My fellow concerned citizens,
As requested, please find attached the text of my letter of resignation from the Council of the City of Glen Eira, dated 30 July 2010
I’m sorry I cannot reply to you individually due to the large number of responses I received, but I would like to express my thanks to you all for your interest in the good governance of the City. I also thank you for your sentiments of support. Many of you reminded me of the issues we dealt with together over the last 5 years. Some of you asked why I did not raise some of these issues more publicly whilst a Councillor. I understand this point but the Local Government Act allows certain matters to be treated In Confidence, and I have to abide by the law in this situation. However I can assure you I raised many concerns both with individual Councillors and with the Council as a group.
I would like to encourage all of you to involve yourselves in Council matters and to demand transparency and accountability. For example:
- Attend Council meetings every 3rd Tuesday at 7.30pm at the Council Chambers and submit questions in writing before 12noon on the day of the meeting Questions can be about any relevant matter, but questions should be specific, constructive and short, to elicit the best possible response..
- Become informed about issues, individual Councillors attitudes and behaviours which may affect their decision making on particular issues.
- Appreciate the quality and hard work of the Council Officers and Staff who have been recognized by State and Federal Government for their high achievements in many fields
- Communicate your opinions to your Councillors and be aware of the importance of the position of Mayor who must lead the Council and be unbiased and sensitive to the interests of the whole community.
- Read the most recent Report by the Local Government Inspector and his criticisms of some Councillor behaviours.
I continue to live in Caulfield North and remain interested and concerned for the long term future of the Municipality.
Sincerely
Helen Whiteside
14 November 2010
WE’VE UPLOADED THE LETTER HERE and also under ‘Why We’re Here’.
Glen Eira Debates 
November 14, 2010 at 2:35 PM
Can anyone out there explain in plain english what items 1-3 of Whiteside’s letter are about? With all the references to other documents and confidential information I am afraid I cannot make any sense of it.
November 14, 2010 at 2:51 PM
There was an audit committee recommendation to write to the minister which was passed unanimously. At the full council meeting there was the decision that there is no ‘evidence’ requiring Ministerial involvement. Whiteside and Magee voted against this decision. Points 1 – 3 refer to these events. Check out the minutes.
It therefore appears that the Whiteside/Magee push for an investigation was hit on the head by the rest of the councillors. I’m then assuming that Whiteside at least complained to the Municipal Inspector and the investigation got under way – that is in spite of what the other councillors appear to have wanted.
All in all, it again demonstrates the lack of cohesion and trust that is ruining this council. Sack the whole bloody lot I say!! And first cab off the rank should be Newton despite what Whiteside says!
November 14, 2010 at 6:32 PM
Does anyone know what the Conflict of Interests are Mrs Whitside is referring too?
November 14, 2010 at 8:13 PM
Whiteside writes – “Some of you asked why I did not raise some of these issues more publicly whilst a Councillor”. An excellent point!! Because the mentality of those running this council and which has been drilled into councillors is the desperate need to present the facade of a ‘united front’ – we’re all a big happy family!! Investigation after investigation has made the ‘drilling’ that much easier. The past is controlling the present in this respect. But Ms. Whiteside, your over the top praise of this administration neglects one important factor. Who is it that declares that issues are ‘confidential’? Isn’t this the CEO? To hide behind the ‘confidentiality’ provision is not going to bear up to examination. When reports, public questions, and other such papers are put before council there is almost 100% acceptance of what is written by officers. There is never any real and thorough questioning from councillors, and never, but never, the correction of inaccuracies and just plain old spin. This is where cover ups and poor governance is most obvious. Did the sell off of public land in Inkerman Rd. last council meeting really reveal all? And what did you do about Lipshutz and the frisbee affair? A simple, honest, answer to numerous public questions, or at least demuring from the rest of this rotten bunch would have earned you heaps of bonus points. Or when you were in the Mayoral chair and Lipshutz went on in his insulting diatribes against ‘activists’, did you shut him up? No! But you had the power to then. As did all other councillors who could have dissented from his tirade. Instead you remained quiet – lips shut tight hoping that all this (and undoubtedly plenty more) would go away. I’m sorry, but I believe you’re just as culpable as Lipshutz, Hyams, Tang, esakoff, Pilling, Magee, Penhalluriack. In the end ‘silence’ is not golden – it covers up a multitude of sins!
November 15, 2010 at 2:58 PM
Dear Ms Whiteside,
it would be nice if your letter of resignation was accurate and factual. I refer to your reference to the Booran Rd episode as involving a ‘land transfer’. The land has never been transferred. Council has simply been appointed as its ‘managers’. Such loose language is typical of this administration and it appears that you have been caught up in the sham. Concern for residents demands more than a resignation letter that merely repeats verbatim the self congratulatory phrases that have been concocted by administrators.
I also question why this land was not transferred to council? Could it possibly be that history has shown that when land has been granted to council it has almost immediately been sold off? That state bureaucrats and politicians were simply not prepared to run this risk again?
November 17, 2010 at 11:40 AM
Helen Whiteside at the very least deserves some credit for bringing governance issues out into the open. Her resignation points the finger at councillors who have been proven by the inspectorate not to have acted in the best interests of transparency and proper governance. I agree with her that the cloak of silence under which this council operates must vanish. The community has every right to know what secret deals are being made, why the same mayors are elected time and time again, and how public money is being spent. Whiteside’s resignation should be a warning to all councillors and a wake up call to residents. Get off your backsides as she writes and start being concerned with how this council is run.
November 17, 2010 at 1:39 PM
Residents invariably get the kind of council they deserve. Apathy and ignorance play right into the hands of those elected who may then stand up in council and proclaim as Lipshutz has done that ‘he represents the community’. It should be remembered that his votes were tiny in comparison to the number of people in the electorate.
Whatever led to Whiteside’s resignation and then her advertisement is not only her business – it should be everyone’s business. Unless residents are fully satisfied with what has been going on in this council for the past ten years, they should then ask those very questions that Whiteside suggests. Unless people are prepared to voice their disgust and anger then nothing will change. The Lipshutz’s of this world will continue along their merry way, oblivious to community sentiment and needs.