Guilty of chairing a public meeting whilst drunk.
Call to put an end to free piss ups and free booze for Councillors and Staff and adopt a "No drinking whilst on the job" policy.
Reports in the Age Newspaper and Herald Sun March 9, 2006 about Councilllor Snedden being too drink to chair a meeting comes as no surprise and confirm our concern and need for the City of Melbourne to review its free booze policy. This situation confronts all Councillors and senior staff who have access to the booze cabinet.
Melbourne City Councillors this month are more concerned about the fun and freebies in the lead-up to the Commonwealth Games then they are with issues of governance and administration.
Councillor Snedd0n was not the first and sadly will not be the last as long as the Council continue to provide free booze top senior staff and Councillors.
Whilst Cr Fiona Snedden must accept responsibility for he own actions the City Council must also share some responsibility for the situation that Cr Snedden found herself in after last Tuesday's Council meeting. There are questions as to the Council's overall legal liability and duty of care.
The City of Melbourne continue to provide free on tap booze to councillors who often find themselves in the situation where they drink too much free booze. Te cost of this free booze fountain is all paid for by the ratepayer.
Hopefully we will not see a repeat of this sort of behaviour and the Councillors will not need to undergo a breathalyzer test before taking to the stage or handed the gavel.
The City Council must put an end to the free bar tab and restrict the supply of alcohol to staff and councillors.
Showing posts with label Commonwealth Games. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Commonwealth Games. Show all posts
Thursday, March 09, 2006
Wednesday, March 08, 2006
Big Spenders City Council spends up big on Games
Melbourne City Council spends over $4 Million opn Gasmes parties. Herald-Sun Newspaper March 8, 2006
Melbourne shouts a $4m party
Shaun Phillips
08mar06
MELBOURNE City Council will spend $4 million on public parties and celebrations in its $31 million Commonwealth Games budget.
The big-ticket item is a $3 million contribution to the river parade that will form part of Wednesday's Opening Ceremony.
Some $315,000 will be spent on a street party to welcome the Queen's Baton Relay on the eve of the ceremony.
Estimates last August put the cost at $120,000.
The council hopes tens of thousands of people will congregate on the corner of Bourke and Elizabeth streets from 5.30pm on Tuesday.
Paul McDermott, Christine Anu, Mark Seymour and Rogue Traders will perform.
The council will spend $500,000 on the Moomba parade for Monday. An Indian festival on Saturday will cost $90,000.
The council will host a cocktail party reception for Australian athletes on Monday night.
The council revealed the cost of 12,000 potted plants to be placed around the city in 375 crates had risen to $200,000, up from $160,000.
About $19 million of the budget has gone to capital projects including Bourke St mall, Queensbridge square, and Sandridge and Princes bridges.
More than 10km of road and footpaths have been resurfaced for the marathon and cycling races.
Almost $5 million will be spent on operations, including employing 320 contractors to work around the clock clearing an estimated 500 tonnes of rubbish.
The council will spend $170,000 hosting guests from around the world at Games events.
Lord Mayor John So said he hoped two of 72 giant fish moored in the Yarra for the opening ceremony would find a permanent home near the Melbourne Aquarium.
Melbourne shouts a $4m party
Shaun Phillips
08mar06
MELBOURNE City Council will spend $4 million on public parties and celebrations in its $31 million Commonwealth Games budget.
The big-ticket item is a $3 million contribution to the river parade that will form part of Wednesday's Opening Ceremony.
Some $315,000 will be spent on a street party to welcome the Queen's Baton Relay on the eve of the ceremony.
Estimates last August put the cost at $120,000.
The council hopes tens of thousands of people will congregate on the corner of Bourke and Elizabeth streets from 5.30pm on Tuesday.
Paul McDermott, Christine Anu, Mark Seymour and Rogue Traders will perform.
The council will spend $500,000 on the Moomba parade for Monday. An Indian festival on Saturday will cost $90,000.
The council will host a cocktail party reception for Australian athletes on Monday night.
The council revealed the cost of 12,000 potted plants to be placed around the city in 375 crates had risen to $200,000, up from $160,000.
About $19 million of the budget has gone to capital projects including Bourke St mall, Queensbridge square, and Sandridge and Princes bridges.
More than 10km of road and footpaths have been resurfaced for the marathon and cycling races.
Almost $5 million will be spent on operations, including employing 320 contractors to work around the clock clearing an estimated 500 tonnes of rubbish.
The council will spend $170,000 hosting guests from around the world at Games events.
Lord Mayor John So said he hoped two of 72 giant fish moored in the Yarra for the opening ceremony would find a permanent home near the Melbourne Aquarium.
Monday, March 06, 2006
Melbourne City Games Bank City Council embraces creative accounting to fund Commonwealth Games deficit
Melbourne City Council has been asked to fun an extra 6Muillion Dollars to help bail out the State Government for ever increasing costs associated with the holding of the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games.
The Age March 4, 2006
A deal between the Melbourne City Council and the State Government reported in the Age indicates that the State Government would provide ongoing funding for Moomba in return for the City of Melbourne raiding the Council's bank account an chipping in an extra 6 Million dollars. Although ten full details of the offer are unknown what is clear is that this proposal is creative accounting where the the State Government's cost games are reduced making the squares on the book look more acceptable. (If that is a all possible).
The costs to the Council should be the same on paper 6 Million (less the loss of investment interest) with the State Government paying the Council back in yearly subsidies of Moomba - The State gets reduced games coast and the City of Melbourne books show a decreased costs for Moomba.
The City of Melbourne regally embarks on such creative accounting exercises and this is one reason why the City of Melbourne is prepared to go to such lengths to avoid accountability and disclose of its costs.
By agreeing to help bail out the State Government the City Council hope to win favour and support from Spring Street. If one turns a bling eye to the other. You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours as both entities conspire to mislead the public.
The article published in the Age is well worth reading as the costs published are just the tip of the ice-berg with much more costs hidden away under different budget items or attributed to current costs.
Any serious analysis and review can only raise questions and doubts as to the overall benefits
All in the name of the games.
The Age March 4, 2006
A deal between the Melbourne City Council and the State Government reported in the Age indicates that the State Government would provide ongoing funding for Moomba in return for the City of Melbourne raiding the Council's bank account an chipping in an extra 6 Million dollars. Although ten full details of the offer are unknown what is clear is that this proposal is creative accounting where the the State Government's cost games are reduced making the squares on the book look more acceptable. (If that is a all possible).
The costs to the Council should be the same on paper 6 Million (less the loss of investment interest) with the State Government paying the Council back in yearly subsidies of Moomba - The State gets reduced games coast and the City of Melbourne books show a decreased costs for Moomba.
The City of Melbourne regally embarks on such creative accounting exercises and this is one reason why the City of Melbourne is prepared to go to such lengths to avoid accountability and disclose of its costs.
By agreeing to help bail out the State Government the City Council hope to win favour and support from Spring Street. If one turns a bling eye to the other. You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours as both entities conspire to mislead the public.
The article published in the Age is well worth reading as the costs published are just the tip of the ice-berg with much more costs hidden away under different budget items or attributed to current costs.
Any serious analysis and review can only raise questions and doubts as to the overall benefits
All in the name of the games.
Saturday, February 18, 2006
City taken to the Cleaners Melbourne City Council CEO fails to negoiate cost of clean-up after the games. Ratpayers left to pick up the tab
Melbourne City Council CEO, David Pitchford, failed to negoiate the cost of clean-up following the Commonwealth Games leaving ratepayers to foot the bill for the clean-up costs.
Herald-Sun
The City of Melbourne has spent at least 32 Million dollars on Commonweath Games related expenditure including $170,000 in cost of free tickets to events for Councillors , staff, guests and hangers-on.
Normally clean-up costs of major events are paid for by organsiers of Major events but this time Melbourne City Council's CEO and Council Officers failed to ensure that the Games organisers made provision for the clean-up adding further to the costs to the City for this extravagent two weeks jock fest event.
The failure of the City Council to ensure that organisers meet any additional cost raises ongoing concern about the ability of David Pitchford to manage the affairs of the city and the ability of the Council to keep a watch on the performance and administration of the Council.
Our elected Councillors more interested in partying and social events then they are in administration and proper governance.
Meanwhile our Lord mayor, John So, makes unsubstanciated claims in statements to the Herald Sun that the City will reap dividends from the Games event. How? John So conveiniantly failed to outline extacly how and how much Melbourne will benefit. We doubt that Melbourne will see any real benefit from its 32 million dollar give away and that is not counting the one to two billion dollars that the State Government has spent overall on the games.
Any excuse and pretense to justfiy the unjustifiable.
John So, our City Councillors and staff are more then happy to spend up up big with no limit on costs as Melbourne is left to pick up the tab.
The Melbourne City Council continues to avoid responsibility and accountability by refusing to disclosу the full costs and alleged benefits.
Melbourne may never know the true cost of Ron Walker's folly, if at all, until after the November State election.
Hopefully this will be the last Commonwealth Games event held in Australia
Herald-Sun
The City of Melbourne has spent at least 32 Million dollars on Commonweath Games related expenditure including $170,000 in cost of free tickets to events for Councillors , staff, guests and hangers-on.
Normally clean-up costs of major events are paid for by organsiers of Major events but this time Melbourne City Council's CEO and Council Officers failed to ensure that the Games organisers made provision for the clean-up adding further to the costs to the City for this extravagent two weeks jock fest event.
The failure of the City Council to ensure that organisers meet any additional cost raises ongoing concern about the ability of David Pitchford to manage the affairs of the city and the ability of the Council to keep a watch on the performance and administration of the Council.
Our elected Councillors more interested in partying and social events then they are in administration and proper governance.
Meanwhile our Lord mayor, John So, makes unsubstanciated claims in statements to the Herald Sun that the City will reap dividends from the Games event. How? John So conveiniantly failed to outline extacly how and how much Melbourne will benefit. We doubt that Melbourne will see any real benefit from its 32 million dollar give away and that is not counting the one to two billion dollars that the State Government has spent overall on the games.
Any excuse and pretense to justfiy the unjustifiable.
John So, our City Councillors and staff are more then happy to spend up up big with no limit on costs as Melbourne is left to pick up the tab.
The Melbourne City Council continues to avoid responsibility and accountability by refusing to disclosу the full costs and alleged benefits.
Melbourne may never know the true cost of Ron Walker's folly, if at all, until after the November State election.
Hopefully this will be the last Commonwealth Games event held in Australia
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
John So and Co spend up big 32 Million Dollars spent on Games and $170,000 on free tickets for Councillors, Staff, invitees and hangers-on
John So spends up Big using ratepayers money to fund Councillors, Staff and guests.
The Herald sun reports that the City Council will have spent 32 Million dollars on the Commonwealth Games.
And this is just the tip of the iceberg. Much more had been spent not only by this council but also the previous two Councils including free trips to the Sydney 2000 Olympics, Trips during and after the Manchester games in London and staff have also been spending big visiting various sporting events around the world all attributed to the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games.
If there were Gold medals on offer for the most perks and less then the City Council would be a major contender. No accountability and no shame.
Like pigs with snorts in the trough eating cream.
John So and his fellow Councillors and senior staff have been living a International jet-set playboy like millionaire businessman lifestyle at ratepayers expense. $800.00 a night 5 star accommodation, fist class business travel costing $20,000 a week. Last year the Council spent $400,000 in overseas trips alone.
"Melbourne City Council will spend $170,000 on 728 Games tickets and spots in the lavish, 16-seat hospitality box with most tickets going to hangers-on" reports the Herald Sun
The Melbourne City Council, forever seeking to avoid disclosure and accountability, has consistently refused to release details of invitees, including who will take up 37 opening ceremony tickets costing $590 each with Chinese guests receiving the lions a share of invitations on offer. ( And I thought Hong Kong was no longer part of the Commonwealth)
No one in the Council seams to knows what is going on and or how much it is really costing the City. David Pitchford, Melbourne City Council CEO, reports 21 delegates from Tianjin had accepted invitations, but Cr So last night claimed it was only 12. (Who is telling the truth). Seems like our communist siblings are also into free junkets when they are on offer.
Quarter of a million dollars in contingency funding above and beyond the money already spent and allocated. Council staff will be treated to city accommodation for the Games, costing $13,000. (Don't they have homes?)
Meanwhile Staff have been distracted from their normal duties with their attention focused on the 2 week Games event next month.
Comments reported in the Herald-sun allude to John So and his fellow Councillors looking to impress in the hope of securing reciprocal invites to the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.
John So and the City Council are up for re-election in November 2008 and given the bill they are racking up I doubt if any of them will be re-elected but John is hoping to scam a few more benefits before he hands over the gold chains and robe (We're still not sure about who owns the possum skin coat)
Meanwhile the City Council continues to avoid full disclosure of the costs associated with internal catering, inbound missions and the cost of the Lord Mayor and Deputy Lord Mayor's Limousines estimated to be all up costing ratepayers all up over one million dollars a year. It would have to be one of the most corrupt governments in Australia with the amount of money they spend avoiding accountability getting well into the 100's of thousands of dollars.
The City Council should come clean and publish on it's internet site a full account of Games expenditure for all to see and let them be the judge if the excesses of our Lord Mayor, Councillors and staff can be justified.
Have no fear if they continue to abuse the system and refuse to publish the information we will make an FoI application and raise this issue again around budget time. The can continue to waste Council's funds and resources but they will in the end be held to account.
The Herald sun reports that the City Council will have spent 32 Million dollars on the Commonwealth Games.
And this is just the tip of the iceberg. Much more had been spent not only by this council but also the previous two Councils including free trips to the Sydney 2000 Olympics, Trips during and after the Manchester games in London and staff have also been spending big visiting various sporting events around the world all attributed to the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games.
If there were Gold medals on offer for the most perks and less then the City Council would be a major contender. No accountability and no shame.
Like pigs with snorts in the trough eating cream.
John So and his fellow Councillors and senior staff have been living a International jet-set playboy like millionaire businessman lifestyle at ratepayers expense. $800.00 a night 5 star accommodation, fist class business travel costing $20,000 a week. Last year the Council spent $400,000 in overseas trips alone.
"Melbourne City Council will spend $170,000 on 728 Games tickets and spots in the lavish, 16-seat hospitality box with most tickets going to hangers-on" reports the Herald Sun
The Melbourne City Council, forever seeking to avoid disclosure and accountability, has consistently refused to release details of invitees, including who will take up 37 opening ceremony tickets costing $590 each with Chinese guests receiving the lions a share of invitations on offer. ( And I thought Hong Kong was no longer part of the Commonwealth)
No one in the Council seams to knows what is going on and or how much it is really costing the City. David Pitchford, Melbourne City Council CEO, reports 21 delegates from Tianjin had accepted invitations, but Cr So last night claimed it was only 12. (Who is telling the truth). Seems like our communist siblings are also into free junkets when they are on offer.
Quarter of a million dollars in contingency funding above and beyond the money already spent and allocated. Council staff will be treated to city accommodation for the Games, costing $13,000. (Don't they have homes?)
Meanwhile Staff have been distracted from their normal duties with their attention focused on the 2 week Games event next month.
Comments reported in the Herald-sun allude to John So and his fellow Councillors looking to impress in the hope of securing reciprocal invites to the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.
John So and the City Council are up for re-election in November 2008 and given the bill they are racking up I doubt if any of them will be re-elected but John is hoping to scam a few more benefits before he hands over the gold chains and robe (We're still not sure about who owns the possum skin coat)
Meanwhile the City Council continues to avoid full disclosure of the costs associated with internal catering, inbound missions and the cost of the Lord Mayor and Deputy Lord Mayor's Limousines estimated to be all up costing ratepayers all up over one million dollars a year. It would have to be one of the most corrupt governments in Australia with the amount of money they spend avoiding accountability getting well into the 100's of thousands of dollars.
The City Council should come clean and publish on it's internet site a full account of Games expenditure for all to see and let them be the judge if the excesses of our Lord Mayor, Councillors and staff can be justified.
Have no fear if they continue to abuse the system and refuse to publish the information we will make an FoI application and raise this issue again around budget time. The can continue to waste Council's funds and resources but they will in the end be held to account.
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
City Council splurge on Games Ratepayers continue to foot the bill as the full expenses are hidden from public view
Melbourne City Council spends up big on the Commonwealth Games. The Herald-Sun today reports that the City Councillors will spend in excess of $170,000.00 on Commonwealth Games tickets. And that is just the tip of the Ice Berg.
Herald Sun: Ratepayers foot Commonwealth Games splurge bill [31jan06] by Jen Kelly
Herald Sun: Ratepayers foot Commonwealth Games splurge bill [31jan06] by Jen Kelly
The City Council has spent much much more overall, most of the expenditure has been hidden away under creative accounting and other budget items. The previous two Councils had spent 100's of thousands of dollars visiting the Sydney Olympics, Junkets to Manchester - London and the like all in the name of the Games.
Part-time Labor Councillor Kate Redwood (Yes the same Kate Redwood elected on the back of McClowns push for the top job). Kate spent over $20,000.00 on a five day visit/junket to Manchester in 2003. To what benefit? Kate was not directly involved in the planning or organisation of the event and has little to no experience, knowledge and skills in sports/event planning.
The concerns expressed by Cr Ng are highly dubious if not deceitful. Surely Ng knew about these expenses before today? If not she should have. She comes out and expresses concern about the level of unbudgeted expenditure only after the Herald-Sun catches them out.
Council expenses, which are due to be published today, are all funded by a bottomless pit of contingent funding from consolidated revenue. We have constantly requested the council provide a budget for Councilor expenses but they never release this information Why?. Because they do not have a budget preferring instead to just pay the cost as and when they occur. No constraints, no financial management and no responsibility.
We challenge and call on the City Council to provide a full detailed account of Games related expenditure so that ratepayers can be informed of the full cost benefits to the City in hosting this two week event.
Game on
Update: For more information and review see Andrew Landeryou's Blog for Freedom article on Cr Ng "Snouts in the trough"
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
In the name of the games. So let it be...Bracks to open games - Lord Mayor rebuffed
In the name of the games. A right royal tiff has sprung up with three contenders to the thrown fighting it out in a public battle to see who will take the pride and honours of centre stage with her Majesty Queen Elizabeth at the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2006 Melbourne -Commonwealth Games
Link to original story Herald-Sun
On one hand you have Australia's Prime-Minister, John Howard, who wants the job. He is close to the Queen and believes that because the Australian Government is chipping in up to $500 Million Dollars and he is the head man of the Australian Government he should be the one. Most of the money he is contributing goes towards the cost of security primarily because his governments policy and support for the war in Iraq has made Australia and the 2006 Commonwealth Games a potential terrorist target. Someone forgot to tell the PM that it is the Melbourne Games and not the Australian Games.
Steve Bracks, Premier of the Victoria, inherited the games from his predecessor Jeff Kennett who was talked into holding the games by head honcho and former head of Crown Casino, Ron Walker. Steve Bracks and his government have contributed over $800 Million and rightly so thinks he should have the honours of officially welcoming guests to the games.
And on the outside lane is our Lord Mayor, John So, the man who seriously thought the Lord Mayor should be a member of the State Cabinet. The City of Melbourne has contributed over $30 Million and Clown Hall is of the view that John So is the one who should have the role and task of official welcomer. Yes the games are the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games and the City of Melbourne is one of the host organisations. HOWEVER the fact is it is the Greater Melbourne not the City of Melbourne who will host these games. Many of the games venues are not even in the City of Melbourne. The City of Melbourne were not even part of the initial organising committee and have only recently muscled in on the act.
Personally I think the games are a total waste of money and limited public resources have been re-allocated to put on this extravagant event (another one of Ron Waker's public events paid for by the public purse) and just like the Grand Prix will be a financial disaster for Melbourne but we shall not know the full cost until sometime next year well after the November State election when the glory of the event will have faded.
Right now I would be betting that Steve Bracks and his team wish the games were being held in September or October but that would conflict with the ALF and the lead up to the State Elections in November. I am sure the idea never crossed their minds.
In trying to help decide the issue as to who should be the one .... it is clear the honour and responsibility should stand with Steve Bracks representing Victoria and the Greater Melbourne Community. Both John So and John Howard will just have to contend with being in on the side lines sitting in the back row but never the less on the same stage as her Majesty.
As for me I hope to be overseas far-away from the event itself in some safer location. It is an event I have never supported and believe will prove to be both a financial and economic disaster - another one of Ron's flights of fancy. My money is on the Australian Open a truly International sporting event worthy of support. Full points for the Herald-Sun who constantly prove it is the leading newspaper in Melbourne when it comes to local issues.
game on...
Anthony van der Craats
Link to original story Herald-Sun
On one hand you have Australia's Prime-Minister, John Howard, who wants the job. He is close to the Queen and believes that because the Australian Government is chipping in up to $500 Million Dollars and he is the head man of the Australian Government he should be the one. Most of the money he is contributing goes towards the cost of security primarily because his governments policy and support for the war in Iraq has made Australia and the 2006 Commonwealth Games a potential terrorist target. Someone forgot to tell the PM that it is the Melbourne Games and not the Australian Games.
Steve Bracks, Premier of the Victoria, inherited the games from his predecessor Jeff Kennett who was talked into holding the games by head honcho and former head of Crown Casino, Ron Walker. Steve Bracks and his government have contributed over $800 Million and rightly so thinks he should have the honours of officially welcoming guests to the games.And on the outside lane is our Lord Mayor, John So, the man who seriously thought the Lord Mayor should be a member of the State Cabinet. The City of Melbourne has contributed over $30 Million and Clown Hall is of the view that John So is the one who should have the role and task of official welcomer. Yes the games are the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games and the City of Melbourne is one of the host organisations. HOWEVER the fact is it is the Greater Melbourne not the City of Melbourne who will host these games. Many of the games venues are not even in the City of Melbourne. The City of Melbourne were not even part of the initial organising committee and have only recently muscled in on the act.
Personally I think the games are a total waste of money and limited public resources have been re-allocated to put on this extravagant event (another one of Ron Waker's public events paid for by the public purse) and just like the Grand Prix will be a financial disaster for Melbourne but we shall not know the full cost until sometime next year well after the November State election when the glory of the event will have faded.
Right now I would be betting that Steve Bracks and his team wish the games were being held in September or October but that would conflict with the ALF and the lead up to the State Elections in November. I am sure the idea never crossed their minds.
In trying to help decide the issue as to who should be the one .... it is clear the honour and responsibility should stand with Steve Bracks representing Victoria and the Greater Melbourne Community. Both John So and John Howard will just have to contend with being in on the side lines sitting in the back row but never the less on the same stage as her Majesty.
As for me I hope to be overseas far-away from the event itself in some safer location. It is an event I have never supported and believe will prove to be both a financial and economic disaster - another one of Ron's flights of fancy. My money is on the Australian Open a truly International sporting event worthy of support. Full points for the Herald-Sun who constantly prove it is the leading newspaper in Melbourne when it comes to local issues.
game on...
Anthony van der Craats
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