Sign the petition - and let's KEEP the lobbyists away from the money pot
By Dean Hurlston
SIGN OUR KEEP RATE CAPPING PETITION TO PARLIAMENT IS HERE:
https://www.councilwatch.com.au/ratecaps
A few weeks ago, I gave evidence at the State Parliamentary Enquiry into Council funding. You can read more about it here: https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/localgovernmentfunding
It is evident from the long list of Council "experts" that they cite Rate Capping as an existential threat to their empire building (using your money).
Rate capping is not perfect, but it is at least a restraint mechanism, that prevents Councils from living large on your hard-earned cash. We estimate, without rate capping, Council rates would increase by up to 20% a year.
Here are what the "other experts who gave evidence" receive in funding from the sector - from Council rates/income that you and I pay. (Figures quoted from annual reports)
- Municipal Association of Victoria - $17.5 Million in funding annually
- LGPRO - with 65 corporate partnerships, they claim $3.7 Million in funding annually
- VLGA - $1.5 Million in income annually
- FinPro - for CEO's only, $618K annually
Of course, some of the income comes from sponsorships, but the majority is coming from Council coffers, which means we are paying for them to professionally lobby government to increase rates.
In a sector with $14 Billion revenue in Victoria, it is small change, but it is significant.
$23 Million is a lot of money. A lot.
In a cost-of-living crisis, every dollar must be scrutinised.
As the ONLY witness to oppose the removal/relaxing of rate-capping, we have also been attacked by Labor and the Greens (more on that later), as a distraction.
We have been accused of having a conflict of interest, predominantly for 2 reasons:
The president has a partner who is a mayor (we didn't know that was a crime).
Some of your comments on our social media appear to have hurt Councillors and the Minister for Local Governments feelings, and they are not happy about it.
But let's focus on those other witnesses.
These organisations are simply well-PAID Lobbyists, using your money to pay for their lobbying empires, that claim to be experts, "who need more rates".
These "experts" are actually nothing more than paid lobbyists, seeking to increase the burden on households. There was little to no talk about the actual cost of living crisis facing the people, and just a lot of complaining about how constrained council finances are, under rate capping.
So, you will forgive me if I pause here and say this - what FREAKING HYPOCRITES this industry is. The witnesses at the State Parliamentary enquiry are those who GRIFT and SUCK money off you and I via our Councils, to run their own little empires - to the tune of at least $23 Million bucks a year.
Sorry but I say THEY HAVE A DEEP CONFLICT OF INTEREST in the request to remove or amend rate capping and increase council funding, so they can get their hands on more of your money.
I hope every follower, MP, and Councillor reads this and thinks about it for just a minute. Why are we letting these lobbyists act as "expert witnesses"?
These organisations are siphoning millions off Council incomes, and they want more. These are the same organisations who seek legal advice at your expense and advise Councils to refuse to comply with the Minister's directives.
Yes, the Lobbyists have control of the industry acting as "experts".
You see many things done and provided by Councils are NOT a legislative requirement.
We could probably shed 25% of the bureaucracy tomorrow (not customer and service delivery staff) and we would not notice, but that does not suit their "conflicted agendas".
Why do Councils, who cannot fathom how to deliver great service, need so many support organisations who essentially just LOBBY for them and seek more, more, more, more money?
Because they are obsessed with your wallet and know that the $14 Billion is easy to grift from.
Of course, we accept that industries need peak bodies, but when all those peak bodies are giving evidence at a Parliamentary enquiry, under parliamentary privilege, one wonders what their AGENDA really is. These organisations are Lobbyists, and the Parliament is allowing lobbyists (who profit from council incomes) to ask to remove rate capping, allow it to be more easily worked around, or given any manner of income increases possible.
We NEED rate capping no matter what, and I need you to sign our petition and share it with anyone you can, PLEASE I mean anyone.
We need to show the Parliamentary enquiry that Victorians NEED rate capping.
We fought long and hard to get it, and we must KEEP it.
Sign here: https://www.councilwatch.com.au/ratecaps
Unlike them, we do not take money from Councils, not that they would share it with us (lol).
So, if you like the work we do, feel free to support us, it will mean a lot. You can donate or join here: https://www.councilwatch.com.au/shop
At the end of the day, the Legislative Council should actually reject much of the PAID lobbyist "expert evidence".
Rate caps have saved Victorians Millions in unfair rate increases. The process of setting them is absolutely FAIR, despite these lobbyists claims.
Source: https://www.councilwatch.com.au/post/rate-capping-must-remain-untouched-sign-the-petition-and-let-s-keep-the-lobbyists-away-from-the
