Spin doctor mayor Don Joyce at it again

The spin doctoring of mayor, Don Joyce on ABG Goulburn Murray this morning, is in stark contrast to the Border Mail Glenrowan articles below as well as today's ABC interviews with Ian Jones and Gary Dean.

Of his meeting with Sen Campbell, the mayor said, "It was a good meeting and we are all heading the same way". Why then is everyone so upset? The mayor claimed that the Glenrowan plan was obsolete and that the RCoW had inherited the problems when it was formed. The master plan was drawn up by the RCoW as recently as 2002.

The Watchdog reported similar spin doctoring by Cr Joyce and Cr Paino regarding the public meeting about the proposed performing arts centre. Why can't our elected municipal representatives face reality instead of playing the residents of the Rural City of Wangaratta for mugs.

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Stoush at the old Kelly site
BY BRAD WORRALL (original article here)

FEDERAL Heritage Minister Ian Campbell clearly believes Ned Kelly’s siege site at Glenrowan has been desecrated and Wangaratta council needs to drive its resurrection.

But the council says “put your money where your mouth is”.

Yesterday, Senator Campbell made his first visit to the heritage listed site of Ned Kelly’s last stand to hand over $30,000 for signage. At the same time he took a none-too-subtle swipe at how the site has been managed.

“It is clear to my untrained eye that that a lot of the work done over the years has taken away from the site’s historical integrity,” Senator Campbell said.

“That’s not just recent works but over many years. My view is that the site should be taken back towards the way it looked when the siege took place. There are going to be practical reasons why some of that won’t be done.”

Sen Campbell said a long-term management plan was needed. The senator said major works, including the removal of the rail bypass, was the responsibility of council.

But Wangaratta council economic development manager Graham Nickless said it all came down to money.

“The removal of the bypass involves millions of dollars, to say that it is council’s responsibility is beyond the pail,” he said.

“We all subscribe to bringing it back to authentic status but it comes down to the money to do that. At this point in time the Victorian Government has kicked in $1.8 million, council $500,000 and the Commonwealth about $250,000.”

But Wangaratta Mayor Don Joyce said it was wonderful to have Senator Campbell at Glenrowan.

“We are all working toward the same goal and it is great to get an additional $30,000 from the Federal Government,” he said.

Senator Campbell refused to reveal the findings of federal heritage officers who visited Glenrowan to inspect recent council works.

Historians claim Wangaratta council’s beautification of the site has removed significant parts of the landscape and made it almost unrecognisable.

Glenrowan is one of 32 nationally-listed heritage sites.

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Go back to original Kelly plan: Jones
(original article here)

NED Kelly historian Ian Jones says Wangaratta council needs to scrap its beautification works of the Glenrowan siege site and start again.

That is potentially more than $2 million of work.

Yesterday, he also applauded National Heritage Minister Ian Campbell’s belief that the site needed to return to circa 1880.

“Sen Campbell’s statement was the strongest made so far and condemned the works by council,” Mr Jones said yesterday.

“But I can’t see how they can get back to that state without undoing the works that have been carried out.”

Mr Jones said the works had created waterways with engineering angles and concrete, built bridges that weren’t there and taken away native trees.

“My view is simple; we need to get back to the master plan developed in 2002,” he said.

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