Politics Whittlesea council and other local councils

[TimmeT]

What are the thoughts do we need them or should they be rid as an utterly rubbish and useless form of government. There seems to be multiple cases of incredible issues within councils with Whittlesea in Melbourne being the latest rto come under fire and Ipswich Queensland also having to be terminated thanks to several councilors getting charged with offences.

Whittlesea council a step closer to being sacked, after councillors oust Overland

Victoria's local government watchdog had spent months investigating Whittlesea council over claims of bullying and workplace safety before councillors sensationally sacked their chief executive Simon Overland on Tuesday night.
The Local Government Inspectorate had urged the state government to closely monitor the council, in Melbourne’s north, writing to Local Government Minister Adem Somyurek several days ago.

In a move that could bring councillors a step closer to getting sacked, Mr Somyurek has confirmed that a monitor would be appointed to assess the council’s processes around hiring a new chief executive, how councillors treat staff, workplace safety, handling confidential information, service delivery and council-decision making.
Mr Overland, a former Victoria Police chief commissioner who is soon to be a witness before the Informer 3838 royal commission, has been on indefinite leave from the City of Whittlesea since November, citing “health and wellbeing” concerns.

“I think it’s unusual that someone on sick leave is sacked,” Mr Somyurek said, adding that he would leave a ruling on the council decision to Local Government Inspectorate chief municipal inspector David Wolf, "who has an active inquiry going on at the City of Whittlesea.”

Whittlesea council a step closer to being sacked, after councillors oust Overland

City of Whittlesea had been under investigation for months by Victoria's local government watchdog before the council sacked Simon Overland, who is soon to be a witness before the Informer 3838 royal commission.

www.theage.com.au

NEWS

/ AUSTRALIA
Skopjian interests dominate Whittlesea Council meeting after Mayor uses Greek symbols at North Macedonian event


When Councillor Emilia Lisa Sterjova, 22, was elected Whittlesea’s Mayor in November there was celebration that a new era would begin with a young person bringing a fresh perspective to the role.
A few months down the track, Whittlesea is plagued by all sorts of controversy, however the youngest female mayor of Australia has neither shown diplomacy and mature leadership, nor has she been an instrument of peace in the district and this was particularly evident during Tuesday night’s marathon council meeting.
Instead of focusing on crucial matters of interest to the local people of Whittlesea, the meeting was dominated by a controversial Facebook post featuring Mayor Sterjova at an event for North Macedonian students holding a red flag and a yellow sun of Vergina – a Greek symbol. The post was not in accordance with the Prespes Accord signed in January and diverged from Australia’s official protocol aligned to the UN-ratified agreement. The post, a faux pas, caused unnecessary division and friction between the Greek and North Macedonian communities before the inexperienced mayor was asked to remove it by the acting CEO Kelvin Spiller, who also requested a printed apology following the intervention of Cr Kris Pavlidis. The matter could have been resolved had Mayor Sterjova been more careful in the wording of her ‘apology’ which did not sound remorseful in the least.

Skopjian interests dominate Whittlesea Council meeting after Mayor uses Greek symbols at North Macedonian event

When Councillor Emilia Lisa Sterjova, 22, was elected Whittlesea’s Mayor in November there was celebration that a new era would begin with a young person bringing a fresh perspective to …

neoskosmos.com

Also information sufraced that the mayor is allegedly a responsible party in a hit and run recently using the vehicle provided by the council.

Then on top of that there has been controversy in Moreland with extreme changes to parking regulations being implemented in the near future which will limit parking for residents, require them to pay for permits and implement rather weird regulations like rules around parking near a comminity activity centre which will have almost zero benefit

https://www.facebook.com/OscarYildiz4Pascoevale/posts/2426367090822461&width=500"

 

[Thegibbsgamble]

There's a mayor of a sa regional coiuncil and former labor party candidate in a number of elections, was going to the phillipenes on sex tours, at rate payers expense.

 

[Nuggs Bunny]

As the old saying goes, councils are for roads, rates and rubbish. If they stick to those three principles of the people, there shouldn't be any issues.

The "revelations" of developers allegedly bribing councillors in outer melbourne suburbs (everyone suspected this was going on all along) has also proven than planning shouldn't be a council responsibility either.

 

[swingdog]

As the old saying goes, councils are for roads, rates and rubbish. If they stick to those three principles of the people, there shouldn't be any issues.

The "revelations" of developers allegedly bribing councillors in outer melbourne suburbs (everyone suspected this was going on all along) has also proven than planning shouldn't be a council responsibility either.

Yeah, that's not going away whatever tier of government is responsible.

 

[Kwality]

At Whittlesea its Councillors who believe they are relevant in a political sense when its about roads, rates and rubbish.

Dont believe they've declared a climate emergency because they cant find a recycling centre willing to take their residents so called recyclables*.

That a Councillor thinks its okay to reignite Euro nationalistic passions in their Council & tried to find CEO Simon Overland guilty before the Royal Commission convened tells you the calibre of these would be politicians.

* Council has been spending ratepayers money having a 3rd party analyse and report on the household recycling stream but the results have not been released to ratepayers.

 

[tangolikelama]

As the old saying goes, councils are for roads, rates and rubbish. If they stick to those three principles of the people, there shouldn't be any issues.

The "revelations" of developers allegedly bribing councillors in outer melbourne suburbs (everyone suspected this was going on all along) has also proven than planning shouldn't be a council responsibility either.

So who do you think the responsibility should fall under?

 

[TimmeT]

So who do you think the responsibility should fall under?

State government should set up an independent body to deal with it who is impartial similar to IBAC. Blatantly badly obvious that the counciors have been corrupted in this area and also are actually able to make decisions with no knowledge of building or the industry. Has lead multiple times to the development of sites which were simply questionable or ridiculous in their development and clearly could not have reflected best practice or being built in the constituents' interest. Casey showed us why this is the case.

 

[Bigfootyfan27]

As the old saying goes, councils are for roads, rates and rubbish. If they stick to those three principles of the people, there shouldn't be any issues.

The "revelations" of developers allegedly bribing councillors in outer melbourne suburbs (everyone suspected this was going on all along) has also proven than planning shouldn't be a council responsibility either.

Sums up councils now days!
More busy trying to inforce pointless laws for revenue raising fines

 

[tangolikelama]

The Moreland one in principle is a good idea but is lacking Local, State and Federal coordination for the facilitation and implementation of necessary infrastructure. We should be moving away from car dependency as it is inefficient and not sustainable. I agree though, this has been moved forward too soon and without proper foresight. Wouldn't be surprised in the slightest if Richard Wynne comes out early next year and shuts it down, he wasn't fond of the proposal earlier in the year.

 

[TimmeT]

The Moreland one in principle is a good idea but is lacking Local, State and Federal coordination for the facilitation and implementation of necessary infrastructure. We should be moving away from car dependency as it is inefficient and not sustainable. I agree though, this has been moved forward too soon and without proper foresight. Wouldn't be surprised in the slightest if Richard Wynne comes out early next year and shuts it down, he wasn't fond of the proposal earlier in the year.

Actually even if he doesn't definitely could be targets on the councillors jheads at the election. Especially when the ones who voted in favour seem to live largely in the highest car usage areas.

 

[tangolikelama]

State government should set up an independent body to deal with it who is impartial similar to IBAC. Blatantly badly obvious that the counciors have been corrupted in this area and also are actually able to make decisions with no knowledge of building or the industry. Has lead multiple times to the development of sites which were simply questionable or ridiculous in their development and clearly could not have reflected best practice or being built in the constituents' interest. Casey showed us why this is the case.

Are you talking about planning? Because thats the role of VCAT - The Tribunal serves an important de facto oversight role of other players in the system, and particularly of local government administration of planning schemes.

 

[tangolikelama]

Actually even if he doesn't definitely could be targets on the councillors jheads at the election. Especially when the ones who voted in favour seem to live largely in the highest car usage areas.

Yes - Old m8 Yildiz has been yelling from the rooftops recently. The populist king.

 

[Kwality]

State government should set up an independent body to deal with it who is impartial similar to IBAC. Blatantly badly obvious that the counciors have been corrupted in this area and also are actually able to make decisions with no knowledge of building or the industry. Has lead multiple times to the development of sites which were simply questionable or ridiculous in their development and clearly could not have reflected best practice or being built in the constituents' interest. Casey showed us why this is the case.

IBAC is holding public examinations into allegations of serious corrupt conduct in relation to planning and property development decisions at the City of Casey ...

ibac - Google Search

 

[TimmeT]

Are you talking about planning? Because thats the role of VCAT - The Tribunal serves an important de facto oversight role of other players in the system, and particularly of local government administration of planning schemes.

No the planning decisions done at the council. Appeals get done in VCAT. VCAT makes decisions on the planning regulation requirements and sometimes even though the things put forward are valid and reasonable VCAT has no reason to overrule the decision made there though as it complied. Cost of then appealing again is not easy and costly to the supreme.

 

[tangolikelama]

No the planning decisions done at the council. Appeals get done in VCAT. VCAT makes decisions on the planning regulation requirements and sometimes even though the things put forward are valid and reasonable VCAT has no reason to overrule the decision made there though as it complied. Cost of then appealing again is not easy and costly to the supreme.

Yep, misunderstood your point

 

[Nuggs Bunny]

So who do you think the responsibility should fall under?

The state? I'm open to suggestions.

 

[Kwality]

The state? I'm open to suggestions.

Put a few Councillors & planning types in the big house & Vic might pull it into line - there are a few candidates down Casey way that might fit the bill, not to mention a donor to both sides of politics.

 

[Nuggs Bunny]

Put a few Councillors & planning types in the big house & Vic might pull it into line - there are a few candidates down Casey way that might fit the bill, not to mention a donor to both sides of politics.

Not sure what the answer really is but something has to give. We've had three decades of 50 lot subdivisions being created kilometres away from an arterial road, let alone a train station. We've had townhouses spring up with only one car park that are also miles away from a bus stop or a train station and have side streets full of household's second cars as a result. In the current situation there's nobody accountable for the shitty decisions they make and developers can just get away with doing the bare minimum.

 

[tangolikelama]

The state? I'm open to suggestions.

The State does control planning though - Planning and Environment act 1987 which is the current legislation and lays out the framework - Planning Minister Richard Wynne who has overarching control then you have The Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning who help with policy making.

Local Government are administrators of the Act - they cant just suddenly rezone an area or parcel of land. They have to apply for a planning amendment which runs through the Planning Minister.

 

[hamohawk1]

VCAT is a genuine lottery these days. Some members are pro-development, some are anti-development and not much is assessed on merit (our business goes to VCAT regarding planning matters regularly). The whole Casey think is symptomatic of Council's though. The amount of items that get 'called in' to Councillors for approval that are shady is absurd. While its a side-effect of democracy allowing anyone within a municipality to run as a Councillor it opens up corruption that is less scrutinised than at state or national level.

With regard to Moreland - Its a very progressive strategy but one that needs to be done. You can no longer rely on each house having 4-5 cars, particularly in that Council that for the most part has exceptional PT access.

The whole greenfield development is a mess. Both sides have allowed the developers to go in and pillage the site and plonk houses where at best there is a bus service once an hour.

 

[Nuggs Bunny]

The State does control planning though - Planning and Environment act 1987 which is the current legislation and lays out the framework - Planning Minister Richard Wynne who has overarching control then you have The Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning who help with policy making.

Local Government are administrators of the Act - they cant just suddenly rezone an area or parcel of land. They have to apply for a planning amendment which runs through the Planning Minister.

Zoning isn't the problem, it's what developers do with the opportunity and what local government allows them to get away with. Even when the planning departments of councils knock back applications on grounds of poor sustainability or poor lifestyle, the matter can be sent upstairs for a rubber stamp from the elected councillors. Building proper infrastructure to service new developments takes money and eats away at valuable space; that's why developers don't like doing it and that's why they like being able to refer their matters to councillors who don't give a s**t about what they create.

 

[Snake_Baker]

Liquidate them all.

 

[Bigfootyfan27]

Zoning isn't the problem, it's what developers do with the opportunity and what local government allows them to get away with. Even when the planning departments of councils knock back applications on grounds of poor sustainability or poor lifestyle, the matter can be sent upstairs for a rubber stamp from the elected councillors. Building proper infrastructure to service new developments takes money and eats away at valuable space; that's why developers don't like doing it and that's why they like being able to refer their matters to councillors who don't give a s**t about what they create.

You’ve clearly never dealt with councils before!