By Luke Voogt
Ratepayers Geelong has slammed council for voting to send Mayor Bruce Harwood on another “junket” to Kuala Lumpur weeks after he returned from the city.
The group’s president Andrew Senia was gobsmacked when the Indy phoned him on Wednesday morning, following the split council vote Tuesday night.
“You’re joking… come on,” he said.
“There’s no need to go. It’s a total waste of ratepayers’ money with no short term or long term benefits.
“We are really getting sick and tired of this.”
Cr Harwood will return to Kuala Lumpur next Tuesday for the launch of Avalon Airport’s first international service following an invitation from Air Asia X chief Benyamin Ismail.
The decision comes after Cr Harwood returned from Kuala Lumpur on 26 June, after visiting the city during an 18-day, $18,000 trip to represent Geelong at a UNESCO Creative Cities Network annual meeting.
But council had “nothing” to do with Air Asia, Avalon Airport operator Linfox or the Department of Defence, which owns the site, Mr Senia said.
Cr Harwood had yet to “fully account” for his activities on the last trip and outline the benefits of his travels to Scotland, Italy, Poland and Malaysia, he said.
He urged ratepayers to “unite” with his group to give themselves a “stronger voice”.
“Ratepayers in general seem to think it’s a fait accompli, that there’s nothing they can do about this sort of behaviour. But there is!”
Mr Senia advised council to stick primarily to “rates, rubbish and roads”.
“I again encourage them to remember who is paying for their salaries and all this waste which is going on,” he said.
“Ratepayers Geelong is very disappointed, not only in the mayor but also in the councillors – it’s time to look at their conduct.”
Councillors Kylie Grzybek and Eddy Kontelj voted against the latest trip on Tuesday night, citing a short turnaround and lack of notice for the launch.
“I understand the reasons we should be there,” Cr Grzybek told the Indy on Wednesday.
“I just couldn’t justify the community spending that extra money to go back again (two weeks later).”
But council approved the trip as the significance of the launch justified Cr Harwood’s attendance to represent Geelong, a City Hall statement said.
Attending the launch would strengthen ties with AirAsia and Malaysia and demonstrate Geelong’s commitment to the service, Cr Harwood said.
“The long-term impact of AirAsia’s move to Geelong will be immensely positive for the Geelong community and its benefits cannot be underestimated.
“There will be increased employment opportunities, freight movement and this move will open up Geelong and the Great Ocean Road to more international visitors.”
