Councils’ actions just don’t rate
DOES ANYONE KNOW WHERE THE BILLIONS GO IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT?
Queensland local councils received a staggering $6.2 billion in rates in 2017-18. That’s $236 million more than this time last year.
How have we got to the stage where the lowest level of government in just that one state needs that much money to pick up the rubbish, mow the lawns at the local park and keep the library open?
I totally understand that it costs huge amounts of money to do the basics we have come to expect. But there’s plenty of proof that they are spending way too much on increasingly obscure jobs at council.
Just this week the Gold Coast was looking for a Stakeholder Management Advisor paying $81,855.33; in Townsville they were seeking a Senior People + Culture Business Partner paying $96,161; and in Toowoomba they are recruiting for an Enterprise Risk Management position that pays $110,942.71.
In Brisbane they have a job ad for an ‘Outcome Manager’ (Urban Forest) and that pays $110,697. Does anythrough one know what an ‘Outcome Manager’ is?
All of these gigs come with 17.5% holidays loading and 12.4% superannuation. These are just the jobs on offer this week. Imagine the thousands of jobs people already have and the ones that are coming in the next six months.
As a rule we don’t mind paying rates, fees, and taxes if it’s for a better society or, in this case, a better city to live in, but does anyone think they got six billion dollars’ worth of value out of local government this year? IT CAN’T BE THIS EASY FOR A GOVERNMENT TO PULL OFF A RORT IN BROAD DAYLIGHT? Speaking of other people’s money, the worst rort in the country has taken a new turn in Victoria.
As I have written here in the past, the Andrews Labor government is trying to set up a new system where political parties will get a staggering $45 million in taxpayers’ money based on the votes they get at the coming election.
To get this rort to become law, the Labor Government need to get it the Parliament. While they would get their fair share of the cash if it passes, the Liberals aren’t voting for it. So it comes down to the cross bench and this is where it is getting messy.
This week the government is offering the minor parties $250,000 to help comply with the new donation laws. The money would flow as early as August, even though the election where the votes will be turned into dollars isn’t until November.
Can you believe a government is offering $250,000 in taxpayers’ money to each minor party that votes for these changes?
This is a scandal and one the media has been largely silent on. Where are the front pages? This is a lead story of a rort to get something through the Parliament.
I can only hope the Upper House members who stand to benefit from this outrageous deal are shamed into voting it down.
This is a red line in the sand, whose side are they on? Paul Murray is a broadcaster with Sky News. He can be seen on Paul Murray LIVE each Sunday to Thursday from 9pm AEST.
AS A RULE WE DON’T MIND PAYING RATES, FEES, AND TAXES ... BUT DOES ANYONE THINK THEY GOT SIX BILLION DOLLARS’ WORTH OF VALUE OUT OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT THIS YEAR?