The prize for the greatest garbage to come out of any councillor’s mouth is a dead tie between Hyams and Lipshutz. In fact, the statements we are reproducing below are not only a damning indictment of these two individuals who will say anything to further their cause, protect their arses, or those of their mates, or simply designed to make some political capital and cement their power base. Logic, consistency, ethics, and concern for residents do not matter one iota in our view.
Prior to the secret and devious introduction of the new zones, which is repeatedly heralded as Glen Eira’s crowning achievement strictly because of its height limits, Hyams proclaimed the following (dates are from our postings)
HYAMS: Said that a problem was that if you set height limits then ‘people will build up to that height and you can’t stop them’ but if you don’t have height limits and let each application be ‘judged on its merits’ then you could get ‘better outcomes’. (6/2/2013 – ie on application for Glen Huntly Road – 6 storeys and 45 dwellings which got a permit from council.)
Then post zones we get this diametrically opposed statement –
Hyams – ‘The new zones are limiting development’ because of the height limits and that ‘anyone who tells you otherwise doesn’t know what they are talking about’ or ‘is deliberately seeking to mislead you’.(25/9/2014)
Then there’s Lipshutz! On Tuesday night there was a ‘passionate’ defence of ‘consultation’ and how vital it is that people get a say. Yet here is what this same advocate on ‘consultation’ had to say not that long ago –
LIPSHUTZ – ….asking the community but that’s a ‘very cute argument because we all know that when you’ consult with people that ‘the vast majority’ ‘don’t give their view’ and it’s only those people ‘who have a strong view about the issue’. Those who give their view are the voters and it’s those people who ‘will in fact say yes or no’. Going to community consultation means that ‘you will get’ the views of ‘activists and who have strong views’ and the ‘vast silent majority don’t care’. And ‘they don’t care’ because they are ‘satisfied’ about the ‘way council operates’. (on tree register – 24/3/2015)
The hypocrisy, is simply mind boggling. Remember this when you next vote!
Glen Eira Debates 
February 26, 2016 at 8:42 AM
The men for all seasons. When it’s time to argue that black is white they do it and I reckon without a single twinge of conscience. If Lobo is unworthy of being a councillor then it applies double to these men. They have sold residents out so many times.
February 26, 2016 at 9:29 AM
I read a book last week on an evil King in eastern European, set in the Dark Ages. This despot believed he was born to rule, and had no qualms when it came to inflicting terrible crimes against his unfortunate peasants. His Earls acquired great power and lands by accusing the landed peasants of bad mouthing their King. The King would judge and sentence the peasant in absenter on the scant words of the Earls. To cut a long story short. This deluded King wasn’t a decent man, and the peasant silence didn’t mean loyalty, love or consent.
February 26, 2016 at 9:30 AM
All the current encumbent Councillor glibly sprout double standards (it must be a job prerequisite), however, compared to Hyams and Lipshutz the others are rank amateurs. These two have actually turned it into an artform.
My only surprise is the time interval between the each of their two quotes. Not only does a year’s time lapse point to a somewhat dogged persistence of the author but it was also needless.
The insistence of Hyams and Lipshutz to speak to every agenda item at every Council Meeting (average duration 2 hours), provides a wealth of contradictions and inconsistencies that should be sufficient to prove your point.
February 26, 2016 at 10:16 AM
Luv the quotes. Shows what weasels they are.
February 26, 2016 at 10:31 AM
The 100 plus residents who attended a meeting re the proposed 9 storey in the old Broadbents site Centre Rd Bentleigh near Mahvo St and Campbell St won’t be happy to hear this.
Council didn’t even bother to comply so the matter went directly to VCAT. Myself and another resident will be at VCAT on Monday for a hearing re this matter. Truly there is a better solution.
Council need to do what other Councils have done and put rules and regulations in place so that developers, residents and VCAT know exactly what can and can’t be done. It has to be a win/win situation for all.
The questions is why won’t they do this? Too busy fighting amongst themselves perhaps? What a waste of time this process is at the moment. Residents are sick of not being listened to even when they come well informed and with possible solutions. They just want the Council to stop inappropriate developments.
February 26, 2016 at 2:45 PM
But Council has argued that inappropriate development is that which is prohibited, the implication being that if it isn’t prohibited then it is appropriate. Land zoned C1Z has no height limit, so it is appropriate for developers to propose something as tall as they like. There is a need to consider overlooking and overshadowing of adjoining land in a residential zone, but the objectives, standards and decision guidelines of Clause 54 and Clause 55 don’t apply if it is 5 or more storeys. “Planning” must consider Design Guidelines for Higher Density Residential Development, but they form no part of the “Decision Guidelines”.
The former Broadbents site doesn’t abut land in a residential zone—the nearest is a whopping 3 metres away. Since it isn’t adjoining, the Scheme is clear that it doesn’t have to be considered. The decision guidelines are explicit that it is *adjoining* residential land that has to be considered. Participating at VCAT is still important for learning just how dreadful the Planning Scheme is, and how open it is to abuse by decision-makers.
February 26, 2016 at 11:27 AM
http://www.jewishnews.net.au/lobo-censured/52157
February 26, 2016 at 9:14 PM
The jewish community I hope is embarrassed by the defamatory comments and bullying and harrassing behaviour of our councillors. Remember that Council hasn’t provided anything to substantiate an allegation of racism or antisemitism. It hasn’t shown how the comments it is so mortified by are racist or antisemitic. Council appears to be unaware of the differences between racism and antisemitism. It hasn’t published what definition of antisemtism it is using. Not good enough for it all to be in Cr Hyams’ mind. Council has published a letter from a lawyer pointing out Council has provided nothing to substantiate any charge, and further, that it has failed to follow its own procedures. Cr Lobo’s comments were clumsy, but that is all. He took a stand against the exceptionalism involved in members of the jewish community demanding special privileges, as he should. BTW the most widely spoken Semitic language today is Arabic.
February 26, 2016 at 3:36 PM
Not surprising that these two in particular want a closed shop and a local law that stops anyone from saying anything unless it is approved by them. Imagine if there were sound recordings available for people to listen. They would not last a minute.
The blog should be highly commended for keeping track of the countless lies and contradictions. It gets my nod of approval a thousand times over in comparison to what ratepayers get from their paid councillors.
February 26, 2016 at 6:14 PM
Ditto and ditto again
February 26, 2016 at 10:58 PM
Yet our ambivalent, uninformed voters send them back time-after-time. Some with an increased majority.
February 27, 2016 at 12:37 AM
Paraphrasing the well known saying ‘There are lies, whoppers and porkies’. Politicians of all kinds are doing it. Why do they do it? Mostly, because they want to keep Power and you do it by divide and rule technique and exaggeration of facts and their interpretations (see http://hosting.dailyinfo.co.uk/EDITION/Flowz&Vix.htm ). There are of course professions like lawyers, whose job is to exaggerate on behalf of their clients, although they my not even believe their clients or their own presentations. It is being taught and practiced as part of the adversarial system or politics (see https://thepossumbox.wordpress.com/2008/07/10/is-adversarial-politics-damaging-our-democracy/ ).
Glen Eira has had continuously 3 lawyers on the Council since 2005. We can safely assume that in particular Crs Lipshutz and Hyams are skilled in the adversarial art of argument and WINNING, particularly with those that are not practiced in such arts. In their case their ‘porkies’ are ‘kosher porkies’, white lies that can be then exaggerated to make a point, to win an argument and/or to remove an opponent. Adversarial politics is not for the faint-hearted.
There is yet another critical element in Glen Eira. Since 2005 the major grouping on the Council were and still are Liberal Party members, whose ideologies they have implemented with policies and programs reflecting Liberal Party views and ideology. One critical element of that is that if they could oppose the Labor State government position or programs they did. More critically, however, is the fundamental drive to ensure that they can hold on to the levers of Power. Readers of this blog must realise that ethics or morality is not as important as having the Power to decide and rule. Might is Right is the name of the game and that was well expressed by the author of such a book (http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Might_is_Right ). This book is considered as a proto-Ayn Rand tract (http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Ayn_Rand ), whose philosophy of personality cult (she named it Objectivist Philosophy) was adopted in British Thatcherism, USA Raegonomics, and Australia’s Howard Neo-Liberalism.
The nature of Power is characterised by ‘Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely’. All Government levels are exercising power and that everyone has to take into account when electing people to positions of power. While it’s an exaggeration to suggest that Glen Eira Council is corrupt in exercising its power, the mere fact that Glen Eira Council practices Autocratic Democracy (http://tribune.com.pk/story/39931/autocratic-democracies/ ) is clear evidence that the public has no say in between elections that occur once in 4 years. Crs Lipshutz and Hyams have said it as much countless of times (‘you can stand for election against me’). Notwithstanding their personal views on ethics, morality, credibility and integrity, they grasp for Libs positions of power and win elections is all that matters:
• Lipshutz On GESAC – ‘I won’t have non-professionals telling us what to do on that’
• Blaming VCAT – http://leader.newspaperdirect.com/epaper/viewer.aspx rather than GE Planning Scheme, which they have formulated;
• Pushing for GRZ and RGZ regardless of community wishes- http://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/inner-east/glen-eira-residents-rally-to-watch-councillors-decide-on-multistorey-residential-developments/news-story/a7fc15b07dd98673f255dd3e9dcdac3c ;
• Glen Eira Mayors – from 2002 to 2012 only Liberal Party members chosen https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mayors_of_Glen_Eira ;
• Asserting once position and importance – http://www.crikey.com.au/2004/03/23/brawling-in-the-glen-eira-council/ ;
• Lipshutz deliverables claims – https://gleneira.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/lipshutz_page_2.jpg ;
• Early resignation of Crs David Feldman & Helen Whiteside, both Mayors and Libs, because their credibility and integrity was more important to them than ruling clique politics http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/why-bother-asks-former-glen-eira-mayor-20121022-281jw.html ;
• Town Planning & MRC, giving developers a leg-up and excluding community input, see Akehurst response p5 – http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/images/stories/documents/council/Select_Committees/PublicLand/Transcripts/SCPLD_GECC.pdf ;
• Removing uncomfortable opponents – Cr Frank Penhalluriack http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/national/rebel-penhalluriacks-hostel-charge/story-fndo2dsc-1226461067938 and Cr Oscar Lobo http://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/inner-south/glen-eiras-cr-oscar-lobo-censured-and-offered-counselling-for-alleged-antisemitism/news-story/f85627d5a81312e44f45883b195e1862
There is plenty more along similar lines on this blog.
Much more important is that uncontrolled power can lead to destruction of people’s lives, undermining of democracy, and human rights of people to live in a peaceful and harmonious way. You listen to Crs Lipshutz and Hyams and you’d think that they are defending those rights, while in fact they are only generating angst and disharmony among the ethnic and religious communities in Glen Eira.
The extreme use of unbridled power leads to death, rapes, mass murders, decapitation, slicing of parts of body, genocide, democide, and war on a large scale. Examine this site https://www.hawaii.edu/powerkills/DBG.CHAP3.HTM , which enumerated and counted over a billion people that have been killed even before the 2 world wars. And the question is WHY?
Pray tell, my brother,
Why do dictators kill
and make war?
Is it for glory; for things,
for beliefs, for hatred,
for power?
Yes, but more,
because they can.
I hope Crs Lipshutz and Hyams do not destroy or defame people’s character, just because they can. After all Cr Michael Lipshutz is the past Chairman of the B’nai B’rith Anti-Defamation Commission (BBADC), whose role is defined “We are a Jewish communal organisation that works to ensure a safe and fair society for Australians of all faiths and cultures by combating anti-Semitism and racism in all its forms.” and Cr Jamie Hyams is a Senior Analyst in the Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC), whose role is similarly defined as “We are a Jewish communal organisation that works to ensure a safe and fair society for Australians of all faiths and cultures by combating anti-Semitism and racism in all its forms.” I think both should stop exaggerating, inflaming and promoting hatred and disharmony not only between ethnic communities but also within the Jewish community, some of whom do not see it the same way as Crs Lipshutz and Hyams, who seem to present the issue for their own benefit.
I hope that wiser heads in the Jewish community will prevail on this largely, however sensitive but insignificant issue and talk to Crs Lipshutz and Hyams to refrain from unnecessary ‘dirty’ legal processes. In particular, I hope that the President of the Jewish Community Council of Victoria, Jennifer Huppert, a lawyer, will intervene and get Cr Oscar Lobo and the 2 Jewish Councillors to resolve the issues of concern.
The Jewish Community Council of Victoria is a member of the Ethnic Community Council of Victoria, whose vision is “Our vision is of a culturally diverse and harmonious society that is just, fair and inclusive where all people have the opportunity to participate in and contribute to community life.” That is so similar to BBADC, AIJAC and JCCV goals, that accommodation is clearly in order. Or is it that Crs Lipshutz and Hyams think that this is only a front and such goals are not relevant in practice.
February 27, 2016 at 8:54 AM
Thank you.
February 27, 2016 at 10:59 AM
There is so much wrong with this comment starting with equating local council politics with ‘death, rapes, mass murders, decapitation, slicing of parts of body, genocide, democide, and war on a large scale’