NOTES FROM UNDERGROUND

STOP PRESS 17 November 2017 Shire President Wallace tries to mend a fence with consolation prize of blooms and bubbly Gift and Travel Register Gift Contribution Register Click here to register contribution Gift Contribution Register  Name Description Name of Contributor Address of Contributor Date received Value Estimated Nature of relationship Cr Denese Smythe Bottle of champagne & bunch of flowers Cr David Wallace RMB 4029, Gwambygine WA 6302 24/10/2017 $34.00 Shire President & Deputy President

Rolling Denese

With considerable difficulty, I’ve managed to find out how Cr Denese Smythe was rolled as deputy shire president in favour of Cr Kevin Trent, a new kid on the block.

Cr Smythe had been led to believe (so I’m told) that the shire president would support her re-election.

It appears that another potential candidate for the position decided not to stand because the shire president had intimated his intention to support Denese.

Come the election, by pre-arrangement the three male councillors and one female voted for Cr Trent. 

So who was the woman who broke ranks, defying the claims of sisterhood?

Yes, I do know, but prefer not to say.  However, here’s a subtle clue, cryptic crossword style—‘By God’s grace neither Austen nor Doe, but in Rome an iron lady (4,5)’.

Sorry, my lips are sealed.  You’ll have to work it out for yourselves.

Shedding principle—again

Some readers may remember that in July and August of last year I published three articles concerning Council’s handling of an application to construct an oversized shed on a property in Lewis Road.

If you’re interested, you can read those articles in order of publication here, here and here.

In summary, I took issue with Council’s disregard of planning policy in relation to that application, arguing, among other things, that policy should be strictly adhered to in order to rule out the possibility or perception of favouritism and cronyism.

In the last of those articles, I cited several tribunal decisions generally supportive of my argument.

Subsequently, I scanned the minutes of successive Council meetings to see if further such applications had been approved.  I found nothing untoward, and foolishly assumed that Council had resolved in future to act according to established principle and the law.

How wrong I was. 

Earlier this year—I think it was in March or April—a disgruntled member of the public informed me that an application for an oversized shed on a property in Andrews Avenue had received Shire approval. 

When I pointed out that there had been nothing in the minutes to indicate anything of the kind, my informant accused me of naivety, saying that approval had been given under delegated authority at the behest of the shire president.  There was nothing in the minutes because the application had not gone before Council.

When I asked why the Shire had taken this course, my informant said it was to make sure that the matter ‘stayed out of the blogs’.

I wasn’t convinced.  I could not believe that a desire to avoid unwelcome publicity on social media would be likely to influence Council, the shire president or the Shire administration.

But a nagging doubt remained.

Fast forward to June, when I took part in a meeting on an unrelated matter with Paul Crewe, Executive Manager Infrastructure and Development Services.

At the end of the meeting, in the presence of a witness, I asked Mr Crewe if the Shire had approved under delegated authority an application for an oversized shed in Andrews Avenue.  He assured me it had not, adding gratuitously that the Shire was ‘wary’ of such applications.

This week, I have received what I consider impeccable confirmation that my informant was correct, and that Mr Crewe’s assurance was at best misleading and at worst an outright lie.

That being so, I’m forced to conclude that councillors (or at any rate the shire president) and Shire officers set out deliberately to conceal a decision that might have attracted adverse criticism if made public.

I have a sneaking suspicion that this isn’t the only instance of such concealment.  Who knows, perhaps other planning and building decisions have been similarly withheld for similar reasons from the public gaze.

As I’m fond of saying—not that anybody listens—secrecy in government is the first step on the path to corruption. 

It’s also a surefire way to arouse distrust and contempt on the part of the governed, when as inevitably happens in a democracy government secrets crawl or are winkled out and exposed to public view.

Poetry Corner revisited

My close friend Rollo Barker and several anonymous correspondents have insisted that the poem published with my previous post under the heading ‘Poetry Corner’ should be moved to a more prominent position on the blog. So I’m giving it a second airing here and have removed it from its former location.

The poet, larrikin laureate Harry Hogg, has tinkered a bit with the text.  What you see below is the definitive version that will appear in the revised edition of his best-selling collection Tall Tales of the Wheatbelt (Bogside Books, pp. 800, illustrated, available for $1.25 from adult bookstores and under the counter at most rural newsagents). He has reminded me this time to include the poem’s title.

Mr Hogg assures me that any resemblance to any person or persons living, dead, undead or merely comatose is entirely coincidental.

Song of the Canine Matutinal Repast: or, A Dog’s Breakfast Ditty

As night descended slowly over city, town and bush,

From a farm in York’s back garden strode the Captain of the Push.

He gazed upon us yokels, and his voice rang loud and true,

Saying “Listen up, you mongrels, ‘cause I’m just the man for you.

When perched upon my mother’s knee, a tiny little tot,

I knew that I was born to rule you miserable lot.

Now destiny has smiled on me, and proved that I was meant

Come light or dark to make my mark as shire president.

Gone are the days of fear and fright, when Hooper reigned supreme,

And all Fitz Gerald’s nasty tales are just an ugly dream.

Onward we’ll go and upward, you can join me in that caper,

I’ve made York famous, even got my photo in the paper.

I know that I’m not perfect, I admit that it’s a fact

I’m really not full bottle on the Local Government Act.

Never mind, there’s Paul to help me when my stream of thought runs dry,

That man’s a bloody marvel, always knows what’s right and why.”

On the day of the election, from the town and from the bush

Nigh on six hundred voters chose the Captain of the Push,

And many also voted for his two anointed mates,

Ignoring other candidates concerned about the rates.

Returned as shire president, the Captain is ecstatic,

The wisdom of the voters was decisive and emphatic:

He has a brand new deputy, and knows that yet again

He’ll enjoy the adulation of the lovely Lady Jane.

So the dogs have had their breakfast, and the voters sit at home,

While the Captain takes his orders from a famous garden gnome,

And they’re cursing James the Blogger for his rude audacious joke

About our dear shire president—a most impressive bloke!

Harry ‘Hayseed’ Hogg

(apologies to Henry Lawson)

MEETING THE CANDIDATES

STOP PRESS

Fallen—or Pushed?

Paul Crewe, Executive Manager, Infrastructure and Development Services, has left the Shire’s employ after filling the position for not much more than a year. 

His departure seems to have been unusually abrupt.

31 October 2017

MORE BREAKING NEWS…

David Wallace has been re-elected to the position of Shire President.

The new Deputy Shire President is Kevin Trent.

Congratulations to both.

At their first meeting yesterday, councillors elected David Wallace unopposed.  The deputy's position was contested by Kevin and Denese Smythe, with Kevin winning by 4 votes to 3.  The vote was by secret ballot, i.e. according to the rules, which suggests that previous elections for the position that were decided by a show of hands were very likely invalid.  

(Regarding the conduct of such elections, see Schedule 2.3 of the Local Government Act 1995.)

So I've no idea who voted for whom. 

25 October 2017

An afterthought (30 October 2017):  As mentioned above, Kevin Trent won the deputy president's position by 4 votes to 3. The council consists of 4 women (Ferro, Heaton, Saint and Smythe) and 3 men. Assuming that the men all voted the same way (which might not be the case) it must follow that one of the women voted for Kevin.

It’s possible (though highly unlikely) that one of the men voted for Denese, in which case two of the women would have voted for Kevin.  Of course there are other conceivable permutations, but I think they lie beyond the bounds of probability and need not trouble us.

Because the election was by secret ballot, we'll almost certainly never know which woman (or women) voted for 'one of the boys'.  I have a hunch, based on information from a reputable source, but I don’t intend to share it.  I wouldn’t want to embarrass the lady in question.

 

BREAKING NEWS…

Results of the Shire election

Candidate                        Votes

David Wallace                 562  (Elected)

Kevin Trent                     375  (Elected)

Denis Warnick                349  (Elected)

Trevor Randell               247

Sharon MacDonald        203

David Taylor                 133

Tricia Walters               112

Congratulations to the successful candidates, commiserations to the others.

And thanks to all candidates for entering the fray and to all those who took the trouble to vote in this important election.             

22 October 2017

BREAKING NEWS…

Proposed Allawuna landfill

DWER received 150 submissions. 

Some were signed by more than one person.  One submission contained around 100 signatures. Each signature will count as a separate submission.

The final number of submissions, along with a summary of them, will be attached to the report of the Minister’s decision.

Well done, the people of York.

19 October 2017

 So, how did the meeting go?

Six of the seven candidates turned up to face an attentive audience of an estimated 45 to 50 electors.  The absent candidate was Cr Trevor Randell, who submitted an apology. 

I think most of us were sadly disappointed that Cr Randell had pressing commitments elsewhere.  I for one would like to have asked him if he has changed his mind about a rubbish-led recovery for York, now that his friends are no longer likely to be involved in it.

The audience included three sitting councillors, Heather Saint, Pam Heaton and Jane Ferro.

The meeting began with former shire president Pat Hooper, one of the principal architects of York’s current financial misfortunes, launching into an impassioned monologue in defence of his monumental legacy, the YRCC.

This had very little to do with the declared purpose of the meeting, but Keith Schekkerman as chairman generously allowed Pat to orate unchecked for what seemed like an eternity but was probably less than five minutes.

In passing, Pat made joking reference to somebody having christened the centre the Taj Mahal.  This was of course inaccurate.  The name actually given was Splurj Mahal, a play on the English word ‘splurge’, meaning to spend extravagantly, while mahal is a Persian word of Arabic origin that means ‘palace’ or ‘mansion’.

Tourists shopping in Bali will probably have encountered the related Malay/Indonesian word mahal (‘dear, costly’), perhaps in the phrase terlalu mahal, ‘too expensive’. 

Pat would have had no reason to know any of that, so I’m happy to pardon his mistake.

Presentations

Responding to an opening question from the chairman, every candidate affirmed opposition to the proposed siting of a landfill at Allawuna.  That was excellent news for all of us.

On the whole, candidates in their presentations added little to what they had told us in their published election material. 

Kevin Trent, who was first off the block, mentioned that he is a retired road planner with experience in town planning.  He alluded to the need for improved footpaths and drainage in York. 

Kevin expressed concern for the failing bladders of the elderly, repeating his thoughtful desire to see a public convenience installed in Avon Terrace, presumably so that that old fogies like me, when taken short while shopping, aren’t compelled to engage in an undignified sprint down to the toilets in Avon Park.

Next came David Taylor.  I was in the front row directly facing the candidates, so I was able to hear his every word, but others have told me they had difficulty in hearing him because he wasn’t speaking loudly enough.  

That’s a pity, because what he said, especially about shire finances and auditing, was well worth hearing.  Luckily, he has published the full text of his presentation on the other blog. 

I was particularly struck by David’s advocacy of a system of advisory committees rather than the current feebler system of ‘advisory groups’ to help Council in coming to important decisions, and by the scope and depth of his interest in the auditing of shire finances.

If elected, he will call on the Shire to explain why it won’t try to fix past financial mistakes other than by thrusting its hands ever more deeply into ratepayers’ pockets.

Cr Heaton asked David whether, if elected, he would continue writing for the other blog.  He replied that he wouldn’t, because if he were elected, there would be no need. 

I think he was being unduly optimistic about that, but if the need doesn’t go away, he will be welcome to contribute to this one—at any rate, for so long as this blog remains in operation, which it may not for very much longer.

Cr Tricia Walters was by any reckoning the star of the evening.  She spoke clearly, rationally and eloquently in favour of local government transparency, restraint in spending and more open communication between government and the governed.   

Trish argued for closer scrutiny by councillors of the Shire’s budget proposals, an exercise, she said, in which she had received no support or cooperation from her colleagues on Council.

Many in the audience might have been disturbed to learn from her of the restrictions currently imposed on debate at council meetings and when councillors meet among themselves to discuss agenda items.  No less disturbing are those imposed on councillors’ communication as individuals with the public.

By the way, someone has told me that it was the public-spirited Cr Walters, not AVRA, who paid for the hire of the hall and the tea, coffee and biscuits on offer.  If so, it would appear that AVRA has run out of money to fund such events.

Sharon MacDonald followed Trish.  She is well known in York as our local postmistress.  She referred to her considerable management experience, describing herself as a ‘quiet achiever’. 

Sharon made no election promises other than to say that if elected, she would listen to the community and be ‘open and accountable’ in performing her duties as a councillor.

Denis Warnick, a dark horse in this race, revealed that he has an honours degree in environmental science from UWA.  He spoke well and presented his views cogently and concisely.

As a local livestock agent, Denis presumably has close ties with the farming community.   I had the impression that Cr Wallace may have encouraged him to throw his hat in the ring.

Denis spoke of promoting population growth by developing tourism and agriculture and attracting young families to the town.

He suggested that the Shire should take greater advantage of the power of social media,  ‘reduce red tape’ and ‘speed up processes’ to encourage such development. 

He said he would make no promise to support a reduction in rates, which I took, perhaps wrongly, as an indication that he would be unlikely to join Cr Walters in seeking out possible cuts in expenditure when reviewing the annual budget.

Finally, Cr David Wallace took the floor.  He told us he was born in York in 1968 into a long-established York family and runs the family farm.  He has served on Council for the last four years, for two of those years as shire president.  

David said that a vote for him would be a vote for good governance and stability on Council.  He stressed that he is always available to meet with members of the public to discuss Shire issues and affairs.

Questions

Before the meeting, I handed Keith Schekkerman a printed copy of the questions I hoped to raise with the candidates.  They were virtually identical with those displayed in my previous post. 

I also placed a copy for each candidate on the table at which they would sit.

Someone has written in a comment under my previous post that Keith stopped me from speaking.  That isn’t quite true. 

What is true is that he manifested from time to time a considerable reluctance to let me speak.  That isn’t my opinion only.   Other members of the audience noticed it too, contrasting it with the indulgence he had displayed earlier towards the redoubtable Pat Hooper, author of the notorious ‘minority report’.

Leaving aside that my questions were carefully framed and based on statistical research, I had no special reason to be thus indulged.  So I’m not complaining, merely reporting an observation.

However, I did get to ask my first question in full, the one asking why York’s rates are so high compared with those of some metropolitan councils offering superior amenity, and what steps candidates would take, if elected, to lessen the financial burden imposed on what the 2016 Census shows is a relatively impoverished community. 

Some of the answers surprised me.  Kevin, speaking from a wealth of local government experience, claimed that one can’t compare different local government areas. 

In many respects, that may well be true, but it seems reasonable to make such comparisons when rating disparities are outrageously high compared with the levels of amenity and service provided.  

David Taylor remarked that York councils have made ‘massive financial mistakes’ for which ratepayers are picking up the tab.  I suspect he had in the forefront of his mind costs associated with the YRCC, which for most of the evening remained the white elephant in the room.

Trish reminded us that Landgate doesn’t set the rates, as is often supposed.  It’s the Council that sets them in response to the exigencies of the Shire’s budget. 

Landgate only determines the Gross Rental Value (GRV) of residential properties and the Unimproved Value (UV) of rural land.  What you pay as rates is a percentage, determined by Council, of GRV or UV expressed as cents in the dollar.

It was Trish’s view that Council could reduce rates by adopting a more critical approach to asset planning and cutting back spending on services that lose money.  Again, I suspect she may have had the YRCC principally in mind.

David Wallace, who apparently had paid little or no attention to anything Trish had said, did his best to throw the blame back on Landgate, while Denis, having expressed agreement with the premise of my question, remarked that the Shire provides ‘a good level of service’—which wasn’t in dispute.

I didn’t get to ask my second question, about employee costs, but was able to introduce its main elements as a point of information. 

Somebody else—I think it was Pat Hooper—asked a question about the YRCC, which in Keith’s opinion (but not mine) rendered my third question superfluous.  Pat said, without addressing the issue of competitive neutrality, that the bar and kitchen should be run by the sporting clubs.  (I agree, so long as the Shire ceases paying for operating costs and subsidizing the cost of food and drink.)

Pat also suggested—either at this point or during his earlier effusion—that the YRCC should function as a community centre.  Kevin agreed with him, on condition that it must be managed correctly, adding that the Shire should hang on to the bar and café.

I did manage to squeeze in two further questions.  The first was ‘What do you regard as the most important aspects of a councillor’s role as defined in the Local Government Act 1995, and why?’ 

Kevin replied that the most important aspect was communicating with the public.  As I recall—I wasn’t taking notes at this point—other candidates agreed with him, as do I. 

Cr Wallace grumbled about the question, saying that it would need to be googled.  I responded, somewhat severely, to the effect that candidates for elected office ought to know what it is they are supposed, if elected, to do.

My final question was about the desirability of a ward system in York, where councillors would each represent electors in a particular district.  I don’t think there was much enthusiasm for the idea, but I still think it’s a good one that would make councillors more accessible to the public and more likely to communicate with the people they represent.

I’ll finish by congratulating Jenny McColl of Oringa Park on her eloquent reminder of the threat posed to local farms by the renewed prospect of a landfill at Allawuna.  I hope she has shared her fears and opinions with the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation.

NOTES FROM UNDERGROUND

Meet the Candidates

You’ll be able to meet the candidates—and bombard them with penetrating questions—from 7.30 pm onwards at the Church of Christ Hall in Avon Terrace on Thursday, 12 October 2017.

AVRA’s Keith Schekkerman will chair the meeting.

Meanwhile, here are some questions every candidate should have to answer:

1.     Council has set a current rate of 11.849 cents of Gross Rental Value for residential properties in York. 

This compares unfavourably with rates set by some metropolitan councils offering greater public amenity, e.g. Joondalup at 5.3 cents and Mosman Park at less than 6 cents. 

This year, the average amount of rates levied on York’s 1416 residential properties is $1,823.

According to the 2016 Census, York’s weekly median household income is $1024.  That is roughly two-thirds of the figure for WA as a whole, which is $1,595.  Median gross weekly personal income in York is $540 for residents aged over 15, compared with $724 for WA.  More than a quarter of York’s population (26.5%) is aged 65 or over, in other words of pensionable age.

Bearing those figures in mind, do you agree that York’s rates impose an unconscionable burden on a relatively impoverished community, and if you do agree, what steps will you take if elected towards reducing them over time to a reasonable level—say 7.7%, where they stood exactly 40 years ago? 

2.     In its current budget, the Shire provides for employee costs of $3,842,000, an increase of $339,232 over last year’s figure.  Those costs amount to 39% of budget expenditure, and represent the highest single category of expenditure identified in the budget.

According to the 2016 Census, the population of York now stands at 3,606.  This means that the cost this year of employing Shire staff amounts to $1,065.45 for each man, woman and child residing in York.

Do you agree that those employment costs are a tad excessive, and if you do agree, will you take action if elected to put the brakes on further staff recruitment?

3.      The York Recreation and Convention Centre is widely regarded as a poorly conceived and hideously expensive failure that serves the interests of less than one-fifth of York’s population and will always be a huge financial burden on ratepayers, whatever management model is imposed on it.

In particular, people are concerned that the Forrest Bar and Café, a Shire owned, staffed and managed enterprise, operates in competition with local businesses and worse, does so with the advantage of being heavily subsidized from the rates.

Council seems content to continue with this morally and fiscally questionable situation, at least for the next couple of years.  More than that, it is in the process of recruiting a ‘Wait Services and Functions Officer’ and a ‘Kitchen Hand General Duties’ to assist in running the bar and café.

If elected, will you support Council’s current policy regarding the Forrest Bar and Café—or will you take proper account of the interests of ratepayers and local businesses and press for the enterprise to cease trading forthwith?

4.     What do you regard as the most important aspects of a councillor’s role as defined in the Local Government Act 1995?  Why?

Yes, the questions are a bit wordy, but designed to leave no wiggle room for even the craftiest of candidates.  To avoid disappointment (we’ve had that in spades), don’t vote for anyone who can’t or won’t give a straight and honest answer to questions like those—or for anyone who doesn’t understand them.

It (usually) pays to advertise

Only three of the seven candidates, Trent, Wallace and Walters, chose to spruik their electoral wares in the pages of the October issue of York and Districts Community Matters.

With great respect, I have to say that Cr Wallace wasted his money and his opportunity.   I would have expected him to indicate briefly what he intends to do in his next term of office, and why. 

Instead, he opted for cloudy generalities wrapped up in weasel words and phrases like ‘good governance’, ‘stability in council’ and ‘move York forward in a positive direction’.   

For heaven’s sake, Dave, what does all that actually mean? 

Never mind, I’m pretty certain he’ll breeze in on the sporting club vote.

Mr Trent, on the other hand, made good use of his opportunity by clarifying his position with regard to the disposal of Perth waste in rural landfill sites.  He’s against it, and has been for many years.  

He’s also in favour of preserving trees as habitats for birds.  That, too, is something I can warm to.

Cr Walters simply relied on her manifesto as it appeared in the library window.  If elected, she will fight to reduce rates by restraining Shire spending. 

Like Cr Wallace, she doesn’t mention the landfill issue, but she has privately assured me that she is strongly opposed to the siting of a landfill anywhere in York.

As, of course, is Cr Wallace.

SHIRE OF YORK CANDIDATES FOR COUNCIL 2017

At next month’s Shire Council election, residents will have three positions to fill and seven candidates to choose from.

I have listed the candidates below in alphabetical order, adding in each case a dot point summary of information provided in that candidate’s manifesto. 

The three councillors whose terms expire this month—Randell, Wallace and Walters—have offered themselves for re-election.

As usual, the Shire has posted the full text of candidates’ manifestos in the library window.

The Candidates

Sharon MacDonald

§  Owner of York Post Office since 2011

§  Aware of problems facing small business

§  President York Junior Netball 2008-2013

§  Chair of York FM Radio 2010-2012

§  Director of York Co-op 2010

§  Chair of York Youthcare 2015

§  Represented junior netball on inaugural working group for YRCC

§  Will be open and accountable, support public participation in Shire affairs, promote ‘steady and careful community growth’

Trevor Randell

§  Shire councillor for 9 ½ years

§  Qualified chef

§  Current portfolio comprises youth and aged care, emphasis on getting doctor for hospital

§  Supports upgrading of roads and other infrastructure to guarantee community safety

§  Supports tourism, agriculture and business in general

§  Main aim to get community working together for York’s prosperity and success

§  Contact: mobile 0477 112 945

David Taylor

§  Raised in Avon Valley, regards York as home

§  Has lived in York for much of last 12 years

§  Expertise in print media, communications, political research, as director on advertising boards, ‘constitutional governance investigation’, local tourism

§  Will facilitate open and honest governance, probity, financial accountability, performance controls, interactive community consultation, an informative and respectful relationship between Shire management and staff, offering staff training opportunities, protection of the environment, a contemporary approach to local tourism, and ‘a caring community and carefree lifestyle’

§  Contact: mobile 0412 252 621, email davidgrant@westnet.com.au

(David doesn’t tell us so, but he is well known to many in York as the writer of York’s other blog, The Shire of York Official Unofficial Site.)

Kevin Trent

§  City of South Perth Councillor for 33 years, twice deputy mayor

§  Bachelor of Commerce, OAM

§  Former deputy chair of Rivers Regional Council, responsible for planning of waste disposal in southern metro area

§  Life member of WALGA

§  Member of Uniting Church and York Society

§  President, York sub-branch of the RSL

§  Will press for public toilet in Avon Terrace, improvement of footpaths and drainage, upgrading of transport infrastructure

§  Supports ‘equitable representation for all residents and ratepayers in achieving objects of the Shire strategic plan’.

§  Contact: Phone 9641 2565, email kevin.trent@bigpond.net.au

David Wallace

§  Local farmer, lived all his life in York

§  History of involvement in Avon Valley community groups

§  Shire councillor for 4 years

§  Will promote ‘good governance and stability’

§  ‘Would like to continue to be part of the leadership driving York into the future’

§  Contact: mobile 0427 902 987

(David doesn’t tell us so, but he has served as Shire President since 2015 and is a former president and a life member of the York Hockey Club.)

Tricia Walters

§  Has lived for 12 years in York, served for 6 as councillor

§  Has always acted and voted in the best interests of ratepayers

§  Has completed WALGA councillor training

§  Believes our shire rates are too high and may increase further following likely reduction in state and federal funding to local government

§  Will press for net reduction in Shire spending to ease financial burden on ratepayers

§  Opposes selling off public assets to pay off debt

§  Will support ‘worthwhile measures to promote tourism, improve roads and provide special facilities for young and elderly people’

§  Contact: mobile 0407 735 577

(Tricia doesn’t tell us so, but she holds a BA from UWA and a Diploma in Business from TAFE.)

Denis Warnick

§  Lives in York, owns a local business

§  Will work ‘to create a successful and vibrant town, enrich lives of residents, attract new people to the shire’

§  Council should support agriculture and tourism and the physical and social infrastructure that underpins them

§  Has the ‘will, energy and determination’ to work with Shire ‘to achieve prosperity for York’

§  Contact: mobile 0409 897 018

Order on ballot paper

1. Trent

2. MacDonald

3. Walters

4. Randell

5. Warnick

6. Taylor

7. Wallace

*******

ALLAWUNA LANDFILL—MESSAGE FROM AVRA—SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING ON THURSDAY

Avon Valley Residents Association Inc.

Tuesday, 19^th of September 2017

Greetings All,

From our last newsletter you might recall that comments about the landfill proposal are now open at the DWER. The York Shire Council, at its meeting on August 28th resolved to hold a Special Council Meeting so the community can view the submission the Shire will make to the DWER.

The meeting will take place this Thursday 21st of September at 5pm at the Lesser Hall.

You are all invited to come and listen to the Council, which this time around is vigorously opposing the application.

The consultation period to comment on the application for works approval for the proposed landfill on Allawuna Farm has been extended to Thursday, 28 September 2017

The link to the application is:

https://www.der.wa.gov.au/our-work/licences-and-works-approvals/lwa-applications/item/7606-w6077-2017-1

An AVRA committee member contacted the DWER to point out to them that some of the documentation submitted by the new applicants still carried the logos of the original applicants which drew the following response: “Please be advised that matters regarding proprietary rights are not regulated under Part V of the Environmental Protection Act 1986 and are therefore outside the scope of the works approval assessment.”

The Department of Environmental Regulations (DER) has changed its name to The Department of Water and Environmental Regulations (DWER).

Keith Schekkerman for AVRA committee.

PS  the AGM for AVRA will be held at the Church of Christ hall on October 17, at 6pm.  All are welcome.

ALLAWUNA LANDFILL—A SECOND MESSAGE FROM AVRA

Avon Valley Residents Association (Inc.)

September 8, 2017

Greetings all,

The consultation period to comment on the application for works approval for the proposed landfill on Allawuna Farm has been extended to Thursday, 28 September 2017.

The letter explaining the reasons is below. The link to the application is:

https://www.der.wa.gov.au/our-work/licences-and-works-approvals/lwa-applications/item/7606-w6077-2017-1

At the last Council meeting an undertaking was given that a Special Council meeting would be held before the closing of the comment period. As soon as we know the date we will inform you and encourage you to attend.

In the meantime, please write to the DER and your politicians to share your opinion of the landfill proposal. The reason why rubbish and landfill policy is such a dog’s dinner is that no single politician/ minister owns the subject. So write to the Premier, Ministers for the Environment, Water, Transport and Planning.  Our politicians are always receptive to letters from their constituents to gauge the depth of feeling on controversial developments, the link below will give you the contact details of the current Ministers:

https://www.premier.wa.gov.au/MINISTERS/Pages/Default.aspx

Regards, Keith Schekkerman for AVRA Committee

PS,  the AGM for AVRA will be held at the Church of Christ hall on October 17, at 6pm.

All welcome!

(Click to enlarge)