It's time for political transparency in Local Government

As the Quick Brown Fox highlighted in yesterday’s freebie article, partisan politics is alive and well in Local Government – and Cottesloe Mayor Kevin Morgan and (according to Mr Morgan) Premier Colin Barnett, are both very aware of it.

While that might not come as a great surprise to many of us with a political background, Candidates in Local Government elections are not compelled to disclose political affiliations at any time – prior to, during, or even after their term as Councillors.

Don’t get us wrong, we see no problem with Local Government Councillors holding membership to political organisations. In fact we think Local Government could and probably should play a more active role in training future MP’s.

However, just as it’s important for voters to be aware if an elected representative is also a property developer who might personally benefit from a planning decision before Council, we believe the State vs Cottesloe et al (‘Councils for Democracy’) stoush demonstrates that it’s equally as important for political interests to be openly declared.

We guess that neither of the major parties will be keen to commit to a regulation that compels Local Government Candidates and Councillors to publicly declare their political affiliations for obvious reasons, but given 2013 will see both a State and Local Government general election, we thought the timing was right to raise the issue.

We will post the Liberal-National list on Monday and others as they come to our attention, but if you didn’t think Local Government was party political, here’s a list of members of the Labor Party who are both Candidates for the State election and current Councillors:

Local Govt Councillors who are also ALP State Election Candidates

Karen Steele

City of Bunbury ...

It's time for political transparency in Local Government

Cottesloe Mayor / "Independent" Candidate Morgan talks partisan Local Government

Cottesloe Mayor / "Independent" Candidate Morgan talks partisan Local Government

TGO readers know that we’re very supportive of Perth’s WTV (why not click the link and become a member?) community TV channel and we’re especially avid watchers of the programs “Undercurrent” and “Shadow Boxing”.

So it was of strong interest to us when Kevin Morgan, Cottesloe Mayor and so-called “Independant” candidate for the State electorate of the same name was interviewed by Tibor Meszaros on ”Shadow Boxing” this week.

As always, Mr Meszaros’ questions seemed to reflect a kind-of bewilderment with aspects of our political system, but regardless, he managed to extract some interesting comments from the self-declared independent, including this hypothesis of the motives behind some of Premier Colin Barnett’s past activities:

Tibor Meszaros: “What motivates Colin Barnett?”

Kevin Morgan: “Well, look, Colin Barnett was the architect of the splitting up of the old City of Perth. And…”

Tibor Meszaros: “When was that?”

Kevin Morgan: “Oh, that was in the early to mid 90’s and in the mid to late 80’s, Colin as the then worker for the business lobby group had put forward a proposal to split the city of Perth in order to ensure that the pro-Liberal candidates in the CBD were no longer outnumbered by their Labor Councillors in the suburbs. And he did this by basically making the CBD a Council in its own right as the City of Perth and his plan hived off the suburban parts of the old City of Perth into new Councils such as Victoria Park, Vincent, Cambridge etc.”

As well as apparently being very clear about the motives of the Premier, Mr Morgan – Local Government Mayor of seven years – seems to also flippantly acknowledge the presence of partisan politics in Local Government.

Let’s break this down:

• Mr Morgan is the Mayor of Cottesloe, a Local Government Authority that has had a number of high profile disagreements with the current State Government
• Mr Morgan, as Mayor of Cottesloe, has written to all Local Governments declaring the existence and promotion of a pseudo-lobby group known as “Councils for Democracy”
• The Mayor has declared the Town of Cottesloe to be the Secretariat of “Councils for Democracy” – using rate-payer funded staff and resources
• Mr Morgan is concurrently running as an “Independent” candidate for the March 2013 election, standing on a platform of “Giving voice to the interests of communities and to the health and well-being of their residents so as to temper the influence of election funding on public policy“
• Mr Morgan acknowledges that partisan politics play a significant role in the deliberations of Local Government

Hmm, the Fox thinks that Mr Morgan may soon learn the difficult lesson that unlike the local versions, State election campaigns get a lot more scrutiny from people who actively look for inconsistencies and potential conflicts in a Candidates’ public comments and activities, then happily join the dots for the voting public.

We will follow this post up with more information about party politics in Local Government over the coming days, post your thoughts, comments and feedback anonymously (or on the record) below.

McGowan's stand risks losing Greens in Riverton

In perhaps what will become one of the key make-or-break decisions of the election campaign, Labor Leader Mark McGowan has promised a Labor Government would close the perpetually controversial Regional Waste Recovery Centre (RRRC) in Canning Vale.

The decision to jump in boots and all was undoubtedly taken to win the 70 or so votes the ALP needs in the electorate of Riverton to replace sitting Liberal member Mike Nahan with Hannah Beazley, the well-liked daughter of former Federal Labor Leader Hon Kim Beazley. And given the smelly recycling plant has been the subject of strong community outrage for years (since at least 2006 when Mr McGowan was the responsible Minister) there’s no doubt the unambiguous commitment will attract at least that many new primary votes.


Read the full text for free - sign up for a 100% free account and get the rest here: McGowan's stand risks losing Greens in Riverton

Commissioner over-reaches (again)

I don’t know what it is about the title “Commissioner”, but it’s not only the Police Commissioner causing headaches for the Government by running his own agenda in the media.

Enter Michelle Scott, the Commissioner for Children and Young People (CCYP).

The QBF has some history with Ms Scott, who when I was Chief of Staff (CoS) to the new Minister for Mental Health, decided to ‘inform’ the Minister that she was about to embark on a witch hunt, oops, inquiry called “Inquiry into the inadequacies of Western Australia’s mental health facilities for Children and Young People.”
Now, the role of CoS isn’t defined anywhere, but I always considered it my job to protect the reputation and capacity of Government and the Minister by whom I was employed.

Needless to say, Ms Scott and I had a number of robust discussion about the nuances in the title of her inquiry and while the final report was called something a little less emotive, the Commissioner was fiercely protective of her “Independent” status and made no bones about the fact that my vigorous encouragement for her to think about the fact that the Government at that time hadn’t event been able to find an office for its nation-leading Mental Health Commission was neither appropriate or effective.


More at Commissioner over-reaches (again)

Q3 Public Sector expenses increase 4% despite "efficiency dividends"

This media statement published under the name of Treasurer Troy Buswell yesterday gave an overview of the September quarterly results.

The first half of the media statement is heavily focused on the lower revenue for the quarter and the corresponding $255 million reduction to the surplus over the same period last year. Predictably, among the explanations offered for these results were four mentions of changes to the Commonwealth GST distribution and two mentions of lower mining royalties.

Interestingly, the media team also decided to justify an upbeat view with this line that will surely draw a critical response from the CCI:

“Growth in payroll tax collections underlines ongoing strength of the economy“

Anyway, there’s also a cursory...


More at Q3 Public Sector expenses increase 4% despite "efficiency dividends"

AHA draws a line in the sand

The Australian Hotels Association (AHA) has published a media release pushing back against the ever increasing liability being left at the feet of bar staff.

Only a day after we called the Greens Senator Scott Ludlam to account for his irresponsible endorsement of violent vandalism in the guise of ‘demonstrations’, it struck us that this media release from the AHA was worthy of note.

The statement from CEO Bradley Woods congratulates a Federal Parliamentary Committee for its report into Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) but its not-so-subtle underlying message is...


More at AHA draws a line in the sand

AMA takes a gamble

The Australian Medical Association (AMA) has published an unusually spirited political media statement saying in part;

“The state government must stand up to Crown Casino and prohibit smoking in high roller rooms”

While in this case the AMA’s message isn’t particularly surprising, saying so publicly using such strong terms is.
The AMA has a long tradition of being… how should we say it… diplomatic in its public advocacy efforts. But like many of its peers, the AMA appears to have become more willing to say it like it is on the record.

The QBF isn’t entirely sure...


More at AMA takes a gamble

Local Government's Cash4Containers campaign destined for landfill

The WA Local Government Association’s attempt to persuade the State Government to introduce a container deposit scheme via an online petition isn’t looking too good.

Over the past few weeks, TGO has noticed at least four Local Governments plus WALGA itself promoting this online campaign with formal media releases but sadly for them, as at 2am today, it had only managed to attract 60 “signatures”.


More at Local Government's Cash4Containers campaign destined for landfill

Senator Ludlam's abuse of Office

It seems yet again no one is going to publicly defend a legitimate business going about its business, so the QBF will have to do it again.

Appalling is the only word the Fox can find to describe the behaviour of Australian Greens’ Senator Ludlam in Federal Parliament yesterday for this motion and irresponsible postamble:

That the Senate-

(a) notes:
(i) demonstrations will be held in Adelaide, Perth and Darwin to mark the Toro Energy Limited annual general meeting on Wednesday, 28 November 2012,


More at... Senator Ludlam's abuse of Office

Appropriate use of Ministerial resources?

Maybe it’s because I was lucky enough to attend (and debate) the Department of Premier and Cabinet’s “Accountable and ethical decision making” (AEDM) training course last year… or perhaps it’s just because I’m a jaded and cynical ex-staffer – either way, I saw this coming.

To help with context, here’s a line in Module 4 – Use of Public Resources of the AEDM training fact sheet under the heading of “What you can do in a leadership role” :

“Not use office time or resources for party political work...


Appropriate use of Ministerial resources?

Exclusive: Minister's "Hardship Tariff" policy mysteriously disappears

Here’s an interesting little message we received recently:

Dear Editor,

Thank you for your continued analysis of WA politics. We really like the way you tell the truth, which brings me to why I’m writing.

I am involved with an organisation [anonymised: ed.] that was contacted by a journalist at the West Australian several months ago asking for an official comment in response to a new policy that the Government was apparently going to announce within days. The journalist provided only the bare minimum of information but said the Minister for Energy was going to announce a new, reduced electricity tariff for low income households.

A formal, “on the record” response in support of the new policy was provided to the journalist within the time requested but the announcement never came...

More at: Exclusive: Minister's "Hardship Tariff" policy mysteriously disappears

"Exemption for Aboriginal enterprises" lazy and dangerous politics

For the record, TGO fully supports government spending on assisting minority groups, especially our long-suffering indigenous people. However, we’re growing very tired of lazy governments who give in to the temptation to just throw money at programs that inevitably become unproductive and inefficient cycles of fund-spend-fund-spend welfare.

It’s long been established that the best way to feed a man for longer than a day is not to simply give him a fish, but to teach him how to catch more.

So it was with great disappointment that we read... more at "Exemption for Aboriginal enterprises" lazy and dangerous politics

Toodyay sunsets are pleasant this time of year

I feel for Premier Barnett, I really do. He has always aspired to be the modern-day version of Sir Charles Court – leaving behind him a mountain of critical infrastructure delivered as a result of his visionary leadership and difficult decisions, perhaps even qualifying him for a Knighthood one day.

Remember the then Opposition Leader’s grand plan to bring water to Perth from the north via a canal? He certainly does. That visionary promise was widely seen as the reason the Liberal Party didn’t win the 2005 election – and the reason he had to step down as Leader back then. TGO readers probably know all this, so I won’t dwell too long, but after that deeply disappointing loss, Mr Barnett spent most of the next 4 years lurking...


More at: Toodyay sunsets are pleasant this time of year

Buswell's bum bitten by buddy's bungling

Perhaps the biggest problem facing every politician now days is the sheer number of recording devices out there – it seems everyone has both a camera and an audio recorder in their pocket. For that reason, the QBF often feels conflicted when an elected official is recorded saying or doing something ordinarily human, but unbecoming of a so-called ‘leader’ on the taxpayer’s teat.

Having said that, the Fox feels no sympathy when an MP’s comment in Parliament comes back to bite them on the bum. They know they’re “on the record” when they speak in the Chamber and...


Read the rest at: Buswell's bum bitten by buddy's bungling

Claims against Police in Rayney trial need urgent transparent inquiry

Irrespective of today’s outcome in the Lloyd Rayney murder trial, the Government must urgently initiate an independent, transparent inquiry into various claims of police bias and incompetence raised in evidence during the three and a half month court case.

While the QBF acknowledges that some of the claims made were merely an individual’s personal unqualified opinion, it is clearly in everyone’s interest to...

More at: Claims against Police in Rayney trial need urgent transparent inquiry

Gas pipeline monkey's curly tale

I’ve said it before but it’s worth saying again: for whatever reason, Nationals Leader and Regional Development Minister Brendon Grylls is an uncommonly impatient politician. And his willingness to compromise process for outcome is why he and Premier Colin Barnett often come to blows.

A case in point is Monday’s post-Cabinet announcement that the Government will almost deliver on its election promise and probably build (but not this term) a Bunbury to Albany gas pipeline.

Back in August 2008 when Colin Barnett was the again new Leader of the Opposition and the Libs thought they had a chance of winning back Albany, it was a Liberal Party policy to spend $225 million on starting the project this term if elected. We know Albany stayed in Labor’s hands in 2008 but is now seen as “winnable” by both the Liberals and the Nationals in 2013. The lack of a formal coalition means both Parties are fielding a Candidate next year and consequently, the ability to tick off on a pipeline – any pipeline – before then is critical to both the Liberal and National “Vote for us because we deliver for Albany” message.

And that dynamic explains why one of the strongest champions of the pipeline in Government became Brendon Grylls.
Indeed, as Chief of Staff to the Energy Minister I recall a number of meetings and communications with Minister Grylls himself, urging me to...


Read the rest at Gas pipeline monkey's curly tale

Constable: “What is going on?”

Sometimes it would be better for the reputation of our Parliament if there was a little less time allocated to debate.

I know that sounds like I’m advocating for less accountability. I’m not.

Of course there should be enough time for everyone willing and able to contribute meaningfully to do so, but the fact is for various reasons, Members are often told to draw out (waste time) discussion. Sometimes this happens for very clever strategic reasons and other times it is as simple (and disappointing) as there not being enough business being ready to transact.

Beside the raw cost of operating an inefficient Parliament, the biggest problem of Members treading water is that after a little while, they tend to start arguing with themselves. Sounds odd, but when humans are asked to speak for 20 minutes on a particular topic ...

More at: Constable: “What is going on?”

Sex offender register to offer live GPS tracking* (coming soon)

*Fortunately, we aren’t quite there yet but given the trajectory the current Government is taking with its law and order policies, this headline almost certainly exists in our future.

You don’t believe me? Think about it.

Only two days after the launch of the slippery-slope public sex-offender register, the Minister for Corrective Services announced a Bill that would allow a Court to order GPS tracking of sex offenders. While this one has my full support (primarily because it will put the decision to monitor in the appropriate hands of the Judiciary), once it’s up and running...


Read the rest here: Sex offender register to offer live GPS tracking* (coming soon)

Government shoots for ALP plan and hits own foot

There was a fair bit of “Gotcha” being tossed around during question time in Parliament yesterday.

But sadly for the Government, the Dorothy Dix question designed to discredit Labor’s electricity tariff policy left the QBF wondering if the vitriolic response actually caused a bigger problem for the Government.

Here was the question Joe Francis, the Member for Jandakot asked his colleague Treasurer Troy Buswell:

"Like my colleagues on this side of the house, I am deeply concerned about...


Read the rest here: Government shoots for ALP plan and hits own foot

WALGA gets publicly political

The WA Local Government Association has a long and proud history of defending it’s members politically, but in the experience of the QBF, that defense has typically happened behind closed doors. As Chief of Staff to two Ministers, I was often involved in ‘robust’ discussions with WALGA about various Government policy issues – but again, like many sensible lobby groups, those issues were addressed away from the glare of the public.

Read more: WALGA gets publicly political