Boats on streets ‘unreasonable’ in Glen Eira
- Troels Sommerville, Moorabbin Leader
- January 20, 2013 12:00AM
BOATS, campers and trailers are clogging up roads and taking up parking spaces in Glen Eira, Deputy Mayor Oscar Lobo says.
Boats, trailers and campers are allowed to park indefinitely in carparks that do not have time restrictions, as long as they carry a valid registration and are shorter than 7.5m.
But Cr Lobo said it was time for change, as carparks had become harder and harder to come by in the city.
He said the vehicles were not only detracting from residents’ access but were taking up an “unreasonable” amount of space.
He has written to local Bentleigh Liberal MP Elizabeth Miller and hopes she will be able to push something at state level.
Ms Miller said the deputy Mayor had been left “red-faced” over his request.
“Councils already have existing powers under the Local Government Act 1989 to move vehicles that pose an obstruction on local roads,” Ms Miller said.
“Neighbouring councils have used these powers and I encourage the deputy Mayor to read the relevant provisions in the Act and enforce them if necessary.”
PS: Here’s some more mumbo-jumbo from this administration! At the last council meeting the ‘minutes’ of the Local Law advisory committee were tabled. It featured a section on caravans –
“Cars and caravans parking in the street
Council had been requested to consider the issue of regulating the length of time cars and caravans could be parked on roads in the municipality. Jeff Akehurst advised that State laws regulated the parking of cars and caravans on roads, and provided the vehicle was registered, there was no restriction of time limits on parking. Accordingly Council was unable to make a Local Law in respect of this matter.
The Committee noted the advice and agreed that the matter could not be taken further.”
Apart from what the Local Government Act states, and the fact that Akehurst is only referring to ‘length of time’, there are many, many avenues that Council could pursue if it really wanted to – and, they could also be income producing! For example, Boroondara in its Amenity Local Law of 2012, does not seem to have any problem with incorporating the following clauses:
A person must not allow any vehicle or trailer whether or not registered with VicRoads or equivalent interstate road authorities, to be placed or remain on any road if the placement of such vehicle or trailer would cause a danger, hazard or substantially interfere with another vehicle or any person’s use of the road, or obstruct the clear view of traffic controls by a person on the road or adjacent land.
Penalty: 5 Penalty Units (Page 15)
A person must not, without a permit or licence: occupy or put anything on Council-controlled land, including but not limited to, boats, cars, trailers, caravans; (page 16)
Moreland and countless other councils also have residential parking permit schemes that will not provide permits for trailers, boats, caravans etc. Glen Eira’s parking schemes in contrast, say nothing about requiring a permit for such vehicles in residential streets! When everything is done on an ad hoc basis and policies aren’t reviewed for decades, then this is the inevitable result!
Glen Eira Debates 
January 21, 2013 at 11:15 AM
Lobo doesn’t have a clue like most of them. All thissays is that he’s come alive again and deputy mayor has gone to his head. All they ever do is write letters and advocate. Big bloody deal. It’s never council’s job but always the state government’s job. Wake up Lobo. Learn the rules and start getting Newton to do what he’s supposed to do like making the place safe for people. That’s not the states job it’s yours.
January 21, 2013 at 11:33 AM
Yes wake up Lobo, you are an embarrassment to your council. Please stop the grab for publicity and just try to do your job.
January 21, 2013 at 12:22 PM
There seems to be more to this story than the journo has revealed. The primary story is that Elizabeth Miller wishes to embarrass Cr Lobo publicly, and we’re not privy to her reasons. I assume Elizabeth is referring to LGA Schedule 11(5) as the power Council has—I wonder if Council would dare use it, for example, to remove all street parking from the municipality. “A Council may move any thing that encroaches on or obstructs the free use of a road or that reduces the breadth, or confines the limits, of a road”. Would seem counterproductive to claim an obstruction needs to be removed in order to put another obstruction in its place.
The article also hints at the restriction on long vehicles (>7.5m) stopping on a road for more than an hour under Road Safety Road Rules 2009 s200, but doesn’t discuss long and/or wide vehicles that don’t fit within a single parking bay [they’re permitted to park across multiple bays but must occupy the minimum number of bays required]. I only mention this because if trailers, boats etc are removed from the streets, they could end up in Council carparks that lack time-limits. Council has identified Glen Huntly Reserve carpark as being underutilised.
January 21, 2013 at 12:30 PM
Is there such a fear of the administration that the Deputy Mayor doesn’t have the fortitude to ask such a question? All Councillors are given mobile phones….use it.
January 21, 2013 at 3:00 PM
Peter Jenkins and Annonymous 2 – At first I did not want to dignify your two comments one as fictitious name and other hiding behiind a petticoat or a bra. However, I believe I have to contribute to your lack of knowledge going straight to the keyboard
It is not my style to write without my proper name. And I do not deny that I read this blog. As a matter of fact I stood in one of the meetings and said what I had to say. You are not coming to the gallery and when you come next please introduce yourselves to me. We will have a coffee together after the meeting. My shout!
It appears you have a mash in your head. Nothing is gone to my head as I do not have the brain material like you.
I suggest that you spend time with your family and take up their home work instead of writing on this forum. It also appears that you guys be a racist from your ancestral family tree.
On the wake up call from petticoat garment no: 2 I am not for publicity unless I can contribute to anomalies.
This is my response to your allegations. Stop boasting and cease wriring without rubbish. A story has three side. How many sides did you have before using your mash brain.
Dear Troels,
“I would like to comment and make it clear to the shamble comment made
by Ms. Elzabeth Miller in the undermentioned article that appeared in
yesterday’s Leader section of the Herald Sun.
I append my response to the comments in the paper;
The Member of Parliament for Bentleigh is mixing apples with oranges. It
is better she sticks to nursing the wounds.
The issue is not that of local government Act 1989, “we do not”,
repeat “we do not” have the authority as stated by the MP. This is not
1989. The state government is responsible to the decision made to
park cars, trailers, boats, caravan in residential streets until the
registration expires. This comes in the ambit of State Government for
who the M.P. works.
The M.P needs to start learning her job from ABC and practice being in
the office fielding enquiries rather than attending various community
parties dancing her ways away. Abraham Lincolns saying applies here.
Please print this in your next issue of Moorabbin Leader (29 January
2013) so that my constituents are not placed in a confused state of mind.
Glen Eira has a dearth of packing with new developments mushrooming
at every corner. The local businesses as a result suffer and are deprived
of their share of business not to mention the residents who do not have
a garage or more than one car misses out on their own streets.
A copy of this e-mail is endorsed to our Planning department (with whom
I checked before a letter was sent to the MP ”
To the skeptics please back off and let the Councillors do their job.
Once again remember, a story has three sides.
Please spend time on your work and/or educate yourself as well as
work on family values.
January 21, 2013 at 3:35 PM
Oscar, while I can understand your concern at being publicly humiliated, I respectfully suggest that if you choose to reply that ask someone (other than the Planning Department who I suspect is currently having a laugh at your expense) to proof read you post before it is posted. It really is not wise to accuse people of racism when they haven’t said anything racist nor is it wise to describe residents as having “mash brain”.
January 21, 2013 at 5:04 PM
Cr Lobo, this is now the second or third time that I’ve read the comments you post and feel nothing but dismay. What dismays me more than anything else is your obvious failure to have read the Local Government Act; to undertake your duties diligently by questioning officers, and last but certainly not least, your total failure to understand the comments made by residents. Someone has already pointed out how your claims that some remarks were “racist” are nothing but a figment of your imagination. They reflect far more upon yourself than any of the residents you so deride.
Personally, I wish you well but I do not think you are a suitable representative of this electorate. You bring no dignity, acumen, nor understanding to your role as a councillor.
January 22, 2013 at 9:52 AM
Thanks for answering me Oscar. I think I can now add sexism to the racism. A terrific combination in a councillor supposed to work for everyone.
January 21, 2013 at 3:24 PM
Miller wouldn’t know a thing about the local government Act. She is getting her info from Hyams who is more than happy to stick it up Lobo. Staikos will be pushing Lobo to undermine Miller. I think this is something we will see a lot of up until the next state election Staikos v Miller. Miller will come out on top.
January 21, 2013 at 4:55 PM
It’s one thing being a dill, Oscar. Quite another for you not being sufficiently perceptive to see it.
On the subject of having “mash in your head”, how much mash does it take to get a “Degree” 🙄 from Pacific Southern University? Also, how do you sleep at night having ratted on the people who elected you by joining forces with the reactionaries? If you had any self respect you’d resign and apologise.
January 21, 2013 at 5:23 PM
In the interests of trying to stimulate a more informed debate, I’ll say that the original article was lacking. We don’t know what Cr Lobo asked for, and we don’t know what section(s) of LGA Elizabeth Miller was referring to. I hypothesized Schedule 11(5), because that avoids the complication of whether a vehicle is registered or has been abandoned. LGA only talks about vehicles, whereas Cr Lobo appears to want different rules to apply to various classes of vehicle. I have a philosophical problem about favouring cars over all else.
Then there’s the question about how severe the problem is, and where. Of all the street carparking spaces in the municipality, how many of them are occupied by cars, vs other kinds of vehicle? Cr Lobo refers to residential streets, but identifies carparking to support businesses as his main concern. Do businesses contribute less money in rates than is needed to provide the parking they want? The thrust of the increased densification being imposed upon us is that people are supposed to be living closer to the services they need, and taking fewer motorised trips as a result. I think its been a massive policy failure, based on what has happened in Carnegie. The 400+ space carpark in Carnegie Fringe Shopping Centre wouldn’t be necessary if the policy was working. There’s the loss of diversity of services too, with food outlets gradually displacing all other services. A bit like Margaret Thatcher, Council’s policies aren’t for changing.
I don’t see how boats, trailers, campers in residential streets are depriving businesses of carparking. The parking arrangements around businesses are normally time-limited. Are the time-limits currently adopted too generous, or just not being enforced? Is Council serious about encouraging non-motorised forms of personal transport? It allows business to put hoardings up on footpaths right next to bike racks, making the racks difficult to use.
Cr Lobo is using hyperbole when he talks about “developments mushrooming at every corner”. Under Jeff Akehurst’s Housing Diversity vs Minimal Change Area partitioning of the municipality, the intention is for problems of congestion and street parking to plague only the growing subset of residents who live in and around “Activity Centres”—and those who drive to them. Maybe one day in the future the residents of these areas can say they purchased there knowing the policies that apply, but for many of us the policies were imposed unilaterally long after we made the biggest financial investment of our lives in areas that were, and still are, zoned R1Z.
I’ll add that the problems of street parking are partly due to Council policy, in which Council waives compliance with parking standards for multiunit development. Granting a waiver has a multiplier effect, as all developments in an area then demand similar treatment. The argument that there is adequate street parking “nearby” doesn’t wash, as planning should consider the “longterm and cumulative effects of decisions”. There is nothing sustainable about growing indefinitely.
January 21, 2013 at 5:39 PM
Under Autonomy – You seem to go on and on like a broken record. Cr. Oscar Lobo is the only hardworking Councilor who left his job to give full attention to Council matters. Go to Bentleigh and East Bentleigh and ask residents and business on his reputation to make things happen. He has to our knowledge proved himself without any doubt. Residents are found of him and do you know how many people volunteered to stand at the voting booth. Two families I know stood for the entire day in two different voting centre. He secured more votes than Cr. Magee and why do you think that happened? Are you saying this has no importance.
Under the post placed by Anonymous. How sure are you that “Jamie is more than happy to stick it up Lobo” Why would Jamie do that because he is a Mayor on account of Lobo. Ask him to ring Cr. Lobo and come clean and we than will eat our words.
Bert Procter – How do one become a racist? – Keep on going on onething and one thing only and that is the style of coward autonomy.
You have certainly not voted for him because you want the cake and eat it to.
January 21, 2013 at 7:07 PM
Had you followed the spurious claims of Lobo in his initial post. Including putting down the intelligence and qualifications of posters here which directed attention to his own qualifications that lack rigorous standing. His post also drew attention to his lack of sequential thought, his incapacity to write succinctly and coherently and his lack of political acumen. Amongst other things. He’s again demonstrated those things.
Only someone wet behind the ears would post his two circuitous rants. I don’t have a great deal of time for Councillors Lipshutz or Esakoff. However, they have the political smarts to manipulate Council and to know better than engage here in the manner Lobo has.
Had he proved himself he wouldn’t have just scraped in at the last poll. What irks many is that he got there through his Labour background which he sold out on as soon as the reactionaries waved the Deputy Mayor’s post under his nose.
January 21, 2013 at 10:37 PM
You are obviously a pom. First by labelling councillors as reactionaries (very few Aussies understand the term) and secondly you can’t spell Labor. The party dropped the “u” in 1912.
Lobo didn’t sell anyone out. The ALP would be happy to have one of their members as deputy mayor.
January 22, 2013 at 4:47 PM
Wrong! Not a ‘pom’. Your phrasing does demonstrate a bigot though.
Reactionary is merely a widely used term for an extreme conservative. The antonym of progressive. Politics 101 really. Perhaps it’s just the people with whom you mix who aren’t aware of it.
Lobo was narrowly voted back due to his proclaimed Labour (or to appeal to your pedantry Labor) constituency. He then turned his back on those voters when the chance to elect a Mayor from his side of the political fence was the option. He went for self interest over ethics when the Deputy Mayor role was dangled in front of him by the reactionaries. My betting is it will bring him undone in time
January 21, 2013 at 9:27 PM
Circus Watcher – I really don’t understand your comment to me. Going on about one thing and one thing only does not mean you are racist but rather indicates a one track mind. I followed Lobo’s other recent post in which he called residents uneducated or that they had received a sub standard education now he claims they have mash brains and then trumps that with claims of racism. Look through the comments, the only person raising the racist flag is him.
January 21, 2013 at 6:23 PM
Rumour has it that Lobo asked for a desk in the Mayor’s office so he could stay on top of things. Great stuff! They deserve each other!
January 21, 2013 at 6:51 PM
I have to agree with the comments of the past few months that Lobo is a major embarrassment to this council. His ravings are now legendary. Hyams deserves equal condemnation as do all the other councillors who voted for him as deputy mayor. In some ways, the duo of Hyams and Lobo are completely appropriate in that residents get a wonderful glimpse into the nasty deals that are done and the pay offs that are accepted. Oscar, what did these clowns promise you – the mayoralty next year? If you believe this, then you would believe anything.
January 21, 2013 at 9:16 PM
Macca – You need to take advise from Lobo that posters on this blog should concentrate on family values. This country is bankrupt of family values and I sure you will not agree! It is the ethnic people who bring money and family values to this nation. Learn from them as you guys only focus on poor boat people. People are pathetic on this so called ‘Forum” particularly those hiding behind their names. Grow up and show these exchanges to your partners or wives and get some advise from them. I believe you are a disgrace to your family and poor citizens of the country.
January 21, 2013 at 11:24 PM
You make a reasonable point about the use of pseudonyms. Then you post under one yourself. Frankly, I’m more disappointed in those who post using ‘anonymous’ as it’s hard to distinguish one from another.
Do you mean by family values those espoused by Archbishop Pell? Or the self apppointed Pastor Danny Nalliah? Or Fred Nile.?Or Senator Harradine? It’s an empty, usually religious based, catch-all phrase.
January 22, 2013 at 7:53 AM
Or maybe Craig Thompson
January 21, 2013 at 10:36 PM
This particular blog is a complete embarrassment. Can we get away from playing the man and play the ball.
January 21, 2013 at 10:56 PM
“A copy of this e-mail is endorsed to our Planning department (with whom
I checked before a letter was sent to the MP” says Cr Lobo. Cr Lobo, the Council staff cannot endorse anything that Councillors are proposing to say. Not only would that be foolhardy but also totally inappropriate. I suggest that you do not try to hide behind Planning Department say ao, because they will deny it, unless they say it themselves..
January 21, 2013 at 10:57 PM
Fighting over car parking places, totally unbelievable, of all the issue in the world, it has comes down to this in Glen Eira.
You all seem to have little or no understanding of were the problems are coming from. Remove every 3rd car parking spot and plant trees, or let residents have street gardens, I say.
Your all so busy fighting with one another you haven’t noticed your running headlong over the cliff edge.
January 22, 2013 at 1:46 PM
YES YES YES GreenGirl-
Im frustrtaed reading all the posts on such an insignificant issue in the context of all the critical issues facing residents/ratepayers in GE.
What does it matter whether its cars, boats or trailers- we need Council integrated strategy that focuses on reducing the need for all these carbon polluting vehicles by ensuring better planning (with emphasis on Places are for People principles, not for developers) advocating vigorously (State govt) for better public transport & walking/biking…
Everyone who has written here on this issue- please redivert your enegy to something worthwhile!
What about setting up various Residents Action Groups (by themes) to advocate /push this backward council to do the right thing by residents?!
Who is up for it?
January 22, 2013 at 6:40 PM
An insignificant issue for you is clearly a significant issue for other residents of the municipality. Parking, Congestion, Density, Public Transport, Open Space are issues that people regularly raise, and they are all interrelated. You lost me when you described a trailer as a carbon-polluting vehicle. It is not a waste of energy for people to debate Council policies that affect their amenity, nor is it a waste to expose humbug on the part of Council where its policies are contributing to the problems it claims to care about.
“Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong remedies.”—Groucho Marx
January 23, 2013 at 11:30 AM
Reprobate (Groucho) – I think youve misunderstood my comment- Im saying is there is no big picture/straetgic planning/thinking in the Council as, yes everything is interrelated (certainly no measurement of performance so we actulaly dont know what is being achieved or how activities/strategies are tracking…)
Im a supporter of this blog & have myself been a contribuotor on many isuses.
What Ive noticed is that people just airing your views here is a waste of time as it has not made any indent in the decision making of the councillors/Council (especially the gang)..
Whats needed is a multilayered approach- this blog plus a lot of activisim from well run residents action groups….
Watch how port phillip residents groups do it….
January 21, 2013 at 11:14 PM
Off topic but FYI –
Restoring fairness to local government rates
Monday, 21 January 2013
From the Minister for Local Government
The Victorian Coalition Government is seeking to restore fairness to local government taxes by introducing guidelines on the use of Councils’ differential rating powers.
Minister for Local Government Jeanette Powell today released, for consultation, draft Ministerial Guidelines on the use of Differential Rates, at a meeting with landholders at the Beveridge Public Hall.
“There are growing community concerns regarding the use of differential rates by some Councils,” Mrs Powell said.
“Unfortunately the Local Government Act 1989 provides insufficient guidance for Councils in the use of differential rates which has resulted in great complexity and inconsistency in levying rates across Victoria,” Mrs Powell said.
“While some Councils charge no differential rates, others have at least ten different rating categories,” Mrs Powell said.
“Several councils have employed significant creativity and stretched their differential rates powers to pursue social policy objectives.”
Mrs Powell said the Coalition Government had amended the Local Government Act 1989 to give the Minister powers to set guidelines for the use of differential rates and to prevent Councils from applying differential rates that are inconsistent with those guidelines.
“The draft guidelines which have been released for public consultation, propose restoring simplicity and consistency to the use of differential rates,” Mrs Powell said.
“The proposals focus a local government rating on the classifications of property, not the way an individual chooses to conduct business on their land,” Mrs Powell said.
Member for Seymour Cindy McLeish joined Mrs Powell at the release of the draft guidelines, and also met with Mitchell Shire landowners who have been hit with a double blow of increased growth area property valuations and increased differential rates.
Ms McLeish said affected farmers in the growth area have seen their Council rates quadruple in a year without any change to their business operation or improvement in local services.
“There is a small minority of people in the community who are suddenly being asked, based on where they live, to shoulder a disproportionate impost to fund their Council,” Ms McLeish said.
“Public consultation on the draft guidelines should help restore equity and consistency to differential rating.”
A Differential Rates Ministerial Committee, comprising Chairman and Parliamentary Secretary for Local Government David Morris and Member for Western Victoria David O’Brien, has been established to undertake consultation on behalf of the Minister on these draft guidelines.
The Ministerial Committee will undertake a series of public consultation meetings across regional and metropolitan Victoria throughout February 2013 to listen to the views of Councils and the community.
Mr Morris said the feedback received on the draft at the forums, meetings with key stakeholders, and through the written submission process would be considered in the final guideline for Councils.
“The guidelines and practice notes should provide Councils with information on what they must consider when deciding whether to apply differential rates, and how differential rates will help them to meet the objectives of their community,” Mr Morris said.
Anyone who wishes to provide written feedback on the draft is encouraged to do so through the Department of Planning and Community Development’s website before Thursday 28 February 2013.
Mrs Powell said it was important for people to have a say on how Councils apply rates to different properties, because everyone is affected.
Guidelines will be finalised in advance of local governments’ setting Council budgets and rates for the 2013-14 year.
To download a copy of the Draft Ministerial Guideline on Differential Rates and the accompanying discussion paper, please visit http://www.dpcd.vic.gov.au/localgovernment/projects-and-programs/differential-rates-guidelines.
Details about public forums will be published on the website, and advertised in local media.
January 22, 2013 at 10:07 AM
Cr Lobo, I cannot recall what number I put next to your name on the ballot paper but it would have been 14 if I had read your post beforehand. Who wrote the blurb you distributed prior to the election? Clearly it was not you, which makes me wonder whether a fraud has been committed.
January 22, 2013 at 10:21 AM
Oscar has a point – Glen Eira needs to address parking issues. No question about it, failure to address it now will only result in the situation worsening. Unfortunately, and as per usual Oscar, has missed the major issue which is increasing high density housing with less and less provision for parking and a failure to impose enforced timed parking restrictions. Shame he always focusses on the minor points associated with the big issues – it limits his effectiveness and raises serious doubts about his ability to listen and assess (particularly as he spends so much time talking to residents in Centre Road where parking is a huge issue)
January 22, 2013 at 3:05 PM
Hello Ray Albright – I have said in my letter to the MP that the State government wants to see 5 million people in Victoria 2030. I have passionately stood up in the Council voting against increassing high density housing. I was told that this is a requirement of the State government and we need to work around it. In support of my stand I even said the way the new developments are mushrooming, Victoria would look like Calcutta and we will have to search for a person like Mother Theresa. Perhaps you may have missed some meetings. The question here was about parking and not high density housing. Regarding minor points think about a grain of mustard seed.
SK I think you are unusually stupid!
January 22, 2013 at 3:40 PM
Cr Lobo, your comments here only convince me even further of your inability to grasp the obvious. “The question here was about parking and not high density housing”. Housing and parking are intertwined. They are both sides of the same coin. Continually allowing the waiving of car parking requirements for developments exacerbates the situation. You also state that you are “told” about requirements presumably by the various officers. Perhaps you need to start taking their advice with a huge grain of salt and begin thinking about the drawbacks of a planning scheme that has been in place for over a decade and that has primarily been responsible for the trauma that is now being inflicted upon so many residents in the housing diversity areas.
I also find you final comment about SK inappropriate and inexcusable.
January 23, 2013 at 5:49 PM
It’s OK, I don’t feel offended. Councillor, I have two degrees, including post-grad, & nothing in my post would lead any sensible person to think that I am stupid. If you cannot respond intelligently, then do not respond at all – you are just digging yourself a deeper hole.
January 22, 2013 at 3:41 PM
Actually Oscar I have attended a number of meetings and I have yet to witness you vote against a high density development – for those meetings I didn’t attend the minutes make no mention of you voting against a development. Even though the State Govt. might want it and residents (and they are the key here) are not totally against development, residents are fed up with the extent and the manner in which this this Council is steamrolling development approvals. This is not a work around, it is a sell out.
That you fail to see the connection between high density housing with (and I quote from my post above) “less and less provision for parking” and a higher demand for limited on street parking just adds strength to my comments above. While you keep thinking of the mustard seed, reality has totally overtaken you and left you covered in dust
MODERATORS: To be fair Lobo has voted on occasions again high density development.
January 22, 2013 at 4:22 PM
Moderators – since Council only records who votes for what on rare occassions (ie. when a division is called) it is not possible to use the Council Meeting Minutes to determine who voted for what unless one attends every meeting and records it themselves. Would either you, or one of your readers, have a record of the high density development voting patterns of Councillors (past and present) over the past two years?
MODERATORS: The blog contains many reports on the voting of the various councillors. Please have a look through our posts for detailed information on most of the applications.
January 22, 2013 at 7:14 PM
Oscar, made for you
Click to access 2013-02-21%20Being%20Deputy%20Mayor,%20flyer.pdf
January 22, 2013 at 8:08 PM
Albright – From your posts you pose to be All bright with your views. Think before you write. Better still if you have a difference of opinion, ring Cr. Oscar or for that any other Councillors such as Lipshultz or Hyams and ask to meet you over a coffee to discuss issues which concerns you. Are you capable of taking this challeng? It is not far to go from East Bentleigh to any part of Glen Eira.
January 22, 2013 at 8:44 PM
Have been there and done that – this Council and individual Councillors are not interested in listening to residents either on a one to one basis (as my experience and many others experience bears witness to) or as a community (look no further than the Community Plan and how that was manipulated).
Tonny, answer this question – why is this website so popular? Could it be that residents are so frustrated and tired of not being heard that they are using the only means available to express their views?
January 22, 2013 at 10:16 PM
Ray,
The reality is that the councillors to whom we direct the most criticism are the ones who were resoundingly re-elected last time – viz Lipshutz, Esakoff and Hyams. Sadly the regular voices here are a few folk who take an active interest in municipal affairs. We are few and far between. Not even our local paper gives a stuff about the real issues. Sad but true.
January 22, 2013 at 8:30 PM
Have you all realised that Cr. Lobo is right what he says? Why do you persecute him for thinking good of his constituents. Don’t you all have shame to pick on an expatriate who is giving his time and efforts in return for making Australia his second home. We are all surprised that he is the only person from the community who gives back to his adopted country. Do you know that in addition to serving his fellow citizens, he is also involved in other community affairs. How many of you are involved in community associations?
It is noble on the man to serve with love for circa 27K per annum whereas many of you may be drawing 6 figure amount and have lots of time on hand to
write your silly comments.
January 22, 2013 at 11:04 PM
Mr. Cheng – I happen to agree with you that following the public service path in your adopted country is admirable. However, in taking such a step there are a couple of things that person should know. When encountering criticism (and there is plenty of it about) it is better to discuss and present facts and figures to support your particular view point rather then describing the critic/s as uneducated, racist and having mash brains. Doesn’t matter what you do behind the scenes if you are openly slurring your critics rather than arguing your case.
January 22, 2013 at 11:23 PM
All Bright says – Why is this website so popular?
Answer: Partly the question is answered just below your post “The reality is that the councillors to whom we direct the most criticism are the ones who were resoundingly re-elected” Can I ask you some questions in return: Do you undermine the constituents how and why they vote against your and other bloggers wishes? Do you know what sorts of relationships the Councillors have with their constituents in terms of service to them?
If your webiste is anything to go by is nothing but negative. How can everything done by Council become a trash? Can you not see in between the lines? Could it be those who had serious issues with the Council and the grapes are sour people (who did not get in the council) or defied their Councillors without a good reason. If you have issues (which are serious) then, do not depend on one to one, get all those writing on this forum to come in a group or invite the councillors for a Question and Answers session. If one deduces the posts, there are not more than 7-9 people (perhaps less) who are writing over and over again the same people under annonymous umbrella. All cannot Be bright all the time. Remember every one is an individual and have the same heart and blood to keep pumping. I hope this gives you some food for thought. Have faith like the mustard seed, you may see changes soon.
January 23, 2013 at 10:56 AM
Jeez, why do I suspect Tony and Cheng is Oscar doing what he says he never does, i.e. posting using a pseudonym. If it is Oscar someone should tell him his post is only adding fuel to the fire.
January 23, 2013 at 12:25 PM
Andrew – I feel pity for you because you may not know how and why Cr.Lobo has responded. We do read this “much left to be desired Blog” Have a look from the archives who started the issue and pushed him to the brim. The blog which is 100% negative insulted not only him but other councillors too. Why was Frank Penhullariak and Cheryl Forge never spoken of? even though Forge was Frank’s puppet and a stooge. She never had opinions of her own and was a shadow of the hardware. Frank has wasted Tax Payers money and that is why his own ward (Camden) saw through and through him and they were adamant not to get both of them back. Your comment on handling criticism may not be justified fully, because meeting people face to face can
solve lots of issues including critics. I suppose those writing nonsense will not have the guts to face and resort to such exchanges for the sake of it.
With all my experience not only in Asia but other continents, I have not seen such exchanges of comments’/views particularly from developed countries, Remember the adage: “Be slow to criticize and lavish in Praise.
We should not wear Nelson’s patch when resorting to such low exchanges and if I am not presumptions that was the reason you guys pushed him to the end. Read his comments and then put your feet in his immigrant shoes. People on this blog have abused him saying he is dumb, just putting his hand up during voting in the council, not talking much etc. They further went on to say he used to speak but has now gone silent. Did they realise the reason?They have all overlooked how he suffered during the first term when he was given a hard time by two councillors shutting him up at every opportunity and another recording his talk with the constituents. What have you and your peers on this website got to say. He told me that the author of this blog -Glen Eira knows about this. Perhaps she/he should tell the truth. He was dejected, made to feel low, challenged by a mob etc. I have known him for the last 5 years. His attributes are known to many in the community and comes from a Jesuit school (which may not mean much to you and others) background. I am sure you know the discipline and character formation from the Jesuit teachers.
I look forward to your detailed response and have a good day.
January 23, 2013 at 4:12 PM
For those interested in following this dialogue further, it appears Cheng may have confirmed suspicions.
January 23, 2013 at 4:55 PM
Cheng wrote:
Have you all realised that Cr. Lobo is right what he says? Why do you persecute him for thinking good of his constituents. Don’t you all have shame to pick on an expatriate who is giving his time and efforts in return for making Australia his second home. We are all surprised that he is the only person from the community who gives back to his adopted country. Do you know that in addition to serving his fellow citizens, he is also involved in other community affairs. How many of you are involved in community associations?
It is noble on the man to serve with love for circa 27K per annum whereas many of you may be drawing 6 figure amount and have lots of time on hand to write your silly comments.
I’d suggest you know full well why we question Lobo, Cheng – aka Lobo ❓ “Persecute” is emotional claptrap, frankly. But to refresh your memory the principle reasons for raising questions are:
1. He posted an extraordinary muddled rant a little while ago during which he made a general attack on posters – who he doesn’t know – casting aspersions on their education, qualifications and some might even say character. A post that apart from being muddled did him no credit at all.
However, it did us a favour as it inspired a well researched poster to check out Lobo’s qualifications to find that his qualifications are from a tertiary institution that has been under investigation and lacks rigour. As one poster jested here the best “degree’ you can buy. Despite being asked many times to explain/justify his qualifications he’s failed to do so. Plus, what sort of thinking would cause a person to draw attention to a questionable qualification by casting aspersions on others in a forum of this type. So credibility comes to the fore as does clear thinking.
2. He scraped in at the last election, despite having the benefit of incumbency. He did so on the back of Labor voting support. Yet when it came to a choice between supporting the progressive side – who put him in – when voting for Mayor he chose self interest when the reactionaries dangled the Deputy Mayor role in front of him. He sold out. So the question of credibility once again comes to the fore as does ethics.
If you are oblivious to these matters you either haven’t kept abreast of discussions here or you choose to eschew them. I suspect it’s the latter.
January 23, 2013 at 5:29 PM
There’s another reason why Lobo and the others got back in – they either don’t work or take time off work to kiss the babies and shake hands. We can never underestimate the influence of pumping hands and so called personal contact. When there are 11 or 12 names on a voting card and you don’t know one from the other then if you’ve met someone and they sound half decent after filling your head with bullshit and empty promises, then chances are they will give you their vote. Lobo doesn’t work. He spends half his time in centre road buttering everyone up. Hyams takes time off work and Esakoff doesn’t work either. Lipshutz pays people to do his work for him plus his contacts in the jewish community. Lobo got their by the skin of his teeth – full stop. Next time around when people really get to see what he’s like I’d bet my house on it that he won’t be there. That’s if he even lasts out to the end of this year. There’s a limit to how much people will swallow when they see how little these buggers really do to support them.
January 23, 2013 at 5:49 PM
You guys are limit. It clearly shows that you have problems in this world. If you have the audicity to meet either Hyams, Esakoff, Lipshultz or Lobo, get in touch with any one of them. Otherwise hold you tongue with your ten fingers and spare your keyboard. Half of the posters here are ‘Almas de outro mundo”
January 23, 2013 at 6:34 PM
Lobo, Esakoff, Hyams e Lipshutz (MODERATORS: rest of sentence deleted since it was in Spanish) What has happened to the Caulfield Racecourse Agreement signed in blood by Lipshutz, Hyams, Pilling and Esakoff??????
January 23, 2013 at 7:10 PM
Actually it was in Portugese. BTW did you know that Lobo translates to The Wolf in Portugese. Beware, he will blow your house down.
January 23, 2013 at 7:19 PM
Now you’re talking. The agreement said works had to be completed by 27 April 2012. Go along Booran Road and see how they are progressing since the MRC and Council put the fence back after the Caulfield Cup. That pretty well sums up the attitude of those four Councillors to the residents of Glen Eira. Actions (or lack therof) speak louder than words.
January 23, 2013 at 9:50 PM
Shhhhh, don’t mention the Caulfield racecourse agreement to Hyams. Every time you do, his left eye goes twitchy. Anyone else notice that?
January 23, 2013 at 6:06 PM
Hawk. Watch what people do not what they say. You don’t have to know them to do that. Legitimate questions have been asked.
January 23, 2013 at 6:16 PM
Oscar, please, please, please, please, please desist from any more comments. I said I was dismayed yesterday. Now I’m getting angry at your stupidity. You’re making an absolute fool of yourself. Someone who’s such a fool shouldn’t be a councillor. For your own sake, resign today.
January 23, 2013 at 8:32 PM
Was it not you, Autonomy who said in mid June 2012 that Lobo will not win?
and you are now predicting the same? I am ashed to read such remarks that stoops you’ll in the gutter. We are not sure which religious denomination you belong to. It is a disgrace to read this blog.
January 23, 2013 at 9:00 PM
Gee there are weird people popping-up here of late.
First someone (presumably you) wrongly accused me of being a ‘Pom” in a pejorative way. Now you introduce religion – yet another nasty Red Herring. What are you on!
I’ve asked Councillor Lobo two reasonable questions which follow from his thoroughly unpleasant post directed at this blog and its posters a while back. One relates to the rigour of his qualifications after he cast aspersions on others who post here. The second relates to why he sold out his base constituency in order to become Deputy Mayor. Pilling, Sounness and Delahuntly were always going to be on the same side. Magee has shown himself to be a man of principle as far as I can see. So the reactionaries went for the weak link and were right. Now he has nowhere to go because he’s beholden to them. They are smart political operatives.
Can’t remember whether I said Lobo would not win. More likely than he’d struggle to win. In any event, I was nearly right. 😉
January 23, 2013 at 10:01 PM
Lobo is an interesting and colourful fellow. He has certainly annoyed then chattering classes of Glen Eira. He has not sold out his base of voters. He is deputy mayor. That is as close as the ALP has ever been to the mayoralty in this part of Melbourne. The Council is not State Government. I assume that you bring your “progressive” or socialist ideas from the UK where Councils are divided on political lines. In fact they get booted out of their party if they vote in an undisciplined way. That concept doesn’t work here. You will be frustrated and annoyed. Move to a Labor area. Preston or Northcote come to mind.
January 23, 2013 at 11:16 PM
As I’ve said before you I have no English connections. Not sure how often I have to repeat it before it sinks in.
If you had a base grasp of politics you’d know what nonsense you are posting. Of course he sold out. He is a Councillor by virtue of his Labor connections. Yet when given the chance to follow through on them he chose self interest. As someone wrote here – watch what people do, not what they say. Hyams job is a political propagandist and both Lipshutz and Esakoff are well versed in using the system to achieve their ends. Lobo is no match for them. Now he is beholden to them for his position. How you could suggest being beholden to reactionaries is a preferable Labor position is odd thinking indeed.
Had Lobo not sold out, Pilling would be Mayor and probably Magee his deputy. A much better proposition from a Labor perspective than the present situation.
London to a brick, had Lobo been offered the deputy role by the progressives he’d have voted with them. As has been said before – if there’s a horse called self interest in a race put your money on it cos you know it will be going flat out.
January 23, 2013 at 9:52 PM
In an earlier post blogger Tony stated “If one deduces the posts, there are not more than 7-9 people (perhaps less) who are writing over and over again the same people under annonymous umbrella”. I don’t know how many people write on this blog “over and over again under an anonymous umbrella” but I am deducing a lot of similarity between the blogging of Cr. Lobo, Cheng, Tonny, Tony and a number of the other “anonymous” bloggers (including the above). Considering the claims of never posting anonymously, and the charges of cowardice levelled against those that do, surely a major credibility gap is opening in Tucker Ward.
January 24, 2013 at 12:47 AM
Oh dear, Cr Lobo’s response to being sprung using Tony and Cheng is to use Annonymous (#29). It’s the United States of Lobo!
January 24, 2013 at 2:44 AM
When at a council meeting one evenig our friend Cr. Lobbo voted with his feet in the air and his bum on the seat … rather an unusual stance one may ask?
From my observation no-one had given him cause for such unusual behaviour to say the least! Can any of you smart peole explain what that action really was all about?
The when i went to the early polling booth Oscar Lobbo seemed to be talking to everyone very loudly.. was this electioneering? I guess it may have helped him to be re-elected though!!
At council meetings he never really speaks about anything controversial so as the usual rulers ram through through units for the developers with no car or boat parking and now not even windows with light and probably air being sent into the “living Shelves (beds) as in China” by way of mechanical air circulation.
Do look at Derby Street Caulfield East an air confitioner outside every door for four storeys and then when considering buying one of these units to be near UNI I SAW THAT THE SINGLE BED WAS ONE THIRD COVERED (LUCKILY AT THE TOE END) by the study table. So I didn’t buy this as I wanted proper uninterrupted bed space. This seems to be what is happening in Glen Eira …we are becoming more and more noted as a district for poor sub-standard accomodation.
January 24, 2013 at 9:25 AM
Cr Lobo, I along with my wife voted for you at the last election. We are ALP voters, and when we got your how to vote card and there you were with Simon Crean, you got the vote. I have never been so disappointed in all my years of voting as I am now, I will never give you my support again and if you are the sort of person that Simon thinks it worth indorsing I now question my support for him.
January 24, 2013 at 1:20 PM
Give Lobsy a go you lot. How good is it that you can have a degree from the Ponds Institute and pass it off as a top notch, four star, top shelf qualie. Great get for mine!
Who could blame Lobsy for ditching his principles and his Labor mates when a job with prestige and more money is waved under his nose. Even if it smells. How often do you get a role with a title and more money when you are a wannabe. Great get for mine!
Who could blame him for a bucket full of aliases here supporting himself with diversions and personal attacks when he was under fire with no ammunition despite saying it is a cowardly thing do it. It’s the Ossie way. Great get for mine!
I can’t wait for the next municipal election so I can get to vote him back. We need more creative innovative politicians. Go Lobsy!
January 24, 2013 at 1:27 PM
Post 24 Cheng (who has been pointed out, by many previous bloggers, as presumably being Lobo, although Lobo claims it is not his style to post anonymously or use false names) makes a very revealing statement. This statement has to do with Oscar’s performance on the 2008-20012 Council Meetings and the fact that bloggers on this site were extremely critical of Oscar who started out as a regular speaker to becoming silent for the majority of this term and only resurfaced as a speaker in the run up to the elections.
Cheng, presumably being privy to insider knowledge, makes the following statement, re bloggers comments during Oscar’s silent period, “They further went on to say he used to speak but has now gone silent. Did they realise the reason?They have all overlooked how he suffered during the first term when he was given a hard time by two councillors shutting him up at every opportunity and another recording his talk with the constituents”. Such a statement seems to confirm what many of us have long suspected ie. that behind closed doors this Council is totally dysfunctional and a for a minority of Councillors bully tactics are the norm. Why do the majority of Councillors put up with this and why wasn’t the “recording” brought to the attention of the relevant authorities.
January 24, 2013 at 5:54 PM
MODERATORS: comment deleted
January 25, 2013 at 10:17 PM
Voltaire 31, I clearly recall the incident. Frank Penhuliaruck with all his wisdom nominated Esakoff to be a Mayor for the third time. Pilling and Magee supported the nomination along with others. It was disappointing that Magee (who is a labour) made a “U turn” and joined his liberal Councilors.