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A petition of 60+ signatures was submitted for tabling at tonight’s council meeting. It reads:
“TO HIS/HER WORSHIP THE MAYOR AND COUNCILLORS OF THE CITY OF GLEN EIRA IN COUNCIL ASSEMBLED
This petition of certain residents of the City of Glen Eira draws to the attention of the Council the recent nomination of 3 councillors (Crs.Hyams, Lipshutz, Esakoff) as Trustees to the Caulfield Racecourse Reserve. We do not believe that these individuals are suitable candidates to adequately represent the interests of the community.
Your petitioners therefore pray that Council writes to the Minister requesting a revision of this decision and the appointment of different councillor representatives. And your petitioners will ever pray.”
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Source: http://www.davidsouthwick.com.au/funrun/
PS: AND NOW CRYING POOR!
Melbourne Racing Club struggling to profit from racing activities
- by: Rod Nicholson
- From: Herald Sun
- February 26, 2013 12:00AM
Melbourne Racing Club is owed money from Nathan Tinkler for his sponsorship of the Blue Diamond Stakes. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: Sunday Herald Sun
AUSTRALIA’S wealthiest race club will report a record profit at the end of the financial year – but a massive loss for its racing activities.
Melbourne Racing Club, which runs Caulfield, owns Sandown and is in partnership with Victoria’s biggest country club, Mornington, lost $5 million last year and is heading towards a $6 million loss this year from racing.
The purchase of eight profitable hotels with gaming facilities, on top of its two massive enterprises at Caulfield and Sandown, will provide the record profit.
The club has spent millions of dollars kick-starting a new precinct, branded Caulfield Village, which will have 340 residential units, a supermarket, specialty shops, professional services, restaurants and cafes.
It has already been paid a sizeable sum this year, boosting its profits, and anticipates massive financial rewards when the precinct is completed in 2017-18. But the club is so concerned with its racing activities, treasurer Brodie Arnhold has taken on the full-time responsibility of investigating every department in a bid to curtail costs.
The money woes have been compounded by the lack of payment of sponsorship by mining magnate Nathan
Tinkler for his Patinack Farm’s naming rights to Saturday’s Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes.
He is yet to pay what club chairman Mike Symons describes as “significant and substantial money”.
Tinkler, now having finished the last year of a three-year deal, was not bound to pay until after Saturday’s event.
The club is already talking to prospective new sponsors but remains hopeful Tinkler will honour his agreement.
Symons said the club had three areas of operation.
“The investment in gaming and other activities is highly profitable, and we have received money from our investment in the Caulfield Village,” he said.
“We will deliver a record profit for 2013, but the costs of our racing are getting out of control and we need to make that side of the business as efficient as possible without sacrificing our service to patrons.”
The club recently spent spent millions upgrading the Caulfield racetrack.
It also spent millions merging with Mornington Racing Club.
Glen Eira Debates 
February 26, 2013 at 9:14 AM
Magee is seeking attention. He fancies his chances at the ALP pre-selection for Bentleigh. The appointments are made by the Minister. No point in petitioning the Council. They didn’t make the appointments. The petition is a waste of time.
February 26, 2013 at 11:15 AM
That’s one way of looking at things. The other is that people are pissed off with the the lack of governance by the state and council and they’re making their views known. Nothing wrong with that.
Magee’s motives are his business but if he achieves something for the community then all kudos to him.
February 26, 2013 at 12:42 PM
The petition is not from Magee.
February 26, 2013 at 9:58 AM
interesting though didnt a few votes in Bentleigh in the last election decide the last election. maybe we might get some action on the racecourse! Would Southwick really turn up to this community day?
February 26, 2013 at 10:16 AM
Interesting he fancies himself the ALP candidate for Bentleigh after his embarrassing council result
February 26, 2013 at 11:16 AM
In politics it is known as “willful blindness. You only see the things that feel good. During an election period it is called candidates disease.
February 26, 2013 at 3:41 PM
I do not recall seeing anything off Magee at the last election.
February 26, 2013 at 11:31 AM
Nice try Jim. I hope you take this lesson to heart and apply it across the board in all your dealings with Council. After all Council provided the first step in the process of your removal – they were required to nominate 3 Crs. for Trustee appointment, they were not required to submit 8 names for the government to select from.
About time you woke up to the fact that this Council is rigged by the Administration and the 3 newly appointed Trustees. It’s also about time you and the 6 Crs not appointed Trustees stated to represent residents.
February 26, 2013 at 12:45 PM
Magee knows the trio very well and he knows how the MRC works.
Birds of same feather flock together. If the pettion is submitted to the Council, it is the Council’s responsibility to take up the matter with the state government.
Magee knows hell of a lot to keep him shut and from the article that appeared yesterday in Caulfield Leader, he is all set to tell the world about the things that takes place in MRC i.e. governence, secrecy and selfishness. Magee apparently had written to Ted Ballieu drawing his attention to the issues he sees as Chairman last year. Baillieu neither acknowledged or responded to the letter.
It is the (MODERATORS: this part of the sentence is deleted since there is no evidence to support the allegation) but to select the three members who are hand in hand for all matters. Hope the residents are
closely looking the group and their personal agenda.
To be fair, the government should have picked up one from each party not to all get a mix of Councillors but to respect the position they hold.
Get them Magee and do not rest until you chase and expose the group. They have been controlling this Council for a very long time and (MODERATORS: rest of sentence deleted)
February 26, 2013 at 1:12 PM
Councillor Whiteside attempted to bring to the light of day the many deficiencies within White Hall and the unhealthy alliances there and look what happened to her.
The residents had the chance to reform the council at the election last year. Instead they re-endorsed the hacks and fellow travellers resoundingly. As I’ve said repeatedly here most of the great unwashed are either ambivalent or political muttonheads.The gang and fellow travellers know it and trade on it.
February 26, 2013 at 1:41 PM
How about the bullshit that the MRC are a non profit organisation!
February 26, 2013 at 1:48 PM
If anyone knows the answer to my question I would be grateful. On the Southwick webpages there’s a sentence which is possibly very questionable. He wrote – “Run on the new purpose built synthetic running track and bring the family to enjoy food and entertainment.” The last time I set foot inside there was only concrete and one non-descript gravel path that went nowhere. Is there in face a “synthetic running track” or not and what does “synthetic” mean – plastic grass?
February 26, 2013 at 5:35 PM
Currently at Fortress Caulfield, there is a 2m concrete path around Precinct 1, and a 2m fine gravel path on compacted earth around Precinct 3 (which branches off from Precinct 1) and also inside Precinct 5 (spelt “Car Boot Village Area” but pronounced “Dog-Off-Leash Area”). There is no discernable path to/from Precinct 4 at this stage other than a sandy/muddy track for maintenance vehicles. The boardwalk in Precinct 2 is indeed made of boards.
Some other random observations: The unisex toilets are not designed for men since the toilet seats won’t stay up. A rubbish bin has been inappropriately placed on the concrete path outside the toilets, blocking it. A sheltered area adjacent to the toilets has its roof but no tables, and 2 BBQs are installed. Construction presumably hasn’t finished, as there are absolutely no seats anywhere. Majority of the small pine-like trees have not established themselves and appear to be dying. Boardwalk at one entrance has signs prohibiting fishing but provide no hint that fishing is permitted at the other end. A drinking fountain has been installed on the other dog-off-leash side of a 2.3m black chain mesh fence from the carpark, so maybe that fence will come down. How to reach Precinct 4 is far from obvious—I expect one set of white barriers will be removed and a new fence with gate become operational. Access through the maze of barriers from the Neerim Rd entrance remains to be done. Carpark is delimited with solid chunky wood posts. Pedestrian entrance via Station St continues to be forbidding with no signage to encourage entry, and the practice of chaining gates closed albeit not actually padlocked shut continues.
February 26, 2013 at 3:06 PM
Completely off topic, BUT, if these other councils knew about the carbon tax levy and have already prepared for it, then why has Glen Eira kept mum? Has Glen Eira even budgeted for this additional cost? Again we say – watch out for major rate hikes!
Boroondara and Stonnington councils prepared for landfill carbon debt
Greg Gliddon
From: Progress Leader
February 26, 2013 12:00AM
BOROONDARA and Stonnington councils will have to stump up cash for the carbon tax thanks to its addition to the nation’s list of the nation’s list of top polluters.
The two councils, along with Whitehorse, Glen Eira and Monash councils, will pay the $23-per-tonne tax backpaid to July 1 last year when it came into effect, thanks to its part ownership in the Clayton South Landfill site.
Boroondara Mayor Jack Wegman said the inclusion didn’t come as a surprise and the council had even been prepared.
“In setting last year’s budget, council foreshadowed the carbon price was expected to add between $1.5m and $1.8m to council’s costs,” Cr Wegman said.
“These increases were largely due to the impact of the carbon price on waste disposal at landfill, gas, electricity and the general inflationary effects as suppliers pass through their cost increases.”
He said the Clayton South site was well-advanced into a program to cut emissions, and the impact of the tax on the the council’s 2013-14 budget, due in May, was too early to tell.
“All but the smallest landfills accepting putrescible waste are impacted by the carbon tax,” he said.
“Ultimately, additional costs have to be funded by savings, increased rates, reductions in services or some combination of these.”
Kooyong federal Liberal MP Josh Frydenberg said the tax would be a big hit to the budgets of families and small businesses when no other competing country in the world was imposing such a economy-wide tax.
The listing also means the councils will be paying for emissions from the landfill for the next 30 years.
Stonnington chief executive Warren Roberts said the council had been prepared for the listing and incorporated the tax into its garbage disposal fees, which had been charged at the site since last July. Mr Roberts said the tax was expected to cost the council $930,000 in 2012-13, and this cost had been included in its previous budget.
Higgins federal Liberal MP Kelly O’Dwyer said Australians had been told that only the country’s biggest businesses would have to pay the tax.
“Now we learn that Stonnington Council is going to have to foot the bill at $23 a tonne, when prices in Europe are around $4-$6 a tonne,” Ms O’Dwyer said.
“This means that Stonnington residents will ultimately pay the price through increased rates or decreased services.”
February 26, 2013 at 4:04 PM
The Rubbish collection charge is separate to the Land rates. Some will pay more as they have the 240 litre bins. The carbon price in Europe is currently around $6. It will soon be $25 here. It will really hit the fan when the Australian cap and trade scheme kicks in. Very few people understand how it works. When they understand that they are supporting the high lifestyle of some Swiss carbon traders they will not be happy. Anyone that disputes this clearly does not know mhow it works. I am sure that it will be carefully explained and made very clear once the election campaign starts.
February 26, 2013 at 4:15 PM
You are missing the point of our comment. The Leader article makes it clear that these other councils had factored in the tax in last year’s budget – quote ‘no surprise’. Glen Eira Council has not uttered a word. We are questioning why and not the justice or otherwise of the tax itself. Another example perhaps of keeping the public ignorant and let’s spring it on them in the last minute?
February 26, 2013 at 8:12 PM
The Prime Minister told us that only the top 500 companies would be paying the carbon tax. Maybe the staff in the Glen Eira town hall took her at her word. The Clayton Landfill is not in the top 500.
The other part owners may have taken a cautious approach to her claims.
Can’t really blame the staff for trusting the Prime Minister.
February 26, 2013 at 3:21 PM
This is all about Southwick getting this land for Maccabi. He has put in Crs.Hyams, Lipshutz, Esakoff to help with this.
February 26, 2013 at 3:56 PM
Can you please explain how Maccabi is going to gain from the racetrack. Otherwise stop making things up.
February 26, 2013 at 9:27 PM
Rumour has it that Maccabi soccer, without going through any allocation process (a process normally applied to granting a club a right to use a specific ground for a specified period/s on specified days/day) has been asssigned the Centre of the Racecourse.
Admittedly a rumour but if proved trued prove it raises significant governance and vested interest issues. No admitted acknowledged member of Maccabi, or any other related Jewish organisation, made any presentation – positive or negative- for the passing of the infamous C60 (which took years) development. Yet at the announcement of Glen Eira Council’s approval of that development media coverage included the Jewish Community’s support for C60. While no doubt detracters will deride this statement as racist or dicriminatory, it is not intended to be, it is merely a statement of fact that any review of the records will prove to be valid.
February 27, 2013 at 2:10 PM
Not racist at all. just silly,. Most sporting teams want change rooms and some form of shelter. Jews make up a large part of the Caulfield population (30 to 40%) it is normal that there views would be sort. I think you are wrong in your assumption. If the ground is available then I am sure it will go through the normal council allocation process.
February 26, 2013 at 6:16 PM
Southwick, Maccabi, Lipshutz, Hyams and Esakoff…………………..HHHHMMMMMM……….Silence says it all.
February 26, 2013 at 6:59 PM
Love to know what Maccabi is going to do with the centre of the racetrack.
I think you are dreaming.
February 27, 2013 at 9:31 AM
(MODERATORS: comment deleted)
February 26, 2013 at 11:28 PM
I could see Southwick’s Monash BA on his web site. Whats happened?
February 27, 2013 at 1:27 AM
THE AREA OVER THERE AT AMONG THE FENCES, CONCRETE,SPECIAL TRACKS IF YOU CAN SEEK IT OUT BECAUSE IT IS NOW AS SMALL AS AN “APPLE PIP.” OR THE COMPASS POINT OF OUR RACECOURSE RESERVE.
February 27, 2013 at 9:31 AM
Bit of a farce last night! Lobo and his Labor Party mates tried to play musical chairs and move the seats around so they could all sit together. Lobo clearly is out of his depth and need Delahunty and Magee to prop him up. He now blindly votes the ALP way . Not an independent thought. Interesting that Delahunty Magee and Lobo are all acting in concert together. As for the petition – how stupid and petty. Hyams Lipshutz & Esakoff have been judged even before they have taken up their roles. How about waiting to see what they do and then pass judgment.
February 27, 2013 at 12:57 PM
“Hyams Lipshutz and Esakoff are being judged before they even take up their roles”
Your right that’s very harsh because they have no priors, no track history with those three whatsoever.
You would NEVER get those three “acting in concert” would you Dicky?