By Luke Voogt
Geelong’s council monitors have failed to file written reports with State Government despite costing ratepayers thousands of dollars, a Freedom of Information (FOI) request has revealed.
Lawyer and former Geelong mayor Stretch Kontelj was “staggered” to discover that the two state-appointed monitors had failed to send a single letter, email or report on the performance and operation of council.
“The ratepayers of Geelong deserve more for the ($2400) per day charge rate being earned by the two monitors,” he said.
Mr Kontelj lodged an FOI request for copies of such correspondence in February and received a response on 2 May.
Local Government Victoria found no documents “relevant to the request” despite a “thorough and diligent search,” the response read.
“If that’s the case, I question the role of the monitors,” Mr Kontelj said.
“(My) concern is that the monitors are clandestinely reporting their observations to local members of government in secret coffee shop meetings.”
But ratepayers had a right to know if council was doing a good job, so they could hold City Hall to account, Mr Kontelj said.
“As matters stand, the ratepayers are paying the monitors’ fees, but not receiving any feedback in return. This isn’t transparent democracy.”
State Government last year appointed Jude Munro and Peter Dorling to monitor Geelong’s newly elected council.
Ms Munro would work two days a week for $2400 while Mr Dorling would work one day a fortnight for $1200, State Government stated at the time.
Then Local Government Minister Natalie Hutchins said the cost for both monitors “would be capped at $480,000” over three years.
Ratepayers Geelong president Andrew Senia described the monitors as a waste of ratepayer money.
“Why are we paying such a large amount of money when it certainly seems the monitors are not needed?” he asked.
“The evidence, as I read it, is that they haven’t contributed. So why are the ratepayers paying for their salary?”
Ratepayers Geelong was doing a better job of monitoring council without charging “a cent”, he added.
Mr Dorling failed to respond to the Indy’s requests for comment before it went to press yesterday.
