MP swipe at Wangaratta council

Source: Wangaratta Chronicle

Mirabella says St John’s decision, and others, lacking in consultation

Written by STEVEN BURKE.

SOPHIE Mirabella (MHR, Indi) has bought into the debate surrounding St John’s Village, accusing the Rural City of Wangaratta of "ramming through decisions", following the imposition of rates on elderly residents.

But council has defended its handling of the rating of St John’s, with its chief executive officer, Doug Sharp, maintaining council had no choice but to apply municipal rates to the senior citizens.

St John’s residents will be required to pay rates from the 2008/09 financial year after councillors last month voted to note a report saying rates be imposed, rather than voting for or against the decision.

Mrs Mirabella said council’s action showed a lack of respect for ratepayers.

"This is an important moral issue," she said.

"A commitment was made by the Wangaratta Shire Council back in 1968 to exempt village residents from rates.

"The trust of the local St John’s residents has been broken with the new decision to impose municipal rates."

She said advice from Local Government Minister, Richard Wynne, that council does not need to exercise its power to rate St John’s, needed to be thoroughly investigated.

"This advice goes against repeated assertions the decision to rate is out of council’s hands and that they are simply following legislation," she said.

"It has been distressing for many local residents that attempts by concerned residents to speak about this issue at council meetings have been stopped.

"Our local council should be facilitating debate and discussion not allowing discussion to be gagged."

But Mr Sharp said allowing St John’s chief executive, Joe Caruso, to make a presentation to council at its meeting was evidence of consultation.

"We’ve been in ongoing dialogue with the management of St John’s," he said.

"Throughout the process, we’ve been seeking information about their legal advice and trying to keep them up to speed."

Mrs Mirabella’s salvos didn’t stop at St John’s, with council’s overall consultation process coming under attack.

"Over some time I have been contacted by many residents concerned about lack of consultation by council and the ramming through of decisions," she said.

"We saw this with council’s decision to not only endorse the VEAC report but council’s proposal to extend it to cover local areas in and around Wangaratta.

"The push to rate St John's is the latest example of inadequate regard for local sentiment and basic democratic debate.

"Elected and unelected personnel at any level of government are servants to the people.

"It is time that council had more respect for the citizens of Wangaratta and the humility to be prepared to admit that sometimes they get it wrong."

Mr Sharp declined to comment on council’s overall consultation processes.