Labor

CATHOUSE: Geelong council on the brink

The dysfunctional Geelong council is on the verge of implosion and ought be investigated by a municipal inspector in the New Year, a council insider has told VEXNEWS.

“The council is riddled with party politicking, secret caucus meetings, improper influence from members of parliament and far too much behind-closed-doors activity,” the insider explained on condition of anonymity.

“It is frequently the case that councillors make up their mind on key decisions prior to council meetings, prior to hearing all the relevant facts. This is standard practice. And it’s not just the Labor and Liberal councillors, it’s the lot of them,” she said.

STRETCHING THE TRUTH
The attack follows further upheaval on the Geelong council after former Geelong Advertiser journalist David Saunderson left the chamber for good after a court case relating to whether he’d disclosed his receipt of a campaign contribution from an applicant for a planning permit.

The Advertiser was unimpressed by what some saw as the dishonest sworn testimony of two political party operatives Srechko aka “Stretch” Kontelj and Andrew Katos when they denied politics intruded into the operation of the Geelong council. Saunderson’s former employer wrote:

The only surprise out of the case so far has been the denial by councillors Stretch Kontelj and Andrew Katos that politics was an issue on council. For those two (Liberal) councillors to deny such a thing is ingenuous and mischievous. Politics and its attendant machinations have been responsible for holding the city back for years. There are so many more important things councillors should be working on as a cohesive unit rather than lurching from one divisive confrontation to another.

Some legal experts believe their bizarre denial of the obvious bordered on perjury with Local Government Victoria bureaucrats apparently asking for a copy of the tape of the hearing for further information on the operation of the troubled council.

It wouldn’t be the first time Srechko Kontelj has been involved in scandal. Earlier this year VEXNEWS revealed Kontelj’s involvement in a company based in a shadowy and secretive tax haven. He has declined to respond to the allegations.

Liberal insiders tell VEXNEWS that Kontelj “runs his own race” and does not receive “riding instructions” from local Liberal MP David Koch. Others on the council are not sure and believe that a number of councillors are in regular communication with Koch and other party members on a range of matters including issues for decision on the council including grants to community groups.

A FAMILY AFFAIR
It seems likely that the controversies around Kontelj could grow to fever-pitch if his colourful brother “Eddy” Kontelj runs in a forthcoming by-election for the Geelong council. “He’s expected to disagree with his brother on the council is he? What a joke,” complained a political foe last night.

Kontelj’s move would clearly run against a trend ironically set in train by Labor local government ministers Candy Broad and Richard Wynne, from the Labor’s left faction which is to all but outlaw party politics and party political processes from local government. Many Labor MPs have told VEXNEWS most emphatically that they “want nothing to do with local government.” One previously explained that he does not meet or talk with local councillors and believes the only safe course is to meet with local council CEOs about issues when they arise. “It’s too easy to get accused of meddling in council politics and that’s frankly enough to cost you preselection thanks to the legal regime established by this government. It’s crazy but that’s the situation.”

The Geelong Labor councillors have also had close associations with their local MPs too and some say relations between some Liberal and Labor aligned councillors are so poisonous they are barely capable of communicating with each other. Some have been accused of being more sympathetic to recently striking council workers than to the council they are supposed to govern.

These are just a few of the many points of dispute among the warring clan of councillors.

FEAR AND LOATHING ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL
Certainly some of that became clear from the testimony in the Saunderson case where the former councillor explained his low regard for several of his colleagues. VEXNEWS understands these views are not isolated, with Labor left aligned councillor Jan Farrell known for her particularly hostile and aggressive approach.

“Farrell is a nasty piece of work. And is closely aligned with the notorious leftist branch-stacker Heather Wellington who failed in her bid to be elected to state Parliament and has been extremely embittered ever since. It’s always very much a case of Not Happy Jan. It’s probably menopausal,” claimed one unkind observer.

Another Geelong councillor has also faced ethics concerns. Geelong critics say that it is “an inherent conflict of interests” for councillor Andrew Katos to be running for state parliament while actively serving on the council.

Katos has not taken leave of absence despite being preselected to run in the marginal state seat of South Barwon back in July. The insider explained Katos’s serious conflict of interest issues:

“How can Katos reconcile the fact that he must do what Ted Baillieu directs him to do as one of his front-line candidates in a seat they must win to form government with his duties to all the ratepayers – including the Labor and Greens voting ones – in Geelong?

Katos clearly should resign from council or take a leave of absence to avoid these conflicts of interest. For a start, Katos will be the beneficiary of any donation to the Liberal party for the state campaign, this puts him in an impossible position to even be aware of what he should and should not be voting on in terms of planning applications.

He’s an accident waiting to happen for the council and it surprises me that he would make the same mistakes of not being meticulously careful that other past councillors have made. The councillors are a disaster zone that has let Geelong down.”

There is certainly widespread disappointment with the performance of the council, as reflected in the breathless coverage of Saunderson’s former employer the Geelong Advertiser which some think borders on shrill when reporting on municipal business. Whether a municipal inspector will find evidence to prove extensive political meddling in the council, pre-judgment of issues and of the mayoral election remains to be seen.

© 2009 VEXNEWS 2010©.