It looks like Glen Eira residents are taking the matter of the CEO appointment process into their own hands. A petition (to be tabled at the 22nd November meeting), calls upon councillors to advertise the position prior to any appointment. The relevant wording of the petition is:
“This petition of certain residents of the City of Glen Eira draws to the attention of the Council the firm conviction that that in order to ensure that the best possible candidate is selected for the position of Chief Executive Officer of Glen Eira, councillors should “test the waters” by advertising the position. Your petitioners therefore pray and demand that the position of CEO is advertised widely”.
In support of this action we’ve uploaded the petition form and ask those readers interested in either signing or helping out to:
- Print off the requisite form
- Get your friends, neighbours, and others who agree with the proposition to sign, and
- Forward completed forms to: PO.BOX 322, ELSTERNWICK. 3185.
Please note that signed sheets need to be completed by next Thursday in order to be collated and then submitted to Council for the 22nd November.
Glen Eira Debates 
November 11, 2011 at 7:00 PM
It is certainly questionable whether this petition will do any good but it’s definitely worth a try. At the very least it should cause some embarrassment where it is most needed. The idea that someone is automatically reappointed time and time again is something that I can’t accept. Most public service jobs are advertised and most people would think that 12 years in the job is probably enough. There is a lifespan for everything – even for CEOs. The most sensible thing that councillors could do is to test the market and to see what’s available. No-one has the god given right to permanent tenure and given the acrimony that has surrounded each contract negotiation, then councillors would be neglecting the best interests of their community if they ignore history and reappointment Newton once more.
November 11, 2011 at 7:48 PM
Newton + Burke =
more investigations
more lawyers
more infighting
more secrecy
more community neglect
more division
more jobs for the boys
Let’s all sign and get rid of them.
November 11, 2011 at 8:37 PM
All signing does is give Andrew Newton and Paul Burke you’re details. If you sign, you are a fool. It will be (MODERATORS: rest of sentence deleted)
November 11, 2011 at 10:43 PM
Newton taught you well didn’t he Noel – bluff, bluster and threaten?
November 12, 2011 at 8:11 AM
Noel. Stick to selling toys. You are probably good at that job.
November 11, 2011 at 9:29 PM
700 signatures rattled councillors on the GESAC basketball courts issues. Thousands of signings to this one should be a real kick up the backside to those seeking re-election. At worst it’ll put a real red blush into their cheeks and at best achieve it’s purpose.
November 11, 2011 at 10:36 PM
I agree with D.Evans that the value of this petition is questionable. In fact, it’s probably quite pointless. Our council doesn’t have good record of listening to the community.
Glen Eira, who is behind this petition? Is it another of Frank’s stunts? As you probably know, the PO box belongs to someone that Frank knows and has a business very close to Frank’s hardware. Any connection there?
I know most who look at this blog will probably disagree but I think the best outcome for the community would be to give Andrew Newton another 2 years. I say this because I have no trust in the ability of our current council to make decisions in the community interest.
Far better to elect a new council next year, and after 12 months they will be able to appoint a new CEO that they can work with.
November 11, 2011 at 11:05 PM
Your argument is amazing.The post on what MPs had to say should be kept in mind. Give Newton any time to work on newby councillors who don’t know if they’re arthur or martha and who will take about 3 years to learn the ropes, and he’s home and hosed not just for a year but for the next contract as well.
I also don’t care who organised the petition. You mightn’t like Penhalluriack and that’s your business. I happen to think that he’s the only councillor there with the guts to ask the really important questioins of Newton and that’s why he’s in the firing line. For me what’s important is that this petition gets plenty of people talking about what’s going on and putting their name to it so that these dumb councillors will have to face an electorate fed up with always being ignored. At the very least it’ll rattle some cages.
November 12, 2011 at 8:17 AM
Frank took an oath that asks him to do the right thing by the people of the City. It appears to me that he is taking it very seriously.