LOCAL GOVERNMENT MINISTER CONFIRMS THAT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL IS RESPONSIBLE FOR A BUNGLE AND A DEBACLE
Member for Western Victoria Region, Mrs Beverley McArthur recently used Question Time in the Legislative Council to ask the Minister for Local Government, Mr Somyurek about the ‘bungled Fines system that has cost the City of Greater Geelong about $650,000 in 18 months,’ and ‘$8 million in unrecovered fines’.
She asked the Minister ‘what action had he taken, or proposed to take, to protect the revenue base of the City of Greater Geelong and other Councils impacted by the Fines Victoria debacle’.
The Minister’s response was illuminating in that he agreed ‘it is probably an apt description to call it a Fines Victoria debacle, because it is a bit of a debacle, but responsibility for that debacle does not sit within the local government Minister’s purview’.
In response to Mrs McArthur’s follow up question, Mr Somyurek reminded his audience that ‘the debacle and the bungle is a matter for the Attorney General; it clearly sits within her portfolio’.
A further question was asked of the Attorney General in the Assembly, given her colleague had admitted she was responsible for the bungle and debacle.
Mrs McArthur said she looked forward to somebody solving the debacle of the Fines Victoria bungle.
24 June 2019