BREAKING NEWS

FOOLISHNESS AND CORPORATE CITIZENSHIP

From around the traps:

Some time ago, the university rowing club in Launceston was almost non-existent and UTAS shut it down in the end. North Esk RC absorbed their members. But as we know, there's been a strange revival with the talk of a 'rowing precinct' near North Esk club (NERC) and St Pat's boat sheds and their pontoons. All sneakily organised behind the scenes between LCC and Rowing Tasmania, a body seriously disliked and despised by the clubs around the state. But there was no mention of Utas at that stage. Well we all knew there would be a link somewhere, just a matter of where and when - well here is!!

The issue at the moment is that UTAS is trying to steal elite and Div 1 and 2 rowers who are studying through UTAS from NERC and Tamar. They’ve been offered free memberships, free race fees AND all expenses paid when travel for regattas - including interstate. There is NO WAY the clubs can compete with that. Which raises 2 questions: is it anti competitive behaviour and within ACCC and are UTAS rowing South or other UTAS sports reps / teams being offered same?" (received message 2 October)

So just what is Utas up to in the rowing area in the north? Yes, UTAS is building a rowing club and buying sculls at a ? price.

And according to the Tas Uni Boat Club (TUBC) Face Book page:- "providing rowing opportunities for the University’s Northern and Southern campuses. TUBC is a boat club located at New Town Bay Rowing Centre in Hobart and in the near future the Launceston Rowing precinct. The club caters for all age groups, from junior rowers to masters and for all levels of experience. TUBC is affiliated with the University of Tasmania".

So that's a link between LCC and the rowing precinct plan and UTAS! Nothing to do with the wishes of existing clubs or community, or any benefit to rowing. And obviously no consideration has been given to the boat congestion etc at and around the pontoons between the Charles St bridge and the pedestrian bridge.

What Fools!

ALBERT SAYS ALL THAT WAS OLD IS NEW AGAIN ... PERHAPS

It will all be a blur soon enough

Mayor Albert and his merry band had their Teflon coating severely damaged as the second half of their votes rolled in to Electoral Commission's York Park counting centre. Early on it all looked hunky-dory with minor collateral damage.

However, after the 50% mark in the count the Teflon showed serious signs of wear and tear with the weak spots really starting to show.

Mayor Albert's tussle with Alderman Janie was fast and furious from the get go despite Alderman Janie's impassioned assertions that she was the woman for the job. However, just getting too few votes to get a second chance to prove it was her problem.

Apparently Lonnie's voters have quite long memories and long enough have enough of what it takes recognise 'schtick' for what it is even when it is dressed up as heartfelt, deep and meaningful rhetoric. But there we go, the people have spoken!

Mayor Albert and what's left of his merry band of reliable and compliant henchmen have been off to the repair shop for a bit of a spruce-up and a Teflon respray. With a little walk in the park to refresh his vision Mayor Albert with an adjustment or two he was off to his spin-doctors at Town Hall to pick up his media repair kit. A tuck here, a pleat there, a new bobble over there and off we go to the in the political blue suit with today's blue shirt and stripy tie. No hard hat and high-vis required today. All dusted down out comes the vision almost everything is as good as it was just a little while ago.

Since its a four year term now, and a brand new one too, memories are fading quite quickly and as for aspirations, well they can be rejigged around fading memories plus some new and retouched perceptions. Of we go to do it as we always did again.

So Mayor Albert has strutted his stuff, hinted at enough of this or that to get him out of trouble, hopefully, down the track. It's also been early enough before the upcoming Council Installation for the air to clear and for the new members to become awe inspired enough to roll over on command for a tummy tickle.

Life is actually fantastic and really really simple.

Any time you want a bit of a look back here are some useful links

• Southern Cross News ... 6 minutes in ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGmLQR43Hjw
• Examiner Nov 7 2018  CLICK HERE

Launceston's TEAMteflon remains after all... How? ... Why?

With the election outcome still in limbo it is a bit of a surprise that the 'good ship TOWNhall' is springing a leak and again, surprise, surprise. It is essentially to do with rumours, concerning rumours, to do with accountability and transparency.

Just as a new council is struggling to find out who it is, and who'll be in it, a darkish shadow from the past lingers on.

That along with implications of an evolving cargo cultish 'spend away culture' that exercised a significant number of aspiring election candidates with change on their minds fills the air with the smell of rotting integrity.

It seems that one of Hitler's observation finds an exemplary illustration in Launceston. When he pointed out that “if you tell a big enough lie and tell it frequently enough, it will be believed” is clearly 'on the money' as it were.

Leaking out of Town Hall today are rumours – albeit yet to be smoothed over rumours – that the contractors involved in the city's 'civic works' are in receipt of "extra payments" that are being characterised as bonuses and a range of other characterisations – one or two not so 'nice'. This is somewhat unfortunate. On the other hand a Council engaged with its constituency would be less likely to be the 'victims' of such rumour mongering, or truth telling, whichever it happens to be. 

Yet, how would a hapless bystander ever discover the evidence to even begin to tell what's what in Launceston?

'Trust us, we are your Council' is highly unlikely to run in Launceston. Nonetheless, the characterisation of the elected representatives and the operation wing being TEAMteflon is gaining currency and it is entirely understandable. In the context that 'nothing sticks' – muck, credibility, nothing – rumours/theories/speculations, that  'get a life' for whatever reason at Launceston's Town Hall seem to be able to rely upon 'teflon like clean ability' – and always!

Before the the 'election process' got into full swing Geoff Smedley wrote to The Examiner essentially saying that Launceston 'needed an inquiry before an election'. Well the election went ahead but the case for an inquiry is as viable as it ever was – possibly even more so if accountability and transparency are issues to be dealt with. 

So much for progressing prudently!

Ray Norman Nov 2 2018

SUDDENLY THERE ARE LOSSES AND ITS AN ELECTION

Suddenly there are losses to to be explained away at election time in the Launceston municipality and who would have thunk such a thing was possible. Who would have thunk it!

It gets 'interestinger and interestinger' when at the end of the fiscal year the City of Launceston turned in a $3.5Million plus surplus.

AND THEN, in just four months here we are with a $3.5Million operational loss, and growing potentially, after the Auditor General had checked the books. As they say in backrooms all over the place, "how the hell did that happen?" Shonky bookkeeping? AND, how could it possibly happen at election time?

Operationally, that's approximately $7Million turnaround in four months which in anyone's book is, spectacular. when the city's budget is somewhere in the order of $107Million. 

So, the cumulative 'loss looks like it is thus far', something in the order of 7% of the current operational budget.  BUT, there is unfinished civic works all over the place – Civic Square, The Mall, Riverbend Park, Utas and possibly more still.

On TV on Friday evening's news, Mayor van Zetten acknowledged the loss, and given the sensitivity of the timing, he was 'smoothing over' the situation with the construction work for Riverbend Park working away behind him sucking up the dollars. Beforehand in the Examiner, Ald. Hugh McKenzie was talking up, and trying to hose down community concerns, saying "budget overruns are “unfortunate”, but sometimes unavoidable, ... [when he moved] unanimous motion to see the council adjust its budget" [Link]. 

Before the current Council's last meeting before a new Council is installed the General Manager, Michael Stretton, was in the press hosing down 'community concerns' saying that the' "City of Launceston council’s long term financial plan is “stable”, despite a number of budget changes proposed in the council’s agenda."[Link]

If all this was to be in contention, and without there being a council election in it's final throes, it would be concerning enough. If nothing changes Launceston's ratepayers appear to have more than ever to worry about as 'their council' – governance-wise and operationally – is appearing to be increasingly fiscally flamboyant – and irrationally so. Something that can be entertained if you are able, as council mostly is, to conscript whatever monies it desires – and for whatever purpose too apparently.

Some weeks ago, Geoff Smedly put up the proposition in the Examiner's Letters, paraphrased,  that 'Launceston needed an inquiry as much as, or even more than, an election'. Anyone closely scrutinising the city's 'municipal' affairs'  would  most likely agree. 

As time unfolds, and more and more money is spent/committed, as time unfolds and a place's elective representative are more and more likely to be  representing personal interests and aspirations than much else. As time unfolds aldermen should be required to be functionally accountable and it would seem that the likes of Geoff Smedley are right on the money in suggesting that 'Launceston needs an inquiry' much more than election to flush away self serving representatives disinclined to represent the interests of their constituents.

Put away the smoke bombs, stop flashing the mirrors and spare us the clap trap and humbug ,just bring on the inquiry ASAP!                                                          

IMPORTANT CIVIC MATTER NEEDS RESPONSE

NOW HERE ARE THE PRESS LINKS

• ABC Tasmanian woman waits six months to have gangrenous foot amputated ... Tasmanian pensioner Gail Reynolds is in hospital recovering from the surgery she had to amputate most of her right foot and left big toe after they became gangrenous. Key points Gail Reynolds' surgery for gangrene was delayed three times Her foot was amputated six months after doctors told her she needed the procedure It comes amid increased pressure on the Royal Hobart Hospital, where ED numbers have doubled in the past 12 years Photos of the 70-year-old diabetic's blackened, septic feet are too graphic to be shown. Her family is speaking out, angry and aghast at what has unfolded.... READ ON CLICK HERE

• ABC Woman lashes 'third-world' Tasmanian health system after 34 hours in emergency ... READ ON CLICK HERE

• EXAMINER Emergency department woes at Launceston General Hospital ... An inquiry into the state’s health services has heard the Launceston General Hospital’s emergency department has the highest mortality rate in the state. LGH accident and emergency nurse unit manager Scott Rigby told a Legislative Council sub-committee the hospital’s emergency department had been acknowledged as the worst in the country twice in the past four years. ........... The federal government’s My Hospitals website showed less than half of the patients in need of hospital admission met the four-hour target and 50 per cent of patients waited seven hours and 35 minutes in 2016-17. ........... The department consists of 42 beds with five isolated beds to help with flow-through. ........... "The rest of the beds are mostly full," Mr Rigby said. ........... "The start of the day will have 33 to 36 people in the department and we see 130 a day." ........... He said the LGH had spent the majority of this year at level three escalation, which was known to be the highest level of escalation, primarily because of bed block. ........... Mr Rigby said with bed block, a person in emergency could become even more acutely unwell. ........... "Then you are scrambling to give that person the best care you can," he said. ........... Mr Rigby said nobody had died while waiting for a bed, but the hospital had the highest mortality rate out of all state hospital emergency departments. ........... The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation has provided data to the inquiry which showed up to 16 per cent of admitted patients waiting for at least 24 hours for a bed. ........... Since the start of this year, two patients have waited between 96 and 120 hours, 37 patients waited between 72 and 96 hours, and 47 patients have waited between 60 and 72 hours. ........... The union said mental health patients also experienced long waits in the LGH emergency department. ........... One adolescent spent almost three days in the department with no care plan or a psychiatry team to take over for the patient, it said. ........... Mr Rigby said emergency department workers tended to be used to working in a challenging environment but they were increasingly calling out for more help as they felt strained and isolated. ........... Health Complaints Commissioner Richard Connock told the inquiry on Friday complaints to the commission had increased over recent years in all areas of the health service. ... https://www.examiner.com.au/story/5675379/high-mortality-in-lgh-emergency-department/

IMPORTANT ELECTION INFORMATION FOR LAUNCESTON

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TAKE NOTE LAUNCESTON COUNCIL BUDGET STUFF UP

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This council in Launceston is hopeless, no doubt. At its meeting on 22nd October it was revealed council have overrun the 2018-19 budget by $3.5m in 4 months. The good aldermen must be looking forward to the inquiry that bound to come out of this given all the money that has been thrown at the city. Let us see what happens and what will be revealed in the current political climate. If you vote this same mob back into council, your rate increase could be 10% or more - an average of $150 per year. 

IN THE EXAMINER City of Launceston council’s long term financial plan is “stable”, despite a number of budget changes proposed in the council’s agenda, the general manager Michael Stretton says. ........... The agenda for Monday’s meeting states there will be a decreased revenue of more than $1 million, but Mr Stretton said there is no need for panic. ........... The changes are related to information the council has received from the auditor general. ........... Mr Stretton said the auditor general advised the council works in the capital budget, such as master plans and the planning scheme, were assets that could be capitalised on. ........... “They’re saying that’s an operational cost, so it needs to be counted in the operational budget. It just means we’re adjusting the budget to reflect those changes,” he said. ........... Quotes received by the council for Riverbend Park were the “most significant” change, Mr Stretton said. ........... “They have come in significantly higher than what we estimated, so we’ve had to defer some capital works,” he said. ........... When the project was scoped out a number of years ago it was originally estimated to cost $9 million, but was now expected to cost $11.5 million. ........... Planned and budgets upgrades to the council building and a number of other projects have been deferred to ensure the park is delivered to the community as promised. ........... “There will be a operational deficit, that’s pretty much guaranteed and in terms of the overall, everything taken into account it’s marginal at this point,” Mr Stretton said. ........... “We recorded a $3.5 million surplus last year, so if you look in the swings and roundabouts of it, over the long term it will be sustainable.”

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LAUNCESTON COUNCIL STUFF UP REVEALED AS POLLS CLOSE

CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE EXAMINER

City of Launceston council to discuss budget changes Tarlia Jordan 

 City of Launceston council’s long term financial plan is “stable”, despite a number of budget changes proposed in the council’s agenda, the general manager Michael Stretton says. ............. The agenda for Monday’s meeting states there will be a decreased revenue of more than $1 million, but Mr Stretton said there is no need for panic. ............. The changes are related to information the council has received from the auditor general. ............. Mr Stretton said the auditor general advised the council works in the capital budget, such as master plans and the planning scheme, were assets that could be capitalised on. ............. “They’re saying that’s an operational cost, so it needs to be counted in the operational budget. It just means we’re adjusting the budget to reflect those changes,” he said. ............. Quotes received by the council for Riverbend Park were the “most significant” change, Mr Stretton said. ............. “They have come in significantly higher than what we estimated, so we’ve had to defer some capital works,” he said. ............. When the project was scoped out a number of years ago it was originally estimated to cost $9 million, but was now expected to cost $11.5 million. ............. Planned and budgets upgrades to the council building and a number of other projects have been deferred to ensure the park is delivered to the community as promised. ............. “There will be a operational deficit, that’s pretty much guaranteed and in terms of the overall, everything taken into account it’s marginal at this point,” Mr Stretton said. ............. “We recorded a $3.5 million surplus last year, so if you look in the swings and roundabouts of it, over the long term it will be sustainable.”

YES, YES, but given where we are should ratepayers be looking the other way as it seems the alderpeople may have been! Be aware, be alert, SPINincoming!!

BREAKING NEWS ...WATCH THIS SPACE ... NOW WITH UPDATE

Watch this space for further developments

BASIL FITCH'S UPDATE

UTAS BACK TO NEWNHAM! It is now been established that the building of Utas will be completed by 2022. This will be SEVEN years after signing the memorandum of understanding and STILL NOT A SPADE has been put into the Inveresk site. ................. All the spruikers of this con job wanted to commence building in 2015/16, stating how it was going to be the best thing ever for Launceston. Peter Gutwein said 3000 new jobs – WHERE are they? ................. LCC said it was going to open up all the closed shops in the CBD and create inner city living – WHERE are they Mayor and aldermen? ................. Businesses have said that they are HURTING right now! .................The Mayor said that university parking would be available at the Show Society and Market grounds – so WHERE is it? (bearing in mind we need 2000 spaces according to the Planning Scheme and Code!)................. The traffic management plan is now released and in Saturday’s Examiner. This is just the beginning. WHERE is state growth’s traffic count from the Kmart to Bunnings? If Utas goes ahead it will bring 1500 cars from Newnham. WHERE are all of these cars going to go? ................. With comments from the general manager “these improvements won’t solve all the problems” what will it really look like when the new campus opens? ................. And with traffic in the area which “doesn’t function well now” or “has seen traffic flow impacted for several years” and needs “safer, dedicated pedestrian points” - could we really believe any LCC promises anyway if their traffic flow impact assessment wasn’t accurate for the existing developments in the area at the time council approved all of them? They MUST BE DREAMIN’.................. I call on all interested parties who travel the Charles/Tamar (Victoria) St bridges to take interest in the Council’s movements who are trying to dumb things down to hide what is really going on. .................It is now clear to me why Utas are prolonging any building movements here in Launceston as the Hobart Utas accommodation block of 400 units is going to be built and then all the major courses out at Newnham will be transferred bit by bit to Hobart campus (which you will note has already commenced).................. When the transfers are made, Launceston Utas will become a VOCATIONAL facility ONLY which is designed to create a greater financial flow to Utas. Universities are now run as a business (unfortunately) and that is why the fees are becoming so high to the point where I feel sorry for the students of tomorrow from low income families struggling to make ends meet by being forced to travel and stay in Hobart. ................. The Utas accommodation units in Launceston are $192 per week! ................. Unfortunately the LCC have become politicised in this whole affair. I know because I have witnessed this over the last 3.5 years while observing the current council. I have on numerous occasions warned them that this will happen and that the state government would essentially control aspects of the LCC.

Yes – a BIG CLEAN OUT please! If you have not voted already, IT IS NOT TOO LATE. 

To make sure it arrives by the deadline, please post your ballot by this Thursday. 

Please give me your number 1 vote and I promise to work to resolve this mess. You will receive true value for money as I will not be taking up the alderman salary of $36k. Best regards, Basil.

COUNCIL CANDIDATURE FOR LAUNCESTON

Way, way too late as it is The Examiner has this week been dragging out candidate information for the Council and it is time to call-out the process in play such as it is. Whilst there is much to cause mirth equally there is a great deal revealing itself that should give all Launcestonians serious reasons for concern. The incumbents have been imbibing at the CIVICtrough, and in many instances, for quite a long time. 

Despite all that the candidates collectively have, in their statements, given their constituency not the slightest reason to expect anything than more, and more of the same old, same old.

In their case, its an example of 'not happy Jan' given that when we vote in Local Govt. elections we're not just voting for individuals to do this or that, rather we should be voting for an agenda – for a platform and/or a 'philosophic purpose'. By-and-large, searching for such things in the superficial incumbent candidates' statements is unedifying with perhaps the exception of the Mayor's audacious contribution  –  that's a doozy! Back to that later.

The story is pretty much the same for the aspirant candidates who one assumes are 'browned-off' by what the incumbents have been dealing out for the past four years except in the case of what is forming up to be a 'core group' of credible aspirants.

All-in-all, the crop of candidates on show – 32 strong as it is – have been the victims of an underwhelming press response. If one was a cynic it'd be possible to muster such emptiness and then seek forgiveness, based on an assumption that the 'backroom collective' are pitching for more and more of the same.

Typically these people play their cards very close but the Mayor seems to have blown their cover. in promising to "invite the hidden – and the well-known - leaders to form a Launceston Action Team. We’ll find out what you, the people of Launceston, are passionate about and support you to make the changes". Is he telling us that, if he is elected, he'll finally bring those who have been pulling his strings, his chosen few, out into the open to do what the electorate has appointed him to do, rather the Council to do? Is he really?

The Mayor's 'elect-me-spin', if he's elected, is to enlist a 'team of right minded leaders' – a DREAMteam?. Clearly, this is a signal that Council may already have the backing of such a 'team' right now.

So, is 'the Mayor' perhaps seeking to bring these 'hidden leaders' out from the darkness of the backroom in order that for the next 4 years they can more happily circumvent aldermanic and public scrutiny and accountability? One would hope not!

Voting for candidates based on too little, or no information, is the outcome of a badly broken system.

The various candidates statements typically tell us nothing relative to a policy of any kind. Almost always it is a collection of 'motherhood mumblings'. A voter trying to separate between candidate (A) and candidate (Y) needs to be a clairvoyant.

The candidates generally do not have publicly available contact information to enable comparison of their positions on matters of interest. What is this telling us? How can one to vote for change?

Yet how can anyone vote for more of the same when history tells us, and our bank accounts tell us, the Council has been conscripting our money with spurious outcomes – and now seemingly hatched by unelected and unaccountable outsiders behind closed doors masquerading as a 'team of right minded leaders'.

Ray Norman October 19 2018