REMEMBER WHEN

GOLD COAST BULLETIN Friday, April 18, 1986

A RATEPAYERS’ group was to meet with Local Government Minister Russ Hinze in a bid to get Gold Coast City Council aldermen sacked and an administrator appointed.

The move came as the Department of Local Government continued its investigation into Southport MP Doug Jennings’ allegations against the council in the wake of hefty pay packages aldermen voted themselves.

The Gold Coast Ratepayers and Residents Protest Association, which collected thousands of signatures on petitions, was to meet with Mr Hinze to hand him a letter calling for council sackings.

The letter cited the following reasons: new pay packages; a 39 per cent rate hike; issues of incompetence and excess perks including overseas junkets and travel and lunch allowances.

The issue of the new swimming pool at Southport was also mentioned.

“We will ask Mr Hinze to look into the situation of how the council and the former aldermen could misuse the Local Government Act and get more money than they deserve,” said association spokeswoman Agnes Nemeth. “The Act left the gate open for aldermen to get more money than they are entitled to.

“The present aldermen say the old council got more than $33,000 a year. That former aldermen got even more is absolutely ridiculous.

“If there is a fault in the Act we will ask the minister to change it right away – and dismiss the council.”

It came as Mr Jennings urged the council be investigated and dismissed if found to have acted improperly.