Tuesday, 2 May 2023

Western Victoria Region

Bev McARTHUR (Western Victoria) (14:19): (126) My question is for the Minister for Local Government, and I ask it on behalf of ratepayers of the City of Greater Geelong, who are currently paying for her government’s ongoing attack on their council. In June last year local Labor members blasted the council for failing to prioritise their own personally favoured pork barrel projects – that is, of the Labor members – and the Premier himself threatened to remove the council from involvement in the supposedly regional Commonwealth Games. The minister’s response to my last question, dated 24 April, references failures of governance or possible breaches of the Local Government Act 2020. She also notes the investigation focuses on integrity and transparency. So in that spirit, my question is: what exactly are these alleged breaches, and what is the total bill ratepayers are footing for the monitor she appointed to undermine locally and democratically elected councillors?