It’s ratepayers’ money
Minister calls on ex-councillors to pay back advances “This is ratepayers’ money, they deserve to have a say in its use.”
A REFUSAL by former Geelong councillors to return advance payments ignores the city’s ratepayers, according to the State Government.
The Geelong Advertiser yesterday revealed the City of Greater Geelong had engaged a collection agency to chase money from ex-councillors.
Councillors were paid their allowance monthly, with their immediate sacking last April meaning they did not work the full pay period.
Local Government Minister Natalie Hutchins said ratepayers had reason to be frus- trated by the ongoing saga.
“I think most Geelong ratepayers would be concerned that after being dismissed for failing the city, a few councillors still owe thousands of dollars,” Ms Hutchins said.
“This is ratepayers’ money, they deserve to have a say in its use. Right now, they can’t.”
Corio ward representative Kylie Fisher is the only pub- licly confirmed ex-councillor to have refused requests from the council to return the advanced sum of $1300.
Ms Fisher believes there is no legal or moral basis for her to hand over the payment, saying she donated the same amount to Corio-based social welfare initiative The Listening Lounge.
“I have no intention of pay- ing it. I feel my debt had been paid when I gave it back to a community group,” she said.
“I know it’s going to be spent well in the northern suburbs by The Listening Lounge.”
The City of Greater Geelong has refused to provide any details on the matter, releasing a statement that said: “It would be inappropriate to comment on debt collection matters.”
Former Austin ward councillor John Irvine yesterday called on the council to publicly reveal those who still owed them money.
“(Ex-councillors) who have done the right thing should not be put in the same category as those who haven’t,” Mr Irvine said, declaring he had returned the $1300 payment.
He confirmed he would stand for council at the election scheduled for October.
In a pointer to the council’s issues under the city’s two directly elected mayors, he said he supported scrapping the public vote and returning to the pre-2012 system.
“I am looking forward to a return of the model where councillors get to elect the mayor,” Mr Irvine said.
NATALIE HUTCHINS