The agenda for Tuesday’s council meeting is out. It’s definitely election, feel good time. This is probably the most innocuous and least informative proposed council meeting of all time. The agenda is chock-a-block full of ‘social issues’ that, predictably, lead nowhere. For example: CCTV placement in Centre Road – this has been discussed, debated for over a year now but the buck passing continues whilst the cameras are probably lying there and rotting. Next there are 2 items on graffiti; homelessness and so on. All are responses to councillors last ditch attempts to parade a social conscience we suspect. Pity that the requests for reports cannot be for something that residents have continually highlighted as ‘major’ – such as planning, traffic, consultation.
What’s far more eye-catching is what is NOT listed for decision or simple information provision that is in keeping with the requirements of transparency and accountability. There’s not one single word about:
- Caulfield Racecourse Centre
- Liquidated damages and GESAC
- No records of assembly (July 3rd was the last record published which means that a meeting probably took place on July 10 – over a month now for this to appear)
Glen Eira Debates 
August 10, 2012 at 5:21 PM
Dead quiet for a year on the racecourse on perhaps the most important thing that will be happening in Glen Eira over the next 10 years (I’m including the C60 here). Shameful performance by Newton and the gang.
It’s dead easy to blame one resident for holding something up for a couple of months but these people have had a year to start ripping down fences, opening gates, and fixing up the poor excuse for a park that Glen Eira got. None of this has been done and the gang haven’t got the balls to even tell people why none of this has been achieved in over a year. It’s got nothing at all to do with planning applications but all hinges on honesty and believing a word that comes out of the mrc.
Gesac is another catastrophe. Lipshutz and Newton should let people know if Hansen and Yuncken are paying up or whether we can expect another few hundred thousand wasted on lawyers on fighting liquidated damages. Like the post said, that would be expecting this council to be open, transparent and accountable which they are definitely not. If people think that a 6.5 rate rise was huge, just wait til next year when all this rotten decision making really hits home.
August 10, 2012 at 8:29 PM
You’re right Colin, the lack of communication is a disgrace as is Mayor Hyams who has decided to become the spokesperson for the Melbourne Racing Club. Poor decision making there, Jaimie. However, just think, THIS IS AN ELECTION YEAR. What happens in the other three non-election years??!!
August 10, 2012 at 8:40 PM
Last issue of the Glen Eira News featured a wonderful party like atmosphere at the official opening of GESAC. Very strange that nowhere else (Leader, Council Website, Council Media announcement) was this event announced. But hey what a good electioneering opportunity. Since ratepayers no doubt funded the event as well as the majority of the GESAC funding seems strange that ratepayers didn’t rate an invite.
But then again the secrecy surrounding this event is totally in keeping with Council’s silence over the GESAC delayed opening and the current status of the liquidated damages.
August 10, 2012 at 10:11 PM
About time we started talking about the election. Only a couple of months away.
There’s no one on council that I’d work for to get re-elected. But where are the alternatives?
Does anyone know who’s standing?
As far as I can tell we have a number of Greens – none of whom seem to have much of a record of community involvement except for Rose Read who is a community rep on council’s Environment Committee.
Otherwise we have Newton Gatoff (who I think works for Kingston Council) and Mary Delahunty in Camden Ward (not the Mary Delahunty who was in State Parliament – a cousin I think).
Who else is there?
Despite the passion of the people running this blog and the support of people posting here, it won’t be easy to dislodge most of the sitting councillors.
In Camden Ward, both Lipshutz and Penhalluriack will get elected if they run but the third spot is up for grabs. Esakoff is actually quite popular in Rosstown and will work hard for re-election. Tang has been elected twice and seems to have some support but Pilling may struggle. In Tucker, Lobo has no chance but Hyams and Magee will be hard to beat. Especially after Magee pulled that stunt about taking on the MRC. Hyams will be strongly backed by the Liberal Party.
If anyone knows of any other candidates, I love to hear about it. It’s time to get moving if we are going to make a difference.
August 10, 2012 at 11:13 PM
Dr Kate Dempsey, a community rep on the Community Consultation Advisory Committee has also announced that she is running. See the following:
http://www.facebook.com/katedempseyforgleneira
http://www.katedempseyforgleneira.net/
August 10, 2012 at 11:32 PM
Tang won’t run and Jamie baby is scared stiff of Mckinnon Basketball so is heading to be near his beloved Maggie in Ross Town. Hear on the grape vine that quite a few disgruntled Bentleigh residents are running so Magee won’t have it all his own way. After 4 years of stuffing up good and proper their just rewards are waiting round the corner. To be precise, October 27th.
Liphsutz is also on the way out. He’s got up the nose of plenty of the jewish voters. This is in keeping with all the other jobs he’s been tossed out of. Can’t wait.
August 11, 2012 at 8:10 AM
I too have heard the rumour about Hyams (the coin toss mayor) switching wards. Probably a wise more for him since he has totally failed Tucker Ward (which he doesn’t live in) and it is doubtful if he will get re-elected if he stands there.
Switching back to Rosstown makes a bit of sense since most people will have forgotten about the sacking, however, I still have my doubts. Rosstown is also being ravaged by development and traffic and parking issues are continually ignored. Hyams, like Pilling, Esakoff and Tang, have only aided the ravaging and been unresponsive to residents.
August 11, 2012 at 9:01 AM
If Magee makes any claims about being instrumental in having GESAC built in any election literature he puts out it will be challenged. When GESAC was decided on he was not on the council. If any councillors had an impact it was Feldman and Staikos. Hudson also threw his weight behind the idea and got State cash. Cr. Magee has been known to do a bit of spinning in the past. Be careful what you print Jim the Electoral Act is quite clear. The idea was well underway before you arrived.
August 11, 2012 at 8:25 AM
Having read Dr, Demspy’s profile it appears that she does not understand how things work in the real world. She overlooked “notice of motion” to be included in the Local Laws. I would ask her how she is going to acheive her promises whenshe only has one vote. A successful councillor is one that can bring others to their view. Pilling learnt this and has been a good Councillor. You do not learn this by doing a PhD. I doubt that she knows how the Local Laws impact on the Counci’s opertation. She has approached her campaign like a traditional academic thinking that you can through up a few motherhood statements and people will swallow it all. Great part of our democratic country is that anyone can have a go. Going to be crowded footpaths at the booths.
August 11, 2012 at 11:45 AM
Yup, Pilling’s such a good councillor that it only took him 2 years to realise that there’s no notice of motion. Why didn’t he have it in his election spiel? He also voted for the rubbish in 2009. Dempsey’s been on the inside as a community rep. Reckon she knows perfectly well how “things work on the inside” and as a result is standing for change. A phd ain’t the be all and end all, but it sure beats some of the dumbos that are now there.
Name one single thing that Pilling (the so called “good councillor”) has achieved by bringing others to his view. I’d say it’s the other way around. Newton and the gang have got him in their pockets. That’s being a real good councillor. Vote with me and you’ll get to be mayor or deputy mayor.
August 11, 2012 at 12:33 PM
Motherhood statements abound around election time – just look back at the one’s the current incumbent Councillors put up last time. Since they have singularly failed to do anything about them there is no need to change them this time around – just a quick dust off should do.
August 11, 2012 at 1:23 PM
I don’t know Kate but her profile reads well, she seems like a breath of fresh air and unlike Pilling responds to posts on her blog. I hate to admit it but I actually voted for Pilling for similar reasons in the last election. However he lost me after joining the gang and voting for C60. Now he has walked away from his commitment to the centre of the racecourse. Pilling was last seen in a foetal position under his desk sucking his thumb.
August 11, 2012 at 12:34 PM
Newton Gatoff’s website and policy platform –
Click to access tuckers-truth-issue-1a1.pdf
August 11, 2012 at 2:18 PM
It’s very colourful.
August 11, 2012 at 10:41 PM
Re newton Gatoff. . Having referendums on Council decisions, He has to be dreaming. This sounds like an idea that is coming from the handful of Left Wing ALP that have not defected to the Greens. Will the referendums be held in all wards or just Tucker? Council by Local committee. The people are not going to believe that he can acheive all that he claims. I think he may have trouble getting his plans past his fellow councillors as well as the staff. I bet this bloke swaps preferences with Cr. Lobo.
August 12, 2012 at 8:26 AM
I don’t like the idea of referendums on most issues but when it comes to big ones like borrowing huge sums of money or planning issues like the racecourse, I would like a say