Crs Pilling/Okotel
That a report be provided that provides options for a response from Council whereas;
A/ a Councillor has made remarks against a section of the community in the Council chamber that are widely viewed as racist,
B/ a Councillor has made statements to the media that are widely viewed as false and damaging to the reputation of Council,
C/ this report to be presented at the February 23rd meeting.
DIVISION
Cr Lipshutz called for a DIVISION on the voting of the MOTION.
FOR
Cr Lipshutz
Cr Hyams
Cr Esakoff
Cr Delahunty
Cr Pilling
Cr Sounness
Cr Okotel
Cr Magee
AGAINST – Cr Lobo
On the basis of the DIVISION the Chairperson declared the Motion CARRIED
Glen Eira Debates 
February 5, 2016 at 10:40 AM
In my opinion the problem has arisen because one of the Councillors is hopeless. Although deeply, divided 8 of the 9 Councillors are embarrassed by this individual and this is their method of exposing this rouge Councillor.
February 5, 2016 at 11:52 AM
Actually there are 9 hopeless Councillors. That they have called for this report proves it.
What was the topic being discussed when Hyams and Lipshutz let fly with their outrageious, uncalled for and uncensured disgusting tirades. It was their even more outrageous and secretive antics to get Council to grant permission for GUNS IN PARKS.
That topic resulted in a virtual tsnami of public outrage. Hyams and Lipshutz are trying deflect public attention away from that disaster that they orchestrated. The 6 other Councillors are following meekly behind.
February 5, 2016 at 5:32 PM
Yr occupation seem to be that of a scavenger. Learn the spelling of cons…..We know who u r
February 5, 2016 at 2:32 PM
None of this is about racism. All about politics and ensuring that the Lab Lobo gets the boot. Doesn’t say much for Magee and Delahunty. They should be watching their backs. They’re next on the list.
February 5, 2016 at 3:59 PM
Lobo was not likely to get re-elected, although he makes himself available to residents, he has been ineffective for the past 6 years.
But Hyams and Lipshutz, backed up by the supposedly “deeply divided” gutless 6, just can’t resist sinking the boot.
Thank you Glen Eira Councillors for this display of your quality of leadership and integrity. The fact that you have chosen to do so in an election year is more grist to the “get rid of ’em” mill.
February 5, 2016 at 5:02 PM
A blatant political stunt for sure and it will cost us plenty when the lawyers get involved and insurance premium go through the roof. Great timing when council is asking to go above the rate cap so they can keep fleecing ratepayers. These councillors don’t give a stuff about saving money or what this means for ratepayers. Shameful and disgusting.
February 15, 2016 at 7:02 PM
If council meetings were recorded, like most other councils, and then made available to the public then we could make up our own minds if the remarks were racist!
February 5, 2016 at 5:31 PM
I agree a 100% that this is meant to get rid of Lobo. The request for a report is extraordinary – badly worded and basically pretty ridiculous. If councillors are so worried about Lobo’s behaviour then there are other mechanisms that they could have used and have used repeatedly in the past like the councillor code of conduct or even a councillor conduct panel. That wouldn’t get the publicity that Lipshutz and Hyams are hoping for and it would also mean that Lobo can present his version of events in an independent forum and probably with lawyers to back him up.
To be honest, I don’t know if Lobo is racist or antisemitic, I can’t see into his heart, but it gets up my nose very much how quickly the race card is always pulled. When Whiteside alleged that Lipshutz didn’t declare a conflict of interest over a property in Inkerman road he called her antisemitic and a terrible divisive mayor. I think that the divisiveness of this council is entirely due to the Liberal conservatives plus a few make believe Greens. Oh and before I forget Frogmore is a great example of how those three can ignore 1000 and more people who wanted an opportunity to have a say at a planning panel. That couldn’t possibly be because Jewish Care was involved could it?
February 5, 2016 at 7:07 PM
I think Lipshutz and Hyam are anti non-semitic they seem to view the world through radical zionist eyes, and therefore unfit to fairly represent the whole community.
February 5, 2016 at 11:04 PM
My understanding is that Hyams works for a Jewish propagandist organisation, so one can’t expect objectivity from him on such matters.
February 6, 2016 at 9:49 AM
Australia is a pluralistic society. If the entire council held the same views as Hyams and Lipshutz we may have a problem. This is not the case. Delahunty works for a super fund that relies trade union propaganda. You don’t mention her. For some their perfect world would be to have al PLU’s (People like us).
February 6, 2016 at 3:01 PM
We do have a problem. While the entire Council does not share the same views as Hyams and Lipshutz fear of attracting their bullying wrath means they meekly sit back and do nothing ie. give silent approval.
February 7, 2016 at 2:40 PM
jamie should declare before each vote on issues concerning those in the jewish community that he is not an independent voice due to his occupation. he doesn’t.
February 7, 2016 at 12:18 PM
Conflating a Super fund that may have connections with trade unions and calling it a body established for propaganda is laughable.
The organisation for which Cr Hyams works sole reason for being is to circulate pro Israel propaganda. Everything Cr Hyams says in relation to matters concerning Israel is informed by that role.
It is entirely different from someone who works for an organisation that may have some sort of relationship with another. Although that should always be declared.
February 5, 2016 at 8:00 PM
Several commenters seem to think the motion refers to Cr Lobo, whereas it doesn’t mention names but clearly refers to Crs Hyams and Lipshutz. I still don’t know what the f__k my ward councillors were doing supporting such a poorly worded motion. Do Crs Pilling. Esakoff, Okotel really think their job is to piss money out a window? While it is true that Council has adopted a range of racist policies, the Minutes record who voted for them when a division is called, and in no case was it Cr Lobo.
February 5, 2016 at 8:29 PM
I’m Jewish and ashamed of the Jewish councillors. They have caused more disruption and animosity over the years than any other group. They do not speak for me about guns in parks nor about sabotaging heritage for starters.
February 5, 2016 at 10:11 PM
This is a test of our new CEO. She should tell the 8 councillors to f__k off, remind them that they have all declared they have read their Councillor Code of Conduct, haven’t alleged any breach of the Code, have a dispute resolution procedure which they haven’t followed, are engaging in behaviour designed to cause detriment to another person in breach of their Code, have a track record of spending public resources imprudently and not in the public interest, have repeatedly failed to show respect whether for each other or for all persons, and are all guilty of multiple breaches of their Code. What a rabble.
February 5, 2016 at 10:21 PM
Oscar, get your act together and charge these bastards with bullying. Reckon there’s plenty of dirt you could throw in their faces.
February 5, 2016 at 10:40 PM
I’ve been giving this some thought and one thing keeps cropping up in my head – what is Lobo’s crime and why are they so determined to get rid of him?
Granted he is a Labor man and a pretty useless councillor. He is also a loose cannon and has deliberately or inadvertently revealed too much about the inner workings of council. From memory of what’s been reported in these posts, these things spring to mind.
1. Records of assembly are censored, edited, and untruthful
2. The zones and not consulting residents was a decision made not in chamber by a resolution and therefore illegal
3. He admits his errors on this
4. Implies that Newton’s resignation has more to do with the events of October than the sudden urge to work for a non-profit
5. Lipshutz is not averse to a little racism himself when he asked Lobo about possible terrorist links and money laundering in an email
Plenty more that I’ve forgotten I’m sure.
February 5, 2016 at 11:17 PM
Lobo got dudded years ago when they promised him to be mayor and his vote put two up Hyams in the chair. Should have learnt his lesson back then that you can’t trust any of these bastards not even Delahunty and for sure not Pilling and Okotel. The whole rotten bunch should be tossed out
February 6, 2016 at 8:08 AM
Maybe this is to keep us busy so residents won’t notice the rampant inappropriate developments Council have allowed to happen! Save Glen Eira is even more relevant. We need Councillors to focus on the important issues.
February 7, 2016 at 7:08 PM
Agreed.
February 6, 2016 at 8:21 AM
A few years ago this forum GleinEira, speculated that there was a motion to take Lobo to the code of conduct. What was the outcome and cost to the council?
February 6, 2016 at 9:09 AM
Abominable behaviour is unacceptable regardless of the race or religion of the perpetrator.
The fact the Hyams and Lipshutz continually practice abominable behaviour and continually label any criticism of their behaviour as being racism or antisemitism is repugnant. So is the fact that other Councillors blindly follow their lead.
This motion is yet another illustration of the abominable behaviour practiced by Councillors. It started with the Guns in Parks, it’s now shaping up to be a self serving, ongoing, ratepayer funded, electioneering manoeuvre directed at one Councillor.
Frankly, at the start of year 4 of the current incumbents 4 year term in office it’s both pathetic and repugnant. It clearly tells residents how vote in October
February 6, 2016 at 9:49 AM
There’s a few other things I hope the report covers. The claim from 8 councillors is that certain statements are “widely viewed as false”. Those 8 councillors should quantify the number of people they are aware of as holding those views so we can compare it to the population of the municipality. Second claim is that the same statements are “damaging to the reputation of Council”. Given Council’s reputation is shit with anybody who is familiar with it, most of it self-inflicted and well before the guns-in-parks fiasco, how did Council arrive at the conclusion that the councillor they are currently bullying is responsible for any damage whatsoever.
February 6, 2016 at 2:17 PM
It’s not only the numbers that need substantiation, it also proving it’s false. How are they going to do that unless they come clean with what they actually did or said and risk an avalanche of ratepayer disapproval that will dwarf the Guns in Parks outrage.
I suspect Officer No-Name (a.k.a. Burke or Jones) is already struggling with that conundrum
February 6, 2016 at 3:53 PM
The allegation from the dullards isn’t that a councillor said something false, but that whatever he or she said was “widely viewed as false” and “damaging to the reputation of council”. They couldn’t even identify any breach of their Code of Conduct. It would be an abuse of council resources to respond to the request unless there was a specific allegation of a breach of the Code or LGA. They never learn. They cost us tens of thousands of dollars at VCAT in pursuit of personal grudges when they likewise failed to make a case.
February 7, 2016 at 9:10 AM
It just keeps getting worse.
February 6, 2016 at 11:31 AM
Not true anon,
Hyams and Lipshutz have demonstrated that have a great love for most things Jewish, whilst periodically demonstrating an anti non semitic bent.
With the erroneous thinking that, 1) they represent and have the support the the Jewish community, and 2) the non Jewish community has a default position of being anti semitic, and this needs to be kept in check, and they are all too willing to be the self appointed police force.
With this prejudice core thinking, basically an anti non semitic way of behaving, they are prone to carry out unnecessary divisive bullying attacks to help achieve their political ambitions and goals. (OK, that’s politics on one level) But is it a good tactic or a sensible way to foster good relations in Local Government, or arrive at good decisions. (Well only if they want good decisions for the whole community)
If Hyams and Lipshutz were willing to practise what they preach they may make good councillors, we need community leaders, not community dividers.
For the record, I think Lobo is likely not an anti semite, he’s just politically dumb when dealing with hardcore zionist of the likes of Hyams and Lipshutz, both all too willing to exploit any political advantage after their egg on face “Guns in Park fiasco”, that left them very deeply humiliated and angry and obviously vengeful.
February 6, 2016 at 10:36 PM
No 16 you are a typical piece of you know what. Hardcore Zionist. What’s that. Maybe another way of saying Jewish. We all know what you are.There are only 2 Jewish Councillors out of 9. That to you is a majority, or is it a method of attacking a religion. Shame on you.
February 7, 2016 at 9:08 AM
Actually there are 4, Hyams, Lipshutz, Esakoff and Pilling (Pilling has awarded himself honorary Jewish status).
February 7, 2016 at 9:28 AM
C/49 you conveniently forgot to mention the Liberal Party
Your veiled threat of “We all know what you are” just to be sure that your dog whispering hasn’t fallen on deaf ears, just what am I? And who are the “WE” you refer to.
In answer to your question a hardcore zionist is a person totally dedicated to the a movement for (originally) the re-establishment and (now) the development and protection of a Jewish nation in what is now Israel. It was established as a political organization in 1897 under Theodor Herzl, and was later led by Chaim Weizmann.
February 7, 2016 at 11:05 AM
While I feel this is straying considerably from the current issue of the dubious moral and ethical behaviour of our councillors, I do note that United Nations General Assembly Resolution 3379 determined that “Zionism is a form of racism and racial discrimination” and makes mention of “the racist regime in occupied Palestine”. It was deeply controversial and subsequently repealed in 1991, largely due to the diplomatic influence of the United States. Reality doesn’t resemble the fine rhetoric by any of the international players. Palestine is still occupied. Peace does not prevail in the Middle East. I am however confident that none of our councillors played a role in the bombing of the King David Hotel, and other than supporting the presence of guns, generally denounce violence.
February 7, 2016 at 11:13 AM
As this commentator points out, debate on the issue is becoming sidelined. Could commentators please focus on the issues at hand – ie the Request for A Report and its potential repercussions in terms of council governance, councillor performance, and costs to ratepayers.
February 7, 2016 at 1:09 PM
Con47 – you definitely are a Con through and through and clear that you are one of them. There are 4 liberals who are tarnishing the image of the opposition in Victoria. 3 of them are Jewish. (Esakoff married a Jewish person, so she is part of the pack. People have heard her saying she does not belong to any party and that her husband is a member of liberal.
There is Okotel who tells that she is not a Jew but a hardcore liberal who wants to be a Senator without proper know how of politics and is a fiddle used by Hyams & rough Lips who does know where the sun rises.
Pilling and Magee are 2 rabbits who have resigned from their parties to join the above gang to get a motion passed by the gang of 4. Being independent is a cunning strategy to be awarded $90K to those who are jobless. Delahunty exposes the gang on behalf of the people who elected her. Lobo appears like Manuel but has the quality of a patient hhbanker (as you cannot understand them) and has some madness to the method and no one knows if he is sleeping or awake. Sounness goes with the wind and talks gibberish that he only understands. He must be suffering from Carpal Tunnel with Pilling twisting his hand. Lobo and Sounness must have been bros in previous world.
February 7, 2016 at 3:48 PM
Mercifully off-topic: big protest meeting held today in Murrumbeena over the government’s “skyrail” plan as means to deliver on level crossing removal election promise. Opposition politicians there in number, grateful for the free kick given them. Apparently the plans were widely known by politicians and GECC, but they didn’t pass the information on to the poor mugs who would be affected if it goes ahead. The glossy pamphlets are starting to emerge, lacking design detail [of course], but promising public consultation about what might go underneath the concrete bridges. “Sunlight” not an option. Cr Okotel spoke, and in contrast to her efforts in Council, spoke well and passionately. Matthew Guy and David Davis were obviously touting for votes, as was the unsuccessful liberal candidate for Oakleigh. David Hodgett [who, you ask?] and Margaret Fitzherbert MLC also present. No Labor politican fronted to defend the process and their decisions. Protest covered by Seven Network.
February 7, 2016 at 7:18 PM
the channel 7 news item – https://au.news.yahoo.com/video/watch/30756573/skytrain-causes-local-outrage/?cmp=st
February 7, 2016 at 10:54 PM
Saw one complainant on the ABC. Believe it or not she was complaining about the noise of trains as one went past her backyard so loud she couldn’t be heard.
The raised rail is used throughout the world. It emits less noise and allows for more usable areas for the benefit of communities beneath it. And importantly improves the travel experience for both rail and road users. We really are a whining backward country in many respects.
This is off topic and not a council matter btw. But just had to stick my oar in.
February 7, 2016 at 11:32 PM
‘Skyrail’ proposals were bandied around for decades both on the Frankston and Dandenong lines. They are cheaper, but most importantly, they do not destroy the neighbourhood character of the area, NO MULTI-STOREY APARTMENT BLOCKS ARE BUILD OVER THEM! ( eg see https://urban.melbourne/blogs/melburnists-braindump/2016/01/13/trenches-and-elevated-rail-melbourne-examples). With modern techniques, there is much less noise on ‘skyrail’ then with ground level or ‘trench’ systems, whose noise spreads around towards houses on the ground level. Here are the before/after pics for the ‘skyrail’ http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/16-billion-elevated-rail-project-to-replace-level-crossings-on-dandenong-line-20160206-gmnj0p.html . The major benefit of ‘elevated rail’ systems are its capacity to improve the Public Realm around the stations and along the route of ‘elevated rail’.
In comparison see the North, McKinnon, and Bentleigh stations proposal http://northmckinnoncentre.com.au/about-the-works/ . The ‘buzz’ among the traders in those centres is of an uptake of high-rise developments as soon as the level crossings are removed. And how do they know that? Because GECC admin has mentioned that some developers are interested to do it and made enquiries. And of course the zones have already been established to enable high-rise developments to take place in Ormond, McKinnon and Bentleigh stations.
Am I surprised at Vic Libs opposition to anything that Vic Labor is doing? No, that is natural. But the hypocrisy and irrationality of Vic Libs and in particular our GE Lib Councillors is just staggering. They’ll say anything and exaggerate to high heavens to get get publicity so that they can get back to or remain in power. Power and supporting their developer mates is the only thing the Libs care about. They have campaigned to get the Neerim and Glenhuntly Rds level crossings removed. Wonderful, except that if they will have to spend 3 times that of an elevated rail in (http://www.danielbowen.com/2015/05/04/grade-sep-en-masse/) then Libs will have to delay the removal of Neerim/Glenhuntly Rds crossings to the never never land. However, the benefit is for the developers to get even more high-rise buildings in Carnegie, Murrumbeena and Hughesdale.
GECC is now conducting a ‘consultation process’ on draft Sustainable Transport Action Plan. They will be advocating, I guess, for Lib solution of ‘trench rail’ and object to ‘elevated rail’. After all Activity Centres Strategy was all about rejecting and ignoring Melbourne2030. That was 15 years ago.They have not changed a bit. Support Libs and reject Labs. The public, residents and ratepayers can get stuffed.
Just how ludicrous the Vic Libs are is that NSW Lib government is implementing an elevated rail project, because it is cheaper, better and improves Public Realm along and around stations on such routes http://nwrail.transport.nsw.gov.au/Construction/Construction-Overview .
February 8, 2016 at 8:30 AM
great comment. At least someone is looking at this rationally. Using the side of Dandenong Road plus the bit under the railway line near grange road would be about 50 meters wide by about 200 meters long. This will make about 10 netball/basketball or tennis courts. Plus we can have a off road bike lane going all the way from Dandenong to Caulfield. Be nice if it had somewhere to go to get to the city after that. It is a no brainer between Neerim Road and Glenhuntly Station. Imagine the free space that clears up with that adjoining rail yard/
February 8, 2016 at 10:01 AM
Couldn’t agree more. The ‘skytrain’ proposal is for Caulfield to Hughesdale section be on an elevated rail with 4 new modern quiet tracks. If a similar proposal is done from Glen Huntly to Caulfield, then one can arrange a timetable to have some trains going directly from Frankston line to Dandenong line. But your idea of increased public spaces between Glen Huntly, Caulfield and Hughesdale is just fantastic and ‘no brainer’. But can you imagine Glen Eira Council wanting to do it? I bet the libs on the Council would find ANY excuse to reject it just because it was not suggested by them.
February 8, 2016 at 10:36 AM
Unless the elevated rail is accompanied by a upgrade of all the rolling stock currently providing Metro passenger services and regional passenger and freight services then the noise and vibrations will become major issues.
Also look at the illustrations, look impressive don’t they. Now go and take a look at the reality that exists now. Not a hope in hell of having anything so spacious let alone all the vegetation.
February 8, 2016 at 10:20 AM
Re skyrail: This is a council matter. Council has lobbied for it. Cr Okotel revealed Council knew the plan. Council is the responsible authority [sic] for land in the municipality. The proposal can’t be argued to be “best” or “better” over anything else unless there were clear criteria used to do the assessment. Daniel Andrews revealed he thought alternate proposals couldn’t be done on technical grounds. That is not true. He is either lying or been misinformed. The Government has not released the information it based its decision on. Decisions of this magnitude should based on accurate information, and be done through a public process. The government last year decided what it wanted and requested the project partner short-list submit only “skyrail” proposals.
The glossy brochures don’t provide details of the height and width proposed. At the public meeting it was suggested a 9m height [without identifying what 2 points were being measured], which would violate height limit for land zoned NRZ that it abuts if PUZ wasn’t exempt from ResCode. The rail corridor is 20m wide in these sections. It therefore must fail to comply with setbacks. If residents in NRZ are truly comfortable with 9m built to their property boundary they can lobby to be rezoned or have Schedule 1 amended. There has been no discussion about what happens when they attempt to squeeze in 4 tracks if only 2 tracks are initially built.
There hasn’t been consultation on the design. Late Saturday afternoon an army of LXRA people belatedly attempted to inform those of us affected of the impending announcement, and of course failed. By today, the Premier claimed the government had gone through an “extensive, respectful” engagement process. Not true.
I’m quite sure some people love skyrail. Planning in Glen Eira has traditionally been about protecting the amenity of some people, giving them what they want, at the expense of loss of amenity for the rest. Some loss of amenity may be acceptable but only after people have participated in the decision-making process, information relied upon has been subject to scrutiny, and evidence provided that demonstrates proponents would accept the same loss of amenity. A letter requesting their property and their neighbour’s be rezoned GRZ or RGZ with modified schedule specifying zero setback for example.
There is a much cheaper alternative too, which is simply to do nothing. There isn’t a Council or VCAT decision in which level crossings are cited as a factor resulting in a reduction in size of a development or a refusal to issue a Permit.
February 8, 2016 at 12:01 PM
Okotel s showing muscles and is and has been a puppet with strings made to dance according to the tunes of Lips, Hyams and Esakoff. Esakoff is a die hard liberal and has ambitions to move to the government with the help of the above 3 terminators, one of which was sacked some years ago. Okotell is no dumb being a lawyer and was responsible for zones and made a U turn against her colleagues when she was heard that Council did not go for public consultation and the residents invited by GE Association were appalled in a forum at Bentleigh club in Yawla street, McKinnon/Bentleigh suburbs. Magee who was a Maryor then accidentally spoke Bull’s crap and insulted the residents and then in a radio interview said that residents have to live with the new zones and they can get stuffed or something closer to that. Hyams defended the zones as he isn’t a lover of liberal party and has/will do anything for the party against the interest of the residents. Bad Bad Bad:
Lobo just sat and said nothing as the work was done by the above 3.
These councillors need to resign as they are voting against the wishes and they keeping saying residents have put us in and we know what is best.for them. In a Planning conference on 9 storey development, the most arrogant Lips said in front of a packed hall, that the residents can vote against the present councillors if they did not want them and closed the meeting early, an insult to the residents. Okotell, Pilling and Esakoff are responsible for the destruction of Carnegie and hopeless state of the suburbs. Okotell will have difficulty in obtaing vote. Let us wait and see the fate of the Councillors in October 2016. For shame they need to exit from the Council as yet yesterday if they have any bloody shame.
Lastly the new CEO needs to read between the lives and keep a close watch on these terminators before her fingers are burnt.