|
|
|
|
|
Parker's Frustration at Labor Councillors refusal to disclose Expenses of Councillors to the Ratepayers: What do they have to hide?
Clr. Parker has slammed the decision of the Labor Caucus last night to refuse a motion to tabulate an annual report which includes the expenses of Councillors and senior management and their cost to the community, particularly Overseas Trips.
"I am totally disgusted with the arrogance of the local Labor Party Councillors who refuse to "come clean" and ignore any proposed system that will create transparency as to the cost of Councillors to the Community".
Clr. Parker is now considering various actions to pressure the local ALP caucus to release this information to the public. Clr. Parker may soon write to all the State MPs within the Bankstown Local Government area seeking their personal support in the matter.
"This kind of information should be freely available to the Community. It is astonishing that the local ALP Councillors are so frightened to have this information published. What is wrong with the rate payers knowing how much individual Councillor and senior management costs?"
"All large reputable companies publish similar information in their annual report to shareholders, and in many ways rate payers are the shareholders of Bankstown City Council". Clr. Parker repeated what he argued at last night's Council Meeting.
"The most amazing issue is that the ALP Councillors do not even bother to put up an argument to justify the supression. They just use the brute force of their numbers to ignore a request to provide the Community with information."
The motion put forward by Clr. Parker at the Ordinary Meeting of Bankstown City Council on Tuesday 26 August 2002 was as follows:
"Resolved that a report be submitted to Council at the end of each financial year detailing the expenses incurred or reimbursed by Council for each individual Councillor, in accordance with Council's policy. Such report to also include the conferences and seminars attended by individual Councillors and the costs paid by Council for individual Councillors and the Senior Management Team."
A division was called for by Councillors Lee and Parker.
For: Councillors Barrett, Parker, Abrahams, Tran.
Against: Councillors Lee, McLaughlin, Stromborg, Winterbottom, Blake.
Councillor Westwood temporarily retired from the meeting at 8:28pm and returned at 8:39pm.
The motion was lost on Labor Party caucus numbers.
Written by M.Parker, 70 Anderson Avenue, Panania 2213. |
