Latest Yarra Council report - June 2005

Comrades

Last night 150 children, parents and carers gatecrashed the Yarra Council meeting at Richmond Town Hall to insist Council put the child care crisis in their Top 3 list of priorities. Channel 9 + 7 TV crews were there as well as the Herald Sun and both the local papers. It was an electric atmosphere as organiser Liz Conor gave a taste of what families are going through thanks to the child care crisis. The Greens and Socialist Party united to move an amendment to the Council's Municipal Early Years Plan, which was (prior to its amendment) a lion that roared like a mouse. Instead of being satisfied with the 42 extra places it plans for this year, the amendment will lead to Council searching immediately for new sites for new child care centers. The budget (thanks to SP pressure) includes $100,000 for a child care review to scientifical indentify the main area for the crisis in Yarra. However Liz explained that over 2000 families are on waiting lists in Yarra - information gathered by the campaign group itself.

Other issues last night included the walls around Victoria Park. Residents in Abbotsford insist they should come down and are nervous about any backtracking or stonewalling by Council, as well as poor communication from the Town Hall. This Thursday night a public meeting will be held to thrash out what we are going to do, and equally importantly when we are to do it.

The VCAT hearing on Friday over the Banco development on Smith St was discussed. I lost a vote 8-1 to get Council lawyers to oppose Banco being allowed to substitute plans at the hearing. My position reflects the views of the Collingwood Action Group and many residents. We undermine our demand for the Planning Minister Rob Hulls to 'call in' the application if we are seen to agree to Banco's outrageous tactics at VCAT. However, not for the last time, Council will be bypassed by the community when it takes the rightwing line. CAG have their own lawyer on Friday and will do the job themselves. A socialist Council would mean that community groups and residents could rely on Council to support them in struggle.

The 2005/06 budget was tabled last night for one month of public consultation. The Mayor said it was the most important decision we would make, and she is correct. It is wrong that Master Plans, MSS etc have loads of community consultation (then often ignored!) yet the budget has nowhere near the same level of effort from Council to involve the community. SP distributed its contribution on the budget debate last night (see new notice), and we will be letterboxing it far and wide. Please contact us if you can help with photocopying or letterboxing!! The vote and debate will be at next months Council meeting.

The new Code of Conduct was debated and I opposed an attempt to insert a new clause to stiffle Councillors giving their honest views to the media. It has been water-down in an amendment.

On footpath trading, it is clear that senior management have an agenda to stiffle any move to getting a second footpath trading officer for Yarra. One officer therefore covers over 1000 businesses. One Councillor openly argued for 'self regulation' - I thought that went out with the fairies and Jeff Kennett. Next month I will move a motion for a second footpath trading officer.

It is becoming increasingly clear that after a few months of shifting alliances after the November 2004 Council election, that now we are settling down to a reality of an ALP-run Council with the Socialist Party as its most consistant opponent. The Greens sway between these two parties, and often amongst themselves.

My job as the sole Socialist Party Councillor is to reflect the views of the community, offer an alternative and help residents and community groups mobilise, as we did last night. Residents in Yarra need to seriously ponder the reality of what is going on around them. At the next Council election we must get a left majority.

The Council at the moment is like a newspaper, with the senior management writing the articles and operating the printing presses, and (at best) Councillors having a role as sub-editors to articles written by someone else. The community deserve better.