Councillor Expenses
Response The Courier Newspaper on Councillor Expenses 29/9/20
Hi Jolyon,
Thank you for your queries about travel expenses and associated items like accommodation, flights, transport, car parking etc.
I have also been advised that a minority of disaffected people are upset and pretty cheesed off that the information obtained through FOI and leaked through Council did not achieve the “cut through with community” as they put it, with the Ballarat Times News Group article and will concentrate on The Courier now. So I was expecting your call and indeed I will have more to say at a later time.
In my time as Mayor, I advocated strongly and represented Ballarat on many occasions at State, Interstate and International levels. There seems to be a view that lobbying for projects, funding or advancing Ballarat and our region, is not required – that millions of dollars of funding, opportunity for sport, culture, music and arts events or new businesses will just be given or Ballarat will just graciously be selected by companies as the place to be.
I can assure you that every other City, be it City of Greater Bendigo, City of Greater Geelong, City of Newcastle, AlburyCity City of Wollongong and many others are lobbying and representing their cities in person at every opportunity to grasp that funding and the ear of decision-makers.
Five million dollars for the Airport upgrade, White Night on three occasions or the Spilt Milk music festival did not just arrive out of the blue. It took consistent, determined and active representation at many levels to secure these events and many others.
Sure you can send an email, write a letter, skype, zoom or otherwise, but in these avenues, it is very easy to be disregarded. It is far more difficult to be ‘flogged off’ when you’re seated, ‘eye ball to eye ball’ while reading the body language of the person you’re communicating to and to walk away with a commitment for the next step.
Getting back to your questions, it is best followed up with the City of Ballarat Ballarat Council CEO as accommodation, flights etc are booked and organised by the Town Hall ‘Civic Support unit’ as part of everyday operational matters. Seldom does any councillor undertake this task as the City has policies that guide purchasing and safety implications.
I am informed that Ballarat, like many other businesses, have corporate accommodation package arrangements and venues are selected.. where at all possible close to events. But as suggested, it is most important to follow up with the CEO.
In my role as Mayor for Ballarat, I gave it 7 days a week and I am delighted to reflect upon this time. It did require significant energy, attention and commitment and also much time away from my family.
I am proud of these contributions and valuable returns to our community. These outcomes should be fairly and properly interpreted.
Ratepayers deserve a balanced representation of information and given that there has been selective use of information, I am taking the step of registering all responses here and on my website for transparency and accurate recording.
Kind Regards,