The decision by the Mount Alexander Shire Council to slug the CWA with hall hire fees in excess of $2,500 per annum  is the most stunning evidence to date of corporatisation that is out of control.

This revered rural women’s association has been in existence for many years and countless generations of women have contributed through it to the benefit of the community. It represents values of service that are very precious in this largely consumerist world.

A priority role of local government is to nurture those community organisations which foster engagement and opportunity in our shire. This mean and unconscionable impost comes from an alien corporate culture which seeks to enforce user pays even when the real user is the community itself.

Having just seen the response from the mayor on this issue in the Bendigo Advertiser today, I must confess that I am deeply shocked. I did not think that this council could do much worse than it has over the last four to six weeks. The fact that the agreement to provide the CWA with rent-free accommodation in return for losing their club rooms in 1996 is public knowledge means it is no myth as Cr Cropley would have it.

My manager at my job in Eaglehawk, who is a long-standing resident of Castlemaine told me about it and remembers it very well. It will of course be documented but this mayor does not want to look. If I am elected I will move quickly to right this wrong. If I am not or I don’t get support from three other councillors I will offer to chair a committee to raise the funds necessary for a legal challenge. There is no court in the land that will allow the council to avoid the obligations of “a previous council and a previous administration”. I am reluctantly coming to the view that if asked, this community would be prepared to support a motion of no confidence in this mayor if it were moved.

Yours etc

Hans Paas
Castlemaine. 3450

‘This is a devastating decision’, says Enough Pokies in Castlemaine (EPIC) president, David Stretch. ‘This case was a litmus test for whether the Commission will listen to communities. Castlemaine has spoken louder than any other community before it, and still the Commission wants to let more pokies in.’

The Maryborough Highland Society applied to the Commission for approval of a venue with 65 pokies in the heart of Castlemaine. The application was heard in January this year. The Commission found that the net social and economic impact of the proposal would be neutral, and so the application was approved.

‘An independent survey showed that over 70 percent of the community oppose this proposal. If Castlemaine can’t win, no-one can’, Mr Stretch said.

The local Mount Alexander Shire Council opposed the development due to its anticipated negative social and economic impacts. An unprecedented 574 individual objections from the community were received by the Commission. EPIC, a grassroots organisation reflecting the views of the overwhelming majority of the community, made representative submissions to the Commission.

‘The Government’s dependency on poker machine revenue has become so pervasive that the legislative regime allows governments to ride rough-shod over the express wishes of communities and local governments, in favour of a quick dollar.

‘This Commission hearing is just the beginning of this battle: it took Romsey five years to keep the pokies out.

‘We have to keep fighting, not just for Castlemaine, but for other communities who will face the pokies juggernaut in the future’, Mr Stretch said.

EPIC and the majority of the Castlemaine community now call on Council to continue acting in the best interests of the town by appealing the decision to VCAT. The Council has 28 days to lodge an appeal.

I read with interest some of the commentary on the Aquatic Centre/Western Oval debate. I keep puzzling over several issues, one of which was raised in CI’s Comments section.

July 2007 report - read it here

How is it that in 2007, the Sport and Leisure Solutions Consultant to Council in the “Review of Aquatic Facilities” can state a preference for the existing Castlemaine Pool site as follows -

“We believe this is the best option of all the sites listed. It is close to the hospital, nursing home and hostel facilities which provide great opportunity for the cogeneration of energy which could be a major financial imperative to viability. Close proximity to the caravan park and Botanic Gardens are also positives…. The current Castlemaine Pool site has a large enough footprint to accommodate an Indoor Aquatic Centre.”

The Consultant’s comments in relation to the Western Oval site are “we believe this land is valuable open space that is best utilised by the community for that purpose. It would be costly to design something that negates geotechnical problems given the proximity to a creek bed.”

December 2009 report - read ithere

Three years later the Aquatic Centre Feasibility Study submitted to Council dated December 2009 and submitted in February 2010 by the same consultants is silent on the benefits of energy cogeneration and discovers that the Castlemaine pool site is not large enough for a heated pool and there is no mention of the course of the original Forest Creek affecting the Western Oval site.

Strange!

The other question that keeps turning in my mind is the scale of the plan being used by Council in its information sessions to show the proposed Western Oval Aquatic Centre siting. The amount of open space at the fore of the facility facing onto Forest St appears to be quite significant. However, if you calculate the proportions of the required footprint of the facility it would likely take up a great deal more open space. I guess we have to accustom ourselves to a level of “creative licence” in relation to selling the concept to residents.

Risk is the other issue that emerges in my thoughts.

• Financial risk – how robust is Council 10-year financial plan in the light of ongoing global financial turbulence?
• Climate change risk – more severe weather events and dramatic temperature swings will create unexpected costs to make our infrastructure (Bridges, roads, buildings, water) more capable of withstanding this risk – I would vote for this over an aquatic centre any day
• Political risk – if the volume of dissent from locals is an indication, perhaps there is a risk for our current crop of Councillors from the consequences of not listening to ratepayers.

I wonder where Council’s Risk Assessment for this project is? Is it publicly available?

Yours etc

Jane Fuller

At the last CI staff meeting

It’s CI’s birthday! Two.

How would you live without us? Let us know! Congratulate us.

Conditions of congratulating us:

1. No hate bloggers

2. No nasty comments about those pro or anti the swimming pool

3. No free trips to the Maryborough Highland Society club in Maryborough to play pokies

4. No calling the editor so deluded it is almost funny/a leftist agitator who does a pretty poor impersonation of a journo/asking him just WHO he is and WHAT planet he is from/that he uses weary old tools of the leftist and points the Nazi finger of shame/saying he has a juvenile and sarcastic manner/an idiot

5. No saying the editor’s sophistry is breathtaking. Sophistication – yes, sophistry – no.

6. No saying Far from being independent and un-biased, the author still favours left/green articles and continues to take swipes at Howard, Bush and other captains of capitalism.

7. No saying CI will suit local self-styled artists and pseudo intelligentsia. Some discretion should be used if allowing minors to visit it as offensive language is contained in some articles.

8. No calling CI a litany of self indulgent shite/not only inflamatory but also pathetic/truly awful, biased and disenfranchised piece of garbage/grubby little ploy … nothing short of disgusting

9. NO THREATENING US in capital letters. No threatening us in little letters. Neither law suits nor fish in the letter box.

10. No threats to inter CI staff at the Olde Gaol (at least if you’re planning it, MAKE IT A SURPRISE)

11. Take out a paid ad with us!

12. Contribute!

The pads proved popular for those wishing to express their opinion

Photos and story by CI photographer Matt Wobbly

The Mt Alexander Shire Souncil held their Aquatic Centre information session at the Town Hall yesterday. From the charged atmosphere inside the hall you would believe there was a toxic waste dump proposed for the  Western Reserve.

The well attended meeting, which had no formal speakers or question and answer session, displayed various aspects of the proposal on office partitions around the hall. After viewing the large printouts disclosing different aspects of the design the public had the opportunity to write their opinions on large paper pads around the room.  The pads proved popular and were quickly covered with a wide range of opinions on them, some supporting  the pool, others objecting to elements of the design, its function or the lack of size, but there was one position that was repeated on almost every page  and that was the objection to placing a pool on the Western Reserve.

The Mayor was busy addressing the concerns of the residents.

The attendees wasted no time in making their opinions heard,  speaking with the council staff and Councillors present as well as filling out forms on the tables and the large pads around the room. Council representatives appeared overwhelmed and very stressed by the number of people and the strength of conviction in the many varied objectors.

Outside the front door greeting people and collecting signatures as they arrived was a Save The Western group. The group did a brisk business collecting a large number of signatures during the meeting. The protesters, carrying placards and trying to make their way into the hall, were confronted at the door by the shire CEO Phil Rowland.

Whatever your own opinions on the Aquatic Centre, it’s clear that the council needs to rethink this proposal. If they plan to soldier on to put the pool on the Western Reserve it will not only cost them a lot of extra time and money, but it will cost them their credibility and without credibility you can’t get government funding.

Save the Western campaingers collecting signatures at the front door.

If you run a household you dont borrow money to buy a new car when you need money for repairs to your roof. Are we such an affluent Shire that we can afford this debt? Or are the Council banking on all those moneyed tree changers moving up here in the future to bankroll us. Within the next few years many of us will have to go into debt just to pay our rates.

I think this Council needs to think more about social justice issues especially for those on low incomes such as pensioners or perhaps its hoping to drive us all out.

Irene, Mt Alexander Shire

"A gold mine is a hole in the ground with a liar on top.” - attributed to Mark Twain

Dirty Money
Greed, Pollution and Murder, by
MATTHEW BENNS

Mining is a dirty business. This book reveals that the real dirt lies in the boardrooms of some of Australia’s biggest companies.

“They put the boys into the Anvil mining truck. They came for my dad. I asked them ‘where are you taking him?’ and they didn’t answer.”

The Australian mining company trucks had come roaring into the African village and disgorged over 100 heavily armed Government soldiers. The rebels, protesting at the way the Australian company was mining the Congolese silver and copper without giving anything back to the local community, had already surrendered. But their looting of food and fuel from the Anvil Mining depot at Kilwa could not go unanswered. The Australians flew in the Government troops, loaded them onto their trucks and then stood back while they rounded up the rebellion’s ‘sympathisers’.

“We started running but the soldiers caught and searched our belongings, they arrested my dad and two other boys,” said Albert Kitanika. The soldiers refused to say where they were taking his father.

“They took him 50 metres down the road where they shot and stabbed him to death.” A United Nations investigation found Mr Kitanika was one of at least 100 people summarily executed in the Government operation in 2004. Afterwards the Australian company issued a press release praising the Government for its rapid response. Asked about its role in transporting the troops, Anvil’s chief executive officer Bill Turner said: “So what”.

Buy Dirty Money

Random House, Australian Studies

Paperback, Ed: 01, 9781742750002

In the current budget Council increased the amount of money available in most categories of grants and we seem to have it at the appropriate level now. The grants are advertised in late August and officers make recommendations to Council to ensure funds are available to groups for the calendar year.

The grants are targeted to the themes of the Council Plan and people getting involved in many ways. The 3 categories are Community Wellbeing and Culture, where $110,000 is allocated; Events, where $15,000 is allocated and Sustainability and Natural Environment, where $41,000 is allocated, a total of $166,000.

The grants are open to not-for-profit community organisations mainly for items which are non-capital, like buildings or large equipment. In the Wellbeing and culture section 43 applications will be funded, in the events category 18 great opportunities for enjoyment will be supported and in the Environmental category 12 applications have been successful.

It is very difficult to estimate exactly how many people, committees or participants will benefit from the funded projects – but even if it is only 50 per project, as an average, that would be 3,650 people, which is a big group of our residents and the applications have come from every corner of the Shire, which is good to see.

I am very aware of the huge number of groups we have in the Shire which create the lifestyle we enjoy and can afford. Many people develop skills and friendships by being involved at many levels of groups, being on the committee, volunteering to assist the organisation or other people.

The benefit to our community cannot be bought in any way and is not replaced by services run by professionals. So Council takes pride in providing a small allocation to strengthen the groups and serve community members.

It is impossible to identify any groups which are ‘the most important’ but applications came from things as diverse as supporting a palliative care support group, camera clubs, Red Cross, the toy library, arts shows and writers groups, archery  and men’s sheds. So you can see what an amazing variety of groups we can get involved with in our local communities.

It is important for all community organisations to have access to the funds and Council has worked hard to ensure applications do not require huge amounts of work and the accountability processes are reasonably simple. The scheme has been running for 3 years now and it seems the community has become used to a timely and organised way to apply for grants.

Cr Janet Cropley

Mayor, Mount Alexander Shire

I feel obliged to respond to Hans Paas’ recent offering to your site. (Council as theatre?)

Mr Paas has raised his concerns about the lack of transparency related to council briefings. I think as a previous councillor Mr Paas is well aware that councillors spend many hours in briefings, where we are briefed about the background of issues, have long discussions about coming issues and seek to work collaboratively and the like.

All council resolutions are ultimately open to our community through council minutes and the only issues kept confidential are those which affect individual’s privacy – like staffing issues or the commercial details related to tenders.

All documents, including officers reports to council are available on our website and a summary of issues discussed in briefings form part of the council agenda

On /November 23^rd Mr Paas wrote about the proposed aquatic centre , raising many issues which need a response

Mr Paas questions the public consultation process about the centre. I want to remind people that the issue of the future of aquatic facilities in the Shire has been debated, explored, discussed and investigated for over 15 years. The process to inform the community about the feasibility study in early 2010included 7 community forums, distribution of a 4 paged leaflet to every residence and many meetings with specialists, interest and community groups. Individuals may not see pools as a priority and not agree with Council’s direction an the issue, but claiming a lack of consultation is simply not accurate.

This council has never supressed any information related to the new centre or the consideration of existing pools and has in fact made all the information available via our website – far more comprehensively than any other council has done in the past. The feasibility study was undertaken with State Government funding by consultants who are experts in the field.

Mr Paas considers the centre a significant cost burden. Council is in fact currently spending considerable funds each year and this is increasing as the existing pools age and require ongoing major maintenance.  For example each visit to Harcourt Pool last summer cost Council $156 and cost estimates a year ago for a modest new outdoor pool to replace the existing Castlemaine Pool exceeded $4.0 million – and the project would leave Castlemaine without a pool for one or two summer seasons and provide no more than what we have now (an outdoor seasonal pool).  The amount of water used at Harcourt Pool last year equates to over 1,000 litres per visit. The State and Federal Governments typically don’t fund maintenance works.  Council has planned for the cost of the proposed centre since 2001.

Public/private partnership – suggesting a partnership with the existing private indoor pool in Castlemaine fails to recognise the clear community need and benefit from an integrated, modern and accessible leisure facility.  The Feasibility Study discusses at length issues in relation to community health and wellbeing, national trends in aquatic participation, the obvious need for aquatic education programs and our growing community’s profile.  The existing private pool does not have the capacity to meet the current or projected needs of the community.

Castlemaine Pool enclosure – advice has been sought on numerous occasions regarding the potential to enclose the existing pool.  Enclosing a 60 year old dilapidated pool with a roof that would last for 20 or 30 years would be the height of irresponsibility.  Cost estimates have ranged from $2.0 to $5.0 over the years.  The small site also prohibits providing additional facilities.

Pools don’t make money – Local Government exists to provide services and facilities for the local community.  That’s what we do.  This whole strategy is about getting the Shire’s aquatic facilities on to a sustainable footing.  As no firm decisions have been taken over the last 15 years, the time is getting closer that Castlemaine Pool will not be in a safe operating condition and would need replacing at a cost of many millions.  The question is why would you do that and get nothing more than we currently have – a seasonal unheated outdoor pool that opens for 13 weeks each year, when a new centre can offer learn to swim, warm water exercise and rehabilitation, program areas for things like yoga and Zumba and occasional child care.

Mr Paas may not agree with Council’s direction on this issue but let’s deal in the facts.  Council is concerned to ensure that the community has adequate access to aquatic facilities into the future and that they are both financially and environmentally sustainable.  Council is the one advocating for children and young families, our schools, older adults and people with disabilities and their carers.  The proposed centre is affordable, responds directly to the current and projected needs of the community, is within walking distance of 4 primary schools and would operate to the highest environmental standards.

There are no conspiracies here. Council is progressing an important issue in a responsible and considered way.  Mr Paas may favour the do nothing option. Council doesn’t have that luxury.  The pools are approaching the end of their life and simply replacing them with what’s currently there would cost not a dissimilar amount to Council and we’d get nothing more than what we have.

Yours etc

Janet Cropley

Mayor, Mt alexander Shire

This is truly a project that everyone who has been involved has every reason to be extremely proud.  The project worth $2.5 million has been delivered on time and on budget, in spite of flooding and vandalism, and will serve our community for future generations.

The works have included refurbishment of the tea rooms, new toilet facilities and lighting around the gardens, new safe car parking and a botanically themed play space. The original plans for the picnic shelter were located and we have built a replica, and we found the original moulds for the fountain and have restored it to its rightful place. The lake itself has been rebuilt to ensure its safety.

All the trees have been catalogued and a plan has been developed for replacement plantings as some of the old trees reach the end of their life span and the rose garden is visible and wonderfully colourful.

The rotunda, which was built by Castlemaine Rotary and destroyed by vandals, will be rebuilt shortly with insurance payments. It will be slightly modified to be lower to the ground so that people of all mobility levels will be able to access it.

Heritage Victorian contributed $46,000. Council invested $250,000 and the federal funding of $2.2 million was as a result of the global financial crisis and was subject to submissions which addressed heritage issues and was a minimum of $2 million.

Steve Gibbons noted that the project delivered all it was planned for – keeping construction moving in a financially bad time.  I am delighted to be able to list the following contractors involved in the project: Vic Restorations, Densel, Hird Construction, McClure Earthmoving, Lifehouse Design, Dredge Earthmoving, Greenwood Consulting, Ian Evans Creative Landscapes, Pyrenees Quarries, Billmans Foundry, Leech Earthmoving Contracting, Prestige Pickets and Archie’s Electrical.  It’s wonderful to see so many local businesses benefitting and contributing.

Grant Cameron of Surface Consulting has been the project manager.  He has done a wonderful job working with a great voluntary reference group of esteemed garden curators and the local community to ensure we have a great outcome for all ages and interests.

It is important to note that the gardens are for all of us to use – exercise, relax and celebrate, and remember you can now hire the tearooms if you’d like a private function.

As so many of us have enjoyed the Gardens it was fitting to celebrate the day with a vibrant Garden Party again drawing on our community assets: Lions Club, Thompsons Foundry Band, Castlemaine Highland Pipe Band, children’s entertainer Tim Tim, Lisa O’Donofrio and Deita Walters from Little Makers, roving musicians lead by Russell James, photographer Katherine Seppings, St Johns Ambulance, the local SES and many more.

I want to thank all our staff who have been involved in the project and the opening – a great project well delivered – so come and enjoy it.

Cr Janet Cropley

Mayor, Mount Alexander Shire

The Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC) will manage the process and will arrange advertisements in the local newspapers to advise residents of the timing and process for the by-election.

“The timing of this by-election, which was determined by the Minister for Local Government, had to be managed around the Christmas break,” said Phil Rowland, Chief Executive Officer, Mount Alexander Shire Council.

“We look forward to getting back to a full complement of Councillors again in the New Year.”

Residents in Calder Ward are asked to watch for more details in the local newspapers closer to this time. The VEC will have information widely available in coming weeks and the Returning Officer will be available to meet with interested residents during advertised times.

The Calder Ward incorporates Harcourt, Barkers Creek, Faraday, Walmer and parts of Redesdale, Sutton Grange and North Harcourt.

Cr Brook Acklom

Brook Acklom has resigned as a Councillor of Mount Alexander Shire Council.  This resignation is effective immediately.

“Brook has been a Councillor in Mount Alexander Shire since being elected in the 2008 General Election and an advocate for people with mobility issues,” said the Mayor, Cr Janet Cropley.

Council has advised the Minister for Local Government of the vacancy created by Brook’s resignation and an announcement regarding the process to fill the vacancy is anticipated in the near future.

Cr Acklom’s decision to resign was made after careful consideration of his personal health and wellbeing.

“On behalf of my colleagues, I thank him for his contribution and wish him and his family all the very best for the future,” said Cr Cropley.

“We welcome Carolyn who brings a wealth of experience in the community services sector,” said CEO Phil Rowland.

“Her role will involve responsibility for the arts, recreation, tourism, aged services, youth services, recreation and sport, community development and economic development.”

Carolyn comes from her most recent role with the City of Greater Bendigo as Manager of Community and Cultural Development.

“Having lived in Mount Alexander Shire for almost ten years, she has an understanding of the townships and community, having raised her family here,” said Mr Rowland.

This appointment has been made as a result of Sue Howard’s resignation from  Council.

“I would like to acknowledge Sue’s contribution to the organisation during her time with us and wish her all the best for the future,” said Mr Rowland.

Carolyn started at Mount Alexander Shire Council on 22 August.

Susie Burke, MASG Co-Chair; Amy McDonald, Manager Healthy Environments; Miles Bennett, MASG Co-Chair; Cr Janet Cropley, Mayor; Dean Bridgefoot, MASG Project Officer; Jacinta Walsh, MASG Committee; Phil Rowland, CEO

Council and Mount Alexander Sustainability Group recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding, outlining the ways both organisations will work together over the coming three years to increase sustainability in the Shire.

The agreement calls on both parties to offer free advice and assistance related to matters of climate change and sustainability. It will be particularly useful for Council to achieve the partnership-driven projects outlined in the newly adopted Environment Strategy.

While MASG and Council have worked together cooperatively for many years, this is the first time the relationship has been formalised.

More information about Council’s commitment to the environment, as well as copies of the Environment Strategy and State of the Environment Report can be viewed in the Key Publications section of Council’s website.

For further information, please contact Amy McDonald, Manager, Healthy Environments,  Mount Alexander Shire Council on 5471 1808.

One of the last remaining miners cottages of Castlemaine’s Goldfields is set to go under the demolition ball in the next couple of weeks. This Welsh cottage at 109 Duke Street, Wesley Hill, was subject to a 14-day permit-for-demolition process that requires no notification or advertisement process in the community.

The cottage sits on the last existing goldfields track in Australia which winds as it does simply because the track was formed to take in the position of the miner’s cottages that once lined it as the miners trudged up to the Mt Alexander goldfields from Melbourne. In the near future, we’ll no longer even know why the southern entrance of Castlemaine is curved this way as there will be no evidence left when all the miner’s cottages are gone.

We could all imagine that Council chose not to quickly put an Interim Heritage Overlay on this cottage to stop the demolition because the building was in too derelict a state or was too ordinary an example. But the Heritage Advisor’s Report (dated 29 July) that arrived the day after the Council decision speaks of a cottage with unique detail and one that forms a part of Welsh mining history in Australia. It is named Penoyre after the village in Central Wales. The building’s flaws were described as “readily rectified.” (Download the full report)

At Council’s meeting last night (26 July), a member of the public asked if the demolition decision could be reversed by Council considering the contents of the Heritage Advisor’s Report that Council did not receive until after their vote last month to allow the demolition.  The Mayor Janet Cropley replied with a simple “No”.

Yours etc

Joyce Sanders
Castlemaine

The Pape ruling has challenged the Fed govt in the High Court – where the constitution is challenged – about breaking the constitution because it is funding local govt which is unconstitutional because Feds can only do what the constitution says. As the constitution does not mention local govt – therefore Feds cannot fund local govt

Federal govt has had a program called roads to Recovery which has funded road works for some time now – it may not be able to continue unless a resolution is found – which really means a change to the constitution and hence a referendum.
Recently we have seen more direct funding to local govt through the global financial crisis money under various program names

Tony Abbot said he would not upset local govt – but John Hewson and Barnaby Joyce claimed he was just opposing for the sake of it.

As the states wrote the constitution it is always in their favour. It is really a question of the referendum question based on the mechanism used to change the constitution. There is an expert committee currently investigating ‘the question’ Tony says he can’t commit until he sees the question, whereas all other pollies said we support it FULL STOP

Infrastructure – is a reference to all civic works when used completely roads, bridges, footpaths, halls, drains, ovals and pavilions etc

Until the financial crisis the Feds had only ever funded roads and bridges – you have probably seen the signs Roads to Recovery. With the new period on regionalism I was hopeful that the definition would become broader but Paper will cause that to fault.

huge refer to the comparative costs to small rural communities over bigger shires – but as an indicator we raise $12.5 m in rates in a total income of $27.6 m

We have 18,000 people, 3800KMS (approx) of roads and 222 bridges while Port Phillip council has some 96,000 people, 211 kms road and no bridges

This burden means that a property in our shire valued at $1 mill pays twice as much in rates than a $1 mill in Buroordara (Kew, Hawthorn)and most of our $1 mill property owners are farmers
I think this is a significant social inequity between metro and rural councils. I dn’t want to suggest that we are not able to manage as we do – but think about Loddon Shire – almost twice the length of road and
HALF our population

Should Melbourne people pay? Sort of!! That is the thing about being in the constitution – it provides the mechanisms to have this happen in the best way to avoid conflict.
The Feds collect 80% of all taxes collected in Australia, the States 17% and local governments all over Australia 3%
So I think being in the constitution is the first step to getting the Feds to redistribute taxes in a more equitable way. Its a long way as currently local governments are only allowed to collect property taxes – which fundamentally are inequitable – farmers, pensioners, and add to that often council charge a municipal charge, as we do, which i think is inequitable for asset rich low income people

I hope this helps inform
cheers Janet

Thanks for talking directly to your constituents via this site.

I won’t email you because other people might be interested in answers to my questions:

1. How does the Pape ruling affect local government?

2. What are the Liberal Party’s concerns over the proposed referendum?

3. When you say “huge costs of infrastructure support”, what do you mean by “infrastructure” and what do you mean by “huge”?

4. Do you think that Melbourne people should pay something towards our road repairs?  If so, why?

Yours etc

P Bachmann

The principle is “If we work for a better society it is a better world in which we live”.  This led me to reflect on all those I come into contact with as a Councillor or as the Mayor.

In my work I find myself talking about issues which affect individuals, issues for groups with shared passions and interests and committees who are undertaking work for the community.

I enjoy talking with people about local government issues when it is about sharing information which assists people to understand how the Council works or assists them in accessing the organisation more effectively.

I enjoy talking with people about local issues, when the discussion is about understanding an issue or expressing an opinion, even if we do not start from the same position or we do not agree about an issue.

The discussions are always more welcomed when they are open and respectful rather than angry and abusive.  My reflection also had me thinking that the constructive discussions happen with people who act in a way that reflects the Buddhist principle of working for a better society and a better world. These discussions have lots of opinions but are always valuable in seeing things from a other’s perspective.

It is absolutely understandable that we might have different ideas about the most important things to work on to make a better society or world; concern for social justice, helping people stay fit and healthy, developing a spiritual sense through the arts and culture, ensuring the Shire income meets community aspirations, protecting what has come before us, such as history, heritage or the environment.

The people lobbying me for things they believe in do not take away from other people or ideas, but perhaps ask for more. These conversations are not aggressing or blaming but they do challenge me to think differently or see issues from another perspective.

One of the interesting and sometimes difficult things about being a Councillor is to balance all these issues and opinions in a way that takes into account the whole community, the long term sustainability or viability of an issue and that it does not just serve those who have the loudest voices, or are the better organised or the most articulate.

Being Mayor is a wonderful opportunity to experience the diversity of people and to learn. I do appreciate all of those I’ve had these experiences of working for a better society and a better world with – it is for each of us to challenge ourselves about the motives we bring to considering how we treat others.

Cr Janet Cropley

Mayor, Mount Alexander Shire

The meetings will give the public the opportunity to share ideas and stories about experiences and to discuss ideas around possible memorials. The meetings will be held at the following venues and times -

• Mia Mia Hall – Friday 24 June 2011 from 7.30pm

• Barfold Hall – Saturday 25 June 2011 from 11.00am

• Bayton Hall – Saturday 25 June 2011 from 2.30pm

Workshops will last around one hour and allow the fire-affected communities to tell their own stories, offer thoughts on the idea of ‘memorial’, share ideas and be a great opportunity to record these ideas and develop possible ways to pay tribute to community spirit. The sessions will be based around the following questions:

• What is the purpose of the memorial?

• How should the memorial express its meaning?

• What elements could be included in the memorial?

• Do you have any thoughts about where a memorial could be situated?

Light refreshments will be provided and all are welcome to attend. If you would like to attend the meetings or begin the conversation by filling in a questionnaire, please email Jon Harris, Arts Officer at Mount Alexander Shire Council or call him on 5471 1793.

It is always difficult in a small rural Shire to balance all the competing demands of our community, so considerable work is done by Council in developing strategic plans and having a big picture view of the Shire.

I thought it might be a useful topic of discussion if I outlined the role of local government as defined by the Local Government Act.

This Act outlines the ways in which Councils in Victoria have to be responsible.  In addition Councils are obliged to meet the requirements of all other legislation which affects their operations; such as Privacy, Freedom of Information, Discrimination, Whistleblowers, Industrial Relations and the like.

Firstly the Act charges Councillors with endeavouring to make all decisions for the best long term cumulative effects, so we must draw the threads of all the issues together in decision making and have long term plans to achieve all our plans.

Councils should promote the social, economic and environmental viability and sustainability of the area and ensure resources are used efficiently and effectively.  I find it interesting that there is no mention of local infrastructure, but rather it is implied as part of a sustainable environment.

Council must ensure that services which are provided are accessible and equitable. This is interesting in a community with so many small towns and poor public transport giving rise to much discussion about accessibility to services of all types in the Shire. Of course this requirement is also related to issues of disability.

Councils should improve the overall quality of life for people in the municipality and promote employment and business opportunities. This is a significant challenge as we have limited resources and do not really have a capacity to influence the big picture issues such as the economy, education or health.

Councils should ensure transparency of its actions and impose rates equitably.  At the beginning of this term of Council we had an expert look at our rating strategy and map our spending on different sectors of our community, residences, commercial property and farming land against the way we collected rates.  Since then we have been moving slowly to make our rating strategy more equitable and transparent to our residents.

These responsibilities are a big jump from the original purposes of local Councils which primarily grew out of roads boards about 150 years ago, and reflect the way the world has become more complex for all of us, no matter what our jobs.

Cr Janet Cropley

Mayor, Mount Alexander Shire