Gillard to strengthen Labor in Victoria

Julia Gillard's ascension to the Labor leadership and Australia's first female Prime Minister will provide a much needed boost to Victoria underpinning Michael Danby's retention of Melbourne Ports.

Gillard is without any doubt a very competent and outstanding political performer. Her contest of the ALP leadership against Kevin Rudd was not of her doing but a response to growing concern about Kevin Rudd's ability to take labor though to a second term in office. Her decision to challenge the leadership was not easy. The decision to oust Kevin Rudd was taken following a collapse in confidence in Rudd's caucus support most notably the collapse in support from Queensland Labor.

Convoluted accountability VEC missing from the Proust review

The Victorian State Government has released the recommendations outlined in the Proust review.

Elizabeth Proust, former City of Melbourne Chief Executive Officer, was engaged by the State Government to review Victoria's public accountability model. Elizabeth Proust has recommended a comprehensive yet convoluted system of accountability and review of the public sector. The main component of the Proust recommendations is the creation of a new 'Victorian Integrity and Anti-Corruption Commission (VIACC). The Office of the VIACC and the Ombudsman will be overseen by a new Parliamentary committee of review.

One of the recommendations proposed by Proust is to significantly increased the powers and resources of the Ombudsman to address issues of maladministration and allegations of corruption in the public sector.

Missing from the Proust review, disappointingly, is that the Victorian Electoral Commission which continues to remain beyond account or review by the State Ombudsman. Only matters of serious misconduct and corruption will be subjected to review by the VIACC. What constitutes serious misconduct and corruption and who will decide is a question unresolved. Presumable the round table conference of integrity office holders will decide. Demarcation disputes or buck passing will inevitably weaken the new structure.

The powers of the Office of the Ombudsman recently have been watered down and are now run the risk of being limited even further.

The Government must review the Ombudsman Act to restore clarity, confidence and authority in the Ombudsman's office in fulfillment of the Proust report. Subjecting the Victorian Electoral Commission to oversight by the Ombudsman Act must be part of that agenda for reform.

Open and transparency review suppressed

The Victorian State Parliament following a complaint from the Chief Electoral Commissioner, Steve Tully, has removed publication of submissions made to the Electoral Matters Committee. The submission which is critical of the conduct of the 2006 Victorian State Election raised concerns that the Chief Electoral Commissioner may have mislead the parliamentary committee in his evidence and report where the Commissioner claimed that copies of preference data files were destroyed during the last election, with an allegation that the Commission is engaged in an cover-up and avoidance exercise to prevent proper scrutiny of the 2006 State election.

The State Parliament has been called on to initiate greater oversight in the conduct of public elections following the disastrous errors in the computerized counting systems that occurred in the 2006 State election and the 2008 Municipal Elections.

The submission outlined issues of concern about the lack of openness and transparency in the computerized counting system introduced in Victoria and the failure of the Commission to provide copies of the preference data files and its failure to reconcile the total number of votes with the information recorded on the voting centre return declarations. As a result of this ommission the total number of votes recorded for the Western Metropolitan Region had changed between the primary count and the second count.

‘The Parliament needs to make sure that the total number of ballot papers recorded are reconciled with voting centre returns to ensure that all ballot papers are properly accounted for and that there is no repeat of the situation where hundreds of ballot papers go missing between counts as was the case in the Western Metropolitan Region. The Victorian Electoral Commission must be required to produce a reconciliation report of the voting centre declarations outlining the total number of ballot papers that have been issued and returned prior to the commencement of data entry of ballot paper preferences. All votes should issued and returned be accounted for on Election night.

Further the Parliament needs to investigate the data management process of the Electoral Commission following evidence that copies of the detailed preference data files had been overwritten and were not available for independent review or scrutiny. “It is conceivable that the Electoral Commission did not maintain backup copies this crucial and important data. It costs Millions of dollars for the Commission to collate this information. Any professional IT management would ensure that all crucial data in the vote counting was backed-up as a matter of course as part of a disaster recovery plan. If backup copies were not made then there are major issues that need to be reviewed.”

The submission, which was pulled from publication on Friday, called on the State government to restore public confidence in the conduct of electrons in Victoria by ensuring that the public elections remain open and transparent and that crucial information is readily available and that the Victorian Electoral Commission is held accountable for its actions.

The submission also outlines a serious complaint of ongoing harassment and intimidation against witnesses to parliamentary inquiries by the Chief Electoral Commissioner and has called on the State Parliament to remove limitations in the Ombudsman Act that prevent the Chief Electoral Commissioner from being investigated by the Victorian State Ombudsman.

A complaint has been lodged with the chairman of the Victorian Parliamentary Electoral Matters Committee which will review the submission which has been removed from the parliament's web site.

The Electoral Matters Committee meets next Monday to consider this issue.

Grab for cash: City Council suck the life blood from Melbourne nightlife

Melbourne City Council has opted for the cash and in doing so is sucking out the life blood from late night city traders. Lord Mayor Robert Doyle in announcing that City Commuters will be forced to pay for late night on-street parking tried to claim that the additional 2 million dollars that is expected to be generated will be used to pay for Melbourne's Trees. I guess he could suggest that money will pay for Hospital care or some other emotional cause in need of funding to justify the cash grab.

The benefit is that the Council will need to ensure that Grey ghost Traffic offers are available to enforce the on street parking fees, but this comes at a further cost and risk to officer security. Many car parking spaces are in low security poor lighting areas.

The fees certainly do nothing to assist Melbourne's declining retail trade sector with more and more businesses leaving the CDB for the suburban shopping center.

In the meantime Melbourne's bonus congestion Tax is still being spent on non commuter projects such as the free tourist bus. The City Council would be better off freeing up night time and weekend parking and providing a commuter bus service connecting South Yarra with East Melbourne Carlton, Parkville and North Melbourne communities.

Memo to Brumby: Parliament is Supreme not government

Open and transparent accountable government is essential to good governance

There is no need for a ongoing Commission on Corruption as recommended by Craig Langdon, a disenfranchised member of Parliament who has lost pre-selection, there never the less is ongoing serious concern about the Brumby government and their consistent attempts to undermine and prevent Parliamentary and independent review of government.

However John Brumby's refusal to subject Government to open independent review is a real concern.

The Victorian Government has recently attacked and undermined the role of the office of the Ombudsman and even brought into question the right of parliament to undertake a review. To add to this concern Brumby has also refused to subject the Victorian Electoral Commission to review making it accountable to Ombudsman.

It is difficult for any government to undertake or support any review of the electoral commission without running the risk of being accused of interfering and intimidating the electoral office. The Victorian Chief Electoral Commissioneris an officer of the Parliament and as such is not readily subjected to government oversight. Whilst we do not assert there is overt corruption in the Victorian State Electoral Commission there are issues of serious concern related to the administration and the competence of the Electoral Commission. The Parliamnatary committee review of the conduct of the 2006 State election failed to address a number of serious flaws and omissions in the conduct of public elections.

The actions of the Chief Commissioner in seeking to deflect criticism over in the way in which municipal and state elections are conducted in Victorian is a real concern. The Chief Commissioner in his report to parliament has raised a number of issues that parliament has either swept over, ignored to buried their head in the sane. The Chief Commissioner has gone as far as false allegation as part of an ongoing attempt to harass witnesses to the Parliamentary inquiry. Complaints have been made to the parliament but the parliament has failed to undertake a proper review of the Commissioner's actions. Never the less there are issues that need to be and should be properly addressed. The office of the Ombudsman in the absence of a parliamentary investigation is the appropriate body to undertake such a review.

Public elections are no longer open and transparent. The administration of the Victorian State Electoral Office is not subjected to the normal processes of review as is the case with other government administrations.

The parliamentary committee on Electoral Matters, now headed buy Robin Scott is aware of the issues but have failed to subject the Electoral Commission to the review by the Ombudsman. Parliament has not at red top amend the Ombudsman act which as it stands removes the Electoral Commission from its jurisdiction.

To make matters worst the Office of Public Prosecutions headed by John Cain Jr. has sought to prevent public comment and discussion on the states administration by seeking to imtimmidate independent media reports on the role and conduct played by the Victorian Electoral Commission. A public body that is in serious need of review and is not held accountable for its actions.

This along with recent reports that the Government is questioning the right of the Victorian parliament to undertake a review in the Legislative Council is of real concern. It removes the avenue of transparency and accountability of government.

Brumby's refusal to subject government administration to review, his attacks on the office of the ombudsman and the recent attempt to prevent the parliamentary inquiries allows corruption to take root and fester.

Labor on the rocks: Two inner City Seats at risk

The Victorian Australain Labor Party is facing a possibility of losing office. No longer in touch with it's Membership the Brumby Government is expected to be fighting for its survival. Internal Analysts are concerned that the ALP will lose two inner city seats in the forth coming Federal and State election. And that Victoria will follow Tasmania. Victoria's Premier, John Brumby has never been elected to office.

The next state election, due to be held in November 2010, will most likely see Labor suffer a 4 to 6% swing against it. The inner city seat of Prahran will be the first to change hands. Prahran is a litmus test. Liberal Party candidate and former Deputy Lord Mayor Clem Newton-Brown is expected to win Prahran in November. Clem "the Steven Bradbury of the Liberal party is expected to skate home riding the wave of disillusionment in the Brumby Government.

The Federal government is expected to go to the polls in September to avoid being pull down by the Brumby slide. The current disagreement between Federal Labor and the Brumby Government is not helping either the State or Federal Labor Party.

Clearly John Brumby is putting at risk both governments with his refusal to transfer responsibility for heath to the Federal Government. John Brumby who was once asked what his policy on reform stated that he would abolish State Parliament. A policy he has failed to implement.

John Brumby's unpopulararity is expected to also bring down his friend and inner city Federal MP for Melbourne ports, Micheal Danby. Danby currently enjoys a margin of 7% in comparision to the 2007 Federal election. Analysts expect that Danby will be pegged back to less then 2%. His survival depends very much on availibilty of the Liberal Party to tap into and take advantage of the State/Federal ALP division. The Liberal party is expected to run hard on the illegal immigration issue, an issue that labor can not win.

In 2007 the ALP had the support of One Nation in the Senate giving it a third senate seat. In 2010 it will not be in the same position. Minor Party preferences will be against it. The Liberal Party will retain three Senate seats and the ALP will win only two senate seats with the third seat, currently held by Family first, up for grabs.

State Government: Avoidance is best policy?

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

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.

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

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.