VEC avoids accountability and disclosure Detailed results of the State Election missing

The Victorian Electoral Commission has responded to our Freedom of Information request seeking copies of the "below-the-line-preference" data files, summary reports and additional information. Information was sent by the Victorian Electoral Commission to the wrong address and not the contact information outline in the Freedom of Information application.

The Victorian Electoral Commission in administering the FOI request has possible breached the provisions of the Victorian Electoral Act and or Privacy Act. A complaint associated with the Victorian Electoral Commissions handling of the application has been forwarded tho The Victorian Privacy Commission for consideration and review.

Access to the information requested is still outstanding.

The Victorian Electoral Commission went to extra-ordinary length and considerable expense in printing out in hard copy most of the information that was provide as opposed to just copying the information and forwarding it in electronic format. Why? we fail to understand but I am sure a few more trees died in vein as a result. We accept no responsibility for the VEC actions in this respect as we had anticipated and expected that the information would be provided in electronic format. Some people would be forgiven in thinking that the VEC provided the information in hard copy format in order to prevent its distribution, collation and data analysis. That might not be far off the mark. It is difficult to say but efficient and cost saving it was not. As the information was sent to the wrong address we have requested that the VEC re-forward copies of their response in electronic format this time. Saving time and money.

The Victorian Electoral Commission had responded to the FOI request in part only they failed to provided copies of all the information requested.

Missing are:

1. Copies of the below the line data preference data files as requested - No response given.

Copies of below the line preference data was provided free of charge during the 1999, 2002 an 2004 Melbourne City Council Elections. This information is readily available and would be no more then 1mb for each electorate and would take approx. 2 mins to copy per file and this information should be published on the Victorian Electoral Commission's web site.

Without access to the below the line data files it is impossible to effectively scrutinise of verify the results of the election.

The below the line preference data is a public document and precedence has been set in a ruling of the Victorian Civil Appeals Tribunal requiring that this information be made available.


2. Copies of all summary count sheets. (Although this information has been obtained via a third party - copies published on my web site http://melbcity.topcities.com/) Missing from the VEC responce data are copies of the summary distribution report of the preliminary count.

3. Copies of polling centers return summary results information for the legilsative Council (Upper-house) - similar information detailing polling place results in relation to lower house electorates was published by the VEC on their Internet web site.

The Victorian electoral commission has claimed that the cost of providing this information would be in excess of $600.00 which is very dubious and highly questionable.

The information is stored in electronic format and the cost of copying that information would be less then $2.00.

Polling place data for the Legislative Council is normally available and published on election night and updated through the count.

In the 2006 State Election the Victorian Electoral Commission failed to make this information available instead they only provided an electorate wide summary only. (The AEC provides senate results statistics broken down to polling places)

Access to the polling place summary data is fundamental in providing a check and balance as to the number of ballot papers issued and returned.

There were a number of substantial errors recorded during the conduct of the count of the Victorian State Election that had this information been readily available could have and should have been avoided. A quick summary of the polling place returns should have altered the Victorian Electoral Commission that a number of ballot papers had been missing or overstated prior to the distribution of any preferences. This information is still outstanding.

4. The Victorian Electoral Commission has provided limited information on the certification of software used to conduct the Victorian State Election count. Copies of certification certificates have been provided (but not yet received - due to the VEC mistake in addressing their response) for the electronic 'Kiosk' voting centres and the algorithm used in the calculation of the proportional representation results.

Missing is the detailed supporting certification documentation, reports and certification of the actual software related to the data-entry, front end, data storage and reporting software that utilises the algorithm used. Either the software used by the Victorian Electoral Commission has not been fully certified of the Victorian Electoral Commission has withheld access to this information.

In summary

The Victorian Electoral Commission again is seeking to avoid open and public disclose of the detailed results of the 2006 Victorian State Election.

A number of serious errors in the counting of the election have occurred and questions related to the discrepancy in the number of total votes record between the preliminary count and the recount in Western Metropolitan region have north been fully explained or verifiable based on the public documentation provided.

We are informed that copies of the below the line data files were not made available to scrutineers.

There is a discrepancy of over 450 ballot papers between the preliminary count and the recount. Without access to the polling place return data and the below the line preference data files, as requested, it is impossible to verify the results of the election .

It is fundamental that our public elections are open and transparent and subject to independent review and analysis.

With the utilisation of electronic computer based technology all relevant information and data files must be readily available to scrutineers and the public.

One can only ask

"WHY IS THE VICTORIAN ELECTORAL COMMISSION RELUCTANT TO MAKE THIS INFORMATION AVAILABLE THAT THEY ARE PREPARED TO GO TO SUCH EXTENTS TO AVOID DISCLOSURE AND ACCOUNTABILITY".

The actions of the Chief Electoral Commissioner and the Victorian Electoral Commission continues to bring 2006 Victorian State Election into disrepute.

Fringe Benefits stripped Melbourne City Council rejects out of pocket expense payments for the hiring of prostitutes

Melbourne City Council CEO, David Pitchford, bowing to pressure form ratepayers outraged at recent revelations that the City Council was paying out-of-pocket-expenses for the hire of prostitutes occurred during fact finding missions.

The city Council will now seek to hand over the job to the State Government following revelations that the Council had funded staff paying for prostitutes services.

The report in the Age newspaper (Copy below) states "There are fears in the council that dropping the practice could lead to a proliferation of illegal brothels in the city centre".

Swanston Street, Melbourne's premier boulevard, home to the City Council itself has long been the location and establishment of Adult entertainment venues which the Council has failed to close down.

It is understood that the City Council staff are frequent visitors to various adult entertainment venues around town. One popular venue was the tavern at the corner of Russel Street and Little Collins Street (just up the road from Council House 1 and 2) where many Councillor Staff could be found during and after work hours.

The announcement by David Pitchford will now mean that Council Staff, and hopefully Councillors, will not be able to claim sex services as an out-of-pocket-expense and expect the ratepayers to pick up the tab. (It is unclear if the costs of additional services was included in a former City Councillor's hotel expenses on his visit in 2003 to Melbourne's sister City St. Petersburg. The cost of accommodation was $800.00 a night)

Ratepayers should not be expected to fund such extra-curricular activities.

The money already paid out should be refunded and the person in the Council administration that approved the payment of expenses related to the hiring of sex workers should be stripped of their authority and summarily dismissed.








Council drops brothel sex spies
Clay Lucas
February 6, 2007

MELBOURNE City Council will no longer pay for sex.

The council is set to dump its policy, revealed last month, of sending private investigators into illegal brothels to have sex with prostitutes.

At least six Melbourne councils last month confirmed they had paid private investigators to visit illegal brothels as a method of obtaining evidence.

The private investigators — who were claiming the sex as expenses, on top of their hourly billing fee — would swear affidavits for councils that they had received sexual services from a prostitute at the property.

The affidavit would then be used in court action by the council as proof the premises was breaching planning laws.

Last night, chief executive David Pitchford issued a short statement saying Melbourne City Council would stop the practice.

Council officers would "review existing practices in relation to the use of private investigators in actions against illegal brothels", he said.

It is believed Lord Mayor John So, overseas until next week and not available for comment, is behind the policy change.

Cr Peter Clarke, who discussed the issue with the Lord Mayor last month, confirmed Cr So had opposed employing investigators to gather evidence.

"John has agreed to ask the State Government to change the Prostitution Control Act so that Consumer Affairs Victoria are doing this enforcement, not us," Cr Clarke said.

There are fears in the council that dropping the practice could lead to a proliferation of illegal brothels in the city centre.

Legal advice to the council said using private investigators to gather evidence against illegal brothels was a "watertight" way to win court cases. In cases against illegal brothels where private investigators were employed to gather evidence that sexual services were being provided, the council consistently won. The council usually had costs awarded, meaning the illegal operator pays all expenses and ratepayers are not out of pocket.

The Australian Adult Entertainment Association, which works for the legal sex industry, has long claimed there is a proliferation of illegal brothels operating in Victoria.

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.

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.

Out of pocket expenses Melbourne City Council pays hookers claiming in the name of market research

Melbourne City Council paying prostitutes for services in the name of research.

the City of Melbourne has forked out an unknown amount of money for research into prostituting. What's next a world tour of the worlds "hot spots" to facility the marketing of Melbourne's adult entertainment services. Melbourne's Premier Street "Swanston Street", in spite the City Council's promises to clean up the City Center, continues to be one of the City's main locations for sex shows and adult entertainment.

Questions have been asked by senior law enforcement officials as to the merits and legality of the City Council's actions. (What advise did Alison Lyons, disgraced former City of Melbourne's Legal advisor now working for the MAV, provide Dick Gross)

Many question are remain unanswered as to the occupational and safety aspects of the contract and quality research undertaken. Was there any bias in the quality research and sampling?

When Melbourne's Chief executive, David Pitchford, said that these investigators which had paid for sexual services had acted "voluntarily". Did the City Council get satisfaction for the money spent and paid for by ratepayers. Was it a tender contract with discrimination based on the service providers marital or sexual preferences? What qualifications were required and what basis of justification was made for this disgraceful public conduct? What details of reporting has been made to the City Council and will the reports be made public and or subject to FOI? or is is a "R" rated report?

Does this mean that our City Councillors can now claim out of pocket expenses for money paid to sex workers?

Maybe this explains why the City Council paid $800 a night in accomodation/service costs in St Petersburg


Councils pay private detectives to have illicit sex
Clay Lucas January 25, 2007
Source: The Age

MELBOURNE councils are paying private detectives to have sex with prostitutes, to gather evidence against illegal brothels.

Melbourne City Council and Yarra Council yesterday confirmed they had paid private investigators to approach prostitutes, and in at least 17 cases, investigators had sex with them.

Other councils across the city confirmed they had also paid private investigators to visit illegal brothels, but stopped short of confirming sexual services had been provided.

Victoria Police questioned the method of obtaining evidence, saying it was a highly unusual way of proving a brothel was operating illegally. "It has never been Victoria Police's practice to use that method of operation," Inspector Craig Walsh said last night. "I have been around for 22-odd years and I have never heard of it."

Police effectively stopped policing brothels when Victoria Police's vice squad was closed in 1999. Since then, complaints about brothels to police have been referred to local governments. Police said yesterday that enforcing illegal brothels was a planning issue.

Yarra Council confirmed yesterday it had hired investigators from a specialist firm six times in the past two years to gather evidence to be used against illegal brothels. On four occasions, this had involved investigators receiving a sexual service, a council spokeswoman said, enabling council to successfully prosecute and close the premises down.

"Council has an obligation to respond to community concerns and pursue any (brothel) that does not comply with the local planning scheme," Yarra mayor Jenny Farrar said.

"Without concrete evidence, Yarra is powerless to shut down these illegal operations." Cr Farrar said the courts had deemed that to be successful in a prosecution, a sexual service had to be provided. "This leaves us with little choice but to get the evidence needed to close these places down," she said.

The council would not reveal how much private investigators had paid to illegal brothels.

Melbourne City Council also confirmed that private investigators working for the council had paid for "sexual acts" performed by illegal prostitutes.

Chief executive David Pitchford said that these investigators had acted "voluntarily".

"Council has no alternative but to provide direct evidence to achieve a successful prosecution," Mr Pitchford said.

"Clients of illegal brothels cannot be forced to incriminate themselves."

William Albon, spokesman for the Australian Adult Entertainment Association that represents legal brothels and escort agencies, has long claimed there are more than 400 illegal brothels operating in Victoria. He said local councils were doing "excellent work" pursuing illegal brothels. "But it is regrettable that councils have had this enforcement task dumped on them," he said. Mr Albon said that, under the Prostitution Control Act, Consumer Affairs Victoria should be enforcing illegal prostitution.

"But they are hopelessly derelict in their duty," Mr Albon said. "The public records shows that not once in 13 years (has) CAV … brought a prosecution of an illegal brothel before a court or tribunal."

The Municipal Association of Victoria called for more collaboration across various tiers of government so that councils did not have to resort to such desperate measures to shut down illegal brothels.

President Dick Gross said it should be easier for councils to close illegal brothels. "It needs to be defined how private investigators can (get evidence) in an illegal environment," he said.

He called for the Prostitution Control Act to be changed, along with the Planning and Environment Act, so that illegal brothels were easier to shut down.

"The real issues are residential amenity and immigration issues: women are far less protected in a deregulated environment," he said.

The State Government last year committed to reviewing the 1994 Prostitution Control Act. There is "a proliferation of illegal brothels in Melbourne" according to Monash councillor Geoff Lake, a former Municipal Association of Victoria president.

So What John So puts Melbourne's Historic Gardens at risk

John So rejects professional advice recommending that the Annual Melbourne Flower Show be relocated to protect Melbourne's Exhibition Gardens which is already under stress as a result of the drought.

The City Council's horticultural experts have recommended that the Gardens be relocated to a more suitable alternative site so as to protect the Gardens and Trees.

Local Residents agree and have been calling for the commercial garden show to be moved.

The organisers of the Flower show are more interested in profits then Melbourne's Parks and Gardens.

John So who has no expertise or understanding of horticulture has rejected the recommendations raising yet again concern over John So's suitability to protect Melbourne's Parks and Gardens.

Melbourne is in drought and our parks and gardens are under serious threat and John So, rather then acting to protect the historic trees has now seriously placed them at greater risk. A risk that can not be justified.

If the show is not recolated then the public bococtt it in order to demonstrate their opposition to John So's irresponsible and reckless action.



Flower show stays despite tree fears
Source: The Age
Clay Lucas, City Reporter
January 15, 2007

Lord Mayor John So has resisted calls for the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show to be moved from Carlton Gardens because of fears its thirsty elms could be harmed by the event.

Melbourne City Council's water spokesman Brian Shanahan yesterday called on the show, which is likely to attract 125,000 visitors, to be moved.

Cr Shanahan said the show in April would put great stress on the stricken gardens.

The gardens are one of nine heritage-listed parks the council wants exempted from stage 3 restrictions, because of the poor health of some elms and oaks.

It is believed the flower show's organisers, the International Management Group, will have to apply to City West Water for an exemption to water commercial displays — a move that could stir indignation among Melbourne gardeners who can water their garden only two days a week.

IMG, which pays an annual fee of about $100,000 to run the show in the gardens, would not comment.

The show has been in the Carlton Gardens for the past 11 years and has long infuriated residents, who say it hurts trees and plants.

Last year, thanks to support from Cr So, the five-day show was given another two years in the gardens.

Council has come out several times this week to say the city's trees are in a dire state because of the drought.

Cr So, who will meet with Environment Minister John Thwaites on Friday to discuss water issues, said the show was too important to move.

"The Gardens and Flower Show is a signature Melbourne event and must stay in the Carlton Gardens," he said.

Carlton Gardens Group convener Margaret O'Brien said the show would cause the removal of emergency drip systems set up in the gardens, further endangering the struggling trees.

Ms O'Brien said the show should be moved to another venue such as the Showgrounds, the Exhibition Centre or Birrarung Marr.

Legionella plagues Melbourne City once again This times it's Melbourne City Council's show case eco-center 'Council House2' that's effected

Melbourne is once again inflicted with the potential outbreak of the deadly Legionella bacteria which has previously claimed lives and resulted in the closure of Melbourne's Aquarium.

Now it is the City Council's newest and latest pride and joy the Council House2 that is infected with the deadly bacteria.




Legionella found in Melbourne building
Source: The Age

The potentially deadly bacterium legionella has been found during an inspection of the cooling system of Melbourne City Council's new green Council House 2 building.

Low levels of the potentially deadly bacterium have been found in the cooling system less than six months after the $51 million building opened.

The council said that the legionella was a low risk strain that did not pose a risk to staff or the public.

The discovery did not reflect badly on the building's cutting edge reputation, Lord Mayor John So told Fairfax.

Staff were told of the test result last week.

The Human Services department has since inspected the building in Little Collins Street and declared no risk to staff working there.

Five-hundred-and-forty council staff work in the 10-storey building.

Costs up equals visitors down It all depends on how you look at it

The City of Melbourne tries to put a "positive" spin on it.

Less and less Melburnians are travelling into the city but the council points out they are spending more. To anyone else but the City Council this would be ringing alarm bells. It becoming expensive to visit the city centre and costs in transport and parking in particular adds to the overall bill .

The Council tells us that there is less people coming into the city. The State Government has just upped the City coffers and introduced a consumption tax, this will mean more costs and less people visiting the city in 2007.

We can expect that Melbourne's retailers will soon call it a day or demand a reduction in the rent as more and more Melburnians seek to do their shopping outside the CDB. No doubts the City Council administration will argue that they need to travel abroad to find solutions to the problem. I can see another shopping tour on the Councillors on their schedule.




Tourists help lift CBD spending by $1.5 billion

Source: The Age

ONE-IN-FIVE Melburnians are coming to the city centre less often but spending in the city is growing nonetheless, according to Melbourne City Council research.

City visitors spent an average of $41 every time they came to the CBD last year, compared with $34 two years ago, according to the Central City Users Survey, a biennial snapshot of city trends.

The report found that city visitors spent almost $1.5 billion more than they did in 2004 when the survey was last taken.

Last year, CBD visitors spent an average of $22.5 million every weekday and $24.5 million on weekends.

While the average amount spent every day by city visitors was $15 — presumably by city workers — an average spend of $145 a day by interstate and international visitors pushed up the average daily spend to $41.

The survey found that just under half of the city's 543,000 daily weekday visitors were aged under 30. It also found that 18 per cent of those surveyed said they visited the city centre less often.

There were 72,000 tourists in the city each day; half from interstate, and 31,000 from overseas.

Norway lays down a challenge to Melbourne City Council Greens challenged to bring in quotas on thier green house gas travel

Norway has decided to place quotas on green house gas emissions generated by public servants travelling the globe on public taxes. Something we think Melbourne City Council should also adopt.

Melbourne City Council is renowned for its glob trotting Councillors and Staff seeking overseas five-star luxury holidays at ratepayers expenses. The City of Melbourne is set to top the Overseas holiday expenses yet again this year. The previous City Council, under the leadership of John So, spent over 1 Million dollars in overseas travel.

Greens Councillor, Frazer Brindley managed to talk the City Council into funding travel expenses related to his executive position held an international environment confest organisation. he was elected to the ICLIE executive ion the basis that the City Council would foot the bill for all travel costs.. Why the Council is funding a third party's executive governance cost is anyone guess.

No restrictions when it comes to the City Council's overseas holidays and South African Safaris. Cr Brindley's African sunset tour last year generated around 60% of the annual Co2 emissions for an average family car so he could attend an ICLIE executive meeting. Why could they not have arrange an Internet hook-up to discuss their corporate governance is anyone guess.

Executive travel and international "Confests" are big business and generate significant Green house gas emissions whilst pumping the brave new world of international corporate tourism .

So much to the Greens commitment to fiscal and environmental responsibility.

Come January 1 Public commuters have been hit with a congestion tax to help fund the City Council's Travel budget and their new competitive busting Tourist bus whilst public transport users are left waiting for a ride.

In the meantime Melbourne's "Car Free Council still refuses to publish the costs associated wit the Lord Mayor and Deputy Lord Mayors Limousine. The City Council continues to hide the costs associated with the lord Mayor and Deputy Lord Mayors limos.
Shame Fraser Shame.



Norway to buy greenhouse quotas

Norway plans to offset the greenhouse gases caused by state employees' flights abroad by buying emissions quotas to help combat global warming, Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg said.

His office said Norway was probably the first country in the world to buy such quotas.

"The government has decided that when state employees travel by plane abroad, we will buy quotas for the emissions caused by the trip," Stoltenberg said in a New Year speech.

"We want to set an example. We hope that companies, organisations and other countries will follow," he said.

Emissions by planes on international flights are excluded from the goals of the UN's Kyoto Protocol, a plan that binds 35 rich nations to cut emissions from burning oil, coal and natural gas by five per cent below 1990 levels by 2008-12.

Stoltenberg did not say how much his plan would cost.

Norway's NTB news agency estimated the cost at about $US400,000 ($A508,000) a year.

Most scientists say emissions from burning oil, coal and natural gas are to blame for a global rise in temperatures that may wreak havoc with the climate by causing more floods, desertification, heatwaves, spreading disease and raising sea levels.

Some companies, including Norway's oil group Statoil, already have similar policies of paying for emissions caused by employees' flights.

According to the Carbon Neutral Company, a passenger travelling one way from Oslo to Washington would account for emissions of 0.7 tonnes of carbon dioxide.

It suggests a compensating investment of about $US12 ($A15.24) in windmills or planting trees.

"In many parts of the country we have had the warmest autumn and winter months for 100 years," Stoltenberg said.

"We notice it in our daily lives - skis are standing unused. Children are not making snowmen. Researchers say polar bears are threatened."

2007 - Reuters

Godfather of soul dies A Tribute to James Brown age 73

James Brown the God Father of soul died at the age of 73. James Brown and his band toured Australia regularly and first performed to a sellout audience in Melbourne at the Metro Night Club in Bourke Street (1988).

His Melbourne support band "Relax with Max" performed covers of songs written by James Brown. "Relax with Max" lead singer Max Vella's on stage presence was influenced by Elvis and James Brown in style and energy.

James Brown inspired a generation with his enthusiasm and rhythm and unique sound, surrounded by controversy, his memory will live on on his songs and his music.

Tully's Tally doesn't Tally VEC's creative accounting under review

The conduct of the Victorian State Election and its management by the VEC is under review, amidst concern that the VEC tried cutting corners and in the process screwed up big time bringing the State Election and the VEC into disrepute.

Victoria's Chief Commissioner, Steven Tully, is ultimately responsible for the stuff-up and many questions are being asked as to how this monumental stuff-up could occur.

Public Information and results doesn't tally

To help you gain some perspective into the extent of the stuff up take a look at the following summary statistics:

Summary of upper house statistics latest Data
(published December 14, 2006 06:19)
Region	Formal	Informal	Total	Updated	Difference
Eastern Metropolitan	375947	12179	388126	12-12-2006 17:32	0
Eastern Victoria	379201	12625	391826	12-12-2006 18:55	0
Northern Metropolitan	360149	21730	381879	14-12-2006 06:19	-6454
Northern Victoria	365391	15426	380817	12-12-2006 19:03	0
South Eastern Metropolitan	365547	20200	385747	12-12-2006 18:23	0
Southern Metropolitan	361805	11420	373225	12-12-2006 19:45	0
Western Metropolitan	374411	25075	399486	14-12-2006 03:57	-478
Western Victoria	394478	14588	409066	14-12-2006 05:03	268
Summary of upper house provisional count statistics
(published December 12, 2006 19:45)
Region	Formal	Informal	Total
Eastern Metropolitan	375947	12179	388126	12-12-2006 17:32
Eastern Victoria	379201	12625	391826	12-12-2006 18:55
Northern Metropolitan	366605	21728	388333	12-12-2006 18:22
Northern Victoria	365391	15426	380817	12-12-2006 19:03
South Eastern Metropolitan	365547	20200	385747	12-12-2006 18:23
Southern Metropolitan	361805	11420	373225	12-12-2006 19:45
Western Metropolitan	374982	24981	399964	12-12-2006 18:03
Western Victoria	394556	14242	408798	12-12-2006 17:31
Summary of upper house count statistics
(published December 12, 2006 16:49)
Region	Formal	Informal	Total
Eastern Metropolitan	375390	12679	388069		-57
Eastern Victoria	378374	13030	391404		-422
Northern Metropolitan	358877	22496	381373		-6960
Northern Victoria	363962	16654	380616		-201
South Eastern Metropolitan	363814	21640	385454		-293
Southern Metropolitan	360202	13464	373666		441
Western Metropolitan	373842	25773	399615		-349
Western Victoria	392893	15590	408483		-315
Summary of lower house statistics
(published December 12, 2006 16:49)
Region	Formal	Informal	Total
Eastern Metropolitan	372625	15588	388213		87
Eastern Victoria	375024	16382	391406		-420
Northern Metropolitan	362715	20475	383190		-5143
Northern Victoria	365794	15520	381314		497
South Eastern Metropolitan	366008	19631	385639		-108
Southern Metropolitan	361292	12378	373670		445
Western Metropolitan	372518	25361	397879		-2085
Western Victoria	391684	16550	408234		-564

At issue here is the number of total votes. Votes have gone missing and have not been accounted for. Normally all the number of ballot all papers are accounted. Each polling place returning officer is required to prepare a tally sheet that outlines exactly how many ballot papers have been issued.

The latest published summary information above shows to what extent the VEC stuffed up - Big time

A voter is supposed to be given two ballot papers, one for the lower-house and one for the upper-house. The number of lower-house ballots should match the number of upper-house ballots. The returning officer then includes this information in their return statements along with the number of ballot papers received and the number of unused ballot papers.

The electoral commission should have tallied up this information and ideally should know in advance prior to the final count how many ballot papers have been issued and how many have been returned. If there is a discrepancy then alarm bells should have rung. BUT this is not what has happened. The total number of ballot papers keep changing and the VEC failed to provide information that would have allowed a proper cross check to occur. (see previous posts on the VEC below).

There are still questions outstanding as to the accuracy of the poll and many believe that the VEC should be required to undertake a second recount in Western Victoria until they have at least managed to obtain the same overall result twice.

Steve Tully is under scrutiny with reports that many politicians, from all sides of the political divide, are not happy in with his performance and the way that he had conducted the election.

As previously reported "Tully's Tally" will come under review when the State Parliamentary Elections committee meets next year.

In the meantime Tully's team will be looking at undertaking some creative accounting to justify this stuff-up and hold on to their job. We think it is time to consider having a single independent professional Electoral Authority with Victoria's Chief Electoral Commissioner under the auspice of the Sate Auditor General and as an executive member of the new Australian Electoral Authority.

More information http://melbcity.topcities.com