We are a group of residents committed to facilitating genuine debate within Glen Eira. There are many issues that face the community, yet so very little opportunity to partake and thrash out ideas, concepts, and opinions within this municipality. ‘Glen Eira Debates’ intends to provide residents and other interested individuals with a forum where their views will be heard, disseminated and responded to. Any matter that concerns Glen Eira is relevant – whether this be planning, environment, open space, governance, and CEO and councillor performance. We welcome all views.
We therefore view debate as the foundation of all democracies. Debate allows proponents not only to articulate and defend their positions, but it ensures accountability and responsible decision making. For the past decade Glen Eira has been bereft of genuine and vigorous debate. Far too often residents have no clear idea of why certain decisions are made, nor the bases for such decisions. Council meetings regularly become mutual admiration societies, rather than the forum for discussion, argument, persuasion, facts, figures, and respect for community views. Residents deserve better than this. If local councils are truly the ‘third tier of government’ as proclaimed by such peak bodies as the MAV and VLGA, then Councillors and Administrators must be prepared to voice individual opinions, and stand ready to back up such opinions with reasoned argument.
Glen Eira Debates intends to become the forum where such debate may take place. We extend an open invitation to all councillors and administrators to engage with their community in an open and transparent fashion. Let us read what you think and why you hold this view. Let us debate the issues that will see local governments become more than ‘service’ agencies and really fulfil their mandates as representatives of the people!
A couple of rules however:
1. Comments will be vetted by several moderators so that defamatory remarks are censored
2. Anonymity will be maintained – simply post your comments under aliases if you like
3. Reasoned argument and ‘fact’ will always be welcomed on any issue affecting residents and ratepayers of Glen Eira
Finally, Glen Eira Debates will seek to redress what many see as the malaise of the past decade. Both criticism and praise will be levelled where appropriate and fudged figures and facts disclosed as nothing more than spin. It’s time that Glen Eira is seen as more than a cosy ‘club’. It must become a vibrant and proactive municipality that is transparent and fully accountable for its decision making.
Glen Eira Debates 
August 22, 2010 at 11:25 AM
Our Caring Council – Huge Rent Increases for Council’s Social Housing Residents
Councils lack of support for its residents who are most vulnerable is evidenced in recent notification to its social housing tenants of a rent increase from $270 per fortnight to $390 per fortnight – a huge $60 per week increase in rent. This is fact!
This increase is being charged to those who can least afford it. The tenants of these independent living units have no assets and live on full aged pensions or disability pensions. Where will they find another $60 per week from to pay this? Residents are not happy and complaints have fallen on deaf ears.
Why would Glen Eira council make this decision? What is the benefit?
The decision flies in the face of supporting older people as they age. It flies in the face of State government policy in the just released Ageing in Victoria Plan which acknowledges the huge issue of housing for older people stating “Accessible and affordable housing will be critical as our population ages….. an adequate supply of suitable housing allowing older people to live comfortably and safely within their communities will become more important as Victoria’s population ages.”
What does our council do? It makes housing less affordable and places vulnerable older people and people with disabilities in a more tenuous and stressful position!
This issue cannot be left for the tenants to fight on their own! Council talks about advocacy and support for older residents in its Draft Ageing Strategy and increasing rents by such a huge amount shows that the words in the strategy are meaningless like so many other strategic documents produced by this council.