tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-187102912008-06-10T01:47:18.898+10:00MelbCitynoreply@blogger.comBlogger258125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18710291.post-28794644339514122712008-06-10T01:31:00.005+10:002008-06-10T01:47:18.932+10:00

The Liberal party in addressing recent changes to local government legistation has spoken out in support of a proper selection review for the City of Melbourne. Opposition local government spokeswoman Jeanette Powell said the changes to voting laws for Melbourne City Council did not go far enough. "We have asked for a complete review of the City of Melbourne elections, it is the only local

MelbCitynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18710291.post-14020874894043798132008-05-25T23:13:00.009+10:002008-05-26T00:07:04.841+10:00

Australia's electoral system in need of reform to ensure one vote one value The Australian Joint Parliamentary Committee on Electoral Matters is currently reviewing Australia's electoral system following the 2007 Federal election Australia's electoral system was designed in the early 20th Century to facilitate a manual counting system to elect Members of the Australian Senate. The system in use

MelbCitynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18710291.post-76720724168337735472008-05-20T17:50:00.005+10:002008-05-21T05:28:50.058+10:00

The Melbourne City Council has published its budget which shows an eight percent increase in Council rates and income. With CPI recorded at 4% that's a net 4% increase in Council rates. BUT the council figures have been though the Council Finance laundry and the whites look whiter then white. Here are some of the tricks they try The budget comparison is based on the mid year review of last

MelbCitynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18710291.post-64294380054945214992008-05-15T11:42:00.006+10:002008-05-15T16:32:43.330+10:00

Melbourne City Council expected to go into deficit for a second year running as rates soar in order to pay the exhorbanent costs of the City Council . Meanwhile John So, Melbourne Million Dollar a year Lord Mayor who hardly ever attends Council's finance and governance meetings, will take leave when the City Council brings down its budget that will see in the election of a new Council, Property

MelbCitynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18710291.post-76817513729211017982008-05-13T16:17:00.009+10:002008-05-13T17:06:50.285+10:00

Kevin Louey, The Lord Mayor's Chief of Staff, has been caught out using gifts to the City and Council funded trips to visit his love child in China Louey has made more trips to China then any other member of staff and more then the Lord Mayor himself Recent reports in the Herald Sun have exposed the founding of Louey's travels. It is understood that Keven Louey's has a child in China and is

MelbCitynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18710291.post-32818717237987904272008-05-13T15:12:00.006+10:002008-05-13T15:52:46.814+10:00

The Age has published an article proposing the question "Why is John So my Bro"? IN it the writer makes some connection to London's new Lord Mayor and then goes on to expose some of the myths and weakness of Johns So's tenure. This pop star image and brunt of a joke that John so well responds to is a by product of the Direct election system. A system that sees a populist politicians with no

MelbCitynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18710291.post-78159489665089017842008-05-07T02:45:00.005+10:002008-05-07T03:26:55.133+10:00

John So continues to spend spend spend whilst burying his head in the sand. The State Government has also wiped it's hands clean and failed undertake a review of the City of Melbourne's representative model. Whilst every other Municipality is subjected to comprehensive review Melbourne has been excluded. Its been just seven years since Melbourne narrowed its focus and adopted a direct election

MelbCitynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18710291.post-52900011530091001992008-03-28T08:26:00.006+11:002008-03-28T08:47:03.472+11:00

A case of a plague on both your houses. The Herald Sun has reported on the growing unrest amongst Melbourne's residents which comes as no surprise. BUT... There is more to say about this issue and so little time. The fact is the City Council has only itself to blame and could have and should have done much more. There was nothing stopping the City Councillors from calling on the State

MelbCitynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18710291.post-86566195250608368822008-03-01T06:43:00.005+11:002008-03-01T07:19:33.863+11:00

Melbourne City Council has a new CEO. The Age Newspaper reports that Kathy Alexander, former head of Victoria's Women's and Children's Health has secured one of Australia's Highest paid public service jobs. The Age reports that Kathy Alexander was not John So's first choice with claims that John preferred to have appointed insider "Jobs for the boys" Geoff Lawler. Information provided via the

MelbCitynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18710291.post-87269944276340037042008-02-01T02:08:00.000+11:002008-02-01T02:31:12.279+11:00

The Melbourne City Council has speciously claimed immunity where immunity does not exist. The Age Newspapers has sought copies of correspondence from the City Council to the Chinese Embassy but the Council administration has refused to release the documents in a code of silence claiming diplomatic immunity. This is further abuse of process and a further denial of ensuring the Council is open and

MelbCitynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18710291.post-3961742736911722522008-01-23T04:31:00.000+11:002008-01-23T05:21:28.874+11:00

The Herald Sun is reporting that the City of Melbourne has paid over $170,000 bonus payments to the top five - this payment is on top of the lurks and perks that the City Council bureaucrats claim on a regular basis. Free car parking, petrol, use of executive cars, free booze and overseas trips. These are the same bureaucrats that caused the blow out in council expenditure and now they are been

MelbCitynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18710291.post-87955120381166175642007-12-24T04:29:00.000+11:002007-12-31T09:23:03.233+11:00

Last Friday was the closing date for applications of Melbourne CEO Designer me a job City. It is understood the a few "want to be" In-house applicants have put their name in the hat hoping that their name will be the one chosen to feather the bed of their colleagues. Current acting CEO Geoff Lawler would have to be one of the most unsuccessful choices to make, his approach to adopting

MelbCitynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18710291.post-40079340134136410332007-11-17T05:25:00.001+11:002007-11-17T05:58:30.602+11:00

David Pitchford, Melbourne's soon to depart CEO in an interview reported in the Age Newspaper has made some rather interesting comments. The statements raise more questions and could possible give some insight into why he did not make the grad. Pitchford had overseen the expansion of the City Council at an unprecedented rate. His out of control unfettered "design me a job" benefits he offered

MelbCitynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18710291.post-70281181253252716382007-11-12T21:06:00.000+11:002007-11-12T21:43:27.008+11:00

Embattled Chief Executive David Pitchford has called it quits. He has jump ship before being forced to resign. David Pitchford, one of Australia over paid top executives whose skills do not match his remuneration, has been looking around for a new job ever since the City of Melbourne refused to extend his contract for the full term. David, king of the designer me a job brigade, will be

MelbCitynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18710291.post-14924061378087678822007-10-25T05:26:00.000+10:002007-10-25T05:27:00.592+10:00

The Melbourne City Council's proposal to seek to fine motorcyclists for parking on the foot path is another example of the City Council's transport policy out of wack with reality.   The City Council would serve Melbourne and the environment better if it adopted a more Motorcycle friendly policy.  When we talk about Motorcycles we are not just taking about Harley Davidsons and the Leather

MelbCitynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18710291.post-24126179735008825792007-09-26T00:57:00.000+10:002007-09-26T01:05:43.852+10:00

John So has used his numbers to force the City of Melbourne into holding it's election next year by postal vote. The 2004 postal vote Election cost the City of Melbourne in excess of 1.2 Million dollars and critics of John So's proposal question the integrity of the postal voting system with allegation that the system is wide open to abuse and fraud. Under the current provisions of the Local

MelbCitynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18710291.post-32978212171433797482007-09-25T05:03:00.000+10:002007-09-25T05:53:19.507+10:00

One day in September the best and fairest. Spring is a special time and the bigmen fly in Melbourne. The Agriculture and Horticulture Show heralds the coming summer caped of by the Spring Racing Carnival. How things have changed. Show bags are not longer free and the content is not what they use to be. Looking back Melbourne also is certainly not what it use to be. Much of its traditions and

MelbCitynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18710291.post-17923995390849041462007-09-14T05:06:00.000+10:002007-09-14T05:12:15.600+10:00

What about John and Singers Limo... Will they be kept in the garage on Melbourne Car Free city day? What about deliveries and emergency vehicles? Power and the Council and the State Who controls Melbourne? Source: The Age: Clay Lucas Melbourne City Council has been accused of lacking a long-term vision and being a pawn of the State Government and big business. Clay Lucas reports. IN THE

MelbCitynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18710291.post-22249199673920398072007-09-12T18:41:00.000+10:002007-09-12T20:22:26.825+10:00

Melbourne City Council, true to form, held its own internal review of its representative model, conveniently forgetting that it is the State Government that really makes all the decisions and that the only real issue under Council's control is whether or not to have postal or attendance voting. The City Council called for submission and looked like it was doing the right thing, but was it. The

MelbCitynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18710291.post-33764226525764710732007-08-16T03:24:00.000+10:002007-08-16T03:37:50.599+10:00

The glamour and public appeal of John So's populist Mayor has come under serious scrutiny in recent weeks with revelations that Our Worlds most popular Lord Mayor is unable to manage the business affairs of the council. John So only survived a vote of confidence in his leadership earlier this year by use of his casting vote. The Ernst and Young report released in June espoused the truth and

MelbCitynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18710291.post-77864642110814174962007-07-30T09:42:00.000+10:002007-11-12T21:40:15.649+11:00

We have compiled and dissected Melbourne Travel Register to produce the most recent compilation of Melbourne City Council's Travel register.  the Information that thew Council does not want you to know.   CITY OF MELBOURNE OVERSEAS AND INTERSTATE TRAVEL                  1 December 2004 to 30 June 2007 The most travelled and biggest

MelbCitynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18710291.post-26543969243605442322007-07-30T00:27:00.000+10:002007-07-30T09:23:51.396+10:00

The Age today has reported on the Melbourne City Councils published expense statements for the previous financial quarter. It needs to be noted that the published expenses do not represent a true and correct account of Council expenses still missing are expenses related to the Lord Mayor and deputy Lord Mayor's limousines, the cost of internal catering and inbound and outbound missions. The

MelbCitynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18710291.post-422071621169904592007-07-17T12:50:00.001+10:002007-07-30T11:32:27.441+10:00

Melbourne City Councillor, Fiona Snedden, has pulled the plug on teen model's fashion career - the reason she is only 15. Cr Sneden considers she is morally bound to object to the girl who was chosen to be the face of Melbourne fashion week to strut the cat walk. The fashion industry is a tough business and when mixed with petty politics it becomes even tougher. Teen model, Claire Quirk, who

MelbCitynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18710291.post-67506457931928299462007-07-17T11:47:00.000+10:002007-07-17T12:01:12.286+10:00

John So has not had a good month. John first came under criticism following the release of the Ernst and Young efficiency report which found that John So was heading the Council towards bankruptcy and they seriously criticised his lack of good financial governance. The report also unearthed another hidden layer of corruption in the Council's governance/administration which uses the BBC "Yes

MelbCitynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18710291.post-58834867039057833392007-07-13T09:04:00.000+10:002007-07-30T11:33:52.266+10:00

Melbourne City Councillor Carl Jetter, a loyal member of John So's team, got a little bitchy at last weeks Council meeting. Carl Jetter (alisa's Carl the Jetsetter), recently returned Melbourne after jetsetting off on another visit to China to promote the good work of Melbourne City Council. Carl decided that other councillors should not be allowed to travel when he questioned and refused an

MelbCitynoreply@blogger.com