Lord Mayor aspirant, Gary Singer, has changed preference on his How-to-vote cards having been shafted in a preference deal with incumbent City Councillor and Irish community leader Brian Shanahan.
Shanhan, a member of the ALP, welshed on a deal to cross preferences with Gary Singer at the last minute as the town halls bells began to strike 12. The preference deal designed to boost Kevin Chamberlin's chances of being elected betrayed Singer by relegating him to a position below incumbent Lord Mayor Robert Doyle - A deal that has angered Gary Singer.
Gary Singer in defiance has now distributed throughout Melbourne a How-to-vote card that places the Greens ahead of the Shanahan/Chamberlin Team. The deal may well see Robert Doyle returned to office
Singers re-alignment preference allocation to the Greens ahead of all other contenders will reduce his appeal to the electorate and increase Robert Doyle's chances of being re-elected.
The X-Factor
Gary Singer's attempt to capitalize on the good name of ex-lord Mayor John So is also beginning to faulter with the electorate showing signs of rejection of the John So dynasty and hand over to his son. Singer/So ticket is not pulling in the audience. He has been sidelined by the media and is no longer seen as a real contender for the leadership role - He just does not have the X-Factor.
The Avoidance
In a side show Gary Singer has come under criticism by a former City Councillor for not paying his debts. Community activist and ex-City Councillor Fiona Snedden claims that Gary Singer crashed into her car in the Council Car Park causing over $3,000 damage. Singer, a millionaire executive of Sothebys, admitted fault at the time but has failed to pay for the damage he caused leaving Fiona Snedden, a single mum, out of pocket and without a car for the last five years.
Showing posts with label Gary Singer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gary Singer. Show all posts
Monday, October 15, 2012
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Singer's Team Melbourne shows promise Breaking away from the chorus Singer moves ahead of Catherine Ng in preview
The City of Melbourne count is labouriously proceeding as the numerous electoral officials proceed to deflap and open ballot paper envelopes. We are told that there are all up around 61300 envelopes received. The VEC could not provide an accurate figure as such we are left with an approximation only.
In the absence of a preliminary sorting of ballot papers as is the case in a Federal Election it is virtually impossible to properly scrutinise the ballot, The VEC rejected the recommendations made the the State Parliament that ballot papers be resorted into primary votes prior to data-entry. So it is now left to a random sampling process.
Whilst it is still too early to give an accurate trend, indications are that Robert Doyle is receiving 20% of the vote sampled to date. In a surprise, yet welcomed outcome, Gary Singer from Team Melbourne is doing better then expected and could outcall his running mate Catherine Ng. The combined vote of Singer and Ng, who preference each other, would be greater the the Greens. This could prove interesting as Shelly Roberts also tops up Singers vote before being distributed to McMullin. Singer could retain the vote and out poll McMullin. If this trend holds then we could see Gary Singer take Catherine Ng place rising above the chorus and becoming the lead vocal. His main competition would be Robert Doyle. Doyle's campaign was noted for his absence from the campaign, relying purely on the name recognition factor.
Now I am not a Doyle backpacker, you understand, I think he would be a disaster for Melbourne (Mainly due to his choice of deputy lord mayor and his lead candidate in the Council ballot)
Again the information available is too patchy and too few to determine the outcome overall.There is also a built in bias in the count in that ballot papers are batched in a pseudo order based on the delivery time and collection, information that is not readily available to scrutineers. Unfortunately the count is not open and transparent, But we will keep you posted as results and trends become more clear.
In the absence of a preliminary sorting of ballot papers as is the case in a Federal Election it is virtually impossible to properly scrutinise the ballot, The VEC rejected the recommendations made the the State Parliament that ballot papers be resorted into primary votes prior to data-entry. So it is now left to a random sampling process.
Whilst it is still too early to give an accurate trend, indications are that Robert Doyle is receiving 20% of the vote sampled to date. In a surprise, yet welcomed outcome, Gary Singer from Team Melbourne is doing better then expected and could outcall his running mate Catherine Ng. The combined vote of Singer and Ng, who preference each other, would be greater the the Greens. This could prove interesting as Shelly Roberts also tops up Singers vote before being distributed to McMullin. Singer could retain the vote and out poll McMullin. If this trend holds then we could see Gary Singer take Catherine Ng place rising above the chorus and becoming the lead vocal. His main competition would be Robert Doyle. Doyle's campaign was noted for his absence from the campaign, relying purely on the name recognition factor.
Now I am not a Doyle backpacker, you understand, I think he would be a disaster for Melbourne (Mainly due to his choice of deputy lord mayor and his lead candidate in the Council ballot)
Again the information available is too patchy and too few to determine the outcome overall.There is also a built in bias in the count in that ballot papers are batched in a pseudo order based on the delivery time and collection, information that is not readily available to scrutineers. Unfortunately the count is not open and transparent, But we will keep you posted as results and trends become more clear.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Night Stalker Catherine Ng proposes city's museums, galleries and churches open 24 x7
Melbourne City may soon have a 24 hour Art Gallery and City Museum if Catherine Ng has her way.
In a desperate move to attract attention
Catherine Ng who is chairwoman of the City Council's planning committee has proposed that Melbourne Museum Art Galleys and Churches be open 24 hours a day so that Melbourne night life can benefit from the cultural and religious experiences. (Herald Sun) Cr. Ng failed to provide a costing for the proposal which came under criticism by other Candidates. Cr Peter McMullin, who is also chairman of the Melbourne Museum, said there Catherine Ng's is in cloud cuckoo land, "there is no demand for a at night opening of the Museum" which is situated in the Carlton Gardens.
Meanwhile scare tactics have infiltrated Gary Singer's campaign who came out and criticised proposed development of the Queen Victoria Market car park site. The QV site has long been the subject of proposed development and McMullins plan of action is not new but loNg over due. The Queen Victoria market was built on an early colonial settlement grave yard and if any development takes place any remains would be exhumed and reburied as was the case when the Market was first built.
Gary Singer like Catherine Ng are showing signs of desperation in promoting horror stories of "digging up dead" and their desire for more night life activity.
Could it be that Catherine Ng and Gary Singer are night crawlers and if so could be of great interest to Buffy?
In a desperate move to attract attention
Catherine Ng who is chairwoman of the City Council's planning committee has proposed that Melbourne Museum Art Galleys and Churches be open 24 hours a day so that Melbourne night life can benefit from the cultural and religious experiences. (Herald Sun) Cr. Ng failed to provide a costing for the proposal which came under criticism by other Candidates. Cr Peter McMullin, who is also chairman of the Melbourne Museum, said there Catherine Ng's is in cloud cuckoo land, "there is no demand for a at night opening of the Museum" which is situated in the Carlton Gardens.
Meanwhile scare tactics have infiltrated Gary Singer's campaign who came out and criticised proposed development of the Queen Victoria Market car park site. The QV site has long been the subject of proposed development and McMullins plan of action is not new but loNg over due. The Queen Victoria market was built on an early colonial settlement grave yard and if any development takes place any remains would be exhumed and reburied as was the case when the Market was first built.
Gary Singer like Catherine Ng are showing signs of desperation in promoting horror stories of "digging up dead" and their desire for more night life activity.
Could it be that Catherine Ng and Gary Singer are night crawlers and if so could be of great interest to Buffy?
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Cyberwar or Hanke panky Catherine Ng 's "Children Overboard" scam
War of words and a free plug for Catherine Ng.
The Age newspaper published yesterday a free campaign plug for Catherine Ng who has falsely claimed that her opponents had initiated a google cyber attack against her site.
Catherine Ng's claims are another example of the false and misleading statements of wrong doing that is being pumped out by her campaign director Ian Hanke - The Liberal Party "Spin doctor" who promoted the "Children Overboard" lie used to win votes for John Howard in 2004.
The Age, keen to promote Catherine Ng and cash in on the false and misleading statements, demonstrated an alarming lack of professionalism and bias in its reporting. If you look closely at the Google screen shot shown in the Age article you will notice on the right had side (slightly obscured) an ad placed by Gary Singer. The Age had deliberately sought to crop that out from the photo.
Catherine Ng's spin masters tired to make our and imply that there was some of hanke panky going on in cyberspace. The only Hanke panky is coming from Catherine Ng herself. So desperate is Catherine Ng to seek headlines and attract media attention to her campaign that she has stooped to making false claims. There is nothing wrong or underhanded in a person buying advertising space on the Internet. in fact is is very much apart of the free market economy and a open democratic society.
Gary Singer, Catherine Ng's running mate, admitted that he also had brought Google advertising space to promote for his campaign.
It should also be noted that both Ng and Singer also have placed ads using Google keywords.
Honesty overboard
Contrary to the statements published in the Age article hotlinks to Catherine Ng and Gary Singer's web sites appear more regularly then they do for Peter McMullin who has been the target of envy, dirty ticks and lies by the Singer and Ng camps.
A simple Google search on the keyword "Lord Mayor" shows that all three candidates appear in the Google hot links page, proving that the statements made by both Ng and Singer that their ads only appear when you do a Google on their names are false.
False statements or deliberate lie published in The Age dirty tricks campaign?:
The Age newspaper published yesterday a free campaign plug for Catherine Ng who has falsely claimed that her opponents had initiated a google cyber attack against her site.
Catherine Ng's claims are another example of the false and misleading statements of wrong doing that is being pumped out by her campaign director Ian Hanke - The Liberal Party "Spin doctor" who promoted the "Children Overboard" lie used to win votes for John Howard in 2004.
The Age, keen to promote Catherine Ng and cash in on the false and misleading statements, demonstrated an alarming lack of professionalism and bias in its reporting. If you look closely at the Google screen shot shown in the Age article you will notice on the right had side (slightly obscured) an ad placed by Gary Singer. The Age had deliberately sought to crop that out from the photo.
Catherine Ng's spin masters tired to make our and imply that there was some of hanke panky going on in cyberspace. The only Hanke panky is coming from Catherine Ng herself. So desperate is Catherine Ng to seek headlines and attract media attention to her campaign that she has stooped to making false claims. There is nothing wrong or underhanded in a person buying advertising space on the Internet. in fact is is very much apart of the free market economy and a open democratic society.
Gary Singer, Catherine Ng's running mate, admitted that he also had brought Google advertising space to promote for his campaign.
It should also be noted that both Ng and Singer also have placed ads using Google keywords.
Honesty overboardContrary to the statements published in the Age article hotlinks to Catherine Ng and Gary Singer's web sites appear more regularly then they do for Peter McMullin who has been the target of envy, dirty ticks and lies by the Singer and Ng camps.
A simple Google search on the keyword "Lord Mayor" shows that all three candidates appear in the Google hot links page, proving that the statements made by both Ng and Singer that their ads only appear when you do a Google on their names are false.
False statements or deliberate lie published in The Age dirty tricks campaign?:
Cr Singer has an ad on Google. But like Cr Ng's, his ad only appears when his name is typed.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Sail me a river Gary Singer river cruising
Here is another example of the hypocrisy coming from the John So team looking to become Melbourne's Next Lord Mayor.
Singer wants to "engage the community" in consultation and feasibility studies to establish a River ferry service up the Yarra.
The idea of a Bayside ferry has been around before.It is not new, but always gets an airing come election time. Melbourne is not Sydney nor is it Brisbane. A Bayside ferry service from Frankston to Melbourne and Williamstown to Docklands has some merit But does it need to travel up the Yarra to Crown Casino?
The environmental and safety effects of a high speed river transportation service is prohibitive for a river the size of the Yarra. But hey Singer needs something to get his name out and about town.
Gary Singer's proposal for a river ferry service one the Yarra has not been well thought out or researched. Why has it taken him so long to come out and promote this issue? He has been on Council for four years. It's just another electoral pipe-dream to try and make Singer look good.
Singer is only interested in consulting when it suits his agenda and not the electorate.
Whilst Singer claims he is all for community consultation, like Catherine Ng, Singer thrice refused to allow the community the opportunity to consult and review Melbourne's representative model. Thrice he and his team voted against consultation and refused to calling on the State Government to include the City of Melbourne into the formal review process. Every other Municipal Council is required to undertake a review every second term. WHY NOT MELBOURNE?
This will be Singer's farewell swan song and I guess a bottom of the Yarra scheme is well suited to his professional experience. (See Singer trust 1 2 )
Singer is expected to attract no more then 5% of the vote. He is in effect a stooge candidate to collect preferences for Catherine Ng.
Click here if media player does not play
Singer wants to "engage the community" in consultation and feasibility studies to establish a River ferry service up the Yarra.
The idea of a Bayside ferry has been around before.It is not new, but always gets an airing come election time. Melbourne is not Sydney nor is it Brisbane. A Bayside ferry service from Frankston to Melbourne and Williamstown to Docklands has some merit But does it need to travel up the Yarra to Crown Casino?
The environmental and safety effects of a high speed river transportation service is prohibitive for a river the size of the Yarra. But hey Singer needs something to get his name out and about town.
Gary Singer's proposal for a river ferry service one the Yarra has not been well thought out or researched. Why has it taken him so long to come out and promote this issue? He has been on Council for four years. It's just another electoral pipe-dream to try and make Singer look good.
Singer is only interested in consulting when it suits his agenda and not the electorate.
Whilst Singer claims he is all for community consultation, like Catherine Ng, Singer thrice refused to allow the community the opportunity to consult and review Melbourne's representative model. Thrice he and his team voted against consultation and refused to calling on the State Government to include the City of Melbourne into the formal review process. Every other Municipal Council is required to undertake a review every second term. WHY NOT MELBOURNE?
This will be Singer's farewell swan song and I guess a bottom of the Yarra scheme is well suited to his professional experience. (See Singer trust 1 2 )
Singer is expected to attract no more then 5% of the vote. He is in effect a stooge candidate to collect preferences for Catherine Ng.
3AW - Media Player
Click here if media player does not play
Saturday, March 03, 2007
Gary Singer exposed Melbourne City Deputy Lord Mayor caught out telling Grand Prix porkies in the year of the pig
Melbourne City Councillor and Deputy Lord Mayor has been exposed in an article published in the Age newspaper claiming that he was not properly informed and never told about the proposed 100km/hour Grand Prix horn ride down Lygon Street Carlton. Reports in the Age newspaper indicate that the City Council had been discussion the proposed 100km/hr promotional joy ride extensively over the last three month. Questions have been raised about the truthfulness of the Deputy Lord Mayor's statements and claims that he was not properly informed.
Cr Singer is quoted as saying "'I had no understanding as to what the speed was going to be' The deputy Lord Mayor admitted he may have received the note but not read it."
Cr Singer ,who has been the subject of controversy, was the subject of an inquiry last year by the Law Institute for breaches of professional ethics in relation to his private legal practice. Cr Singer was de-registered from practicing law in Tasmania following a damming report from the legal professions watchdog to the State Parliament. In 2005 Cr singer was also the subject of a review by the Victorian Law Society were he was found guilty of professional misconduct for withholding funds and payments held in trust.
Councillor 'not told' of Ferrari limit
Source: The Age
Clay Lucas
March 3, 2007
DESPITE receiving a detailed briefing note last month saying the original plan for today's Ferrari Festival on Lygon Street was to run a formula one car down Lygon Street at speeds of up to 100 km/h, Deputy Lord Mayor Gary Singer says he was never told about the plan.
Today, an F1 car will drive down Lygon Street at 60 km/h an hour, despite the initial plans.
Melbourne City Council had for three months talked with the Grand Prix Corporation about the 100 km/h speed limit but the council and the corporation dropped the plans after pressure from Tourism Minister Tim Holding, who did not want to be seen to be promoting hooning.
"I had no understanding as to what the speed was going to be," said Cr Singer, who admitted he may have received the note but not read it.
"I doubt I saw it — I get two inches of paper a day (from Melbourne City Council)," he said. "I was briefed on the day."
Cr Singer said that the launch of today's event had not been handled well, but that it would still be a wonderful day.
"It couldve been handled better but that's life," he said.
On January 20, when the council was still planning to run the Ferrari at 100km/h, local chef 27-year-old Damian Cooper was killed in an alleged hit-run collision.
His father, Mark, has campaigned hard against running the F1 car over Lygon Street's 50 km/h speed limit, and wants the street's speed limit reduced permanently to 40 km/h.
Accompanying the F1 Ferrari being driven at 60 km/h will be a parade of 60 vintage Ferraris celebrating the 60th anniversary of the car company.
Cr Singer is quoted as saying "'I had no understanding as to what the speed was going to be' The deputy Lord Mayor admitted he may have received the note but not read it."
Cr Singer ,who has been the subject of controversy, was the subject of an inquiry last year by the Law Institute for breaches of professional ethics in relation to his private legal practice. Cr Singer was de-registered from practicing law in Tasmania following a damming report from the legal professions watchdog to the State Parliament. In 2005 Cr singer was also the subject of a review by the Victorian Law Society were he was found guilty of professional misconduct for withholding funds and payments held in trust.
Councillor 'not told' of Ferrari limit
Source: The Age
Clay Lucas
March 3, 2007
DESPITE receiving a detailed briefing note last month saying the original plan for today's Ferrari Festival on Lygon Street was to run a formula one car down Lygon Street at speeds of up to 100 km/h, Deputy Lord Mayor Gary Singer says he was never told about the plan.
Today, an F1 car will drive down Lygon Street at 60 km/h an hour, despite the initial plans.
Melbourne City Council had for three months talked with the Grand Prix Corporation about the 100 km/h speed limit but the council and the corporation dropped the plans after pressure from Tourism Minister Tim Holding, who did not want to be seen to be promoting hooning.
"I had no understanding as to what the speed was going to be," said Cr Singer, who admitted he may have received the note but not read it.
"I doubt I saw it — I get two inches of paper a day (from Melbourne City Council)," he said. "I was briefed on the day."
Cr Singer said that the launch of today's event had not been handled well, but that it would still be a wonderful day.
"It couldve been handled better but that's life," he said.
On January 20, when the council was still planning to run the Ferrari at 100km/h, local chef 27-year-old Damian Cooper was killed in an alleged hit-run collision.
His father, Mark, has campaigned hard against running the F1 car over Lygon Street's 50 km/h speed limit, and wants the street's speed limit reduced permanently to 40 km/h.
Accompanying the F1 Ferrari being driven at 60 km/h will be a parade of 60 vintage Ferraris celebrating the 60th anniversary of the car company.
Friday, February 02, 2007
Training Snedden Billy's daughter gets Council to fund party politics
The Age today has reported that Liberal Party Councillor Fiona Sneden coaching lessons. State MP Louise Asher's former chief of Staff, Brett Barton, was paid $5,600 to advise Cr Sneden. Councillor Sneden's expenses were made known following publication of the the City of Melbourne's Councillor expense.
Missing from the councillor expense statements are costs related to Councillor's allowances and additional expenses that the council has not disclosed. Creative accounting and hidden costs are an art form when it comes to the corrupt Council administration.
It appears that the Council administration, having been caught out, has gone back and modified past expense statements to include expenses that were not previously reported. Under Council guidelines all expenses should be finalised "acquitted" within one month of the expenses occurring. review of the published statements indicate that the summary results published by the City Council are false and incorrect. (It looks as though the Council Goverance/Finance department can not add up correctly).
Questions are still outstanding with the Council administration filing to respond to previous correspondence highlighting a number of issues identified in relation to the accuracy of Council's expense and travel statements.
Last year the City Council was subject to an Ombudsman investigation that showed up similar problems in relational to the City Councils accounting and administration. A number of Council staff reigned and or were allocated alternative employment following the Ombudsman inquiry. Former City Council's Legal Officer Alison Lyon resigned and Linda Weatherson as been removed from her role as Council governance director. Ms Weatherson was implicated in the "Acquittal" scandal related to a previous cover-up of undisclosed Councillor expense in 2003.
Despite promises made by the City Councillors, Melbourne's City Council's "Car Fee City policy", costs related to John So and Gary Singers Council funded Limousines still do not appear in the Councillor expense statements.
It is estimated that the associated missing costs adds around $2,500,00 per year to the costs of servicing our City fathers and daughters. Including in this estimate is the costs of Internal catering and the Council's free open booze bar, the later which the Age reported as possibly contributing to Cr Sneden's $1,000 in fines and a loss of her driving licence for 4 years.
Responsible Governance - No Way.
City council paid Liberal staffer $5600 to mentor Cr Sneden
February 2, 2007
Source: The Age
MELBOURNE City Council has paid $5600 for Liberal Party blue-blood Fiona Sneden to receive mentoring from a Liberal Party strategist.
The payments, of around $220 a week over the past six months, were paid to Brett Barton, former chief of staff to Liberal MP Louise Asher.
Cr Sneden last night defended the use of ratepayers' money to pay for professional mentoring, saying it was about getting better results for the council, not personal improvement.
"Professional mentoring is all about me being better prepared to deal with issues that face my constituents," Cr Sneden said.
Cr Sneden said Mr Barton provided her with "leadership coaching", not counselling.
"The coaching means understanding and how to deal with aspects of council. It means basically anything that I need mentoring for.
"I have a part-time secretary but I felt that there was not the support or the mentoring that was required," said Cr Sneden, who argued that councillors at the City of Melbourne were not adequately supported.
"It is considered part-time employment and Town Hall does not provide any expert advice."
Her adviser Mr Barton has worked for several high-profile Liberals, most recently Liberal major projects spokesman David Davis, in the lead-up to last year's state election.
Mr Barton could not be reached for comment last night. But Louise Asher said Mr Barton was an experienced adviser with "a good political nose".
A list of councillor expenses released by Melbourne City Council this week also revealed that, in 2006, Cr Sneden claimed $35,072 in expenses — $20,000 more than any of eight other Melbourne councillors over the same period.
Former lord mayor Kevin Chamberlin said it was a disgrace that the city council was paying for its elected representatives to be trained to be more effective councillors.
"This is a direct result of the election system put in place by the Bracks Government that was deliberately designed to get elected poor quality councillors," Mr Chamberlin said. "The constituents have well and truly been paying for it for a long time, and not just in money."
Cr Sneden, 50, is the daughter of former federal Liberal leader Sir Billy Sneden.
Last year she pleaded guilty in the Melbourne Magistrates Court to drink driving.
She was fined $1000 and lost her licence for four years.
Missing from the councillor expense statements are costs related to Councillor's allowances and additional expenses that the council has not disclosed. Creative accounting and hidden costs are an art form when it comes to the corrupt Council administration.
It appears that the Council administration, having been caught out, has gone back and modified past expense statements to include expenses that were not previously reported. Under Council guidelines all expenses should be finalised "acquitted" within one month of the expenses occurring. review of the published statements indicate that the summary results published by the City Council are false and incorrect. (It looks as though the Council Goverance/Finance department can not add up correctly).
Questions are still outstanding with the Council administration filing to respond to previous correspondence highlighting a number of issues identified in relation to the accuracy of Council's expense and travel statements.
Last year the City Council was subject to an Ombudsman investigation that showed up similar problems in relational to the City Councils accounting and administration. A number of Council staff reigned and or were allocated alternative employment following the Ombudsman inquiry. Former City Council's Legal Officer Alison Lyon resigned and Linda Weatherson as been removed from her role as Council governance director. Ms Weatherson was implicated in the "Acquittal" scandal related to a previous cover-up of undisclosed Councillor expense in 2003.
Despite promises made by the City Councillors, Melbourne's City Council's "Car Fee City policy", costs related to John So and Gary Singers Council funded Limousines still do not appear in the Councillor expense statements.
It is estimated that the associated missing costs adds around $2,500,00 per year to the costs of servicing our City fathers and daughters. Including in this estimate is the costs of Internal catering and the Council's free open booze bar, the later which the Age reported as possibly contributing to Cr Sneden's $1,000 in fines and a loss of her driving licence for 4 years.
Responsible Governance - No Way.
The above graph shows consolidated reported Councillor's expenses for the mid term of the current Council Dec 2004 to Dec 2006 (Including the adjustments made to the 'dodgy' July to October 2006 statements)
City council paid Liberal staffer $5600 to mentor Cr Sneden
February 2, 2007
Source: The Age
MELBOURNE City Council has paid $5600 for Liberal Party blue-blood Fiona Sneden to receive mentoring from a Liberal Party strategist.
The payments, of around $220 a week over the past six months, were paid to Brett Barton, former chief of staff to Liberal MP Louise Asher.
Cr Sneden last night defended the use of ratepayers' money to pay for professional mentoring, saying it was about getting better results for the council, not personal improvement.
"Professional mentoring is all about me being better prepared to deal with issues that face my constituents," Cr Sneden said.
Cr Sneden said Mr Barton provided her with "leadership coaching", not counselling.
"The coaching means understanding and how to deal with aspects of council. It means basically anything that I need mentoring for.
"I have a part-time secretary but I felt that there was not the support or the mentoring that was required," said Cr Sneden, who argued that councillors at the City of Melbourne were not adequately supported.
"It is considered part-time employment and Town Hall does not provide any expert advice."
Her adviser Mr Barton has worked for several high-profile Liberals, most recently Liberal major projects spokesman David Davis, in the lead-up to last year's state election.
Mr Barton could not be reached for comment last night. But Louise Asher said Mr Barton was an experienced adviser with "a good political nose".
A list of councillor expenses released by Melbourne City Council this week also revealed that, in 2006, Cr Sneden claimed $35,072 in expenses — $20,000 more than any of eight other Melbourne councillors over the same period.
Former lord mayor Kevin Chamberlin said it was a disgrace that the city council was paying for its elected representatives to be trained to be more effective councillors.
"This is a direct result of the election system put in place by the Bracks Government that was deliberately designed to get elected poor quality councillors," Mr Chamberlin said. "The constituents have well and truly been paying for it for a long time, and not just in money."
Cr Sneden, 50, is the daughter of former federal Liberal leader Sir Billy Sneden.
Last year she pleaded guilty in the Melbourne Magistrates Court to drink driving.
She was fined $1000 and lost her licence for four years.
Friday, July 14, 2006
Art scandle reflects poorly on City Council Deputy Lord Mayor must distance himslef from controversy and his appointment of his personal mates
The Herald Sun reports on issues of concern about conflict of interests when appointing personal friends to positions of public office mixing love art and politics. We contiue to express out ongoing concern ofver teh appointment of Deputy Lord Mayors personal partner to overseas Melbourne Art development. Melbourne City Council and the deputy Lord Mayor Garry Singer continues to be btrought into disrepute. Garry Singer should act decively and request his partner to stand resign from the Council postion. There is a question of conflict of interest one that does not serve the City well and only be distancing himeslf from teh controversy can this matter be resolved. Failing Mr Smith' resignation Gary Singer should resign. Time to act in the pubics interest.
Officials to act on art wrangle
Karen Collier
12jul06
THE National Gallery of Victoria has ordered an official investigation into a curator amid a conflict-of-interest storm.
The development follows an exclusive Herald Sun report revealing curator Geoffrey Smith's court battle with his former lover, Robert Gould, over art treasures worth $7 million.
Some arts world insiders have concerns about Mr Smith's close links with a commercial business during his relationship with Mr Gould, who runs a private gallery in South Yarra.
The Supreme Court has banned the sale of 23 paintings by famed artists such as Sidney Nolan, Arthur Boyd, Brett Whiteley and Charles Blackman until the dispute is settled.
In documents before the court, Mr Smith claims he used his special expertise and connections to lift the reputation and profits of Mr Gould's gallery in South Yarra.
The NGV has seen copies of the affidavits and last night announced an investigation.
"The NGV has policies and procedures in place to ensure staff adhere to the highest standards of professional conduct and to investigate any alleged contravention of such standards," the statement read.
"In light of the material contained in these documents, the NGV has now commenced an internal investigation."
Mr Smith has been a curator at the taxpayer-funded gallery since 1991, and is understood to be on approved leave.
Mr Gould denies Mr Smith played a pivotal role in his business's success, saying it was he who introduced Mr Smith to key figures in the arts world.
In the court documents, Mr Smith is accused of having a secret, long-running affair with his new partner, Deputy Lord Mayor Gary Singer.
Mr Smith's appointment last year to a committee to advise Melbourne City Council on art prompted controversy.
The investigation comes just weeks before Mr Smith's major retrospective on Charles Blackman at the NGV.
Officials to act on art wrangle
Karen Collier
12jul06
THE National Gallery of Victoria has ordered an official investigation into a curator amid a conflict-of-interest storm.
The development follows an exclusive Herald Sun report revealing curator Geoffrey Smith's court battle with his former lover, Robert Gould, over art treasures worth $7 million.
Some arts world insiders have concerns about Mr Smith's close links with a commercial business during his relationship with Mr Gould, who runs a private gallery in South Yarra.
The Supreme Court has banned the sale of 23 paintings by famed artists such as Sidney Nolan, Arthur Boyd, Brett Whiteley and Charles Blackman until the dispute is settled.
In documents before the court, Mr Smith claims he used his special expertise and connections to lift the reputation and profits of Mr Gould's gallery in South Yarra.
The NGV has seen copies of the affidavits and last night announced an investigation.
"The NGV has policies and procedures in place to ensure staff adhere to the highest standards of professional conduct and to investigate any alleged contravention of such standards," the statement read.
"In light of the material contained in these documents, the NGV has now commenced an internal investigation."
Mr Smith has been a curator at the taxpayer-funded gallery since 1991, and is understood to be on approved leave.
Mr Gould denies Mr Smith played a pivotal role in his business's success, saying it was he who introduced Mr Smith to key figures in the arts world.
In the court documents, Mr Smith is accused of having a secret, long-running affair with his new partner, Deputy Lord Mayor Gary Singer.
Mr Smith's appointment last year to a committee to advise Melbourne City Council on art prompted controversy.
The investigation comes just weeks before Mr Smith's major retrospective on Charles Blackman at the NGV.
Thursday, June 15, 2006
Melbourne Graffiti - Restraining Vandals Herald Sun criticises the City of Melbourne's policy of encouragement
The City of Melbourne again has come under fire for its extra-ordinary Arts Grant Policy of supporting Melbourne's Graffiti vandals. The City of Melbourne can not get it right as its 4 Million Dollar Arts budget to spent on the wrong side of the tracks. (Was this the same committee tied up in controversy over the appointment of Deputy Lord Mayor's Gary Singer's de facto partner?) its one thing to place political messages on a building sites hoardings but another to wilfully damage property by painting unwelcoming and unauthorised graffiti on private buildings and public property. The City of Melbourne continues to be touch with community expectations and social values. If they seriously believe in their arts programme expenditure then lets paint the LM and Deputy Lord Mayors Car with graffiti and see how they like it.
Just vandals
Just vandals
UNLIKE Melbourne City Council which plans to spend ratepayers' money "mentoring" graffiti vandals, police in Melbourne's south east are unequivocal.
They are treating them as criminals -- which is what they are.
Investigators from Moorabbin police regional response unit have arrested four members of a gang alleged to have caused more than $100,000 damage.
Sen-Sgt Vic Kostiuk introduced a welcome reality when he told the Herald Sun: "There's no thought behind it. It's just mindless vandalism".
And so it is.
Tuesday, April 04, 2006
Populist Politics Whilst every one thinks John So is a nice guy this does not mean he provided good government
Unfortunately time and interest in other issues and the Commonwealth games have prevented us from commenting more on the affairs of the city of Melbourne and in particular the recent wave of hysteria and public devotion for Melbourne's Lord Mayor John So.
For the record. I personally like John So, and always enjoy the occasion to meet him, BUT I do not think he is a good Lord Mayor or provides good government.
So never says No
To the contrary theу Сcity of Melbourne under John's leadership is far from perfect. He is the highest spending Lord Mayor in Melbourne's history and he never says no and never holds the administration to account or question.
A perfect example is the refusal of the City of Melbourne to provide honest, open and transparent governance. His choice of Deputy Lord Mayor is highly questionable as are some of his pet projects and high cost expenditure and overseas travel.
The costs associated with expenses of Councillors and staff are hidden from view, with the City Council continuing to go to extraordinary efforts to avoid accountability. The costs associated with the Lord Mayor and deputy Lord Mayor's Limousine are not included in the published expense statements which are false and misleading. The council refuses to publish the costs of costs of internal catering, free booze and the cost of inbound missions.
When called upon John So is quick to dip into the Council's public purse and fund what ever project or free dinner, free piss up or public event the administration asks for.
Employment costs have blown out and the Council's capital to working ration is in serious decline as John So squanders the profits from the City Council's forced public asset sell off.
Their are other issues about the Council's administration that if you take a close and critical look at has little to desire.
Where once the City of Melbourne was the Doyen of Local Government under the competent management of Elizabeth Proust and Andy Friend the quality of City Council administration has been in serious decline over the last 10 years.
John So, who has held the office of Lord Mayor for over two terms, has done little to restore Melbourne's reputation as the leader amongst Local Governments.
He has shown little to no ability to manage the finances and governance of the City.
Yes every one love John's quirky smile and his adorable accent, he is a likeable person, but there is more to government then popular support and public profile.
Without the likes of Kevin Chamberlain and others who are critical of the Council's performance and lack of policies much of the wrongs of the City Council are hidden away from the adoring publics attention. Keep them dazzled, razzelle and unaware of reality. That's Show business and sadly that the state of Melbourne's local politics.
Hear no evil, speak no evil , see no evil.
As long as the City Council administration continue to prevent the publication of information that shows the true extent of the abuse and misuse of the Council administration and the associated costs and extravagance the City of Melbourne will continue to bath in the sweet perform of popularity whist the stench remains hidden from view.
The Australian public should look more closely and be warned about the pitfalls of direct popular election of heads of government.
So easy to warm to - The Australian
Everyone in Melbourne is talking about Lord Mayor John So, scratching their heads trying to explain a cult phenomenon, writes Stuart Rintoul
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--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
April 03, 2006
HE is the most popular lord mayor in Australia. Every time his name was mentioned during the closing ceremony of Melbourne's Commonwealth Games, there was a deafening roar of approval that washed over Ron Walker, standing at the microphone, on its way to John So.
And only So. The Prime Minister, John Howard, was not cheered. The Victorian Premier, Steve Bracks, was not cheered. Walker, chairman of the Games organising committee, was not cheered. But just the mention of Son's name rocked the MCG.
The next day, as Melbourne thanked the Games volunteers, revellers stood in the street chanting "Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, So, So, So". At the Games, people wore T-shirts with the slogan "John So - he's my bro".
Two songs have been written about him already. The cleverest of them, a parody of the Aerosmith, Run-DMC hit Walk This Way has been played on the Nova 100 station in Melbourne. Called John So Way, it has So repeating: "Share your fish with everyone".
He was also profiled on New Zealand television, where the TVNZ program Close Up described him as "the mayoral equivalent of a rock star" and "as far removed from the stereotypical Australian as you could imagine". It said in a city swelling with superstars, So had emerged as a cult figure and a classic Australian success story, the immigrant made good. It said at the Games closing ceremony So overshadowed even the PM, with the crowd "just going nuts over him".
So, what it is about John So?
Walker, a former lord mayor of Melbourne, calls him (through gritted teeth, some say) "The Phenomenon". He laughs and says that every time he mentioned Son's name at the closing ceremony the response came back like "a volley of he's my hero".
But why? "I think it's the fact that he's got an infectious smile," Walker says. "He has an infectious smile and he's got an infectious laugh. It's nothing to do with him having power, because he doesn't have any power. As my wife put it, the fact is that John allows people to throw him in the air like a ball.
"And he enjoys it, because he wants to share in the fun with everybody. It makes you very popular."
By the same token, Walker, one of the hard heads of the Victorian Liberal Party, says it is "arrant nonsense" to suggest this popularity could carry him into a larger political career.
Everyone in Melbourne, it seems, is not only talking about So, and the Cult of So, but scratching their heads and trying to explain it.
Some suggest the crowd was responding to an attempt by Walker and Breaks to sideline the English-mangling mayor during the Games. Walker says he doesn't think any such attempt was made, while Bracks, who assumed the role of "chief citizen" for the purposes of the international audience, says So would not have been included in the closing ceremony at all had he not insisted.
Herald Sun columnist Jill Singer wrote that the real question was whether people were laughing with So, or at him, and suggested, cruelly, that he was the "unofficial Games mascot". "Integral to understanding the phenomenon is to recognise that it's a joke along the lines of Roy and Hg's Fatso the wombat (aka the Battlers' Prince)," she wrote. "As Fatso was to Sydney 2000, So was to Melbourne 2006."
Singer's right-wing colleague Andrew Bolt, for his part, said Melbourne's "love of So" proved, once and for all, that Australians were not racist and that by cheering So "the crowd was giving the two fingers to all those who say we should hate Asians and other races, or - more especially - that we do."
At Melbourne Town Hall, So is modest about the adulation and dismissive of the Right and Left interpretations.
If people cheered him at the opening and closing ceremonies, he says, it was because they were cheering for Melbourne. "People were having such a good time, such a fantastic time," he says.
When it is put to him that he is the nation's most popular mayor, he does not disagree, but says: "Ahhh ... I enjoy doing what I'm doing. All these years, I always work hard. Ever since I was a boy, I was brought up to try your best, whatever you're doing, and enjoy because you've only got one life."
He sits on a plush leather couch, talking and laughing in a room in which he is surrounded by the portraits of his 19th century white male and bearded predecessors. He is flushed with the success of the Games and ambitious for a city he says is growing in confidence and happiness.
He indulges questions about his popularity, but only becomes really animated when the subject turns to Melbourne which, he says, is on the verge of "a second gold rush" as it seeks to position itself as a gateway to the awakening giants of China and India.
"Our geographic distance is becoming our advantage now," he says. "We have the geographic advantage in the same time zone, we have the connections, we have the people, the knowledge, the skill and the experience. That is the future for Melbourne and the future for Australia. We have to take Melbourne to the world and bring the world to Melbourne."
Last October, So led a trade mission to China. He says the exposure the city received was phenomenal and the business connections invaluable.
An example of how large even a small slice of the Chinese pie might be, he says, can be seen in the $36 billion China is spending on infrastructure for the 2010 Asia Games in Guangzhou.
Also on that mission to Beijing and Tianjin (a Melbourne sister-city) was George Pappas, chairman of the Committee for Melbourne. "I think he's terrific," says Pappas.
"I think Melbourne is very lucky to have him as mayor."
While some of those who have accompanied So on visits to China say it has been no disadvantage having a Chinese-born mayor, Pappas says it was revealing that So applied himself to improving his Mandarin to talk to Chinese officials in their preferred language. So's mother tongue and the language he still speaks in the privacy of his home is Cantonese. He speaks Mandarin less fluently.
John Chun Sai So was born in Hong Kong in 1946. His father died when he was five. He was sent to boarding school, at a strict Catholic Salesian boys' school. He arrived in Melbourne in his late teens to complete Year 12 at University High School, leaving his mother and two brothers in Hong Kong.
He went to Melbourne University, became a science teacher and then a restaurateur, leaving behind a dream of becoming a scientist.
In 1976, he opened his first restaurant and then a chain of highly successful Dragon Boat restaurants. He advised others on how to improve their businesses, for a share of the action, leading him to being called "Mr 10 per cent". He became wealthy and a political force in Chinatown.
In what might be a metaphor for Australia's cultural evolution and his own Darwinian philosophy, he told an interviewer three years ago: "I cannot use the same old chop suey of the '60s. [When] I came here everyone going for the chop suey ... you have to change, you have to adapt."
So was elected to the Melbourne City Council in 1991, at a time when the Town Hall was known as "clown hall". He ran for office because "the city was dying".
Ten years later, in 2001, he became Melbourne's first directly elected lord mayor, defeating higher profile candidates including Australian Democrats founder Don Chipp, after all of his opponents underestimated him and gave him their preferences, while So hit the hustings.
It would be said he bought the lord mayorship, spending more than $100,000 on a publicity blitz that included flying reporters around the city in a helicopter and papering Melbourne with the slogan, "So active, So responsible, So Melbourne, Make it So".
But if there were those who begrudged him that victory, there was no denying the force of his re-election in 2004, when he faced off 20 candidates, all of whom preferenced against him, and won in a landslide with nearly 50 per cent of the primary vote.
He also saw off Peter Sheppard, a shoe retailer, who was forced out of the mayoral race in a storm of protest after saying So diction was an embarrassment, that he could hardly speak English and was "about 20 consonants short in his alphabet".
So shrugged it off, just as he had shrugged off other controversies. In 2002, he snubbed the Dalai Lama during an Australian visit, as other political leaders did, in a nod to Beijing. He gave character evidence for corrupt former immigration minister, Andrew Theophanous, the first federal MP to be convicted and jailed for corruption while in office, and said he was honoured to be asked.
In 2004, he said a rare Aboriginal possum-skin cloak, which he had been given by Aboriginal elders, would leave the Town Hall with him if he was defeated.
None of these things dented his popularity. Instead, it has grown, exponentially it would seem, until So is now viewed as an irrepressible optimist who laughs at his shortcomings, of which he is sharply aware, and opened the Big Day Out concert with the words "Let's rock".
Fox FM breakfast presenter Matt Tilley regularly impersonates So on air, making fun of his tentative grasp of the language. Rather than being offended, So invited Tilley and co-host Jo Stanley to lunch at the Town Hall. Tilley says their conversation was like something out of Get Smart.
After the Games opening ceremony, So was asked what he thought was the best part. His response was recorded in a Herald Sun column as "the tram fry" - with the punchline "Gotta love the guy".
So, is it all that hard to understand? Walking in the streets of Melbourne with John So suggests he has more celebrity than most politicians, but less probably than a Big Brother or Australian Idol contestant.
"John So, he's my bro," a young bloke calls out while his mates fall about laughing. Photographs are taken with mobile phones, hands reach out to be shaken. No one can point to anything that he has done for Melbourne, but everyone likes him: "He's just so friendly".
It is a view that spills into the letters pages of Melbourne's newspapers, where a Herald Sun reader, fed up with all the analysis of the So phenomenon, said it wasn't hard to understand at all.
"What matters is that this bloke is happy; he loves life and he appears to love Melbourne," wrote Andrew Clarke of Aspendale. "His glass is half full, or bubbling over, and that is what we like ... John So stands out in a sea of political blandness."
For the record. I personally like John So, and always enjoy the occasion to meet him, BUT I do not think he is a good Lord Mayor or provides good government.
So never says No
To the contrary theу Сcity of Melbourne under John's leadership is far from perfect. He is the highest spending Lord Mayor in Melbourne's history and he never says no and never holds the administration to account or question.
A perfect example is the refusal of the City of Melbourne to provide honest, open and transparent governance. His choice of Deputy Lord Mayor is highly questionable as are some of his pet projects and high cost expenditure and overseas travel.
The costs associated with expenses of Councillors and staff are hidden from view, with the City Council continuing to go to extraordinary efforts to avoid accountability. The costs associated with the Lord Mayor and deputy Lord Mayor's Limousine are not included in the published expense statements which are false and misleading. The council refuses to publish the costs of costs of internal catering, free booze and the cost of inbound missions.
When called upon John So is quick to dip into the Council's public purse and fund what ever project or free dinner, free piss up or public event the administration asks for.
Employment costs have blown out and the Council's capital to working ration is in serious decline as John So squanders the profits from the City Council's forced public asset sell off.
Their are other issues about the Council's administration that if you take a close and critical look at has little to desire.
Where once the City of Melbourne was the Doyen of Local Government under the competent management of Elizabeth Proust and Andy Friend the quality of City Council administration has been in serious decline over the last 10 years.
John So, who has held the office of Lord Mayor for over two terms, has done little to restore Melbourne's reputation as the leader amongst Local Governments.
He has shown little to no ability to manage the finances and governance of the City.
Yes every one love John's quirky smile and his adorable accent, he is a likeable person, but there is more to government then popular support and public profile.
Without the likes of Kevin Chamberlain and others who are critical of the Council's performance and lack of policies much of the wrongs of the City Council are hidden away from the adoring publics attention. Keep them dazzled, razzelle and unaware of reality. That's Show business and sadly that the state of Melbourne's local politics.
Hear no evil, speak no evil , see no evil.
As long as the City Council administration continue to prevent the publication of information that shows the true extent of the abuse and misuse of the Council administration and the associated costs and extravagance the City of Melbourne will continue to bath in the sweet perform of popularity whist the stench remains hidden from view.
The Australian public should look more closely and be warned about the pitfalls of direct popular election of heads of government.
So easy to warm to - The Australian
Everyone in Melbourne is talking about Lord Mayor John So, scratching their heads trying to explain a cult phenomenon, writes Stuart Rintoul
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
April 03, 2006
HE is the most popular lord mayor in Australia. Every time his name was mentioned during the closing ceremony of Melbourne's Commonwealth Games, there was a deafening roar of approval that washed over Ron Walker, standing at the microphone, on its way to John So.
And only So. The Prime Minister, John Howard, was not cheered. The Victorian Premier, Steve Bracks, was not cheered. Walker, chairman of the Games organising committee, was not cheered. But just the mention of Son's name rocked the MCG.
The next day, as Melbourne thanked the Games volunteers, revellers stood in the street chanting "Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, So, So, So". At the Games, people wore T-shirts with the slogan "John So - he's my bro".
Two songs have been written about him already. The cleverest of them, a parody of the Aerosmith, Run-DMC hit Walk This Way has been played on the Nova 100 station in Melbourne. Called John So Way, it has So repeating: "Share your fish with everyone".
He was also profiled on New Zealand television, where the TVNZ program Close Up described him as "the mayoral equivalent of a rock star" and "as far removed from the stereotypical Australian as you could imagine". It said in a city swelling with superstars, So had emerged as a cult figure and a classic Australian success story, the immigrant made good. It said at the Games closing ceremony So overshadowed even the PM, with the crowd "just going nuts over him".
So, what it is about John So?
Walker, a former lord mayor of Melbourne, calls him (through gritted teeth, some say) "The Phenomenon". He laughs and says that every time he mentioned Son's name at the closing ceremony the response came back like "a volley of he's my hero".
But why? "I think it's the fact that he's got an infectious smile," Walker says. "He has an infectious smile and he's got an infectious laugh. It's nothing to do with him having power, because he doesn't have any power. As my wife put it, the fact is that John allows people to throw him in the air like a ball.
"And he enjoys it, because he wants to share in the fun with everybody. It makes you very popular."
By the same token, Walker, one of the hard heads of the Victorian Liberal Party, says it is "arrant nonsense" to suggest this popularity could carry him into a larger political career.
Everyone in Melbourne, it seems, is not only talking about So, and the Cult of So, but scratching their heads and trying to explain it.
Some suggest the crowd was responding to an attempt by Walker and Breaks to sideline the English-mangling mayor during the Games. Walker says he doesn't think any such attempt was made, while Bracks, who assumed the role of "chief citizen" for the purposes of the international audience, says So would not have been included in the closing ceremony at all had he not insisted.
Herald Sun columnist Jill Singer wrote that the real question was whether people were laughing with So, or at him, and suggested, cruelly, that he was the "unofficial Games mascot". "Integral to understanding the phenomenon is to recognise that it's a joke along the lines of Roy and Hg's Fatso the wombat (aka the Battlers' Prince)," she wrote. "As Fatso was to Sydney 2000, So was to Melbourne 2006."
Singer's right-wing colleague Andrew Bolt, for his part, said Melbourne's "love of So" proved, once and for all, that Australians were not racist and that by cheering So "the crowd was giving the two fingers to all those who say we should hate Asians and other races, or - more especially - that we do."
At Melbourne Town Hall, So is modest about the adulation and dismissive of the Right and Left interpretations.
If people cheered him at the opening and closing ceremonies, he says, it was because they were cheering for Melbourne. "People were having such a good time, such a fantastic time," he says.
When it is put to him that he is the nation's most popular mayor, he does not disagree, but says: "Ahhh ... I enjoy doing what I'm doing. All these years, I always work hard. Ever since I was a boy, I was brought up to try your best, whatever you're doing, and enjoy because you've only got one life."
He sits on a plush leather couch, talking and laughing in a room in which he is surrounded by the portraits of his 19th century white male and bearded predecessors. He is flushed with the success of the Games and ambitious for a city he says is growing in confidence and happiness.
He indulges questions about his popularity, but only becomes really animated when the subject turns to Melbourne which, he says, is on the verge of "a second gold rush" as it seeks to position itself as a gateway to the awakening giants of China and India.
"Our geographic distance is becoming our advantage now," he says. "We have the geographic advantage in the same time zone, we have the connections, we have the people, the knowledge, the skill and the experience. That is the future for Melbourne and the future for Australia. We have to take Melbourne to the world and bring the world to Melbourne."
Last October, So led a trade mission to China. He says the exposure the city received was phenomenal and the business connections invaluable.
An example of how large even a small slice of the Chinese pie might be, he says, can be seen in the $36 billion China is spending on infrastructure for the 2010 Asia Games in Guangzhou.
Also on that mission to Beijing and Tianjin (a Melbourne sister-city) was George Pappas, chairman of the Committee for Melbourne. "I think he's terrific," says Pappas.
"I think Melbourne is very lucky to have him as mayor."
While some of those who have accompanied So on visits to China say it has been no disadvantage having a Chinese-born mayor, Pappas says it was revealing that So applied himself to improving his Mandarin to talk to Chinese officials in their preferred language. So's mother tongue and the language he still speaks in the privacy of his home is Cantonese. He speaks Mandarin less fluently.
John Chun Sai So was born in Hong Kong in 1946. His father died when he was five. He was sent to boarding school, at a strict Catholic Salesian boys' school. He arrived in Melbourne in his late teens to complete Year 12 at University High School, leaving his mother and two brothers in Hong Kong.
He went to Melbourne University, became a science teacher and then a restaurateur, leaving behind a dream of becoming a scientist.
In 1976, he opened his first restaurant and then a chain of highly successful Dragon Boat restaurants. He advised others on how to improve their businesses, for a share of the action, leading him to being called "Mr 10 per cent". He became wealthy and a political force in Chinatown.
In what might be a metaphor for Australia's cultural evolution and his own Darwinian philosophy, he told an interviewer three years ago: "I cannot use the same old chop suey of the '60s. [When] I came here everyone going for the chop suey ... you have to change, you have to adapt."
So was elected to the Melbourne City Council in 1991, at a time when the Town Hall was known as "clown hall". He ran for office because "the city was dying".
Ten years later, in 2001, he became Melbourne's first directly elected lord mayor, defeating higher profile candidates including Australian Democrats founder Don Chipp, after all of his opponents underestimated him and gave him their preferences, while So hit the hustings.
It would be said he bought the lord mayorship, spending more than $100,000 on a publicity blitz that included flying reporters around the city in a helicopter and papering Melbourne with the slogan, "So active, So responsible, So Melbourne, Make it So".
But if there were those who begrudged him that victory, there was no denying the force of his re-election in 2004, when he faced off 20 candidates, all of whom preferenced against him, and won in a landslide with nearly 50 per cent of the primary vote.
He also saw off Peter Sheppard, a shoe retailer, who was forced out of the mayoral race in a storm of protest after saying So diction was an embarrassment, that he could hardly speak English and was "about 20 consonants short in his alphabet".
So shrugged it off, just as he had shrugged off other controversies. In 2002, he snubbed the Dalai Lama during an Australian visit, as other political leaders did, in a nod to Beijing. He gave character evidence for corrupt former immigration minister, Andrew Theophanous, the first federal MP to be convicted and jailed for corruption while in office, and said he was honoured to be asked.
In 2004, he said a rare Aboriginal possum-skin cloak, which he had been given by Aboriginal elders, would leave the Town Hall with him if he was defeated.
None of these things dented his popularity. Instead, it has grown, exponentially it would seem, until So is now viewed as an irrepressible optimist who laughs at his shortcomings, of which he is sharply aware, and opened the Big Day Out concert with the words "Let's rock".
Fox FM breakfast presenter Matt Tilley regularly impersonates So on air, making fun of his tentative grasp of the language. Rather than being offended, So invited Tilley and co-host Jo Stanley to lunch at the Town Hall. Tilley says their conversation was like something out of Get Smart.
After the Games opening ceremony, So was asked what he thought was the best part. His response was recorded in a Herald Sun column as "the tram fry" - with the punchline "Gotta love the guy".
So, is it all that hard to understand? Walking in the streets of Melbourne with John So suggests he has more celebrity than most politicians, but less probably than a Big Brother or Australian Idol contestant.
"John So, he's my bro," a young bloke calls out while his mates fall about laughing. Photographs are taken with mobile phones, hands reach out to be shaken. No one can point to anything that he has done for Melbourne, but everyone likes him: "He's just so friendly".
It is a view that spills into the letters pages of Melbourne's newspapers, where a Herald Sun reader, fed up with all the analysis of the So phenomenon, said it wasn't hard to understand at all.
"What matters is that this bloke is happy; he loves life and he appears to love Melbourne," wrote Andrew Clarke of Aspendale. "His glass is half full, or bubbling over, and that is what we like ... John So stands out in a sea of political blandness."
Wednesday, March 01, 2006
Gary 'DINO' Singer dumped Deputy In Name Only. John So demonstrates he is incapable of providing leadership
Melbourne City Council last night removed Gary Singer from his role as committee chairman and responsibility for the administration of the City Council. Herald Sun 1 March 2006
Melbourne City Council yesterday pushed though a proposed restructure of its Committee structure and representation model. The public proposals which were presented direct to Council effectively shut out the community from any comment or input. Normally any administrative proposals of this type are first considered by the Finance Administration committee where documents are published and the public invited to make submissions. The decision to consider this recommendation under general business at last nights Council committee denied community input.
John So's reshuffle failed to address the real issues of organization and the need to improve local representation .
The system adopted demonstrates Оoh So's inability to provide real leadership and organizational management. designed more to tie up Councillor time so as to limit their ability to seriously review the performance of the council administration. Under the proposal adopted by the City Council the Council administration will continue to avoid accountability and responsibility .
Each Councillor, apart from the Lord Mayor and Deputy Lord Mayor, have been allocated a portfolio of responsibility in an expanded Committee structure.
Missing is real effective local representation and community involvement of outside expert participants. With every councillor sitting on every committee there is little wonder why the City of Melbourne can not find time to seriously consider and review proposals put forwarded by the administration.
Instead of increasing the number of committees the city of Melbourne should be reducing the number of committees each councillor sits on. Instead the Council should consider adopting a model where Council delegates responsibility to outside experts, local representatives and council nominees. It is these expert committees that should be engaged in the formation and review of policy with recommendations being referred to th4 elected Council for final review and adoption. The City Council concentrating on fiscal and administrative responsibility and ensuring that the adopted representative model is working to community expectations.
In the mean time residents and ratepayers are denied effective representation. Changes to the electoral system in 2001 saw direct local representation removed. The problem is no so much to do with the electoral system but more to do with the policies of the City Council that has failed to provide an alternative effective form of representation and review in the formation of Council policies. Instead of being participants in the formation of policy community organisations are left to having to react to councils proposals with much falling though the cracks in the floor boards.
John So's restructure does nothing to reinstate local representation and community participation.
Melbourne City Council yesterday pushed though a proposed restructure of its Committee structure and representation model. The public proposals which were presented direct to Council effectively shut out the community from any comment or input. Normally any administrative proposals of this type are first considered by the Finance Administration committee where documents are published and the public invited to make submissions. The decision to consider this recommendation under general business at last nights Council committee denied community input.
John So's reshuffle failed to address the real issues of organization and the need to improve local representation .
The system adopted demonstrates Оoh So's inability to provide real leadership and organizational management. designed more to tie up Councillor time so as to limit their ability to seriously review the performance of the council administration. Under the proposal adopted by the City Council the Council administration will continue to avoid accountability and responsibility .
Each Councillor, apart from the Lord Mayor and Deputy Lord Mayor, have been allocated a portfolio of responsibility in an expanded Committee structure.
Missing is real effective local representation and community involvement of outside expert participants. With every councillor sitting on every committee there is little wonder why the City of Melbourne can not find time to seriously consider and review proposals put forwarded by the administration.
Instead of increasing the number of committees the city of Melbourne should be reducing the number of committees each councillor sits on. Instead the Council should consider adopting a model where Council delegates responsibility to outside experts, local representatives and council nominees. It is these expert committees that should be engaged in the formation and review of policy with recommendations being referred to th4 elected Council for final review and adoption. The City Council concentrating on fiscal and administrative responsibility and ensuring that the adopted representative model is working to community expectations.
In the mean time residents and ratepayers are denied effective representation. Changes to the electoral system in 2001 saw direct local representation removed. The problem is no so much to do with the electoral system but more to do with the policies of the City Council that has failed to provide an alternative effective form of representation and review in the formation of Council policies. Instead of being participants in the formation of policy community organisations are left to having to react to councils proposals with much falling though the cracks in the floor boards.
John So's restructure does nothing to reinstate local representation and community participation.
Friday, February 17, 2006
Beyond the Law Singer again in the media spotlight this time over planning breaches
Melbourne City Council's Deputy Lord Mayor, Garry Singer, is again in the media spotlight following revelations that he and a company he works for breached local planning laws and commenced building without a planning permit.
Herald-Sun Friday Feb 17, 2006
More and more information comes to light that indicates that John So had made a serious error of judgment when he selected Gary Singer to be his no 2. Most people close to the City Council are of the belief that Gary Singer should resign and Catherine NG take over as John So's Deputy. The problem is if Singer does resign, under the rules established by the State Government, the Melbourne City Council would have to hold a City wide by-election to replace Singer if he stood down. Costing the City 100's of thousands of dollars. Garry Singer effectively is holding the City Council to ransom.
Clearly something has to be done. The State Government against all advice opted for a direct election system but in doing so failed to properly consider issues related to filling any casual vacancies. Under the current rules if Singer resigns within 6 months of the next election the City Council can elect a a fellow councilor to fill any vacancy in the Deputy Lord Mayor's position but if the position is made vacant before 6 month then a by-elections has to be held.
The system of filling casual vacancies need review and changing. It is incumbent on Local Government Minister, Candy Broad, to change the City of Melbourne Act to permit the City Council to appoint a replacement. Failing that the Direct election system should be abandoned.
The Herald Sun reports "Cr Singer last year pleaded guilty to financial misconduct as a solicitor.
He admitted to withholding 116 cheques totaling $154,000, some for up to five years. The money should have been paid to barrister and professional witnesses. The Legal Profession Tribunal fined Cr Singer $10,000 with $8000 costs.
In 1999, he was found guilty of professional misconduct for "grossly excessive" overcharging of a client involved in a personal injuries case.
The latest revelations raise more doubts as to his suitability to remain in office.
Herald-Sun Friday Feb 17, 2006
More and more information comes to light that indicates that John So had made a serious error of judgment when he selected Gary Singer to be his no 2. Most people close to the City Council are of the belief that Gary Singer should resign and Catherine NG take over as John So's Deputy. The problem is if Singer does resign, under the rules established by the State Government, the Melbourne City Council would have to hold a City wide by-election to replace Singer if he stood down. Costing the City 100's of thousands of dollars. Garry Singer effectively is holding the City Council to ransom.
Clearly something has to be done. The State Government against all advice opted for a direct election system but in doing so failed to properly consider issues related to filling any casual vacancies. Under the current rules if Singer resigns within 6 months of the next election the City Council can elect a a fellow councilor to fill any vacancy in the Deputy Lord Mayor's position but if the position is made vacant before 6 month then a by-elections has to be held.
The system of filling casual vacancies need review and changing. It is incumbent on Local Government Minister, Candy Broad, to change the City of Melbourne Act to permit the City Council to appoint a replacement. Failing that the Direct election system should be abandoned.
The Herald Sun reports "Cr Singer last year pleaded guilty to financial misconduct as a solicitor.
He admitted to withholding 116 cheques totaling $154,000, some for up to five years. The money should have been paid to barrister and professional witnesses. The Legal Profession Tribunal fined Cr Singer $10,000 with $8000 costs.
In 1999, he was found guilty of professional misconduct for "grossly excessive" overcharging of a client involved in a personal injuries case.
The latest revelations raise more doubts as to his suitability to remain in office.
Friday, February 03, 2006
Singer's expensive travel billDeputy Lord Mayor spends up big on entertainment, overseas and interstate travel - Information revealed yesterday
Singer's $36,000 travel bill
Herald Sun by Jen Kelly 03feb06 (Printed in full below)
GARY Singer's globetrotting costs have been exposed in full with documents revealing $36,563 spent on junkets in only seven months.
The Deputy Lord Mayor enjoyed at least five jaunts from April to October last year.
Documents dumped on the City of Melbourne website last night also show ratepayers spent almost $400,000 for trips by councillors and staff in the year to December 1.
Cr Singer travelled to Milan, Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Perth, Canberra and Sydney.
In all, Melbourne's nine councillors spent $85,611 on junkets from February to October last year. But the greatest costs to ratepayers were trips by staff and directors, hidden until last night, including:
A $16,029 11-day trip for a council worker to London, Paris, New York and Birmingham as part of a "global retail study tour".
A $21,827 15-day trip for a staff member for a trade alliance in the US and "study tour" in Ireland.
A $16,163 19-day trip to London and Ireland in June and a $14,709 seven-day trip to the Montreal World Swimming Championships in July for the marketing director.
Separate documents released this week reveal the nine councillors notched up $140,000 in expenses in the 13 months since their election -- with Cr Singer by far the biggest spender.
The part-time deputy cost ratepayers $42,000 in expenses including travel. The hefty bill does not include Cr Singer's $45,000 annual allowance.
Council critic Anthony van der Craats said Lord Mayor John So and Cr Singer were set to break the previous council's record as the most expensive and highly travelled councillors in the state.
"The Lord Mayor and his deputy have already spent in their first year more then half of what was spent during the full term of the previous council," he said.
Cr Singer last night defended the spending. "Councillors incur expenses in discharging their responsibilities and they are entitled to be reimbursed for these expenses," he said in a statement. "My objective is to work in the best interests of Melbourne."
Herald Sun by Jen Kelly 03feb06 (Printed in full below)
GARY Singer's globetrotting costs have been exposed in full with documents revealing $36,563 spent on junkets in only seven months.
The Deputy Lord Mayor enjoyed at least five jaunts from April to October last year.
Documents dumped on the City of Melbourne website last night also show ratepayers spent almost $400,000 for trips by councillors and staff in the year to December 1.
Cr Singer travelled to Milan, Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Perth, Canberra and Sydney.
In all, Melbourne's nine councillors spent $85,611 on junkets from February to October last year. But the greatest costs to ratepayers were trips by staff and directors, hidden until last night, including:
A $16,029 11-day trip for a council worker to London, Paris, New York and Birmingham as part of a "global retail study tour".
A $21,827 15-day trip for a staff member for a trade alliance in the US and "study tour" in Ireland.
A $16,163 19-day trip to London and Ireland in June and a $14,709 seven-day trip to the Montreal World Swimming Championships in July for the marketing director.
Separate documents released this week reveal the nine councillors notched up $140,000 in expenses in the 13 months since their election -- with Cr Singer by far the biggest spender.
The part-time deputy cost ratepayers $42,000 in expenses including travel. The hefty bill does not include Cr Singer's $45,000 annual allowance.
Council critic Anthony van der Craats said Lord Mayor John So and Cr Singer were set to break the previous council's record as the most expensive and highly travelled councillors in the state.
"The Lord Mayor and his deputy have already spent in their first year more then half of what was spent during the full term of the previous council," he said.
Cr Singer last night defended the spending. "Councillors incur expenses in discharging their responsibilities and they are entitled to be reimbursed for these expenses," he said in a statement. "My objective is to work in the best interests of Melbourne."
Thursday, February 02, 2006
Singer's World Tour Deputy Lord Mayor's first year in office breaks box office travel records by 150% making him the most expensive Councillor
Preliminary analysis of the Melbourne City Councilor's published expense statements show that John So, Lord Mayor, and Gary Singer, Deputy Lord Mayor, are set to break the previous Councils record of being the most expensive highly travelled Councillors in then State.
The Lord Mayor and his Deputy have already spent in their first year more then half of what was spent during the full term of the previous Council. If this keeps up they will most certainly become the leaders of leaders in who can spend the most whilst traveling overseas on the ratepayers tab, breaking all office records.
We have seen the trailers and are now waiting for the final cut.
We are still waiting for the Council to publish the Council's Travel Register (We are told it will be published today) When they do we can analyse further the full extent and cost of Council's overseas junkets and discuss the benefits. (The Travel Register includes staff travel and unlike the Councillor Expense Statements provides a cost break down per trip.)
Most trips (if not all) have been to China. We hope to see the Directors cut and not that of the City Censor.
Current Council's expenses for their first year in office
Previous Council's expenses over three years five months period
Note: Missing from the previous Council's expense statements is over $8,000.00 attributed to Cr Anthony Nicholson's St. Petersburg 'Mid Summer Tour' - unaccounted for and not included in the published expense statements. We identified this problem and although the Council had paid-out this money it still is not listed in the published Councillor Expenses, WHY?
The Lord Mayor and his Deputy have already spent in their first year more then half of what was spent during the full term of the previous Council. If this keeps up they will most certainly become the leaders of leaders in who can spend the most whilst traveling overseas on the ratepayers tab, breaking all office records.
We have seen the trailers and are now waiting for the final cut.
We are still waiting for the Council to publish the Council's Travel Register (We are told it will be published today) When they do we can analyse further the full extent and cost of Council's overseas junkets and discuss the benefits. (The Travel Register includes staff travel and unlike the Councillor Expense Statements provides a cost break down per trip.)
Most trips (if not all) have been to China. We hope to see the Directors cut and not that of the City Censor.
- We will provide you with a detailed break down of the most sort after destinations, department by department and the full costs.
- We hope to go behind the scenes and discover who's been where and with whom?
- Answers to burning questions like "Did Bamboo Rob visit Italy again?"
- Which member of staff was the lucky winner of the round the world tour last year.
We hope it has not been censored and that the data is in full and complete. We will compare it with the previous data and note the changes.
This and hopefully more when the Council administration finaly release the details of the Travel Register.
- The Travel Register that they did not want you to see.
- The Travel Register that was withdrawn from public view in the middle of the night on Christmas eve 2004.
- The Travel Register that the administration had spent 10's of thousands of dollars of ratepayers money trying to avoiding disclosure and publication. (Alison Lyon worked day and night trying to prevent its public release)
- Attempts to discredit the reviewers, they tried to shoot the watch-dog and conspired to pervert the course of justice in what was considered by some to be the biggest conspiracy scandel to hit Clown Hall since water-gate.
Yes the big day is expected today!
Current Council's expenses for their first year in office
Previous Council's expenses over three years five months period
Note: Missing from the previous Council's expense statements is over $8,000.00 attributed to Cr Anthony Nicholson's St. Petersburg 'Mid Summer Tour' - unaccounted for and not included in the published expense statements. We identified this problem and although the Council had paid-out this money it still is not listed in the published Councillor Expenses, WHY? We call on the Council auditors to provide an explanation, its been well over two years and surely money paid-out is an expense and not dependant on Cr Nicholson providing receipts. If no answers are received soon we will ask the State Auditor General's department to investigate.
The published expense statements do not list:
- the costs associated with the Lord Mayor and Deputy Lord Mayor's Limousines.
- allowances paid to the Lord Mayor ($380,000), Deputy Lord Mayor ($155,454 ) and Councillors ($68,363)
- internal catering (estimated to be worth over $750,000)
- Other costs have been hidden and attributed to other budget items and not disclosed.
Wednesday, February 01, 2006
So what's upCatherine Ng and John So in disagreement with support growing for Catherine Ng to take over the role of Deputy
Information from our elves in the Council's Governance department tell us that there is a serious split in the So team with Catherine Ng of the view that Garry Singer should go and that she should become John So's Deputy Lord Mayor. Catherine Ng is so furious it's reported that she is hardly speaking to the Lord Mayor at present.
Whilst we have some reservations about Catherine Ng, her policies and actions, we recognise that Catherine Ng would make a better Deputy then Garry Singer. Catherine Ng was elected as John So's Lead Candidate on his teams ticket.
Garry Singer who was recently found guilty of professional negligence and fined by the Law Institute continues to bring the City Council into disrepute with an overal loss of confidence in his role as Deputy Lord Mayor. He has failed to live up to expectations and is often criticized by the other Councillors of not pulling his weight around the chamber. We understand if a vote of confidence was put before the City Council, Garry Singer would lose the vote.
The problem is if Gary Singer resigns the City of Melbourne will be required to hold a by-election to replace him, costing the City Council up to One Million Dollars.
This is a serious problem with the direct election model - one that the State Government failed to address when drafting its legislation.
If you have a dud elected for Lord Mayor or Deputy Lord Mayor, and for what ever reason Tweedle Dum or Tweedle Dee resign, under the current legislation the City Council has to hold a City wide election at great expense to the ratepayers.
We believe this is the reason why John So (as reported in the Herald-Sun) wants to restructure Councillor portfolio's so that Garry Singer will effectively become Deputy In Name Only (or DINO as he has now become to be known) Other Councillors are not so sure or supportive of John's idea.
Under John So's plan Cr Singer will have no responsibilities other then what he wants to do so long as he does not cause further trouble he can continue working the cocktail circuit and cashing on the City Council's invitations to Arts, Sporting events and the occasional delegation and trip interstate and overseas.
Clearly the Government must do something. Victoria's Local Government Minister,Candy Broad, must review the City of Melbourne Act and change it so that any vacancy in the Lord Mayor or Deputy Lord Mayor's positions can be filled by a vote of the remaining elected Councillors with a count-back of the original vote recorded at the General Election to determine who should fill the vacant Councillor position. This was the procedure before but now only applies to vacancies that occure within the last six months of the Council's term of office.
Whilst we have some reservations about Catherine Ng, her policies and actions, we recognise that Catherine Ng would make a better Deputy then Garry Singer. Catherine Ng was elected as John So's Lead Candidate on his teams ticket.Garry Singer who was recently found guilty of professional negligence and fined by the Law Institute continues to bring the City Council into disrepute with an overal loss of confidence in his role as Deputy Lord Mayor. He has failed to live up to expectations and is often criticized by the other Councillors of not pulling his weight around the chamber. We understand if a vote of confidence was put before the City Council, Garry Singer would lose the vote.
The problem is if Gary Singer resigns the City of Melbourne will be required to hold a by-election to replace him, costing the City Council up to One Million Dollars.
This is a serious problem with the direct election model - one that the State Government failed to address when drafting its legislation.
If you have a dud elected for Lord Mayor or Deputy Lord Mayor, and for what ever reason Tweedle Dum or Tweedle Dee resign, under the current legislation the City Council has to hold a City wide election at great expense to the ratepayers.
We believe this is the reason why John So (as reported in the Herald-Sun) wants to restructure Councillor portfolio's so that Garry Singer will effectively become Deputy In Name Only (or DINO as he has now become to be known) Other Councillors are not so sure or supportive of John's idea.
Under John So's plan Cr Singer will have no responsibilities other then what he wants to do so long as he does not cause further trouble he can continue working the cocktail circuit and cashing on the City Council's invitations to Arts, Sporting events and the occasional delegation and trip interstate and overseas.
Clearly the Government must do something. Victoria's Local Government Minister,Candy Broad, must review the City of Melbourne Act and change it so that any vacancy in the Lord Mayor or Deputy Lord Mayor's positions can be filled by a vote of the remaining elected Councillors with a count-back of the original vote recorded at the General Election to determine who should fill the vacant Councillor position. This was the procedure before but now only applies to vacancies that occure within the last six months of the Council's term of office.
Thursday, January 26, 2006
Deputy In Name Only (DINO) explainedCouncil held to ransom: Deputy Lord Mayor's resignation would cost the City up to $1million
Deputy Lord Mayor holds the City Council and State Government to ransom with the cost of a by-election costing the City Council up to one million dollars
The Melbourne City Council has failed to pass a vote of confidence in the Deputy Lord Mayor. Gary Singer, following revelations of professional misconduct and the appointment of the Deputy Lord Mayor's personal partner to a Council funded Arts position.
Under current legislation if Melbourne's Lord Mayor or Deputy Lord Mayor resigns more then six months before the next scheduled general election (due in November 2008) then the City of Melbourne must conduct a by-election costing ratepayers up to a Million dollars.
This must bear heavily on the minds of the State Government and our City Councillors who have failed to pass a vote of confidence in the Deputy Lord Mayor, Gary Singer.
Our City Councillors are faced with a dilemma. If they express a vote of no-confidence in the Deputy Lord Mayor and he resigns then the City Council will have to foot the bill of a new election. It would be cheaper for the Lord Mayor and Councillors to allow the Deputy Lord Mayor to retain his position, in name alone, and do nothing.
This would explain a lot of what's possibly going on with the proposed restructure recently reported in the Herald-Sun. (see previous posts)
Under current the provisions of the Local Government Act/City of Melbourne Act, if the office of Deputy Lord Mayor becomes vacant within six months before a general election then the City Council can elect one of their own to fill the vacancy and a count-back of the votes cast at the original election would determine who would fill the position of Councillor selected to become Deputy Lord Mayor. (In the case of a vacancy the in the office of Lord Mayor the Deputy Lord Mayor would assume office - It is unclear what the process would be if both Deputy and Lord Mayor resign simultaneously).
The rules related to the filling casual vacancies via a count-back of the original ballot maintain the democratic proportional representation of the Council and avoid the need for and associated costs of holding a by-election. There is no reason why these rules can not and should not apply to all casual vacancies and not just vacancies that occur within six months. (It should be noted that the count-back provisions are rather convoluted as there are two different options that can be chosen and each option can and will produce a different outcome - more on that latter)
What price do you put on democracy?
What happens if the Deputy Lord Mayor or Lord Mayor are hit by a buss, suffer an unfortunate accident or can no longer continue to fulfill their elected responsibilities. What happens if the elected Council pass a vote of no-confidence in the Lord Mayor or Deputy Lord Mayor?
The cost of holding a by-election weighs heavily on the deliberations of the City Council which is being held to ransom. It would be cheaper and more convenient to allow the person to remain in the position without any responsibility. They would continue in remain there in name alone, eligible to receive payment of allowance and other benefits.
The method of filling casual vacancies in city wide or multi-member electorates MUST be reviewed.
The City Council should not be held to ransom by a person who has lost the confidence of the elected Council or be burdened by the costs involved in the conduct of a by-election should that person resign.
The responsibility for this situation lies with the State Government who must now review the Local Government Act in respect to casual vacancies.
The State Government must act and review the whole system of filling casual vacancies as well as the model of direct election of Lord Mayor and Deputy Lord Mayor. The Lord Mayor and Deputy Lord Mayor must at all times maintain the confidence of the elected Council. State government legislation must address situations where the Council nolonger has confidence in it's Mayor.
The alternative method of filling casual vacancies via a count-back system, as currently exists in legislation related to casual vacancies that fall within six months of an general election, should be extended and apply to all casual vacancies that occur during the term of office of the elected Council.
City of Melbourne Act
Section 24. Filling of vacancies
(1) If the office of Lord Mayor or Deputy Lord Mayor
becomes vacant 6 months or more before a
general election is due, an election to fill the
vacancy must be held on a Saturday to be
appointed by the Chief Executive Officer that is
not later than the 100th day after the vacancy
arises.
(2) If the office of Lord Mayor or Deputy Lord Mayor
becomes vacant less than 6 months before a
general election is due, it is not necessary to hold
an election to fill the vacancy.
(3) In the circumstances specified in sub-section (2)—
(a) if the office of the Lord Mayor becomes
vacant, the Deputy Lord Mayor becomes the
Lord Mayor on the passing of a resolution by
the Council that an election to fill the
vacancy not be held; and
(b) if the office of the Deputy Lord Mayor
becomes vacant, the Council may appoint a
Councillor to fill the vacancy; and
(c) if the Council does so, the subsequent
vacancy in the office of the Councillor
appointed is to be filled in accordance with
Schedule 3A and section 37A(4) of the
Local Government Act 1989.
The Melbourne City Council has failed to pass a vote of confidence in the Deputy Lord Mayor. Gary Singer, following revelations of professional misconduct and the appointment of the Deputy Lord Mayor's personal partner to a Council funded Arts position.
Under current legislation if Melbourne's Lord Mayor or Deputy Lord Mayor resigns more then six months before the next scheduled general election (due in November 2008) then the City of Melbourne must conduct a by-election costing ratepayers up to a Million dollars.
This must bear heavily on the minds of the State Government and our City Councillors who have failed to pass a vote of confidence in the Deputy Lord Mayor, Gary Singer.
Our City Councillors are faced with a dilemma. If they express a vote of no-confidence in the Deputy Lord Mayor and he resigns then the City Council will have to foot the bill of a new election. It would be cheaper for the Lord Mayor and Councillors to allow the Deputy Lord Mayor to retain his position, in name alone, and do nothing.
This would explain a lot of what's possibly going on with the proposed restructure recently reported in the Herald-Sun. (see previous posts)
Under current the provisions of the Local Government Act/City of Melbourne Act, if the office of Deputy Lord Mayor becomes vacant within six months before a general election then the City Council can elect one of their own to fill the vacancy and a count-back of the votes cast at the original election would determine who would fill the position of Councillor selected to become Deputy Lord Mayor. (In the case of a vacancy the in the office of Lord Mayor the Deputy Lord Mayor would assume office - It is unclear what the process would be if both Deputy and Lord Mayor resign simultaneously).
The rules related to the filling casual vacancies via a count-back of the original ballot maintain the democratic proportional representation of the Council and avoid the need for and associated costs of holding a by-election. There is no reason why these rules can not and should not apply to all casual vacancies and not just vacancies that occur within six months. (It should be noted that the count-back provisions are rather convoluted as there are two different options that can be chosen and each option can and will produce a different outcome - more on that latter)
What price do you put on democracy?
What happens if the Deputy Lord Mayor or Lord Mayor are hit by a buss, suffer an unfortunate accident or can no longer continue to fulfill their elected responsibilities. What happens if the elected Council pass a vote of no-confidence in the Lord Mayor or Deputy Lord Mayor?
The cost of holding a by-election weighs heavily on the deliberations of the City Council which is being held to ransom. It would be cheaper and more convenient to allow the person to remain in the position without any responsibility. They would continue in remain there in name alone, eligible to receive payment of allowance and other benefits.
The method of filling casual vacancies in city wide or multi-member electorates MUST be reviewed.
The City Council should not be held to ransom by a person who has lost the confidence of the elected Council or be burdened by the costs involved in the conduct of a by-election should that person resign.
The responsibility for this situation lies with the State Government who must now review the Local Government Act in respect to casual vacancies.
The State Government must act and review the whole system of filling casual vacancies as well as the model of direct election of Lord Mayor and Deputy Lord Mayor. The Lord Mayor and Deputy Lord Mayor must at all times maintain the confidence of the elected Council. State government legislation must address situations where the Council nolonger has confidence in it's Mayor.
The alternative method of filling casual vacancies via a count-back system, as currently exists in legislation related to casual vacancies that fall within six months of an general election, should be extended and apply to all casual vacancies that occur during the term of office of the elected Council.
City of Melbourne Act
Section 24. Filling of vacancies
(1) If the office of Lord Mayor or Deputy Lord Mayor
becomes vacant 6 months or more before a
general election is due, an election to fill the
vacancy must be held on a Saturday to be
appointed by the Chief Executive Officer that is
not later than the 100th day after the vacancy
arises.
(2) If the office of Lord Mayor or Deputy Lord Mayor
becomes vacant less than 6 months before a
general election is due, it is not necessary to hold
an election to fill the vacancy.
(3) In the circumstances specified in sub-section (2)—
(a) if the office of the Lord Mayor becomes
vacant, the Deputy Lord Mayor becomes the
Lord Mayor on the passing of a resolution by
the Council that an election to fill the
vacancy not be held; and
(b) if the office of the Deputy Lord Mayor
becomes vacant, the Council may appoint a
Councillor to fill the vacancy; and
(c) if the Council does so, the subsequent
vacancy in the office of the Councillor
appointed is to be filled in accordance with
Schedule 3A and section 37A(4) of the
Local Government Act 1989.
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
Cast of actors change roles as Singer side lined to the back stageCity Council and Lord Mayor's office in crisis. Singer must resign
Melbourne's Lord Mayor, John So, not to be outdone by our prime-minister, jumps on the band wagon and seeks to reshuffle the lead actors of the pantomime - relegating Singer into a "do nothing" understudy role.
Herald Sun: Singer roles go in revamp [25jan06]
The Herald-Sun has broken the news confirming information provided to us late last week from our sources within the Council governance department.
John So's reshuffle follows on from recent revelations of Cr. Gary Singer's professional mismanagement, resulting in at least two jurisdictions expressing concern about his professional practice, and questions surrounding allegations of favouritism in the appointment of his personal partner to a Council funded Arts position.
The restructure announced by the Lord Mayor can only be seen as a vote of no confidence and acknowledgement that the Lord Mayor's choice of Deputy was a mistake. This is not the first time John So has had to distance himself from his choice of Deputy raising further concern about So's ability to provide overall leadership to the City Council.
No care, no responsibility on full pay and benefits.
Cr Singer, who receives twice the allowance of other Councillors, will now do less then half the work but will still continue to receive his allowance and benefits associated with his position as Deputy Lord Mayor. Councillor Singer continues to benefit from lurks and perks of the Deputy Lord Mayor Office, including an "all expenses paid" Council funded self-drive limousine, private office and secretarial support staff. Melbourne's Deputy Lord Mayor is now a position with title but no responsibility.
This is unacceptable.
In the absence of a vote of confidence Councillor Singer MUST resign from the Council and a replacement found.
Herald Sun: Singer roles go in revamp [25jan06]
The Herald-Sun has broken the news confirming information provided to us late last week from our sources within the Council governance department.
John So's reshuffle follows on from recent revelations of Cr. Gary Singer's professional mismanagement, resulting in at least two jurisdictions expressing concern about his professional practice, and questions surrounding allegations of favouritism in the appointment of his personal partner to a Council funded Arts position.
The restructure announced by the Lord Mayor can only be seen as a vote of no confidence and acknowledgement that the Lord Mayor's choice of Deputy was a mistake. This is not the first time John So has had to distance himself from his choice of Deputy raising further concern about So's ability to provide overall leadership to the City Council.
No care, no responsibility on full pay and benefits.
Cr Singer, who receives twice the allowance of other Councillors, will now do less then half the work but will still continue to receive his allowance and benefits associated with his position as Deputy Lord Mayor. Councillor Singer continues to benefit from lurks and perks of the Deputy Lord Mayor Office, including an "all expenses paid" Council funded self-drive limousine, private office and secretarial support staff. Melbourne's Deputy Lord Mayor is now a position with title but no responsibility.
This is unacceptable.
In the absence of a vote of confidence Councillor Singer MUST resign from the Council and a replacement found.
Saturday, January 07, 2006
Singers professional standing back in the spotlightCouncil fails to express confidence as Singer's repertoire brings City into disrepute
Gary Singer, Deputy Lord Mayor of Melbourne is once again the subject of reports and revelations about misconduct and poor professional standing.
Herald Sun: New cloud over deputy mayor's firm [07jan06]
The Herald Sun has outed Cr Singers legal firm who was de-registered and removed from the list of practicing solicitors in Tasmania following a damming report from the legal professions watchdog to the State Parliament
This comes on top of previous criticism that Councillor Singer had appointed his personal partner and friend to overseas and create a City Art Bank and controversy over Council funded travel and entertainment for Cr Singer and his partner. Something that's still has not been properly explained and smells of Jobs for the boys. It is still unclear what process and terms of conditions the appointment was made.
Cr Singer last year was also the subject of a review by the Victorian Law Society were he was found guilty of professional misconduct for withholding funds and payments held in trust.
Cr Singer is chairman of the City Council's audit committee and revelations about Cr Singer's professional standing gave cause for concern and calls for from having any responsibility related to the City's financial management. Link to Singers performace record
The Melbourne City Council, prior to Christmas, failed to consider or pass a vote of confidence in Cr Singer bringing into further disrepute John So's leadership and choice of deputy.
Herald Sun: New cloud over deputy mayor's firm [07jan06]
The Herald Sun has outed Cr Singers legal firm who was de-registered and removed from the list of practicing solicitors in Tasmania following a damming report from the legal professions watchdog to the State Parliament
This comes on top of previous criticism that Councillor Singer had appointed his personal partner and friend to overseas and create a City Art Bank and controversy over Council funded travel and entertainment for Cr Singer and his partner. Something that's still has not been properly explained and smells of Jobs for the boys. It is still unclear what process and terms of conditions the appointment was made.
Cr Singer last year was also the subject of a review by the Victorian Law Society were he was found guilty of professional misconduct for withholding funds and payments held in trust.
Cr Singer is chairman of the City Council's audit committee and revelations about Cr Singer's professional standing gave cause for concern and calls for from having any responsibility related to the City's financial management. Link to Singers performace record
The Melbourne City Council, prior to Christmas, failed to consider or pass a vote of confidence in Cr Singer bringing into further disrepute John So's leadership and choice of deputy.
Wednesday, November 23, 2005
No vote of confidence in Singer's performance
Melbourne City Council fails to express confidence in it's Deputy Lord Mayor amidst new allegations of wrong doingWhilst the Lord Mayor, John So, seeks advice from Victorian State Government - Local Government Minister, Candy Broad, about Cr Singer's position, the Council puts on hold the fate of the off-key DLM Singer.
Link to original story in Melbourne's Herald-Sun
It's not a question of if Gary Singer has breached the Local Government Act as a result of his professional financial mismanagement, he has not, it is a question of good governance and confidence in his ability to remain as chairman of the City Council's finance committee.
It's up to the elected Council to judge Singer's performance, not Candy Broad. It is the elected Council that appointed him to it's finance, audit and investment committees and it is their decision if he is allowed to continue in that role given he has now been found guilty of professional financial mismanagement.
The question that needs to be ask is "what's in the best interest of the City as a whole?" There is no doubt that Singer's decline in his professional standing has brought the reputation of not only himself by also the City of Melbourne into question.
The Melbourne City Council can not sack Cr Singer from his position of Deputy Lord Mayor. He was directly elected along with the Lord Mayor Cr John So. This is one of the identified problems associated with the direct-election model. But the Melbourne City Council can and should decide his fate as chairman of the Council's Finance, Audit and Investment Committees.
Already two City Councillors, Cr Peter Clark and Cr Faser Brindely, have spoken out and called for Singer to stand down and hand over his position of chairman of the Council's Committees to his understudies.
Committee chairmanship come-up for review next month marking the first-year anniversary of the current elected Council.
New allegations of mismanagement in relation to superannuation payments, that have just emerged, bring in to further contention John So's choice of his deputy and Cr. Singer's suitability to remain in the Finance position.
Link to original story in Melbourne's Herald-Sun
If John So and Cr Singer will not act to protect the reputation and interest of the City Council then the onus is on the City Council. They have an obligation, right and duty to act.
The Council must now consider a vote of confidence in the Deputy Lord Mayor.
Cr Singer must demonstrate that he has the full confidence of the City Council or resign.This is not a question that can be left unaddressed by taking no-action, as is the normal practice of the City Council, doing nothing will not resolve the situation or instill public confidence in the Melbourne City Council's administration and governance.
Anthony van der Craats
Tuesday, November 22, 2005
Singer called to vacate the stage or face the chorus
There is ongoing concern related to the corporate governance of the City Council.
Recent reports in Melbourne's Herald-sun concerning the breach of public trust arising from the professional responsibilities of Cr Singer, Deputy Lord Mayor.
Link to article on the Herald-Sun Online
Cr Singer is an officer of the court and also holds a position of importance and responsibility for the administration and finance of the City Council.
Failure to inform the City Council and the lord Mayor of the allegations against him as soon as he became aware of them is a breach of the standards and principles of good governance and undermines overall public confidence in the City Council.
As chairman of the Council's Finance, Corporate Services and Governance Committee he has failed to address ongoing community concerns related the level of Council's overseas and interstate travel expenditure.
He has remained silent and complacent in not ensuring that the City Council's Travel Register is publicly available and published on the Council's internet site.
The Travel register is a public document and was previously published on the Councils Internet site but was removed when the new Council took office.
There is no justification for the City Council to withhold this information from public view unless there is a deliberate attempt to avoid disclosure and accountability.
Cr Singer has also failed to respond to question related to the benefits provided to City Councillors and its officers
The cost of the vehicles provided by the City Council to the Lord Mayor and Deputy Lord Mayor and expenditure in relation to in-house catering provided by the City of Melbourne are not disclosed on the published Councillor Expense Statements.
There are outstanding questions related to the liability of the City Council in respect to the payment of Fringe Benefits and GST tax on the benefits provided.
All of which Cr Singer is responsible for as Chairman of the Council's Finance Committee.
It is now incumbent on the Lord Mayor John So to request Cr Singer to resign as Chairman of the Council's Finance committee. Failing action by the Lord Mayor the it is the responsibility of elected Council to consider a vote of no confidence
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