The Victorian State Government avoids review of conduct of Municipal Elections
In a letter received by Mr Dan O'Brien, Victorian State Premier John Brumby's Chief of Staff, dated Wednesday April 14, 2010 Mr O'Brien indicated that the Government does not intend on holding a review into the 2008 Municipal elections thus avoiding any potential embarrassment that an inquiry would expose. There are a number of issues and complaints related to the conduct of the 2008 Municipal elections and the lack of transparency in the election process.
It's been just under 18 months since Victoria went to the polls to elect it's local government representatives. 18 months and the parliament still has not initiated a review and it is unlikely to do so willingly.
The State Government is facing an election year and wishes to avoid any controversial issues. If a parliamentary review into the 2008 Municipal elections was held a number of issues that the government failed to address would be brought to the surface.
Closing their eyes, ears and mouth is not the sign of a strong confident or responsible government. The much needed parliamentary inquiry into the 2008 Municipal elections should be held without delay.
-- Extract of letter of avoidance ---
Dear Mr van der Craats
Thank you for writing to the Premier on this matter. The Premier has asked
that I respond on his behalf.
I note firstly your issues regarding the running of the 2006 state election
and the 2008 municipal election. The Parliament of Victoria’s Electoral
Matters Committee has been established to inquire into, consider and report
to the Parliament on any issues concerned with the conduct of parliamentary
elections and referendums in Victoria; the conduct of elections of
Councillors under the Local Government Act 1989; and the administration of,
or practices associated with, the Electoral Act 2002 and any other law
relating to electoral matters.
The Electoral Matters Committee tabled its Report to Parliament on its
Inquiry into the 2006 Victorian state election and matters related thereto
in June 2008. The Committee made a number of recommendations, including
recommendations pertaining to the counting of votes. The Government has
responded to the Inquiry – both this response and Report can be viewed on
the Committee’s website, http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/emc/.
The Committee is not currently conducting an inquiry into the 2008
municipal elections. A matter can, however, be referred to the Committee
for inquiry by a resolution of either House of Parliament if it is
considered that an inquiry is necessary. Alternatively, the Committee may
self-reference an inquiry if it believes a matter is of substantial
concern.
Yours sincerely
Dan O'Brien
Chief of Staff
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Monday, March 22, 2010
Kanis holds no support on ALP Conference delegation
Melbourne City Councillor, JENNIFER KANIS, received no support in a ALP local plebiscite for ALP State Conference. volting close on Sunday March 21.
The State Conference is the State ALP's main policy formation body. It is somewhat embarrassing for a sitting Local Councillor to not receive any support, not even her own vote or that of her family members. It certainly undermines her position on the City Council.
The State Conference is the State ALP's main policy formation body. It is somewhat embarrassing for a sitting Local Councillor to not receive any support, not even her own vote or that of her family members. It certainly undermines her position on the City Council.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Making sense of Hisense: Stadiums versus service
Talk about poor quality service.
Hi have a Hisence TV which is in need of repair./ I called the Hisense support hot-line to inquire about the cost of a new LCD screen. The on queue telephone message was value is not confusing and poorly implemented. (This was the first impression I got and it was not good.) There was no clear indication of what number to press and nor was there any means of going back to the main menu.
I eventually got though to a service representative, who would only give her name as Jessica, she was responsible for processing warranty claims. I wanted spare parts sales.
She babbled on something about calling back the national hotline number and speaking to some other department which was not listed on the menu option. She then advised she could provide me with a quote but before she could she needed to collect a host of information such as name address. All I wanted was a price for a new screen. Instead I had to fill in information that to be honest I am reluctant to have stored in someones database, information that I will have no control over. I do not give out my address to anyone, I am even on the silent voters list as I value my privacy now why would I and why should I have to provide all these details when all I wants was a price ion a spare part?
When I questioned Jessica about all this she was not helpful. She said if I do not wish to provided personal detailed information I would need to call back and speak to the National Office.
I followed her advise and did just that... but there was no menu option for the National Office and if I selected 9 I was directed back to to the main menu.
All this has given me little cause to support Hisense as a manufacture. They do not the meaning of service or support. Their technical support service has very little to offer and basically I would not recommend anyone buy Hisense at all.
What I should have done was do a google on Hisense support before I bought their TV. (Mind you there is nothing wrong with the design of their TV it's the after sales service that's the main issue at fault. Poorly trained staff, bad management is their main problem. I am not the first and no doubts will not be the last.
They may have their name on a stadium but in all honesty they would so better following the advice of Warren Buffet. Nothing can can lead more to success then good old fashion honest efficient sales service. Stadium names
Hi have a Hisence TV which is in need of repair./ I called the Hisense support hot-line to inquire about the cost of a new LCD screen. The on queue telephone message was value is not confusing and poorly implemented. (This was the first impression I got and it was not good.) There was no clear indication of what number to press and nor was there any means of going back to the main menu.
I eventually got though to a service representative, who would only give her name as Jessica, she was responsible for processing warranty claims. I wanted spare parts sales.
She babbled on something about calling back the national hotline number and speaking to some other department which was not listed on the menu option. She then advised she could provide me with a quote but before she could she needed to collect a host of information such as name address. All I wanted was a price for a new screen. Instead I had to fill in information that to be honest I am reluctant to have stored in someones database, information that I will have no control over. I do not give out my address to anyone, I am even on the silent voters list as I value my privacy now why would I and why should I have to provide all these details when all I wants was a price ion a spare part?
When I questioned Jessica about all this she was not helpful. She said if I do not wish to provided personal detailed information I would need to call back and speak to the National Office.
I followed her advise and did just that... but there was no menu option for the National Office and if I selected 9 I was directed back to to the main menu.
All this has given me little cause to support Hisense as a manufacture. They do not the meaning of service or support. Their technical support service has very little to offer and basically I would not recommend anyone buy Hisense at all.
What I should have done was do a google on Hisense support before I bought their TV. (Mind you there is nothing wrong with the design of their TV it's the after sales service that's the main issue at fault. Poorly trained staff, bad management is their main problem. I am not the first and no doubts will not be the last.
They may have their name on a stadium but in all honesty they would so better following the advice of Warren Buffet. Nothing can can lead more to success then good old fashion honest efficient sales service. Stadium names
Transport Policy free zone
The Brumby government's idealistic road traffic plan has already failed, evebn before it has been launched. The proposals publish in the the Age last month failed to address any concerns or needs for motorcyclists/scooter riders.
Motor Scooters in particular play a major role in the urban transport system and the government needs to do much more to assist in their safe usage of the road infrastructure.
Small motorcyclists should be able to share the the bus/bicycle lanes where appropriate.
Where is the MRA on this issue? Where is the city Council's policy development? And why had the news papers not taken up this issue?
Unless the government can take into consideration all modes of transport the new road use will only be half baked notion, whilst giving an impression of doing something isbeing doomed to fail.
Motor Scooters in particular play a major role in the urban transport system and the government needs to do much more to assist in their safe usage of the road infrastructure.
Small motorcyclists should be able to share the the bus/bicycle lanes where appropriate.
Where is the MRA on this issue? Where is the city Council's policy development? And why had the news papers not taken up this issue?
Unless the government can take into consideration all modes of transport the new road use will only be half baked notion, whilst giving an impression of doing something isbeing doomed to fail.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Doyle axes LM001 Driver
It has taken over 10 years but Melbourne City Council has finally axed the Lord Mayor's Limo driver. Introduced by disgraced one term Lord Mayor Ivan Deveson.
The City Council went to extraordinary steps to prevent the disclosure of costs associated with the Lord Mayors Limousine and it was only recently thanks to ex City Councillor Fiona Snedden that the costs were finally accounted for in the City Councillor Expense Statements.
The reports in the Melbourne Leader have not made mention of the City Council funded Deputy Lord Mayor's Car which does not have a driver but never the less cost rate payers 10,000 of dollars.
The City Council went to extraordinary steps to prevent the disclosure of costs associated with the Lord Mayors Limousine and it was only recently thanks to ex City Councillor Fiona Snedden that the costs were finally accounted for in the City Councillor Expense Statements.
The reports in the Melbourne Leader have not made mention of the City Council funded Deputy Lord Mayor's Car which does not have a driver but never the less cost rate payers 10,000 of dollars.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Town hall globetrotters (Revisited)
22 Feb 10 @ 01:31pm by Hamish Heard
Anyone home? Melbourne City Council staffers and councillors are often out of town.
GLOBE trotting Melbourne councillors and Town Hall staffers last year enjoyed more than 200 interstate and overseas trips.
The council’s travel register reveals councillors took 20 trips in 2009, eclipsing the eight taken the previous year under then Lord Mayor John So.
Council officers also caught the travel bug, flying interstate or overseas 184 times costing ratepayers well over $200,000.
>> Do councillors travel too much? Have your say below.
The sky-high figures came despite a pre-election pledge from Lord Mayor Robert Doyle to clamp down on councillor junkets.
“I may take the occasional trip to Frankston,” Cr Doyle told reporters leading up to the November 2008 election.
But council documents show the Lord Mayor featured prominently on the list of frequent flyers, clocking up trips to Denmark, England and Singapore as well as three trips to Sydney and four to Canberra.
While his domestic travels cost nearly $10,000 (an average of $1637 for each night spent interstate), Cr Doyle has refused to supply details of his December jaunts to London and Denmark for climate talks.
Details for Cr Doyle’s entourage, including chief of staff Alister Paterson and adviser Amelia Bitsis, were also being kept secret despite Greens Cr Cathy Oke declaring her expenses for the same trip at $3752.
Pre-trip estimates predicted the Copenhagen summit would cost ratepayers $61,000.
Cr Doyle refused to answer Melbourne Leader questions about why councillors and staffers had taken half as many trips in the first year of his term as they did during the entire four-year term under his predecessor.
“The Lord Mayor won’t be responding to any of the travel questions,” a Town Hall spokeswoman said.
Cr Peter Clarke had the biggest travel bill of all councillors who chose to declare their expenses, courtesy of a $20,000, seven-day fact-finding mission to the US.
Cr Oke spent the most time abroad, with 26 days in countries including Denmark, Canada, the US and South Korea.
Her expenses were $15,845, which she said helped Melbourne keep pace with sustainability.
Sunday, January 03, 2010
Expanding Melbourne
Melbourne's Lord Mayor, Robert Doyle, has called for action to stop Melbourne's sprawl.
Source: Ellen Whinnett, Sunday Herald Sun
Doyle as usual is good on making statements but has failed to follow up in detail any plan or proposal to implement any change.
Instead of implementing piece meal ad-hock planning made under political pressure the State Government needs to review the Cities boundaries and reverse some of the changes imposed on Melbourne by the Kennett Government.
Melbourne City's boundaries need to be expanded to take in the State seats of Albert Park, Melbourne and Richmond.
It is only with a Greater Melbourne can the State Government begin to tackle the real issues of environment and planning.
In 2007 in the lead up to the Federal election the State Government bowed to local pressure groups and reinstated Kensington as part of the City but it failed to undertake a comprehensive review of the city's external boundaries. It left Carlton divided and failed to look beyond the cities current boundaries that were established following the Kennett Government;s ill-considered municipal 1992 Municipal review .
The former City of Prahran has much more in common with Melbourne then it does with Chadstone. Given half the chance Prahran and South Yarra would opt to join Melbourne.
The City of Melbourne can not continue to operate in a vacuum. A greater Melbourne covering the inner city region is the best way forward. Common sense and good planning dictate action by the State Government.
Minister Compromised into no action..
Local Government Minister, Dick Wynn, previously advocated a Greater City of Melbourne BUT he is now afraid to implement any change or undertake a review for fear of rocking the boat or upsetting the Central Business district who like things the way they are. Proper planning and good governance has gone astray and play a secondary role to good governance.
The State Governments; preferred option opting is to do nothing, close their eyes and look the other way, a policy of remain a small target in 2010. After all 2010 is an election year.
Any candidate for the state seat of Prahran, Labor Liberal or independent, would be well advised to canvass the electorate as this could be a deciding factor in who represents Prahran.
Source: Ellen Whinnett, Sunday Herald Sun
Doyle as usual is good on making statements but has failed to follow up in detail any plan or proposal to implement any change.
Instead of implementing piece meal ad-hock planning made under political pressure the State Government needs to review the Cities boundaries and reverse some of the changes imposed on Melbourne by the Kennett Government.
Melbourne City's boundaries need to be expanded to take in the State seats of Albert Park, Melbourne and Richmond.
It is only with a Greater Melbourne can the State Government begin to tackle the real issues of environment and planning.
In 2007 in the lead up to the Federal election the State Government bowed to local pressure groups and reinstated Kensington as part of the City but it failed to undertake a comprehensive review of the city's external boundaries. It left Carlton divided and failed to look beyond the cities current boundaries that were established following the Kennett Government;s ill-considered municipal 1992 Municipal review .
The former City of Prahran has much more in common with Melbourne then it does with Chadstone. Given half the chance Prahran and South Yarra would opt to join Melbourne.
The City of Melbourne can not continue to operate in a vacuum. A greater Melbourne covering the inner city region is the best way forward. Common sense and good planning dictate action by the State Government.
Minister Compromised into no action..
Local Government Minister, Dick Wynn, previously advocated a Greater City of Melbourne BUT he is now afraid to implement any change or undertake a review for fear of rocking the boat or upsetting the Central Business district who like things the way they are. Proper planning and good governance has gone astray and play a secondary role to good governance.
The State Governments; preferred option opting is to do nothing, close their eyes and look the other way, a policy of remain a small target in 2010. After all 2010 is an election year.
Any candidate for the state seat of Prahran, Labor Liberal or independent, would be well advised to canvass the electorate as this could be a deciding factor in who represents Prahran.
Tuesday, November 03, 2009
If it looks like a junket and costs like a junket then it is a junket.
Robert Doyle is keen to take a $61,000 junket to Denmark to meet princess Mary.
The 5 day envirofest will cost Melbournians $2,000 a day per person. Whilst Robert Doyle tries to claim that the trip is not a junket and that it will deleiver "tanable" benefits to the city. He failed to outline exatcly what these benefits were and why the City of melbourne needs to fund four people to join in on the junketfest. Greens Councillor Cathy Oke is keen to be included on the invitee list.
No junkets' lord mayor packs his bags for trips
JASON DOWLING
November 3, 2009
LORD Mayor Robert Doyle will take two overseas trips in the next six weeks - a year after promising to end foreign junkets for Melbourne City councillors.
Cr Doyle will lead a party of four to the Copenhagen Climate Change conference next month at a cost to ratepayers of $61,000.
He will also attend a World Bank summit in Singapore in a week's time that has been paid for by the World Bank.
When he was elected last year, Cr Doyle made it clear he would focus on Melbourne and ruled out overseas junkets.
''It's a good commitment for me to make personally and to say to my councillors that they should be making no junkets,'' he said in November. ''I may take the occasional day trip to Frankston … I think we know what the problems are here. My job is to stay here and work on the solutions.''
Cr Doyle said yesterday his decision to head overseas did not break his election promise because his trips were not junkets.
Referring to the Copenhagen visit, he said: ''It is not a wasted trip, it is not for personal pleasure.
''It is to bring something home for Melbourne and to take us to the table of world discussion on perhaps the most important economic, social and environmental question before us, that of climate change.''
Cr Doyle's decision to go to Copenhagen comes after campaigning to return cars to Swanston Street, criticising tram super-stops and supporting handing Yarra Park to the MCG.
He has also championed retrofitting city buildings to make them more sustainable and reduce their carbon footprint.
The Age revealed last month that Melbourne City Council has little chance of achieving its greenhouse gas emissions target by 2010 and may buy carbon offsets to meet the goal.
The Lord Mayor's $61,000 trip also comes just months after the council increased the cost of parking in the city to raise funds.
Cr Doyle said he decided to announce the trips on the eve of the Melbourne Cup because the decision had just been made.
He said the council would need to approve the Copenhagen trip at a meeting on November 17, but added that his fellow councillors supported the trip.
He said it was important that Melbourne was represented at Copenhagen.
''It is such an important forum. The world leaders will be in Copenhagen and we have a generous invitation from the Mayor of Copenhagen … ''Our aim is to have cities recognised in the new agreement. Cities contribute 75 per cent of the emissions … the problem lies with cities, solutions lie with cities.''
Cr Doyle's trip will not be the first for a councillor this year. Greens councillor Cathy Oke travelled to Canada and the US in June at a cost of $9691.
Cr Oke said she supported Cr Doyle's trip to Copenhagen.
''I think it is incredibly important that he goes,'' she said.
She said 100 mayors from around the world had been invited but only two from Australia, Cr Doyle and Clover Moore from Sydney
The 5 day envirofest will cost Melbournians $2,000 a day per person. Whilst Robert Doyle tries to claim that the trip is not a junket and that it will deleiver "tanable" benefits to the city. He failed to outline exatcly what these benefits were and why the City of melbourne needs to fund four people to join in on the junketfest. Greens Councillor Cathy Oke is keen to be included on the invitee list.
No junkets' lord mayor packs his bags for trips
JASON DOWLING
November 3, 2009
LORD Mayor Robert Doyle will take two overseas trips in the next six weeks - a year after promising to end foreign junkets for Melbourne City councillors.
Cr Doyle will lead a party of four to the Copenhagen Climate Change conference next month at a cost to ratepayers of $61,000.
He will also attend a World Bank summit in Singapore in a week's time that has been paid for by the World Bank.
When he was elected last year, Cr Doyle made it clear he would focus on Melbourne and ruled out overseas junkets.
''It's a good commitment for me to make personally and to say to my councillors that they should be making no junkets,'' he said in November. ''I may take the occasional day trip to Frankston … I think we know what the problems are here. My job is to stay here and work on the solutions.''
Cr Doyle said yesterday his decision to head overseas did not break his election promise because his trips were not junkets.
Referring to the Copenhagen visit, he said: ''It is not a wasted trip, it is not for personal pleasure.
''It is to bring something home for Melbourne and to take us to the table of world discussion on perhaps the most important economic, social and environmental question before us, that of climate change.''
Cr Doyle's decision to go to Copenhagen comes after campaigning to return cars to Swanston Street, criticising tram super-stops and supporting handing Yarra Park to the MCG.
He has also championed retrofitting city buildings to make them more sustainable and reduce their carbon footprint.
The Age revealed last month that Melbourne City Council has little chance of achieving its greenhouse gas emissions target by 2010 and may buy carbon offsets to meet the goal.
The Lord Mayor's $61,000 trip also comes just months after the council increased the cost of parking in the city to raise funds.
Cr Doyle said he decided to announce the trips on the eve of the Melbourne Cup because the decision had just been made.
He said the council would need to approve the Copenhagen trip at a meeting on November 17, but added that his fellow councillors supported the trip.
He said it was important that Melbourne was represented at Copenhagen.
''It is such an important forum. The world leaders will be in Copenhagen and we have a generous invitation from the Mayor of Copenhagen … ''Our aim is to have cities recognised in the new agreement. Cities contribute 75 per cent of the emissions … the problem lies with cities, solutions lie with cities.''
Cr Doyle's trip will not be the first for a councillor this year. Greens councillor Cathy Oke travelled to Canada and the US in June at a cost of $9691.
Cr Oke said she supported Cr Doyle's trip to Copenhagen.
''I think it is incredibly important that he goes,'' she said.
She said 100 mayors from around the world had been invited but only two from Australia, Cr Doyle and Clover Moore from Sydney
Friday, September 11, 2009
Doyle, Costelleo and Kroger behind the sceans
There is ongoing speculation that Melbourne's Lord Mayor, Robert Doyle is actively using City Council resources to manipulate and interfere with the Liberal Party Federal pre-selections which are being held this month. Doyle has teamed up with outgoing Liberal Party member Peter Costello and his long time friend and power broker Michael Kroger. Doyle staffer Tim Singh, who is on the Council payroll as Doyle's media adviser, has been enlisted to promote and assist in the media smear campaign.
It is one thing for Doyle to be actively engaged in State and Federal Politics but it is another to be using Council resources leaving town hall open to the allegation of corruption. A quick review of the Lord Mayor's telephone expenses will confirm the allegations.
If the allegation of Council staff involvement are true then this raises a number of issues that should be investigated by the State Government or the Ombudsman and brings the City Council once again into disrepute.
It is one thing for Doyle to be actively engaged in State and Federal Politics but it is another to be using Council resources leaving town hall open to the allegation of corruption. A quick review of the Lord Mayor's telephone expenses will confirm the allegations.
If the allegation of Council staff involvement are true then this raises a number of issues that should be investigated by the State Government or the Ombudsman and brings the City Council once again into disrepute.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Melbourne Icon derailed Plans by the State Government to scrap W-Class trams
The Brumby State Government has announced plans to scrap Melbourne's iconic W-Class trams. W-Class trams will only serve the Melbourne City Circle route.
The W-Class tram has been a national Icon, like that of the Sydney ferry, has served Melbourne for nearly a century and is recognised world over.
The W-Class trams should continue in service along the Toorak, St Kilda, Carlton and bayside routes during the summer months.
The proposal to abandon Melbourne's W-Class trams is widely opposed by community groups such as the National Trust of Australia and Victorian tourism organisations
The W-Class tram with its opening doors and natural ventilation is well sought after and will be sold off to oversees buyers at a premium price.
Government's come and go but the W-Class trams should stay forever
The decision by the State Government is reprehensible and demonstrates a lack of social and historic understanding and appreciation of what makes Melbourne, Melbourne. Those responsible for this decision should lose their jobs.
Once they have gone they are gone forever.
It is now incumbent on the Australian Government to place restrictions on the sale and export of this important part of Australia's heritage.
The W-Class tram has been a national Icon, like that of the Sydney ferry, has served Melbourne for nearly a century and is recognised world over.
The W-Class trams should continue in service along the Toorak, St Kilda, Carlton and bayside routes during the summer months.
The proposal to abandon Melbourne's W-Class trams is widely opposed by community groups such as the National Trust of Australia and Victorian tourism organisations
The W-Class tram with its opening doors and natural ventilation is well sought after and will be sold off to oversees buyers at a premium price.
Government's come and go but the W-Class trams should stay forever
The decision by the State Government is reprehensible and demonstrates a lack of social and historic understanding and appreciation of what makes Melbourne, Melbourne. Those responsible for this decision should lose their jobs.
Once they have gone they are gone forever.
It is now incumbent on the Australian Government to place restrictions on the sale and export of this important part of Australia's heritage.
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