state election which will be hard fought for the ALP.
Ever since last year’s release of the Ombudsman’s report into the City of Brimbank, the State Labor Government has been on notice to do something, and being a political party up for election very shortly it acted.
The Labor councillors who have been acting inappropriately on Brimbank Council deserve to be dismissed; there is no doubt about that.
However, the Minister has the power to dismiss those councillors after proper investigation. He did not have to sack the whole council.
The Local Government Act 1989 – Section 219 says that
(1) The Minister may recommend to the Governor in Council that all the Councillors of a Council be suspended, if the Minister is satisfied on reasonable grounds-
(a) subject to subsection (1A), that there has been a serious failure to provide good government; or
(b) that the Council has acted unlawfully in a serious respect.
Clearly there has been no unlawful act by council so the government is trying to claim that there has been a serious failure to govern.
There has not been a serious failure to govern. There are individual councillors who have been found to have acted improperly and fail to understand their responsibilities.
There is not a majority of councillors that have been found to have conducted themselves improperly or fail to understand their responsibilities.
There may be a larger number of Councillors under investigation (the report fails to name these individuals so we cannot know), but this includes Geraldine Brooks - who is being investigated on trumped up allegations.
There are problems at Brimbank and they are:
1. Councillors who fail to understand their responsibilities and councillors who have used their position for personal or factional gain
2. Councillors who do not act in the community interest- but this does not constitute a failure to govern, it means we need to vote them out at the next election
Instead of sacking those councillors found to have acted improperly the Minister is replacing elected representatives with unaccountable, unrepresentative, Labor administrators and has removed the only Green on Council, someone, who genuinely represents the community interest, and was elected precisely because of these concerns that state Labor are claiming they are dealing with.
An administrator for the next 3 years is not the solution. The Brimbank Community deserve better. They deserve to keep the councillors who were working in their interests and they deserve access to new representatives via election.
Sacking Brimbank Council is less about dealing with the problem and more about drawing attention away from the next state election which will be hard fought for the ALP.
ALGA thinks Scales Report deserves closer scrutiny
The ALGA President Geoff Lake says "The decision this week to sack Brimbank Council is the second time since the Bracks/Brumby government came to power in 1999 that a council in Victoria has been dismissed. Since the release in May of an Ombudsman's report about the conduct of the previous councillor group at Brimbank, there has been widespread criticism of the council. NSW has its Wollongong and now, it seems, Victoria has its Brimbank. Both have become emblematic of what are the most rotten elements associated with government at the local level.
However, this week's report by Municipal Inspector, Bill Scales, recommending that Brimbank now be sacked deserves closer scrutiny. Scales was appointed in the immediate aftermath of the Ombudsman's report and was tasked with monitoring the conduct of the new group of councillors elected last November. The report cites four reasons to justify why the council should be sacked: an attempt by a councillor to have a parking fine reviewed, the leaking of confidential information, councillor conduct and an attempt by an outside organisation to influence councillors. The evidence supporting each reason is surprisingly weak given the severity of the conclusion that the council ought to be sacked and also given Scales' considerable experience (he once headed the Victorian Public Service).
However, it is the inclusion of the fourth and final reason that is the most breathtaking: the undue influence of an external organisation. This refers to a letter sent openly to councillors by a local branch of a political party expressing a view on an issue which is still to be considered by the council. There's nothing at all remarkable with a person or organisation writing to express a view on a council issue. Such representations occur every day in every council across the country. It is what democratic process is all about - the contest of ideas and the lobbying of decision makers. To suggest that this letter amounts to undue influence and a matter for which the council is itself accountable is bizarre and displays one of the most naïve conceptions of the local government environment that I have seen.
Viewed either individually or together, the reasons cited to support sacking the council are glaringly inadequate. There may well be grounds to support sacking the council, but this report does not demonstrate them. If there was a capacity for judicial review of this decision, I have no doubt a court would tear the report to shreds."
The ALGA President Geoff Lake says "The decision this week to sack Brimbank Council is the second time since the Bracks/Brumby government came to power in 1999 that a council in Victoria has been dismissed. Since the release in May of an Ombudsman's report about the conduct of the previous councillor group at Brimbank, there has been widespread criticism of the council. NSW has its Wollongong and now, it seems, Victoria has its Brimbank. Both have become emblematic of what are the most rotten elements associated with government at the local level.
However, this week's report by Municipal Inspector, Bill Scales, recommending that Brimbank now be sacked deserves closer scrutiny. Scales was appointed in the immediate aftermath of the Ombudsman's report and was tasked with monitoring the conduct of the new group of councillors elected last November. The report cites four reasons to justify why the council should be sacked: an attempt by a councillor to have a parking fine reviewed, the leaking of confidential information, councillor conduct and an attempt by an outside organisation to influence councillors. The evidence supporting each reason is surprisingly weak given the severity of the conclusion that the council ought to be sacked and also given Scales' considerable experience (he once headed the Victorian Public Service).
However, it is the inclusion of the fourth and final reason that is the most breathtaking: the undue influence of an external organisation. This refers to a letter sent openly to councillors by a local branch of a political party expressing a view on an issue which is still to be considered by the council. There's nothing at all remarkable with a person or organisation writing to express a view on a council issue. Such representations occur every day in every council across the country. It is what democratic process is all about - the contest of ideas and the lobbying of decision makers. To suggest that this letter amounts to undue influence and a matter for which the council is itself accountable is bizarre and displays one of the most naïve conceptions of the local government environment that I have seen.
Viewed either individually or together, the reasons cited to support sacking the council are glaringly inadequate. There may well be grounds to support sacking the council, but this report does not demonstrate them. If there was a capacity for judicial review of this decision, I have no doubt a court would tear the report to shreds."
16.9.09
Brimbank Council Sacked
The individual Labor councillors who have been acting inappropriately deserve to be sacked, there is no doubt about that.
They have demonstrated a complete lack of understanding of their responsibilities and a disregard for acting in the community interest. Bill Scales highlights a few examples in his report, but there are many that he could have outlined that undoubtedly add up to a whole picture of improper conduct.
That said, I am very concerned that the whole thing is a diversion and not a solution.
I think it is suspicious that the administrator's term will extend beyond the November 2010 state election right through to 2012.
It allows the state government to sweep it all under the carpet and hope that the electorate will forget the corruption and neglect when it comes to the state election next year and the next local election.
Replacing elected representatives with unaccountable, unrepresentative, Labor appointed administrators will not help local democracy and I see a potential conflict of interest in a process where the person who recommends the dismissal of council gets the job of administrator in a process that has no public review.
Sunshine Council has been sacked twice already in recent history and it has done nothing to improve the outlook for our residents.
Sunshine still has the highest rate of unemployment, poor public transport, very high rates of diabetes, obesity and mental illness and our representatives are doing nothing to tackle these concerns.
It is very worrying that the community will now not have access to elected representation for the next 3 years. How is the community going to find out about how the council is spending its money, how are the decisions about a civic centre, Sunvale Primary School and major developments like Metro West going to go ahead without proper scrutiny and transparency? How will the community challenge decisions it disagrees with? How is it going to have a say? Administrators do not have to face election from the people if their decisions are not in their best interests.
Sacking Brimbank Council is more about drawing attention away from the fact that this Labor government has done nothing about dealing with corruption in its ranks, and nothing about the real source of inappropriate behaviour - senior labor figures. Where is the monitoring of their contact with councillors, where is the detailed review of MPs code of conduct? Where is the examination of undue influence of developers on MPs?
Residents are sick and tired of being neglected by their Labor representatives at all levels – not just on council.
Our community finally had someone who genuinely represented their interests (in Miles Dymott and now myself) and now that has been taken away.
In my first 9 months on Council I put forward motions on issues ranging from the budget, meeting transparency measures, abandoning the civic centre project in favour of parks, a commercial gaming venue rate increase, support for a container deposit scheme, condemnation of the urban growth boundary extension, opposed the development assessment committees, opposed the defunding of reconciliation Victoria, support for a net solar feed in tariff , and support for community consultation over a range of important local emerging issues. In most cases the vote in the chamber has been 10 against 1 - I'm the one!
This seems to demonstrate an unwillingness to support anything I put forward on its merits despite it being in the interests of our community. Yet the report utterly fails to report on this.
ALP rules indicate that even councillors who are not endorsed candidates but who are ALP members are required not to vote against ALP policy.
This appears to be in direct conflict with the oath sworn by councillors says they will act impartially and in the best interests of their community.
Greens councillors like me sign a greens councillors code of conduct that specifically directs us to act in the community interest even where it conflicts with greens policy.
I supported the Municipal Inspector and was really glad of the level of scrutiny his presence brought to Brimbank but it appears Labor doesn’t want to fix the problems they just want them to go away. I wish the report had named names and recommended suspending or sacking the named councillors - that would have been a more open process and would have been a sobering message to the remaining councillors. The Minister could have sacked those individual councillors found to have acted improperly.
Bill Scales promised to attend a community meeting in Sunshine on the 26th October that I organised to discuss what he has been doing to oversee the implementation of the Ombudsman's recommendations.
Now more than ever, he needs to honour that agreement and discuss the important concerns that our community has about the transparency and accountability of the new council administration.
The individual Labor councillors who have been acting inappropriately deserve to be sacked, there is no doubt about that.
They have demonstrated a complete lack of understanding of their responsibilities and a disregard for acting in the community interest. Bill Scales highlights a few examples in his report, but there are many that he could have outlined that undoubtedly add up to a whole picture of improper conduct.
That said, I am very concerned that the whole thing is a diversion and not a solution.
I think it is suspicious that the administrator's term will extend beyond the November 2010 state election right through to 2012.
It allows the state government to sweep it all under the carpet and hope that the electorate will forget the corruption and neglect when it comes to the state election next year and the next local election.
Replacing elected representatives with unaccountable, unrepresentative, Labor appointed administrators will not help local democracy and I see a potential conflict of interest in a process where the person who recommends the dismissal of council gets the job of administrator in a process that has no public review.
Sunshine Council has been sacked twice already in recent history and it has done nothing to improve the outlook for our residents.
Sunshine still has the highest rate of unemployment, poor public transport, very high rates of diabetes, obesity and mental illness and our representatives are doing nothing to tackle these concerns.
It is very worrying that the community will now not have access to elected representation for the next 3 years. How is the community going to find out about how the council is spending its money, how are the decisions about a civic centre, Sunvale Primary School and major developments like Metro West going to go ahead without proper scrutiny and transparency? How will the community challenge decisions it disagrees with? How is it going to have a say? Administrators do not have to face election from the people if their decisions are not in their best interests.
Sacking Brimbank Council is more about drawing attention away from the fact that this Labor government has done nothing about dealing with corruption in its ranks, and nothing about the real source of inappropriate behaviour - senior labor figures. Where is the monitoring of their contact with councillors, where is the detailed review of MPs code of conduct? Where is the examination of undue influence of developers on MPs?
Residents are sick and tired of being neglected by their Labor representatives at all levels – not just on council.
Our community finally had someone who genuinely represented their interests (in Miles Dymott and now myself) and now that has been taken away.
In my first 9 months on Council I put forward motions on issues ranging from the budget, meeting transparency measures, abandoning the civic centre project in favour of parks, a commercial gaming venue rate increase, support for a container deposit scheme, condemnation of the urban growth boundary extension, opposed the development assessment committees, opposed the defunding of reconciliation Victoria, support for a net solar feed in tariff , and support for community consultation over a range of important local emerging issues. In most cases the vote in the chamber has been 10 against 1 - I'm the one!
This seems to demonstrate an unwillingness to support anything I put forward on its merits despite it being in the interests of our community. Yet the report utterly fails to report on this.
ALP rules indicate that even councillors who are not endorsed candidates but who are ALP members are required not to vote against ALP policy.
This appears to be in direct conflict with the oath sworn by councillors says they will act impartially and in the best interests of their community.
Greens councillors like me sign a greens councillors code of conduct that specifically directs us to act in the community interest even where it conflicts with greens policy.
I supported the Municipal Inspector and was really glad of the level of scrutiny his presence brought to Brimbank but it appears Labor doesn’t want to fix the problems they just want them to go away. I wish the report had named names and recommended suspending or sacking the named councillors - that would have been a more open process and would have been a sobering message to the remaining councillors. The Minister could have sacked those individual councillors found to have acted improperly.
Bill Scales promised to attend a community meeting in Sunshine on the 26th October that I organised to discuss what he has been doing to oversee the implementation of the Ombudsman's recommendations.
Now more than ever, he needs to honour that agreement and discuss the important concerns that our community has about the transparency and accountability of the new council administration.
22.6.09
Meeting Procedure Local Law
One of the suite of documents drafted to showcase how Council has changed includes a review of the Brimbank Local Meeting Law. As it turns out one of the key changes is grossly undemocratic.
In an obvious attempt to stifle independent opinions and debate, the 10 Labor councillors voted to require a second councillor's signature before any motion can be moved. Whilst the other ten councillors remain a bloc of sorts, this effectively means my motions remain unheard in the chamber unless I receive their consent.
As the only non-Labor councillor, it is clear that this is change to meeting procedure is aimed at preventing me from moving any motions and raising issues that I, as an elected representative, believe is in the community's interest.
With the whole of Victoria watching Brimbank and the conduct of Brimbank Councillors, we need to demonstrate that we are a democratic Council making transparent and accountable decisions.
I would be very interested to know Bill Scales' view on this.
http://brimbankgreensmedia.blogspot.com/2009/06/greens-councillor-condemns-brimbank.html
One of the suite of documents drafted to showcase how Council has changed includes a review of the Brimbank Local Meeting Law. As it turns out one of the key changes is grossly undemocratic.
In an obvious attempt to stifle independent opinions and debate, the 10 Labor councillors voted to require a second councillor's signature before any motion can be moved. Whilst the other ten councillors remain a bloc of sorts, this effectively means my motions remain unheard in the chamber unless I receive their consent.
As the only non-Labor councillor, it is clear that this is change to meeting procedure is aimed at preventing me from moving any motions and raising issues that I, as an elected representative, believe is in the community's interest.
With the whole of Victoria watching Brimbank and the conduct of Brimbank Councillors, we need to demonstrate that we are a democratic Council making transparent and accountable decisions.
I would be very interested to know Bill Scales' view on this.
http://brimbankgreensmedia.blogspot.com/2009/06/greens-councillor-condemns-brimbank.html
23.5.09
Concerns re: Council budget process
Councillors were presented with a draft budget and a couple of rate options a while back at an earlier briefing. I am concerned as it came back to as a 6.5% rate increase after no discussion. The discussion on that night became heated and some members of the ruling faction walked out. Cr Maria Kiselis and Cr Heidi Seitz stayed however, forcing Mayor Cr Troy Atanasovski et al to have to return and resume discussions. It was put to the rest of us that there would be no discussion because they wouldn’t accept the higher rate rise figure and that they would tell the CEO to include everything in the lower figure.
The discussions quickly broke down again and people stormed out making any further discussion impossible. The next thing we know a revised budget of the lower figure + 0.5% was presented to us “as the result of our discussion” or “our decision last time”, when in fact the group had reached no such decision.
Have your say on the draft 2009/2010 Council Budget, draft Council Plan 2009-2013 and the draft Road Asset Management Plan, which are now available to view online.
The Brimbank Community Plan was endorsed by Council on 24 March 2009. A copy of the Plan and Local Area Plans can be found here.
The Solar Suburbs Program aims to help as many households ‘go solar’ before the Federal Government's $8,000 rebate expires on 30 June 2009. Find out more here.
Councillors were presented with a draft budget and a couple of rate options a while back at an earlier briefing. I am concerned as it came back to as a 6.5% rate increase after no discussion. The discussion on that night became heated and some members of the ruling faction walked out. Cr Maria Kiselis and Cr Heidi Seitz stayed however, forcing Mayor Cr Troy Atanasovski et al to have to return and resume discussions. It was put to the rest of us that there would be no discussion because they wouldn’t accept the higher rate rise figure and that they would tell the CEO to include everything in the lower figure.
The discussions quickly broke down again and people stormed out making any further discussion impossible. The next thing we know a revised budget of the lower figure + 0.5% was presented to us “as the result of our discussion” or “our decision last time”, when in fact the group had reached no such decision.
Have your say on the draft 2009/2010 Council Budget, draft Council Plan 2009-2013 and the draft Road Asset Management Plan, which are now available to view online.
The Brimbank Community Plan was endorsed by Council on 24 March 2009. A copy of the Plan and Local Area Plans can be found here.
The Solar Suburbs Program aims to help as many households ‘go solar’ before the Federal Government's $8,000 rebate expires on 30 June 2009. Find out more here.
14.5.09
On developments from the Ombudsman’s report
Council has had its first meeting with the municipal inspector Bill Scales (who is currently also Chair of the Port of Melbourne Corporation and Chancellor of Swinburne University). This meeting was held on Tuesday night following the planning meeting. Bill seems to be personable and capable, but still too close to the ALP and its interests. I suspect he confuse the pressure to quietening things down for Labor and restoring good governance, such is the culture of the place. Watch this space.
We have another meeting with Alison Lyons and Rob Spence from the MAV tonight which I imagine will focus on the issues we would like to air concerning governance and up skilling of councillors. I must say I am interested in having full and frank discussions about democratic process, the ethical and moral responsibilities councillors should feel as elected representatives, the importance of genuine representation of our community and the place of factions. Let’s see how we go!
A lot of the local press has been transfixed on the Ombudsman’s report; almost all of it is in calling for the sacking of the Council. My predecessor Miles Dymott and I have been the only ones fighting this self-interested behaviour of the Labor Party – but this is hardly recognised by the papers as newsworthy. Genuine informed debate to redefine elected representation in our region is still lacking, as is analysis of the depth of rot in Council’s governance structures. Although I was heartened to see one letter stating there is one councillor who is not corrupt!
I’m looking to outline again what it has meant to have a Green on Council. Miles achieved many things in his term on Council including consistently standing up to the abusive behaviour of the ruling faction towards both him and toward the community. For our community Miles fought successfully to restore funding to Sunshine’s pool redevelopment, our parks and our bike paths. He championed the redesign of the Sunshine shopping precinct and has always defended environmental initiatives, local environment groups, community groups and sporting groups.
The pair of us work consistently to oppose inappropriate housing development, to support policy and strategy that promotes a more democratic, healthy and environmentally sustainable outcomes for the Brimbank community. We hope many others will continue to join us in the coming months.
The Ombudsman’s Report – analysis in brief
· The Government dodged and weaved (before, during and after the release of the Ombudsman’s report) until it was impossible not to finally take the appropriate action. The continued reluctance to face the electorate speaks volumes.
· Whilst I welcome the report – which exposes the underbelly of Brimbank Councillors and the Labor MPs who have been exposed as their puppeteers – it is limited by a narrow terms of reference.
· In light of what has been inflicted on the community – by greed, ambition and factional in-fighting – the recommendations do not go far enough.
· None of the recommendations will trigger a culture change. That is what Brimbank Council needs. A complete clean slate and a shared understanding of what their role as Council are.
· The Brumby Government needs to restore democracy in the western suburbs. And I am under no illusion that this is an isolated case. Other Councils, documented in Hansard, have been either in need of scrutiny or have been scrutinised in the past: Glen Eira, Geelong, Banyule.
Council has had its first meeting with the municipal inspector Bill Scales (who is currently also Chair of the Port of Melbourne Corporation and Chancellor of Swinburne University). This meeting was held on Tuesday night following the planning meeting. Bill seems to be personable and capable, but still too close to the ALP and its interests. I suspect he confuse the pressure to quietening things down for Labor and restoring good governance, such is the culture of the place. Watch this space.
We have another meeting with Alison Lyons and Rob Spence from the MAV tonight which I imagine will focus on the issues we would like to air concerning governance and up skilling of councillors. I must say I am interested in having full and frank discussions about democratic process, the ethical and moral responsibilities councillors should feel as elected representatives, the importance of genuine representation of our community and the place of factions. Let’s see how we go!
A lot of the local press has been transfixed on the Ombudsman’s report; almost all of it is in calling for the sacking of the Council. My predecessor Miles Dymott and I have been the only ones fighting this self-interested behaviour of the Labor Party – but this is hardly recognised by the papers as newsworthy. Genuine informed debate to redefine elected representation in our region is still lacking, as is analysis of the depth of rot in Council’s governance structures. Although I was heartened to see one letter stating there is one councillor who is not corrupt!
I’m looking to outline again what it has meant to have a Green on Council. Miles achieved many things in his term on Council including consistently standing up to the abusive behaviour of the ruling faction towards both him and toward the community. For our community Miles fought successfully to restore funding to Sunshine’s pool redevelopment, our parks and our bike paths. He championed the redesign of the Sunshine shopping precinct and has always defended environmental initiatives, local environment groups, community groups and sporting groups.
The pair of us work consistently to oppose inappropriate housing development, to support policy and strategy that promotes a more democratic, healthy and environmentally sustainable outcomes for the Brimbank community. We hope many others will continue to join us in the coming months.
The Ombudsman’s Report – analysis in brief
· The Government dodged and weaved (before, during and after the release of the Ombudsman’s report) until it was impossible not to finally take the appropriate action. The continued reluctance to face the electorate speaks volumes.
· Whilst I welcome the report – which exposes the underbelly of Brimbank Councillors and the Labor MPs who have been exposed as their puppeteers – it is limited by a narrow terms of reference.
· In light of what has been inflicted on the community – by greed, ambition and factional in-fighting – the recommendations do not go far enough.
· None of the recommendations will trigger a culture change. That is what Brimbank Council needs. A complete clean slate and a shared understanding of what their role as Council are.
· The Brumby Government needs to restore democracy in the western suburbs. And I am under no illusion that this is an isolated case. Other Councils, documented in Hansard, have been either in need of scrutiny or have been scrutinised in the past: Glen Eira, Geelong, Banyule.
8.5.09
Released: The Victorian Ombudsman’s report into alleged improper conduct at Brimbank Council
This report is well overdue and very welcome. It is finally saying the things our community has been telling the Local Government Minister for years. Now we need action to eliminate these practises and ensure genuine democratic processes.
The Brimbank Greens call for new elections immediately.
Streets Ahead in Ardeer and Albion
This evening more than fifty Ardeer and Albion residents turned out for a well organised workshop which looked at making our neighbourhood safer for children and more welcoming for all. Next meeting is on the 1st June 2009.
This report is well overdue and very welcome. It is finally saying the things our community has been telling the Local Government Minister for years. Now we need action to eliminate these practises and ensure genuine democratic processes.
The Brimbank Greens call for new elections immediately.
Streets Ahead in Ardeer and Albion
This evening more than fifty Ardeer and Albion residents turned out for a well organised workshop which looked at making our neighbourhood safer for children and more welcoming for all. Next meeting is on the 1st June 2009.
28.4.09
Draft budget for 2009/10 endorsed by Council for public exhibition.
I alone voted against the draft budget. I believe that we should not be spending $30M on a new civic centre at Errington Reserve. It was bequethed to the community and remains of vital community importance as a recreation reserve. We should not be thinking of building a new civic centre while our community parks and facilities need so much work.
I put forward 2 motions tonight, both were defeated. I managed to get up an altered version of the TV Takeback resolution that included all e-waste, and the Container Deposit Scheme (CDS) one was referred to the Metro Waste Forum for opinion.
Container Deposit Scheme
I spoke about the success of our community meeting on Wednesday 22nd April hosted by Colleen Hartland Greens MLC for Western Metro Region and the support in our community for such a scheme As one resident said that night “it’s a no brainer”. Whatever way you look at it is a win for Brimbank. The savings have been calculated conservatively to be around $660,000 for Brimbank. Such a simple system where the 10c is added by the manufacturer onto the price of the bottle, can or carton, that money is turned over to the EPA who will administer the scheme. The fantastic thing is that the system pays for itself and works to complement the kerbside recycling we already have.
TV Takeback Motion
As you know Brimbank is already a leader in TV recycling. We are one of only two councils in Victoria who have a TV recycle programme (and accepting much broader items at our ‘Detox Your Home’ drop-in drop-off facility in Keilor Park). Given the move to digital TV and the ensuing dumping of pre-loved TVs, such an important initiative that it deserves to be run out nationally as a matter of urgency.
Motion of Congratulations
I successfully moved motions of congratulation for Gwen Goedecke, the sacked John Holland Workers and the Akzo Nobel Workers.
Congratulations to Gwen Goedecke for being inducted onto the honour roll of the Australian Council for Women. As you all know Gwen was a founder of the Sunshine International Women’s Committee in 1974 along with Win Graham. Gwen has campaigned tirelessly for years for equal pay for equal work, childcare, and women’s rights particularly those of ordinary working women and women from the western suburbs Gwen is an active member of our Sunshine community and was a councillor with Sunshine Council in the 1980s.
The workers at the Akzo Nobel plant on McIntyre Rd North Sunshine won their fight with the company who was trying to increase their working week for no extra pay. These workers were on strike for two weeks at a time of incredible financial hardship. Meanwhile this company made $264M of profits last year and was using the circumstances to try to freeze wages and attack working conditions.
Support for the sacked Westgate Bridge workers as their ex-employer John Holland is exploiting the economic crisis, job insecurity and rising unemployment to coerce workers and their unions to accept lower wages and working conditions. John Holland is a wholly owned subsidiary of Leighton Holdings a giant multinational construction company who in spite of the economic down turn reported a profit of $250 M last year.
Sunvale Primary School site
Council moved to send a letter to the Education Department saying that we support the land sale to developers for “affordable housing” and open space. I spoke against this for a number of reasons.
A report for potential uses of the site has only superficially touched on open space and has very little to do with genuine affordable housing. On closer reading you see that it is simply supporting a sell off to developers. As far as I am aware there has been no specific consultation over the development of this site but the community have been continually asking for it.
When community members became aware of the possible sale, SUNRAA wrote on their behalf to both the Minister and Brimbank Council CEO Nick Foa to outline what they thought the site should be used for. When Council conducted the ‘Creating Better Parks’ community consultations the participants were unequivocal about the need for more open space and community meeting facilities.
This site is already owned by our community, as a public asset that has served a school community. The State Government, however, have this perverse process which requires Councils to buy this land, already publicly owned, at market value.
At the moment our community groups cannot get regular Council meeting spaces in Sunshine because it either costs too much or it is at unsuitable times, or both. The wellbeing and civic life of our community cannot be supported if voluntarily formed groups with no money cannot get together and organise activities. Use of the existing school rooms for instance is an immediate resource, available without having to go to the extra expense of building new structures.
The detail of Council’s formal letter indicates its support for a private housing development with increased residential density in line with Melbourne @ 5 Million - probably 16.9 houses per hectare and a sop of .8 of a hectare (about 10 house blocks) left for a neighbourhood park.
But it is folly to think that any housing they build at the Sunvale PS site will be “affordable”. Those on very low incomes are struggling to afford houses in Sunshine as it is. The only genuinely affordable housing is public housing. And if it is going to be public housing, it would need to be high quality, attractive, environmentally sustainable houses. There would need to be a mix of people and a mix of housing. But without proper consultation we are left to live with what a developer’s cost-efficient imagination allows.
I proposed an alternative resolution on the night which failed.
“That Council authorises the CEO to write to the State Government stating that:
1. The site stays 100% in public hands; and
2. That Council will conduct an immediate consultation with the Sunshine community"
I alone voted against the draft budget. I believe that we should not be spending $30M on a new civic centre at Errington Reserve. It was bequethed to the community and remains of vital community importance as a recreation reserve. We should not be thinking of building a new civic centre while our community parks and facilities need so much work.
I put forward 2 motions tonight, both were defeated. I managed to get up an altered version of the TV Takeback resolution that included all e-waste, and the Container Deposit Scheme (CDS) one was referred to the Metro Waste Forum for opinion.
Container Deposit Scheme
I spoke about the success of our community meeting on Wednesday 22nd April hosted by Colleen Hartland Greens MLC for Western Metro Region and the support in our community for such a scheme As one resident said that night “it’s a no brainer”. Whatever way you look at it is a win for Brimbank. The savings have been calculated conservatively to be around $660,000 for Brimbank. Such a simple system where the 10c is added by the manufacturer onto the price of the bottle, can or carton, that money is turned over to the EPA who will administer the scheme. The fantastic thing is that the system pays for itself and works to complement the kerbside recycling we already have.
TV Takeback Motion
As you know Brimbank is already a leader in TV recycling. We are one of only two councils in Victoria who have a TV recycle programme (and accepting much broader items at our ‘Detox Your Home’ drop-in drop-off facility in Keilor Park). Given the move to digital TV and the ensuing dumping of pre-loved TVs, such an important initiative that it deserves to be run out nationally as a matter of urgency.
Motion of Congratulations
I successfully moved motions of congratulation for Gwen Goedecke, the sacked John Holland Workers and the Akzo Nobel Workers.
Congratulations to Gwen Goedecke for being inducted onto the honour roll of the Australian Council for Women. As you all know Gwen was a founder of the Sunshine International Women’s Committee in 1974 along with Win Graham. Gwen has campaigned tirelessly for years for equal pay for equal work, childcare, and women’s rights particularly those of ordinary working women and women from the western suburbs Gwen is an active member of our Sunshine community and was a councillor with Sunshine Council in the 1980s.
The workers at the Akzo Nobel plant on McIntyre Rd North Sunshine won their fight with the company who was trying to increase their working week for no extra pay. These workers were on strike for two weeks at a time of incredible financial hardship. Meanwhile this company made $264M of profits last year and was using the circumstances to try to freeze wages and attack working conditions.
Support for the sacked Westgate Bridge workers as their ex-employer John Holland is exploiting the economic crisis, job insecurity and rising unemployment to coerce workers and their unions to accept lower wages and working conditions. John Holland is a wholly owned subsidiary of Leighton Holdings a giant multinational construction company who in spite of the economic down turn reported a profit of $250 M last year.
Sunvale Primary School site
Council moved to send a letter to the Education Department saying that we support the land sale to developers for “affordable housing” and open space. I spoke against this for a number of reasons.
A report for potential uses of the site has only superficially touched on open space and has very little to do with genuine affordable housing. On closer reading you see that it is simply supporting a sell off to developers. As far as I am aware there has been no specific consultation over the development of this site but the community have been continually asking for it.
When community members became aware of the possible sale, SUNRAA wrote on their behalf to both the Minister and Brimbank Council CEO Nick Foa to outline what they thought the site should be used for. When Council conducted the ‘Creating Better Parks’ community consultations the participants were unequivocal about the need for more open space and community meeting facilities.
This site is already owned by our community, as a public asset that has served a school community. The State Government, however, have this perverse process which requires Councils to buy this land, already publicly owned, at market value.
At the moment our community groups cannot get regular Council meeting spaces in Sunshine because it either costs too much or it is at unsuitable times, or both. The wellbeing and civic life of our community cannot be supported if voluntarily formed groups with no money cannot get together and organise activities. Use of the existing school rooms for instance is an immediate resource, available without having to go to the extra expense of building new structures.
The detail of Council’s formal letter indicates its support for a private housing development with increased residential density in line with Melbourne @ 5 Million - probably 16.9 houses per hectare and a sop of .8 of a hectare (about 10 house blocks) left for a neighbourhood park.
But it is folly to think that any housing they build at the Sunvale PS site will be “affordable”. Those on very low incomes are struggling to afford houses in Sunshine as it is. The only genuinely affordable housing is public housing. And if it is going to be public housing, it would need to be high quality, attractive, environmentally sustainable houses. There would need to be a mix of people and a mix of housing. But without proper consultation we are left to live with what a developer’s cost-efficient imagination allows.
I proposed an alternative resolution on the night which failed.
“That Council authorises the CEO to write to the State Government stating that:
1. The site stays 100% in public hands; and
2. That Council will conduct an immediate consultation with the Sunshine community"
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