Secret agenda riles ex-lord mayor
Craig Cobbin
September 24, 2011
Melbourne City Council is making too many decisions without the glare of public scrutiny, according to a former lord mayor.
The agenda for next Tuesday’s council meeting lists seven items for discussion as ”confidential” with only one item disclosed to the public.
Former lord mayor Kevin Chamberlin said the council, in charge of an annual budget worth hundreds of millions of dollars, was operating too much in secrecy.
‘When you look at a council meeting agenda you get the distinct impression the real business is done behind closed doors,” Mr Chamberlin said.
The closed shop at Tuesday’s council meeting comes after The Age reported in May the lord mayor was conducting ”councillor-only meetings” that did not require minutes to be taken or councillors to declare a conflict of interest because no council staff were present.
Cr Carl Jetter, who said he represented business interests in the council, said it was a long-standing convention for the past three to four terms to have more internal discussions on operations.
”It’s not for the public or ratepayers to know,” Cr Jetter said.
But lord mayor Robert Doyle said the council was more transparent than State Parliament – despite debates in Parliament being open to the public.
”Tuesday’s meeting agenda with so many confidential items is unusual,” Cr Doyle said.
”All nine councillors, regardless of how long they have been a councillor, are free to bring up discussions to question the confidential nature of matters.”
City of Melbourne chief executive Dr Kathy Alexander said in a prepared statement: ”The City of Melbourne understands the importance of being open and transparent with its ratepayers, however there are some specific matters as outlined in the Local Government Act that cannot be discussed in open council.”
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/secret-agenda-riles-exlord-mayor-20110923-1kpe6.html#ixzz1YpXzLvji
Glen Eira Debates 
September 24, 2011 at 12:01 PM
Kathy Alexander must be taking lessons from Newton. What a load of rubbish. The Local Government Act does not say that certain matters CAN’T be discussed in open council. The Act says that certain matters MAY be declared confidential, not that they MUST. In Glen Eira, our lackey councillors have handed all agenda control exclusively to Newton. He can declare whatever he likes to be “confidential” and through this to gag all councillors. The perfect example is the continual re-appointment of Gibbs & McLean to the Audit Committee. There’s no good reason why such appointments should be secret except if he’s worried about the flack that will come. Declaring something like this as confidential is only to cover his tracks and save his bacon. 14 years straight for these blokes is not good governance in anyone’s book. You can get away with heaps and heaps of stuff when you’ve got the authority to stick everything under “confidential”. Then we get the bullshit mission statement about transparency and accountability. Hypocrisy at its best.
Then you need to look at who are the chief advocates of such policies and the answer is clear – Lipshutz, Hyams, Esakoff and Tang. They have to be chucked out along with the executive.
September 24, 2011 at 12:57 PM
The most condescending and patronising comment is Jetter’s – it’s not for ratepayers to know! “Operations” are paid for by ratepayers and they’ve got every right to know how efficient, cost effective, honest these well paid officers are. Unbelievable statement. Councils all over the place have gone mad and it plays right into the hands of career officers who are not made accountable to the people who pay their wages.
I keep thinking that it would be good to know what little perks at ratepayers expense Newton and his directors have that is never made public. If councillors expenses are public then so should these peoples be.Do they all get cars for instance and what about free trips or accommodation or lunch expenses when they hobnobbing it with those in the know?
September 24, 2011 at 6:19 PM
Stop bullying Andrew. The Melbourne Racing Club always picks up the cheque so it doesn’t cost the ratepayers a cent apart from inappropriate planning deals such as C60.
September 24, 2011 at 7:02 PM
Poor Andrew, such a delicate flower. Sure hope he’s got his job on the trustees all tied up by now.
September 25, 2011 at 8:35 AM
He would need some political mates in the Labor Party to get a trustee appointment. That is how Nic Staikos was appointed as a trustee for life. Around this time of the year Nic turns his thoughts as to which tie he will wear to the Caulfield Cup. I have seen him enjoying a long free lunch and plenty to drink in the Committee dining room.