JUST WHO ARE OUR CITIZENS

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Just as the council elections loom candidates start to worry about who will vote this time, who they can persuade to vote, and for them, and how they can either hang on to their position around the table or win a seat around the table. 

Almost predictably someone in some council or other brings up the General Manager's Roll. Thanks the 'OUR ABC' we are getting a broader survey of 'opinion' than the 'regional press' has delivered in the past given its political allegiances and dependence on local government for its advertising etc. ... Click here to link to the ABC STORY.

Hobart's GM, Nick Heath, wants to bail out of his responsibility to determine resident's 'citizens' rights' claiming it is not 'core business' for him to be doing it. Well HELLO, it is in the Act, it IS part of his duty statement and he has a choice. He could forfeit the largess of his 'executive salary' and as they say "get out of the kitchen if it is too hot". You are either 'up for it' and 'up to it' or not. So, let's discount the distractions of the likes and dislikes of GMs looking for an easier ride and pay attention to what's important and what's at stake. 

It is a GM's 'role and obligation' to maintain a 'roll' of  citizens with a 'right' to participate in civic life within the jurisdiction he manages.

There may well be a role for the electoral office in mediating in contentious determinations of GM's who may have been moved to make a prejudiced determination from time to time. However, such occasions will be rare.

The Speaker in Tasmania's  Parliament Sue Hickey,  worries that "it [is] too easy to get on the [GM'S] list" is as ill founded as it may be prejudiced. She is an intelligent person and she has been around for a while building a political career. In large part she has been a 'professional loose canon' and her contribution this time, in this local government election and on this subject, raises more questions than legitimate concerns. She may want to appear to be laying her concerns to rest. However, so long as she is imagined to be doing so 'she's on a winner' in the 'being noticed stakes'.

What might she mean by 'too easy' one wonders? Is she, and others, questioning 'blow-in' student's 'citizen status' and if so on what grounds? There's an apparent assumption that these students are all: 'elsewhere people'; non ratepayers; non contributors; culturally irrelevant; young or a member of an unwelcome demographic, etc. These are political determinations and nothing whatsoever to do with social inclusion in a civic sense. The complexities here might not be welcomed by 'simple thinkers' yet the facts are quite simple and straight forward. 

However, there is it appears, always someone who wants to 'fiddle the books' for one reason or another – sometimes called out as the rotten apple syndrome.

In all this it is somewhat interesting that Launceston's Mayor Albert van Zetten, apparently, was elected to Council on his 'Launceston citizen status' granted him by the General Manager at the time. On the available evidence he is not eligible as a ratepayer on the electoral role given that, reportedly, he is resident outside the municipality of Launceston. His 'Launceston citizenship'  has apparently been determined by the GM and it is assumed that his bona fides persists. Presumably, he votes in West Tamar Council elections where it appears he pays rates as well as in Launceston's Council elections where he receives a stipend as the city's mayor..

So, Sue Hickey's 'worries' in Hobart/Tasmania is an interesting intervention and at this time, It comes at a time when residency/citizen status is getting a bit of a run nationally. 

Do we really need to stir the dual citizenship pot cum eligibility debate here and right now?

On several occasions in the past I have raised the proposition with Mayor van Zetten that overseas and interstate students, along with hospital staff, should/could be encouraged the register on the GM's Roll. His response was always been that it wasn't his role to do such a thing. The argument to do it is that these people bring their money to the city in multiple ways and therefore it would be 'good marketing' for the longer term to make these people feel 'at home' here well out into the future. This was an argument put to promote the 'Columbo Plan' in the 1950/60s. It's a class of thinking that might well resonate again in Tasmania/Launceston/Hobart and relevant to the 'marketing' of Tasmania as a 'venue'.

It seems so, so, one dimensional to me to want 'the wealth' these people bring to a place and then want to exclude them on some spurious pretext or other. While this stuff will get called out from time to time as "racism" it's more than that, it is just plain dumb spiced up with a large dose of silliness.

Hobart's current Lord Mayor Ron Christie has said that he had a range of concerns with the GM's Roll. Importantly, in regard to eligibility he has said, "the last thing we want to be accused of is racism". 

He went on to say that in Hobart "we have 116 communities ...  some of them are not citizens of Australia. Some of them want to be citizens of Australia but they still do invest in our city and therefore under the GM's roll and according to law they have a right to vote," he said.  He also indicated that it was possible that there needed to be more scrutiny of the roll.

For me, it is important that those who have an attachment to 'place' for whatever reason need to be welcomed into the 'placemaking' processes that go on within it. Placemaking is the business of a council. Arguably, nothing more and nothing less.

Tourists want to feel comfortable and 'at home' elsewhere 'away from home' and residents from wherever can help do that if they 'feel at home' where they live and work. Increasingly, places like Launceston will need to make visitors to the city feel welcome and 'at home'. Increasingly, the economic well being of places like Launceston need to be more welcoming and less frightened of what, for instance,  a 'youth demographic from elsewhere' might expect or indeed have to offer. The issue is bigger than that but no more complex than this example.

Ray Norman

Independent Researcher

Cultural Geographer

HURRY UP AND GET ALONG TO YOUR COUNCIL IF YOU WANT GET ON THE GM'S ROLL - THE ROLL CLOSES SEPT 13.

GOOD GOVERNANCE FOR LOCAL GOVT

CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE MINISTERS SITE

So as you have the good oil on what the Minister for Good Local Governance thinks that 'good governance' looks like. Then have a good hard think about your experiences and what you have seen in operation. It is edifying and you should ask the candidates that come knocking IF they are going to uphold this guide and hold their other aldermen/councillors to them. IF they wiggle and start talking fast and then change the subject, take careful note and consider not voting for them.

CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE COUNCIL'S SITE

So as you have the good oil on what the Launceston Council thinks that 'good governance' looks like. Then go to the website and have a good hard think about your experiences and what you have seen in operation. Especially about accountability and transparency. It is edifying and you should ask any candidates that comes knocking IF they are going to uphold these values and hold their other aldermen/councillors to them. IF they falter you probably shouldn't vote for them or in retrospect it might have been better if had not if you already did last time.

NB: Launceston City Council no longer talks about 'accountability and transparency' as the Minister does. This is concerning and it might be a goo idea to quiz candidates about their commitment to accountability and transparency. 

CLICK HERE FOR CONTEX

THE COP'S ART SQUAD AND LAUNCESTON'S COUNCIL

BE ALERT, BE AWARE 

We are talking about the Mayor of Launceston's media stunt where he 'called in the cops'. All this may have very little to do with recovering Bret Whiteley's $30K drawing WAVES 5.  All this does however, could have a lot – possibly everything? – to do the Mayor's election prospects. It's a bit uncomfortable, to say the least, being the 'chairperson' of the trustees of a museum that cannot find a drawing with a possible value of $20 -$30K in it collection. Being seen to be 'careless' might be  a little bit uncomfortable too. 

In a press interview the Mayor talked about "transparency" and was implying that he was being 'accountable'. The unfolding story is that the drawing's 'missing status' has been known of for quite some time. It seems that the Mayor, and possibly other Aldermen too, may not have paid serious attention to this the matter earlier. Well maybe not until the news of the matter was likely to 'escape' if the 'wall of silence fell' – and apparently that was on the cards. And there is an election in the air, so 'the go 'might be to fess-up and look cleanish.

Given that the QVMAG's Aldermen/Trustees typically discuss matters such as this behind closed doors, in camera, well away from the glare of public scrutiny, the main consideration on anyone's mind seems to have been, will this story get out. It has!

It did and not because the Mayor went to the cops and the press with a matter of local, state, national and international interest. November might well have been better timing but so be it. It is September, the election is in October and we might well ask what else has been discovered, found to be missing, found damaged, whatever, in a search for a drawing that nobody has seen for 40 years? 

Good questions! At this point are they questions that anyone really wants to answer right now? Perhaps there is another question, did anyone pay any attention, systematic attention, taking note of anything untoward while looking for this drawing? And yes, who is searching under whose supervision?

If there was a hint of accountability or transparency we'd have the answers already. However, the questions keep on posing themselves. Therefore, the very idea that there would be "accountability and transparency" is an idea that seems to fade daily. 

Why? Well this council has built a reputation over its term for meeting behind closed doors and with the imprimatur of it being 'confidential business' under SECTION 62 of the Tasmanian Local Govt Act 1993.

The big question arising is the classic one. Would/could/should we be able to trust these people with our lunch money? The question is rhetorical of course! 

Ratepayers, sponsors and donors to the QVMAG should be expressing their concerns if they have any and now might be a really good a time.

IT IS TIME TO GET GOING AND TO GET REAL

GO TO:https://www.vistaprint.com.au/ FOR YOUR MARKETING

LCC NEWS has struck a deal with 'vistaprint' and they will deliver on it for you. The deal involves you being a serious and concerned citizen who is worried about too many clowns being elected this upcoming election. The deal requires that you as a NON CANDIDATE wishing to support one or more candidates, and produce marketing material to back up your support, consider using this mob. 

You do everything you see fit and you pick up the affordable tab – say what you like, feel free to make the running IF your candidate/s are 'ridgy didg'. 

Your reward, hopefully, will be a Council full of representatives rather than seat warmers, time servers, stipend collectors, lazy prats. non-doers, posers, et al. This class of candidate that you will be supporting will be up front about what they support and out there supporting it and you.

IT IS TIME that local government experienced real change and all this is but the early stages of fixing a broken system. Tasmania spends way too much on dysfunctional representatives and inept functionaries. IT IS TIME that it stopped and that half a million people do not need to spend something like $2billion plus for as little as we get for it. IN THE MEANTIME select as well as we can and keep on their hammer for accountability and transparency.

LCC NEWS suggests that; 

• you consider getting  a Tshirt for yourself and a couple of friends;
• think about a 'I support SO&SO business card' and hand them out;
• think about getting some magnetic cards and put them on the fridge & around your network
• think about getting some coloured post cards and pinning them up wherever
• think about getting some rack cards and distributing them all over the place
• think about putting this message out on your SMARTphone

IT IS TIME 

KEEP YOUR MESSAGE SIMPLE

RATEPAYERS FIRST SECOND & THIRD

HOLD YOUR REPS TO ACCOUNT UNTIL WE GET REAL CHANGE

Sadly for now we are stuck with SECTIONS 62 & 65 and that's no joke

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE ACT

WORRY IT MATTERS A LOT

WORRY THE MOST WHEN IT IS HIGH 

OFFICE THAT THEY ARE AFTER

QVMAG TREASURE HAS GONE AWOL

THIS IS NOT THE WORK THAT IS MISSING BUT IT IS A REALATED WORK ALONG WITH A PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST

People of a certain age seem to remember Bret Whiteley and all the consternation that surrounded his life and work. What he did and stood for challenged the status quo and the ordinary. In so many ways he, and indeed his family, have been at the edge of a great deal of what has made Australian cultural production what it is looking from the sharp end of the vernacular.

For a somewhat conservative cultural institution such as the QVMAG to have had the wit and cultural wherewithal to collect a risky contemporary work – a drawing WAVES V – of an artist such as Whiteley is more than notable. It took a bit more vision than might has been appreciated at the time – Australia in the 1970s.

For the drawing to dissolve unnoticed into some kind of curatorial oblivion is disappointing in one sense and not unexpected in another given the ad hoc manner in which musingplaces in Australia developed and maintained their collections.

Regions well away from metropolitan centres yearn to be bigger, better, brighter in competition with their cousins  in the metropolitan world. Sadly where that's the case its meaningless and especially so when it is spiked with hubris. Oh my goodness, we are punching above our weight!? Dreams of innocence and greatness, whatever, they are in the end  just that. Typically such imaginings depend on disclaiming a reality that can be its own form of hubris.

But what has this to do with a missing drawing in the collection of a regional musingplace with a missing drawing made by one of Australia's most significant artists and apparently since the late 1970s at the time it was acquired?

For what 'purpose' would a musingplace gather 200,000 object together, with an estimated dollar value it $240Million other to maintain a research resource? However, the QVMAG, strategically, does not articulate its 'purpose' – and clearly speculative institutional research plays hardly any part. Rather, it talks about its 'mission' "to grow, preserve, interpret and share the QVMAG collections in an inclusive, creative and sustainable way in perpetuity" – in other words, simply fulfil an institutional cost centre aspiration to 'be there' – and ideally forever. Well, on the evidence, in large part the QVMAG has fulfilled that aspiration albeit seemingly 'without purpose' – quite possibly without purposefulness – and consequently any dividends appear to be coincidental rather than purposeful.

Interestingly, the institution looks very much like it has taken, and relied upon, its own 'expert advice' at management level and it appears as if the 'trustees' – the aldermen – have given it the OK. That is, without actually asking themselves 'why are we conscripting funds for this purpose/aspiration from our constituency?' Let alone proactively including the institution's Community of Ownership & Interest (COI) in the determination of institutional policy making and/or the determination of strategic directions. And then there are the matters of accountability, due diligence and transparency with the COI in mind.

Just being there is a kind of 'theme park' aspiration that has value but museums and art galleries can and do that and offer their COI much more than slaking curiosities. Interestingly the QVMAG is listed as a "theme park" in the city's tourist attractions, arguably selling the institution's value short.

Laudable, as it may be to have a musingplace there does need to be some 'purpose' in having one to provide its management with 'performance guidelines'. In a 21st C context just being there no longer quite enough when it comes to funding and resource allocation.

While it' is said that the "City of Launceston owns the museum" culturally, morally and ethically, law and lore seem to be in conflict at Launceston's Town Hall where the 'trustees' reside and for the most part careless of QVMAG's existence. That is until news of a missing drawing makes the national cum international 'world news'.

Again, what has this got to do with a missing drawing held in the QVMAG's collections? Well it comes down to the acknowledgement of the accountability on the part of the QVMAG's Trustees to the COI and then assessing the institution's 'purposefulness'. When something is held in a collection this should be done with more purpose than say an exhibit 'Bullens Circus and Menagerie' where purposefulness was mostly to do with entertainment and the quenching of curiosities in order to make a profit.

So, when something disappears from view in a musingplace, its purposefulness  – the object's and the institution's – is blighted and compromised. It is a point at which the musingplace's performance and cost benefit might be thoroughly reassessed. It is a point where its delivered dividends, social, cultural and fiscal might be profitably assessed.

In the case, of the QVMAG, 'just being there' delivers something in that the institution gains a budget that affords the employment for something in the order of 50 people with skill sets the community might not otherwise have access to. With an operating budget of  $6plus million', a notional average 'levy' of something in the order $130, the cost per visitation being something in the order of $50plus there are some serious numbers to be crunched, values to be assessed and current relevance to be thought about.

There is a trickle down effect to all  that in that the institution 'adds value' to the community just by 'being there' even if it is only delivering nominal value relative to inputs. The extent to which fiscal concerns do unavoidably comes up, and they are contentious, that is unsurprising. When the community is conscripted to fund the institution via their 'rate and tax demands' funding v's dividends – cultural, social, fiscal – is ever likely to be on the agenda.

So, where does this missing drawing from the QVMAG's collections take us?

1. Firstly, it raises further questions like, are there any more missing objects? 
2. How appropriate is the institution's current governance in a 21st C context – policy determination and strategic development? 
3. Is the institution's management really open to criticism and critique?
4. Is the institution actually delivering dividends commensurate with investments made on the part of the institution's COI?

On the second question, once looked for, there are bound to be all kinds of anomalies as there is a search going on for at least one other set of objects albeit without the fiscal value attached to Whiteley's WAVES V.

Link

• ABC story and video on Bret Whiteley ... CLICK HERE

Ray Norman

Independent Researcher

Launceston

Brett Whiteley's Waves V drawing is still missing from QVMAG 

Johanna Baker-Dowdell......... https://www.examiner.com.au/news/local-news/5617812/waves-v-still-missing-from-qvmag/

The whereabouts of Brett Whiteley's Waves V drawing, which is owned by QVMAG, is still unknown. Brett Whiteley said, “Drawing is the art of being able to leave an accurate record of the experience of what one isn’t, of what one doesn't know”...................... The last part of that quote is apt for Launceston art lovers, as there is a piece of Whiteley’s art we may never know, even though it is part of the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Galley’s collection...................... Whiteley’s Waves V drawing was bought by the museum in 1976 and recorded as part of its collection, but has not been seen since. ..................... It has never been displayed in Launceston. ..................... I’m disappointed it wasn’t on show. Carolyn Riley..................... Launceston Art Society president Carolyn Riley said she was unaware the museum had a Whiteley work, but said the mystery around its disappearance was “a bit exciting”...................... “I’m disappointed it wasn’t on show,” she said. ..................... “It would be nice if we could have some sort of recognition of his work.” ..................... There is no photographic or digital image of the drawing, which Whiteley produced in the mid 1970s. ..................... Waves V was bought for $800 and its value is unknown, however similar works have sold between $20,000 and $30,000. ..................... Gallery storage containers have been searched and employees from the time when the Whiteley work was acquired have been contacted. ..................... City of Launceston owns the museum.

A TURN UP FOR THE BOOKS: Darren's bailed from Launceston's Council

Well, well, well how the worm turns. In 2014, and at about this time of year, the then Mr Alexander was aspiring to be Launceston's mayor [Link] but he pulled up short. 

So, now its 2018 and Ald/Mr Alexander has bailed, thrown in the towel and is as they say "is moving on"! As is usual at times like this there is always a colleague or two hanging around to say what a good chap you've been and to "wish you well in your next venture" etc. etc . etc. – see below.

Looking ahead Launcestonians will have at least one seat around the table filled with a new alderman. And, its looking like its going to be a bit of a tussle for others as we listen to the punters as we go around the traps door knocking.

Last week's goings on in Canberra will not be going unnoticed around town and what looked like a reasonable strategy last week, well its not looking so clever this week.

Party politics has a rather nasty smell about it in local government! And, it's really on the nose now.

With news that Launceston's population is shrinking, while Tasmania's is growing significantly, Darren's move may well be an exemplar of what's actually going on and why. However, one shouldn't be frightening the horses too much.

When Darren joined Council: 

• The city's debt was nominal but it has now blown out to $20million or thereabouts; 
• The University of Tasmania (UTAS) was also ticking along albeit quietly while currently it's in upheaval with large slabs of its program under threat; 
• The City Council had not yet promised to hand over large slabs of land to UTAS that may or may not be built on;
• You could still buy Lonnie's Boags beer at York Park; and
• The silos were still empty.

So, the world moves on and we need to keep on bracing ourselves for change.

CLICK HERE TO GO TO SOURCE

FROM THE EXAMINER ... Darren Alexander has quit as alderman of City of Launceston Council. ............ Mr Alexander made the announcement during the council’s August meeting on Monday. ............ “Today will be my last day as an alderman of this great city,” Ald Alexander told his colleagues at the meeting. ............ “I have truly enjoyed my time on the City of Launceston Council and, more importantly, I’ve enjoyed working with all aldermen throughout this term.” ............ Fellow alderman Danny Gibson paid tribute to his colleague on social media. ............ “Alderman Darren Alexander has today resigned from our City of Launceston. I wish him well,” Ald Gibson wrote on Facebook. ............ Ald Alexander was elected at the 2014 local government elections and cited business and family reasons behind the decision. ............ Alderman Darren Alexander (centre) with his local government colleagues after being elected to the City of Launceston Council in 2014. Alderman Darren Alexander (centre) with his local government colleagues after being elected to the City of Launceston Council in 2014. ............ City of Launceston council mayor Albert van Zetten thanked Alderman Alexander for his time on the council. ............ “Darren has been a larger-than-life addition to the council and it has been fantastic to have an alderman who is such an enthusiast for technology and the business sector represented in Launceston,” Ald van Zetten said. ............ As the resignation comes within six months of a local government election, there will not be a recount for Ald Alexander’s position on the council. ............The Launceston council elections will be held in October.

OPINION: IT'S TIME

OPINION: If you go down to Town Hall today you'll feel the tension beginning to build. Time is running out for the Mayor and the ground is shifting under his feet. The numbers are growing for those who want to knock his hat off. Also, Ald. Finlay looks less and less likely to get enough puff to knock it off.

Albert is in the line-up again apparently because there's a branch of a political party that wants to 'rain on Janie's parade' and curiously, they seem to see him as some kind of Messiah. 

However, recent events in Canberra have begun to shoot holes in that strategy. Here it might be worth considering 2 Corinthians 10:12  “Not that we dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of those who are commending themselves. But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding.”

Politicising local government in a 'party context' is ever likely to backfire given the way the ground shifts. Not putting too fine a point on it, fingers can, and do, get burnt.  Long ago, Socrates in his wisdom recommended that one needed “to find yourself and then think for yourself” and in local government, if one has the wherewithal, that advice stands up well in a representational role.

Currently within the candidates lining up for the 'Top Jobs' there are three of the five so far who do not have  'party allegiances' or aspirations beyond community representation. That's very refreshing given that they look like they can also divine the difference between up and down, in and out.

In the 'deputy's camp' as yet its still unclear but those wishing to 'sideline Janie' have got one contender who has declared himself. However, others have joined the dance and are positioning themselves and beginning to 'bay for blood' given the overall background performances and the incumbency's culture of 'seat warming'. However, some may simply be jostling for place at the trough, – so beware and aware.

In the representative's camp you would like to think that that there will be alternatives to the status quo given that 'the quo' have well and truly lost or forfeited their status.

Dr Tandra Vale

Cultural Commentator