"Disgusting, disreputable and without justification"

Subscriber-only episode

Today on the Local Government News Roundup
A new mayor elected at Northern Grampians after the passing of the former mayor;
The new ED of Local Government Victoria announced;
Councils campaign for the state to take over funding of school crossing supervisors;
A notorious Tasmanian councillor suspended for three months;
Election results from NSW, and a mayoral election still too close to call.
Plus much more news from around the world of local government.

For links to stories referenced, go to the transcript, or www.lgnewsroundup.com

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The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Davidson, the nationally recognised executive recruitment and business advisory service.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Chapters

• 0:00 Victorian Roundup
• 9:20 National Roundup
• 16:14 International Spotlight

Transcript

Hello and welcome to the Local Government News Roundup. This is the bulletin for the 17th August. I’m Chris Eddy. 

Coming up in this edition:

A new mayor elected at Northern Grampians after the passing of the former mayor;

The new ED of Local Government Victoria announced;

Councils campaign for the state to take over funding of school crossing supervisors;

A notorious Tasmanian councillor suspended for three months;

Election results from NSW, and a mayoral election still too close to call.

All that and so much more ahead on the Local Government News Roundup, brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government. 

Northern Grampians Shire Council has elected Cr Murray Emerson to serve out the current mayoral term following the death of serving mayor Cr Tony Driscoll earlier this month.

Cr Emerson has previously served four terms as mayor and he will hold the role until the next mayoral election scheduled for 7th November.

The new Executive Director of Local Government Victoria has been announced. Mike Gooey, the current ED of Animal Welfare Victoria will step into the role on the 29th August.

Mr Gooey has held roles in rural and regional Victoria, working with councils on economic development strategies and economic recovery programs. He has 20 years experience in senior roles in the public and not-for-profit sectors.

A campaign led by Monash City Council focusing on the funding model for school crossing supervisors is making its way onto Council agendas around the state.

The model which sees councils part-fund what is regarded as a state government service is being discussed by Ballarat and Pyrenees councils among others.

Currently, less than 50% of the cost of the service in most council areas is funded by state government subsidies.

Golden Plains Shire has written to the government saying it wants to transition to a new model within two years under which the state would pick up the full cost.

According to a report in the Ballarat Courier this week, the city of Monash is asking for contributions from other councils to maintain the campaign.

(Ballarat Courier, 16-8-22)

Warrnambool City Council will conduct community consultation on the future of the Warrnambool saleyards, after last week opting not to award a tender for critical works.

The 52 year old facility is estimated to contribute around $35M annually to the city’s economy, but there are concerns that the ageing facility is a safety risk and will require significant funds to bring it up to required standards.

According to the Moyne Gazette, the consultation will involve a survey and engagement with key stakeholders, before the Council considers a final decision on the facility's future later this year.

(Moyne Gazette, 13-8-22)

At Baw Baw Shire Council, a permanent library for Trafalgar is a step closer this week. 

The Council has unanimously endorsed an old kindergarten site in Contingent Street as the preferred location for a new static library, which would be an upgrade of the current mobile library that serves the east ward community of Trafalgar.

With site and initial designs endorsed, the project will now progress to the development of detailed designs.

Here are today’s Victorian Briefs:

Wodonga Council will enter into an MOU with Development Victoria, and negotiate terms for a community reference group in relation to the ongoing and contentious Junction Place development project.

Two councillors voted against the recommendation, saying it reduces councillors to ‘informed bystanders’ to the process; while others felt it ensures accountability from all parties and allows for council involvement.

The decision also means existing planning controls will be retained on the site.

The Federal and Victorian State Governments have made a joint announcement of $2M in funding to boost recycling and manufacturing of plastic, paper, cardboard and tyres in the state.

Councils and businesses can apply for a third round of circular economy recycling modernisation funding to install new technology or upgrade existing facilities.

And Brimbank City Council is looking to strike while the iron is hot when it comes to electric vehicles. Postcode 3020 covering Sunshine, Albion, Sunshine North and Sunshine West is where the most EVs were sold in Victoria last year - and the council is running an online webinar on all things Electric Vehicles next week.

A major new study is seeking the views of elected representatives and people working in local government about the state of the sector in Australia.

The independent study by ACU’s Research Centre for Social and Political Change is aimed at providing a better understanding of the changing roles and responsibilities of local government today.

Associate Professor Mark Chou tells me more about who he is hoping will participate in the study…. 

Mark - how will the information that you gather be used..? 

If you’d like to participate in the study, there is a link in the show notes; and Mark has promised to come back to the Roundup soon to talk about the study’s findings and observations.

Coming up: A notorious Tasmanian councillor suspended for three months; a controversial statue in Hobart is coming down; election results from NSW, and a mayoral election still too close to call.

You're listening to the Local Government News Roundup for 17th August 2022, brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association.

With a state election looming, VLGA Connect is presenting a series of live panels and discussions with key players over the coming weeks.

Confirmed participants include the Victorian Local Government Minister, Melissa Horne; Shadow Minister for Local Government Richard Riordan, and Shadow Minister for Planning Ryan Smith.

The series will comprise moderated live panel discussions, with audience Q&A so that you can ask your questions of panellists on issues of relevance to the local government sector.

Keep watch on the VLGA website Events page for details of election series events, and make sure you don’t miss your chance to take part.

The 2022 State Election Series, coming soon from the VLGA - the national broadcaster on all things local government.

Heading the National Roundup today:

The Tasmanian Councillor found guilty earlier this year of prohibited conduct has been suspended from office for three months by a Code of Conduct panel. 

The suspension of Darren Fairbrother from Waratah-Wynyard Council took effect from Monday, when a late report detailing the outcome of the panel’s deliberations was tabled at the Council’s August meeting.

The panel’s report related to three complaints lodged in May by collectively 4 councillors and 1 community member. It determined that Cr Fairbrother’s actions were a grave breach of the standards of behaviour expected from a councillor, and noted that he has exhibited no remorse and has continued to deny culpability.

Cr Fairbrother’s behaviour was described by the panel as disgusting, disreputable and without justification. It imposed the maximum penalty available to it, being a suspension for a period not exceeding three months.

Hobart City Council has voted to remove a statue of former Tasmanian Premier William Crowther, responsible for the mutilation of the body of an Aboriginal man in 1869. 

The controversial decision was subject to lengthy debate and numerous unsuccessful amendments, before a packed public gallery prone to interjection and bouts of applause. 

The statue has been in place since 1889, and will be conserved and potentially re-interpreted.

Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds said, “This decision is the city saying that we want to prioritise truth-telling in our most prominent city square.”

The sometimes testy debate was not helped when one councillor revealed that a press release had mistakenly been sent to the Australian newspaper, pre-empting the decision and announcing the statue would be removed - well before the matter had even been put to a vote.

The results of by-elections conducted in three municipalities are in - the elections were required after the results from last December’s elections were declared void due to a fault with the electronic voting system iVote.

At Kempsey Shire, 8 councillors were elected, with five of those elected in December returned, and 3 new faces. Early in the week, there were  media reports suggesting one unsuccessful candidate from both elections was considering a challenge to the result. Mayor Leo Hauville was directly elected last year and will continue in the role.

At Singleton Shire, there was one change from the election of 9 councillors. Belinda Charlton was not re-elected and has been replaced by Sarah Johnstone.  They join directly elected mayor Sue Moore for the remainder of the current council term.

And in the Ward A by-election for Shellharbour City Council, Kellie Marsh and Maree Edwards were re-elected from a field of 6 candidates. Former mayor and state MP Marianne Saliba was unsuccessful in her attempt to return to the council after losing in the first directly elected mayor contest for the city last year.

Councils in South Australia have been threatened with naming and shaming by the state’s Essential Services Commission if they ignore advice about rate increases.

The commission has released a report that shows a combined average increase in rates of 88 per cent over a thirteen year period.

The Adelaide Advertiser reports that the Essential Services Commission will be examining council budgets for large or unplanned year on year rates variances, and will publicly criticise councils that ignore its advice, and force them to publish the comments to their ratepayers.

The commission does not have the power to force councils to alter budgets or reduce rates revenue. (Adelaide Advertiser, 15/8/22, p.9)

A Sydney mayor has called on the Federal Government to prioritise upskilling local people ahead of bringing more skilled migrant workers into the country.

Mayor Frank Carbone of Fairfield City Council said this week that the government should rethink its decision to bring an extra 40,000 skilled migrant workers into the country.

He highlighted an unemployment rate of 10.6% percent in his municipality, which is twice the Greater Sydney average and three times the national average.

He said residents in western Sydney should not be competing for higher paid jobs and suffering from the cost of living pressures that a 200,000 migrant intake would cause. He also suggested a planned job skills summit to be held in Canberra should be held in a more appropriate location, like south west Sydney.

Here are today’s National Briefs:

Whitsunday Regional Council’s mayoral election was still too close to call late yesterday, with almost 70% of the vote counted.

Observers expect the result to come down to preferences, and believe it could yet go one of three ways.

Two more councils are looking to encourage holiday home owners to place their properties in the rental market to help alleviate a housing crisis.

Break O’Day Council in Tasmania, and Kiama Council in NSW have this week discussed motions brought forward by councillors, inspired by similar moves at a number of councils around the country in recent weeks.

At Fraser Coast Regional Council in Queensland, the Maryborough Aquatic Centre has reopened after five months of works to repair flood damage from earlier in the year. However, not all facilities are accessible due to a shortage of lifeguards. 

Deputy Mayor Paul Truscott told the Courier Mail the council was struggling to get applicants, and is looking at ways to help applicants meet qualification requirements ahead of the summer period.

(Courier Mail,15-8-22, p.18)

The NSW Environment Protection Authority is taking court action against Coffs Harbour City Council in relation to alleged maintenance deficiencies in five wells and their associated flowlines.

The Council’s General Manager Natalia Cowley has issued a statement assuring the community that the council takes its environmental protection licence conditions very seriously, and would provide further comment after the court process has concluded.

The Mayor of Mackay Council in Queensland has apologised for social media comments after an unsuccessful attempt to halt the removal of a controversial skate park mural.

The Courier Mail has the story of how Mayor Greg Williamson and two other councillors had tried to overturn a council decision to paint over an unfinished artwork.

Eight councillors voted against the move, after which Mayor Williamson made social media comments expressing disappointment, leading to abusive phone calls and emails, even death threats to some councillors.

In a statement, he recognised the council had made democratic decision on the matter and that his post had caused unintentional anxiety and drew inappropriate responses from some members of the community. The post in question has been removed.

(Courier Mail, 15-8-22, p.18)

In today’s International Spotlight:

A UK local authority is facing allegations of entering into secretive contracts worth more than half a billion pounds.

A three year investigation by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism has raised questions about a series of deals between Thurrock Council and a local businessman over the course of 4 years.

Localgov.co.uk reports that the money was used to buy dozens of solar farms over a hundred miles away from the council area.

It is alleged that the local authority cannot account for a lump sum of £138M, and it is being asked to explain its decision process and disclose relevant documents.

New research in the UK suggests that more than half of local authorities are on track to miss a government target for the rollout of public electric car chargers.

IFAMagazine.com has the details on the research by a car leasing comparison site which found that 61% of councils are not growing their charger network fast enough; and indeed some have seen their network shrink in the last 12 months.

It says the worst performing regions are Scotland, the North West and the South East. Best performers are in East Hertfordshire, Dover and London.

The government has set an ambitious target of 300,000 public chargers by 2030 - but so far there are only a little over 32,000.

Television personality Jeremy Clarkson may be in a spot of bother with a local council over planning permission for his new all-meat restaurant at Diddly Squat Farm in Chadlington.

The restaurant is set up in an old sheep hut, for which Mr Clarkson is reported to have claimed a ‘cunning little loophole’ with regard to permitted development.

Thedrinksbusiness.com has reported that West Oxfordshire County Council is looking into the operation to ensure it is compliant with planning law and policies, as well as licensing and food hygiene regulations.

The report suggests that a dispute over planning permission will be a major plot point in an upcoming second season of the Amazon Prime series, Clarkson’s Farm.

That wraps up another Local Government News Roundup, brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association.

 Remember to subscribe to VLGA Connect on YouTube and podcast for regular episodes highlighting local government initiatives, plus the flagship weekly news review on the Governance Update with Stephen Cooper.

I’ll be back with more news from around the world of local government onSunday. Head to lgnewsroundup.com for breaking news updates and extra interview content. 

Until then, thanks for listening and bye for now.