THE head of Australia’s Parliamentary Tax & Revenue Committee has launched a blistering attack on heartless councillors after they increased rates – and their pay packets – mid-pandemic.
The chair of the federal committee Jason Falinski said some councils had failed to “stand up” during the Coronavirus crisis.
“Councils have increased rates, when they should have decreased them. They have increased their salaries and allowances, while people are losing their jobs. Councils have cut infrastructure, when people need more infrastructure and the jobs this spending provides,” Mr Falinski said.
POLICE
“They have also mismanaged numerous public spaces so much so that the NSW Government has had to call in the police to close those spaces. Right at the time the public needs them so desperately.”
Sydney City Council and Falinski’s own Northern Beaches Council, which takes in his Federal seat of Mackellar, came under direct fire.
“Some councils have more people in their events and communications departments than the Prime Minister has in his entire office,” Falinski said.
“Running a country, apparently, is easier and less time consuming than council events and communications.
“Indeed, I understand [Sydney Lord Mayor] Clover Moore’s personal staff exceeds that of the Prime Minister.”
Mr Falinski said claims were being ignored that councillors were inappropriately using ratepayers’ money for party political purposes.
“It’s under their very noses. I am concerned at the lack of accountability and consistency at this level of government.”
RESCISSION
Mr Falinksi was responding to a local government brawl in his own backyard with Northern Beaches councillors at war with each other over rates and salary increases.
His comments were made after a rescission motion was moved – and subsequently defeated – to overturn the council’s controversial 2020-21 budget.
One Northern Beaches councillor who initiated the rescission motion, Cr Pat Daley, said the proposed rate rises contradicted what every other level of government is doing in response to the crisis.
“These councillors seem to be unaware of the hardship being caused by COVID-19,” Cr Daley said.
“Their argument is that ratepayers are used to absorbing these increases and they will not complain nor even notice.
“This is a heartless and lazy response to the COVID-19 crisis and it must be stopped.”PC
The Northern Beaches Mayor is well known for upgrading his council cars including that latest Jaguar, whilst virtue signalling about the evils of Plastic Straws.