Tonight was the first GERA ‘Meet the Candidates’ forum for Rosstown Ward residents. It was a great turnout – standing room only! Seven candidates showed up – but only one current councillor, Cr. Ho. Noticeable by their absence was the non appearance by Pilling and Esakoff. We have learnt that GERA sent out invitations to all candidates, including incumbents who were seeking re-election. Pilling only replied late this afternoon when the invitation had gone out weeks and weeks earlier, claiming a ‘previous engagement’. Esakoff did not even bother to respond!
Present were: Ms Karslake; Mr Zois, Mr. Box; Mr Jayaweera; Mr Dunstan; Mr Athanasopoulos and Cr. Ho.
After a two minute introduction from each of the candidates, the session was thrown open to questions from the floor. The issues that were of major concern to residents were:
- Planning and overdevelopment
- Heritage
- Tree Protection
- Governance
- Skyrail
It would be fair to say that all candidates expressed the view that council had simply not done enough on any of these issues and that major change was required – ie. changing the local law; introducing structure plans; setting up a significant tree register, improving transparency and accountability, etc.
All in all, the prevailing view was that the current council was definitely failing its residents on so many fronts and that new faces, new policies and immediate actions were required to address these concerns.
We endorse most of what was said and urge all residents and voters to consider who bothered to show up and who didn’t and whether they want another 4 years of the same incompetence and lack of vision that has characterised this council for far too long!
Glen Eira Debates 
October 5, 2016 at 11:55 PM
The absence of Pilling and Esakoff is indicative of this group of councillors. Regular open forums where residents can ask questions of councillors has never happened in Glen Eira. The excuse often given is that they don’t want to be criticised. Perhaps they need to ask themselves whether or not the public has any grounds for criticism. I would go even further and say that not showing up is the coward’s way out and also a sign of disrespect for the community. They expect to be re-elected but refuse to answer to the electors.
October 6, 2016 at 2:01 AM
These two councillors only appear in public at council meetings where they have supported the new restrictions of public question minuting if the questioner is present and to hand out undesireable behaviour to councillors such as Cr O Lobo in this council and Cr Penhallurak last time and then to vote in favour of all developments .(even if it involves demolishing heritage buildings) and agreeing that units with no direct light and ventilation are perfectly ok as long as there are only a few.
October 6, 2016 at 8:19 AM
Ho turned up perhaps directed by Esakoff as her poodle, to tell her what went on in the forum. Esakoff has given HO her preference over Pilling (2 terms and 2 x mayor) as from her heart she knows Pilling’s performance and in the 2012 council elections, she shafted him much below O’Kotell and that shows some good thinking until others influence her in her inner circle when she may not know the difference between black and white. Poor thing. Has anyone observed her posters outside Rosstown boundaries? (MODERATORS: last two sentences deleted)
October 6, 2016 at 8:49 AM
Last night was excellent. Congratulations and thanks to the Glen Eira Residents Association. It was well attended, well run and a truly informative evening. Being able to listen to a number of candidates discuss a number of issues with residents, has certainly influenced my vote. Really good candidates willing to address issues.
Shame on the two Councillor no shows. Esakoff has been a Councillor for the past 13 years (Mayor 3 times) and Pilling for the past 8 years (Mayor twice and the current Mayor). In that time, they have adopted an attitude of avoiding non-Council gatherings/functions because they don’t wish to be “exposed to criticism” from residents. Their definition of “criticism” covering everything from residents seeking information to confronting the occasional heckler (there were no hecklers last night just residents genuinely seeking information).
Seems to me they (and all current Councillors) ought to make a connection between their performance and “criticism” while also revisiting what representation actually means. Last night’s no show, although appalling, was just another example of how poorly they “represent” residents.
During their lengthy Councillorships, both have become so far removed from their original community focused goals that, even if they wanted to (which I doubt), there is no going back.
Neither deserve another term and we, the residents, deserve better.
October 6, 2016 at 9:23 AM
There are some genuinely good candidates standing in Rosstown. I urge residents to vote for them in order to bring change to Glen Eira. We need a council that listens to residents concerns then makes decisions that will make it possible to respond to residents needs.
October 6, 2016 at 9:30 AM
Agree residents deserve councillors who will fight with them when residents quality of life is threatened. Asking for an up to date heritage registers and tree register is rational and not an outrageous request. I urge you to vote for change. Glen Eira council is broken and with present councillors cannot be fixed.
October 6, 2016 at 10:39 AM
What concrete proposals did any of the new candidates make about development?
October 6, 2016 at 10:46 AM
Most of speakers were critical of council’s inaction on planning over the past decade and emphasised the importance of structure planning with community consultation that was genuine, plus working a lot harder on preserving the heritage of our street.
October 6, 2016 at 3:50 PM
Good turnout – on the residents’ part! I have to say that I was very impressed with what Con Zois – one of just two independents there – had to say and that he has earned my vote.
I thought one gentleman’s question on the candidates’ political affiliations was very mature. He asked all of the candidates to stand up (Jane Karslake groaned at this, perhaps she knew she was going to be humiliated) and declare their party memberships. All of the candidates obliged. Don Dunstan and Kelvin Ho informed everyone that they were members of the Liberal Party. David Box told everyone that he was a longstanding member of the Labor Party. Tony Athanasopoulos said that he was not a member of any political party, but I find that very hard to believe given the look of his personal website and election materials as well as his family members’ Labor Party memberships (Arthur Athanasopoulos who is running for Monash City Council, for example). Nonetheless, he certainly seems to be someone who will toe the Labor Party’s line. Jane Karslake admitted that she was a member of the Labor Party, but she tried to wiggle her way out of this stating that because the Labor Party has not endorsed her, she has no obligation to toe the party line. However, as a subsequent questioner rightly pointed out, neither the Labor Party nor the Liberal Party endorses candidates, and you do not need to be endorsed by your party to toe your party’s line. There were cheers and applause when Con Zois and Shan Jayaweera declared that they were truly independent having never joined a political party with zero desire to do so.
Finally, the questioner who made it clear that Jane Karslake’s defence of her Labor Party membership was moot also asked an excellent question. He asked something along the lines of ‘do you think the good people of Glen Eira would put up with Steve Dimopoulos carbon copies on their council, knowing full well that he hoodwinked and abandoned them’. Cheers and applause followed. Indeed, I do not want to see anyone like Steve Dimopoulos on Council. Tony, Jane and David all got very defensive and seemed to believe that the questioner was talking about them when he made reference to ‘Steve Dimopoulos carbon copies’. The fact that they inferred this leads me to believe that they are EXACTLY like Steve Dimopoulos.
October 7, 2016 at 7:43 AM
I wish to reply to what I strongly believe are sadly distracting and personalised comments. I considered not replying at all, but such ramblings are, as I have said elsewhere, a malais that has dogged our municipality and needs to cease. I am very proud to call Steve Dimopoulos a very good friend of some 15-20 years. We met chatting about community politics when I used to have coffees at his Oakleigh cafe, The Cosmic Bear. Being passionate about the community myself, we both enjoyed the chats. Sadly many of my friends and colleagues avoid politics and public good discussions. Over another decade I slowly met other friends, colleagues and family of Steve. I became wholly impressed. It certainly did influence my decision, after around 45 years without joining any party, to get off the fence and join the progressive Labor Party. I don’t with all Party policies, but then I don’t have to. I behave been to impressive meetings and forums. I have not encountered any “secret society”, no “shady business”, no “conspiracies”, just people passionate about improving our community and nation. I am proud to know many people who want the same, Liberal and Labor. Let’s simply move on, as there is nothing to see here.
October 9, 2016 at 10:00 PM
David, how dare you accuse my comment of being a distracting and personalised rambling! You’re language and tonality is disgusting. Are you even trying to get votes?
I am entitled to my opinion and I will share it where I please. The fact of the matter is that Steve Dimopoulos and the Labor Party, more generally, have betrayed our community with Skyrail.
In a perfect world, there would be no party politics on council. However, we do not live in a perfect world. All things considered, I will not stand to allow Labor Party plants on council given the contempt their party espouses for our community. Get it?
October 9, 2016 at 10:04 PM
You say that the type of comments I wrote above need to cease. I see that you are following Daniel Andrews’ totalitarian/fascist mantra. Free speech never served a purpose, anyway! Right?
I’m sorry, Mr. Box! Please do not take my life. Is there anything I can do to make it up for you?
October 6, 2016 at 5:06 PM
I was not able to attend, but am grateful for the information provided here, and the comments.
As someone involved in objecting to a number of developments in Carnegie (including appearing at VCAT at the recent 90-94 Mimosa Road application, which got approved today), I have penned a few questions I emailed the candidates in Rosstown Ward. Still waiting to hear back from some of them, but the following includes some key steps which, I believe, will help strengthen council’s position in VCAT hearings. Especially in light of today’s decision, I have concluded that the only hope of preserving anything of our neighbourhoods, is implementing the full Planning Scheme Review Work Plan in the coming term of council. This may require paying external consultants, but if it’s not done, looking at the speed of development in Carnegie, there won’t be much left of the old Carnegie come 2020.
Please feel free to circulate / ask your candidates, if you think any of the following can help strike a better balance between competing needs:
Dear [candidate],
I am a resident and voter in Carnegie.
I believe that whilst development is necessary, it needs to strike a balance between the needs of existing community, the developers, and future residents. Having been involved in a number of VCAT hearings, I believe there are things council can do to better manage the developments.
Could I ask which, if any, of the following actions you are willing to initiate and support, if elected to council:
1. Regular (at least quarterly) reporting on net dwelling approvals and dwelling type. This should include retrospective reporting, at least to 2013 when the new residential zones were adopted, ideally to 2003 when the municipality adopted policies to differentiate the municipality into housing diversity and minimal change areas.
This will allow comparison of dwelling approvals to population targets, and confident answering of the question: “is Glen Eira doing its fair share of meeting new housing required in Melbourne?”
2. Council’s VCAT watch report should include, where decisions went against council, a section on “actions council can take to avoid a similar outcome in future”.
This will give Councillors a clear idea of what would “strengthen” the Glen Eira planning scheme to ensure council decisions stand.
3. A review of the Planning Scheme Review Work Plan, including a presentation of council’s representative at VCAT. As the workplan currently spans more than a decade and relies heavily on internal resources to be completed, the concern from a resident point of view is that by the time the workplan is completed, the municipality will no longer be recognisable. As resident and ratepayer, I would be very happy if council used funds to pay external consultants so the work required can be completed in the next term of council.
A review of the work plan will give the newly elected Councillors an early opportunity to shape the management of development in Glen Eira.
4. Seek an amendment to the planning scheme to better manage change in neighbourhoods and where different planning zones meet. The amendment I am suggesting is that the maximum building height of any new development be the lower of:
– the height of the lowest adjoining property (including across the road) plus two stories, or
– the maximum height permitted under the zones.
This approach strikes a balance between the needs of neighbours (who would prefer a 1 storey increase) and developers (who would prefer going straight to the maximum), and allows for more managed change of neighbourhood character over time.
I am asking the same questions of all candidates in Rosstown Ward and look forward to your reply. If you require any further information on any of the points raise, I am of course happy to answer any questions.
Kind regards,
Greg Ptok
October 6, 2016 at 6:08 PM
Shows the disdain with which Pilling and Esakoff treat the residents.
No doubt Pilling didn’t want to risk the embarrassment of being asked about him resigning from the Greens (the only reason he is a Councillor) but not doing the honorable thing and resigning from Council at the same time.
Or about the growth of in-camera meetings during his time, despite his mantra being openness, transparency and accountability.
Or why he voted so often with the Liberal faction.