October 6, 2012
Dear Glen Eira Debates
My name is Ryan Hsu and I am a Candidate for Rosstown. I am hoping that I can introduce myself and am happy to answer any questions which you may have in relation me standing for this coming election. After reading your “Will The Real Candidates Please Stand Up?”, I would like to make known that I am standing as a truly independent candidate without any political party affiliation, membership or support. Prior to the commencement and nomination of this election, I have never met or spoken to any of my fellow candidates.
I will also like to inform you of my preferences that is now registered with VEC.
5 ESAKOFF, Margaret
4 OKOTEL, Karina
3 MIKELSONS, Wilmars
6 HO, Kelvin
1 HSU, Ryan
7 CASPI, Michael
8 DUNSTAN, Don
2 PILLING, Neil
My preferences were decided after speaking to nearly all the candidates and asking them many questions in relation to local community issues and understanding what they were hoping to deliver if they were elected.
I have attached my campaign flyer which will provide you with further information about me. I am also happy to meet up for a chat over coffee and to listen to any issues which you believe are important for our community.
Kind regards
Ryan Hsu
0498 530 599
COMMENT: Once we receive this candidate’s flyer it will be posted.
October 5, 2012
The ‘Indoctrination’ Begins!
Posted by gleneira under GE Governance, GE Service Performance[12] Comments
Each candidate has received a personal letter from Andrew Newton informing them of the legal requirements if they are successful in becoming a councillor – ie. return of register of interests, etc. More importantly it contains a proposed schedule and the outline of an ‘induction’ program. We are of the opinion that this document also lays out the blueprint for stamping the administration’s authority and control on councillors.
Below is the proposed timeline. Important sections are highlighted. We draw readers’ attention to the following:
- The ‘invitation’ to sign the CURRENT councillors’ Code of Conduct on day one! There is no requirement in the Act for councillors to sign any such document! By signing councillors bind themselves prior to any discussion and possible amendment. Councillors also have three months to sign any Oath of Office. The legislation also requires that the Code of Conduct be ‘reviewed’ within one year of an election. Bayside starts its ‘review’ in February!
- The only ‘induction’ that councillors receive prior to the first Ordinary Council Meeting is a ‘folder’, part of one Assembly of Councillors, and then a nearly 3 hour ‘presentation’ on the Local Government Act from Maddocks. Then it’s off to make decisions! We imagine that at this first council meeting many important items will appear on the agenda for decision by a potential bunch of neophytes.
- Then we have the almost primary school flavour of the ‘kiddy tour’ (with sandwiches). Gesac, Duncan McKinnon, Caulfield Pavilion, are sure to feature prominently! Still no real ‘discussion’ or oversight of such things as community plan, council plan, local law, etc. Once again, Bayside conducts their ‘grand tour’ on the 16th March.
- Only on the 17th November, AFTER THE FIRST COUNCIL MEETING, is there an extended ‘induction’ period of 6 hours. Too late we cry!
For comparison we’ve also uploaded the full Bayside Program. Whilst we remain dubious as to the purpose of the little ‘one on one chats’ with individual councillors, we also note the specific reference to COUNCILLOR ONLY MEETINGS THAT ARE SCHEDULED in their program. The other point of course is the fact that Bayside sees no problems in publishing such material unlike Glen Eira.
Here is the Glen Eira ‘program’ –
October 3, 2012
The following is a ‘work in progress’, based on intuition, supposition, and guesswork. The release of preferences should tell us a lot more –
|
CANDIDATES |
‘STOOGES’ |
| Lipshutz | Kraina, Catherine
Kuran, Bernie Steedman, James Weil, Martin Daniel |
| Penhalluriack | ? |
| Forge | ? |
| Dempsey | ? |
| Delahunty | Spiegel, Joshua |
| Souness | ? |
| Esakoff | Okotel, Karina |
| Pilling | Mickelsons, Wilmars |
| Dunstan | ? |
| Hyams | Dudeja, Raj
Buch, Henry De’Ath, Phil Kay, David Cade, Anne Marie |
| Gatoff | Pilcher, Trudy |
| Magee | Andonopoulos, Rodney |
| Hedger | Read, Rose |
October 2, 2012
COUNCILLORS MUST HEED COMMUNITY NEEDS, NOT POLITICAL MASTERS
AS the council elections loom, concerns are mounting that Boroondara is becoming a battle ground for party politics.
But former councillor Mary Drost says political parties have no place in council elections. ‘‘You look at the City of Yarra and it’s half Labor and half Green,’’ Ms Drost said. ‘‘And now in Boroondara you’ve got six endorsed Green candidates.’’
Ms Drost said it was a trend that could have implications for council decisions, especially where planning and development were concerned. ‘‘We don’t want Spring St and Canberra interfering with our local government,’’ Ms Drost said.
Independent Bellevue Ward candidate Simon Phipps said it was important council retained its identity. ‘‘When you take an oath of office, you represent the entire municipality,’’ Mr Phipps said. ‘‘To say you represent certain values, be it Green or Labor is fine, but the problem is orchestrated representation. A sworn members’ obligation is to the community, not the party.’’
Municipal Association of Victoria chief executive Rob Spence said councillors should declare political interests.
‘‘It’s not against the law, but any councillor should have all their political affiliations declared . . . so the voter can make an informed decision,’’ Mr Spence said.
‘‘There are 34 former local councillors in state parliament, it would be interesting to know how many declared their political interests in their council campaigns.’’
Greg Gliddon
October 1, 2012
The Glen Eira Residents’ Association has organised a ‘meet the candidates’ forum. Details are:
DATE: Sunday, October 7th
TIME: 3pm for a 3.30 pm start
VENUE: St. John’s Uniting Church, 567 Glen Huntly Road, Elsternwick
They’ve also drafted a series of questions for candidates to answer. See their website for full information on this.
Glen Eira Debates encourages all residents interested in the future of this council to show up and also put their questions. Perhaps then, the chaff will be separated from the wheat and residents will know which candidates are likely to truly represent them.
September 30, 2012
September 28, 2012
How’s This For Transparency?
Posted by gleneira under GE Governance, GE Service Performance[4] Comments
Below is one page from the Manningham City Council Draft Annual Report itemising the specific salaries for their Directors. As we’ve noted in the past, Glen Eira has 5 Directors each sitting on over $230,000 as per last year’s figures. We invite readers to note the differences in pay scales and also to ask why Glen Eira residents who pay these salaries are not privy to the same detailed information that is evident from the chart presented below.
September 27, 2012
Lest We Forget! Sorry, We Don’t!
Posted by gleneira under Councillor Performance, GE Governance, GE Service Performance[6] Comments
Carrying out Council resolutions in a timely fashion is obviously not high on Glen Eira Council’s priority list. Dissembling, distortions, and straight out fibbing characterise much of what has been going on – especially in regard to public questions and their deliberately deceptive answers! The latest outrage involves the establishment of an Alcohol Free Zone in Centre Road, Bentleigh.
The following public question was asked on Monday night –
“Why has Bentleigh’s shopping strip not received the same attention as Caulfield Race Days in establishing an Alcohol Free Zone and when is Council due to consider such controls around Bentleigh’s Centre Road?”
The Mayor read Council’s response. He said:
“It would be unfortunate for the reputation of the Bentleigh Shopping Centre if people were to infer that the shopping centre suffers the same extent of problems with alcohol affected persons that the area around the Caulfield Racecourse suffers on the twenty or so race days per year that are held there. There is no comparison between the two sites. Council’s Local Law Advisory Committee is looking at the matter following it being raised by the former President of the Bentleigh Traders Association.”
We’ve done a bit of checking and find that at the Council Meeting of 12th October 2010, the following resolution was passed –
“Crs Hyams/Magee
‘As moved, except that in relation to Item M of the Minutes of the Local Laws Advisory Committee meeting that the Local Laws Advisory Committee drafts an amendment to the Local Law to provide for the provision of an alcohol free zone in the Centre Road Bentleigh shopping strip. The amendment is to prohibit the drinking of alcoholic beverages in the shopping centre apart from within areas owned or controlled by licensed premises and is to be enforceable by the Police
The AMENDMENT was put and CARRIED and on becoming the SUBSTANTIVE MOTION was again put and CARRIED.”
This amendment was the result of a Local Laws Advisory Committee Meeting of the 13th September 2010 which included the following: “Alcohol Free Zones: Discussed issue associated with declaring and enforcing such zones. Determined police should be requested to utilise their move-on powers”.
Glen Eira Debates at the time reported on the ‘debate’ for the amendment. We then wrote: “Hyams moved an amendment to the Local Law Review committee’s recommendations that Centre Rd be considered for potential naming as an ‘Alcohol Free Zone’. This was opposed by Lipshutz with the argument that we don’t need it; that the police don’t want more work, they will do nothing to enforce it and hence the job will fall on the already overworked council officers. The amendment was eventually passed with the acknowledgement that council isn’t committing itself to anything but that by putting it on the agenda for future discussions all options are left open. (October 13th, 2010)
COMMENT:
- What’s the point of passing resolutions if they are never carried out? There is no equivocation in this resolution. The ‘order’ was to prepare an Amendment. This has never come to Council!
- How can Hyams now read and thereby endorse this response to Monday night’s public question when he in fact moved the Amendment 2 years ago?
- Why has the Local Laws committee been so derelict in both the frequency of meetings, and more importantly, providing minutes for (all) of those meetings?
- Why should discussion on a public safety issue be allowed to drag on for over 2 years?
- It couldn’t simply be could it, that this administration is opposed to introducing an Alcohol Ban and therefore certain councillors once again fall meekly into line?
Glen Eira Debates 