Issues
Financial Management
Since Colac-Otway Shire was formed in 1994, the Council has continually increased rates and borrowed funds to support unsustainable levels of spending. There has been little attention paid to control of costs. This has given us the current situation where we have very high rates and high Shire debt. The Auditor General has identified Colac Otway Shire as one of three Shires in the State “at High Risk” and the only Shire with “immediate liquidity concerns.”
Council has a Superannuation call due in early 2009 for the Defined Benefits superannuation scheme. This will be required to make up for a shortfall in super fund performance, caused mainly by the recent share market fall. Council have made no allowance for it, and have not yet paid off the debt they incurred to meet the last superannuation call in 2003. The last call was over $800,000.
Council’s proposal to close the Colac library at its current site and start up a joint-use library with the new secondary school will create an extra debt of approximately $1.5 Million. Council could not afford to service this extra debt without huge rate increases. I do NOT support the plan to move to a joint-use library – see below for more about the Library
Average incomes in Colac-Otway Shire are among the lowest in the State. Huge rate increases, particularly along the coastal part of the Shire, have driven some older residents out of their homes. The Shire needs to realize that they must manage the Shire to keep rates at a level their residents can afford.
If elected, I will insist that Council gets its finances back under control. Rates increases must be less than the annual inflation rate. Council must live within its residents’ means. My academic background, previous work experience with complex financial matters, and previous Councillor experience, means I am well qualified to help turn the Shire’s financial position around.
Library
The current Council plans to close down the Colac library and replace it with a joint-use library at the new secondary college. This is about 2 km further out from the centre of Colac, so it loses the current site’s advantages of close proximity to the railway station, shops, cinema and so on. There are also security implications to allowing members of the wider public to come onto school property during school hours, which would be necessary if the library were moved to the school location.
Many adults would be quite uncomfortable about “going back to school” to use the library, including people whose time at school was difficult or problematic; people who wish to access materials considered unsuitable for a school library; and people who are concerned about possible noise and behaviour issues with large numbers of school-age children using the library.
The current library is in a great location. Council has starved the library of funds for years, yet now Council claims its current condition is a reason to close it and move to the school library. For a much lower cost than the proposed joint use library at the school, the existing library could be upgraded. If the library is closed, Council will want to renovate the building for use as extra office space.
That cost would be better used to upgrade the library at its current location.
Work with the community
Council should involve its citizens in decision making from the earliest possible stage, not make its decisions in private and use “consultation” sessions to sell its decisions to an unwilling public. True consultation invites feedback on proposals from the whole community, not just a selected few representatives. When I was previously on Council, one of my initiatives was to extend consultation period to six weeks minimum, and eight weeks where any part of the consultation period coincides with school holidays. Since my term on Council finished, the new Council has reduced consultations back to the legal minimum. This means that members of progress associations and other community groups have a difficult time making submissions, as often their monthly meeting is just before the consultation period closes.
If elected, I will work to re-introduce longer consultation periods, to ease the burden on residents and local community groups and to encourage their participation in Council decision making.
Respond to climate change
As vehicles in Council’s fleet come up for renewal, Council should replace them with smaller, fuel efficient vehicles. This includes the Mayor’s and CEO’s vehicles.
It is important to grow food as close as possible to the point of use. This means less energy is used up transporting food across vast distances, and means food is fresh and local. I support creation of Community Gardens in Colac and Apollo Bay, so local people, even those who don’t have their own gardens, can grow fresh produce close to home.
Unused Council land should be revegetated to local species, this will add oxygen to the air, remove carbon dioxide and help clean up weedy council waste land.
I support Solar power systems for Council buildings – demonstration systems both electric and hot water. My own house has both solar hot water and solar electricity.
Council needs to incorporate climate awareness into planning policies, for example ensuring solar access to all lots in new subdivisions, and taking climate effect predictions into account for coastal developments.
Open & Ethical council
Currently, much of Council’s decision making process is carried out in “briefings” which are not open to the public. I believe residents and ratepayers have the right to hear what their councillors are being told, and to see their council in operation. I will move for Council to conduct as much of its business as possible in public, and bring an end to these secret “briefings”.
Under the Local Government Act, some Council business must be conducted in private – the Council uses the term “in committee.” Council’s monthly meeting agenda must disclose the subject matter being discussed in committee. Council has, in the last couple of years, cut right back on the disclosure of subjects for the in committee meeting. I will move to introduce full disclosure of the subjects for in-committee agendas.
Meetings of Council committees should be open to the public. What have they got to hide? Members of the public can attend internal committee meetings of other municipalities in Victoria; they should have the same right in Colac-Otway Shire.
The Shire needs to have processes so that Councillors have access to the information they need to make INFORMED decisions. Relevant information needs to be clearly included in reports to Councillors.
In past years it has been accepted practise that the Mayor’s casting vote was always used to maintain the status quo. This means that, if a controversial matter was before Council and the Council vote was split evenly, the Mayor’s casting vote would be used to keep things the way they are. More recently, some Mayors have used their casting vote as a “second vote” to use as they please, which many people believe is a misuse of the casting vote. We need a new code of conduct to control Mayor’s use of the casting vote.
Disputes in Council need to go to mediation, rather than creating the situation where councillors are sacked. Management needs to respect the legitimacy of Councillors’ role. Management needs to remain neutral, not take sides, and to help find a middle path acceptable to all Councillors. The aim should be to find common ground, rather than the current “winners take all” approach which creates a divided Council. If elected, I will help to implement a new approach which will lead to an efficient and harmonious Council.
