NO MORE BAUBLES FOR 'CHRISTMAS CITY'
Western Victoria MP Bev McArthur has welcomed the City of Greater Geelong Council’s decision to defer discussion of its controversial “Christmas City” programme report, which would have seen $8.4m of Council funds committed over the next four years, more than doubling the existing $3.4m budget.
Mrs McArthur said: “I’m pleased that Councillors decided last night that this was completely the wrong time to discuss this matter, let alone approve a huge increase in spending.”
“It was wholly appropriate that this recommendation from officers was not progressed at this time, and I applaud Mayor Asher’s instruction that all future agenda items be viewed through a ‘Covid lens’.” She said however “I doubt there would ever be a good time to spend ratepayers money of this magnitude on such examples of non-core Council projects.”
“Ratepayers would not have forgiven this huge outlay, and I cannot begin to imagine the fury of the 576 staff stood down by CoGG this week.”
“At the best of times Councils should be looking to save every cent, and to concentrate on the key services ratepayers need. The suggestion that $100,000 be spent on a Christmas consultant officer was never going to fly.”
“At the same time, it was disappointing to see the Federal Member for Corio, Mr Marles, and Victorian Upper House Animal Justice Party MP Andy Meddick pre-empting the Council’s sensible decision, just to play political games.
This was never a spending commitment, as they well know. It’s right and proper that elected Councillors scrutinise Officers’ proposals, and in this case that’s exactly what they did. The input of these two MPs was either embarrassingly ill-informed, or deliberately misleading, and neither possibility reflects well on them.”
15 April 2020