Shame Fraser Shame Cr Fraser Brindley sells out and moves Council behind closed doors

Beyond the minutes - Council meeting december 13, 2005

Item 7.1 Travel Register and its Publication on the Council’s Website

The City Council passed the following motion: Moved Cr Shanahan

That Council:

1.1. publish the Council’s Travel Register on the Council’s Website on a quarterly basis, in accordance with the timeframes established with respect to the publication of Councillor Expense Statements; (why not as and when the reigsiter is unpdated? - good eGoverance practice)
1.2. note that, with respect to travel costs, where the total cost is not finalised, that part costs are included in the published Travel Register and identified as ‘part costs only’; (should not the register list costs occured and paid out by the council - This should included any advanced payments and a breakdown of costs into travel, accomodation, conference fees and sundry)
1.3. reinstate on Council’s website the Travel Register of the previous Council; (about time 4 to 7 yrs is appropiate)
1.4. maintain the Travel Registers on the Council’s website until such time as directed by Council to remove them; (hmmm)
1.5. require a report on the arrangement between the travel service provider/s Council, on National and International travel, including accommodation, to be presented to Finance and Corporate Performance Committee by March 2006; and (good but why so long a period?)
1.6. report on the cost of inbound missions borne by the Council to the Councillor Information Exchange sessions on a quarterly basis. (See below -Closed session)

The original motion included an amendement proposal by Cr Snedden and accepted by Cr Shanahan but was voted down by the Council.

"2.6 record on the Travel Register cost of inbound missions borne by the Council to be presented to the Finance and Corporate Performance Committee on a quarterly basis.” ( Open session available to the public)

The original motion was amended by Green Councillor Frazer Brindley who removed the reference requiring the report to be tabled at the Finance and Corporate Performance Committee instead having it refered to the Councillor Information Exhange Session.

This report will now be considered the behind closed doors in private session and not available to the public


WHY Frazer? You don't support open transparent government?.

This goes against the important principle of open and transparent governance and the Local Government Act which requires proceedings of the Council to be open to the public.

So much for the Green Party's committment to open and honest goverment SHAME Frazer SHAME


Clearly not as ethical as former Green's Councillor David Risstrom

If anything this is an indictment against the elected Council and demonstrates their lack of willingness to keep the public informed.

Ratepayers would like to know the full cost of in-bound missions. It certainly does not appear in the budget papers nor does the cost of in-house catering.

We will have to resort again to FoI the City Council to get hold of thi information. Information that should be readily available to the public.

This again demonstrates the City Council's ongoing abuse of the system and who's holding them to account.

The Travel register is a public document.

It is required under the Local Government (general) Regulations -Reg 11, to be updated regularly and available for public inspection . It should be published on the web as and when the register is updated and not just on a quarterly basis.

The Melbourne City Council continues to avoid accountability as it refuses to move into the 21st century and adopt good e-governance practices.

See previous posts for other issues related to the Travel register ignored by the Council