The Terrier: Carol Altmann | Writer
The Terrier: Carol Altmann
Reviews
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25.01.2022 More on the Ombudsman's report: The Myrtle Bar & Kitchen. Readers will recall the story on The Terrier about the almost $700 dinner held at the Myrtle Bar & Kitchen and attended by City Growth Manager Andrew Paton, David McMahon, Cr Sue Cassidy and the head of the Great Ocean Road Regional Tourism authority. This dinner was paid for on Mr Paton's credit card and included five bottles of shiraz. (https://www.the-terrier.com.au/just-one-credit-card-no-its/)... Here is what Mr Paton has told the Ombudsman by way of explanation: "When the evening finished and we settled the bill, I looked at the bill and I was shocked by it. My initial thought was to query it, and then split the bill; and I didn’t do that, and, and I regret it. "So I can see what that looks like, it’s about, oh we’re building a relationship with GORRT by wining and dining them, and I get that, totally get that perception. "But the picture for me and how I rationalised it, was the outcomes that I got from that discussion, that on balance I had good outcomes, but it didn’t meet my personal standards. "That dinner with Great Ocean Road Regional Tourism delivered some good things, but there are some things that could have been done better that I regret." ---- I wonder what the "outcomes" and "good things" from this dinner were - wouldn't it be great to see a public report! The Ombudsman records that Cr Sue Cassidy last October voluntarily repaid $200 toward this bill after she regarded it as "excessive". I guess that's something. On a similar note, the $1476 dinner held at Pippies By the Bay Restaurant in May 2018 - reported as part of this same story - has led to greater restraint on Sister City functions. In 2018, it was "free reign in ordering", so of course everyone went for the lobster and abalone. As the Ombudsman reports: "(this) did not meet community expectations and it (the council) has taken steps to allocate a moderate per head allowance to these meals". All of which reminds me of the line I wrote in that original story: "...this is not about catching people breaking the law...but exposing the steaming pile of inappropriate and unjustifiable spending that gives so little return to the ratepayer. It’s this unjustifiable spending via poor governance that people want independently audited, cleaned up and cleaned out." I have to say I am feeling a little emotional as I write all this, knowing that this has now all been exposed after a true team effort, and change has come as a result. It has been a long road. More soon.
25.01.2022 More on the Ombudsman's report - some key names: Former WCC tourism chief David McMahon: found by the Ombudsman to have clearly misused his credit card and has recommended the council investigate further and consider police action. The council accepts this recommendation. ... Mr McMahon, the report says, has since expressed remorse, regret and shame and admitted he had openly betrayed his manager, Andrew Paton. ---- City Growth Manager, Andrew Paton: the report says Mr Paton felt deceived by Mr McMahon, whom he trusted. Given Mr McMahon adjusted some of his receipts and invoices, Mr Paton "could be excused for some of his errors" in approving this spending and failing to pick up other excessive spending "was due to his own inadvertence". The report says Mr Paton was considered by former CEOs Bruce Anson and Peter Schneider to be "of the highest level of professionalism and integrity and that he accepted his mistakes". Even so, the report says, once Mr McMahon's spending was first exposed in November 2018 (after the Cape Schanck function), a "more structured approach to addressing the problem should have been instituted ... including revisiting credit card oversight processes". ----- Former CEO Bruce Anson: took Mr McMahon's explanations at face value and considered a first and final warning to be an appropriate response after Mr McMahon repaid some of his spending in November 2018. At that time, based on Mr McMahon's explanations, Mr Anson did not believe Mr McMahon's conduct was criminal or corrupt and did not report it to IBAC. Given this was Mr Anson's belief, the Ombudsman accepts Mr Anson was not legally required to report the matter to IBAC. He should, however, have reported it to the council's Internal Auditor for further investigation, the report says. Mr Anson "acknowledged in retrospect there should have been an independent audit of David McMahon’s credit card transactions in accordance with Council policy." ---- Former CEO Peter Schneider: was not aware of Mr McMahon's credit card misuse - or the first and final warning in Nov 2018 - until inquiries by the media (The Terrier) in mid last year. Mr Schneider met with Mr McMahon in early July last year and asked if there was anything else he should be aware of. Mr McMahon said no. After stories began to appear in The Terrier, Mr Schneider began his own inquiries on 8 July. Mr McMahon resigned on 16 July 2019, having repaid a further $3071. Mr Schneider referred the matter to IBAC on 15 July, under mandatory notification. The council later hired an external auditor to assess the council's credit card policies and make changes. A memorable line from Mr Schneider in the report: "When asked by the investigation what a reasonable meal purchase under Council’s policies would be, Peter Schneider noted that a meal might be a ham and cheese sandwich, not ‘a T-bone steak washed down with a bottle of Grange". Amen to that. The auditor's 10 recommendations to follow.
25.01.2022 New: Next up tonight is new Warrnambool City Council candidate Jim Burke who has been a long-time follower of The Terrier. In this interview, I found out more about the man behind that magnificent beard and what he hopes to bring to council. I hope these short video chats and written answers to 10 questions help you to decide who has your vote at this next election. Click on the link to hear more from Jim and his ideas. ... #WCC2020 #warrnamboolvotes #election2020 https://www.the-terrier.com.au/wcc-candidate-jim-burke-cha/
25.01.2022 First up (no video): Warrnambool City Council election candidate Thomas Campbell is a familiar face to those who follow local elections, as he has run previously in state, federal and the 2016 WCC election, and he still has that same passion for politics and people. Unfortunately we were unable to co-ordinate our times to record a video, but Thomas has answered the 10 Terrier questions, which you can find via the link below, together with his how-to-vote card: https://www.th...e-terrier.com.au/wcc-candidate-thomas.../ A bit later tonight I will have another familiar face to Warrnamboolians, in Liebig St trader Max Taylor, from Taylor's Surfodesy. #vote #votewarrnambool #2020election #WCC2020
25.01.2022 Now for something different - a Deputy Mayor! Richard Ziegeler has been nominated by Angie Paspaliaris. He is the sole nomination and is elected unanimously. The council has now passed a motion for loyalty to Australia which is put by Otha Akoch, a South Sudanese man and the first South Sudanese man elected to a regional council in Victoria. This is emotional to watch. Richard has also put a motion to thank the previous councillors. We are watching and listening to a little bit of history tonight. And the first meeting of the new council has come to a close.
24.01.2022 Famous film maker Quentin Terrier-tino has been at it again...
24.01.2022 Tonight: Young Gunditjmara woman Jess Chatfield speaks from the heart about her fight to save Framlingham forest and the Hopkins River from a bluestone quarry that is proposed for land nearby. This 8m work was created by Jess under the guidance of Warrnambool's best digital storyteller, Colleen Hughson, who is an extraordinary teacher. This mentorship was funded by the Judith Neilson Institute for Journalism and Ideas, who generously supported an idea put forward by The Ter...rier and which has now come to life. Jess is a natural storyteller and it has been a privilege to be a part of this mentorship and to learn so much from Jess and her family along the way. I am going to miss our Fridays, but this will not be the last you hear from Jess, I just know it. Judith Neilson Institute for Journalism and Ideas #communitystories #activism #speakingup #indigenous
24.01.2022 NEW: Oh the tangled web. Warrnambool can be a very, very small place when it comes to who knows who, and who ends up where, how, and why. Which is why I asked Lyndoch Living this week how it manages the potential conflicts of interest around Lyndoch board member and now Lyndoch chair, Sue Cassidy. I asked this because Ms Cassidy, who joined the Lyndoch board in 2017, is married to David Cassidy who operates Cassign: a very successful signage company that has operated in Warrn...Continue reading
23.01.2022 Update: The Ombudsman's report reveals the 10 recommendations from the external auditor that were adopted by the council in March this year. Why, oh why, were these rules around credit cards not in place in the first place? They seem so straight forward. Here is the summary of the changes:... 1. Provide fraud and corruption control training to all Council staff including reporting of actual or suspected fraud and corruption. 2. Review and update Fraud and Corruption Control Plan and Procedure to include fraud incident reporting protocols to the Council. 3. Establish a criterion to determine the need for a credit card by a staff member. 4. Review and update the existing Corporate Credit Card Procedures, including to stipulate the roles and responsibilities of an authoriser, create list of risk factors for authorisers to be aware and create guidelines on ‘taking face value explanations’ versus ‘appropriate inquiry’. 5. Provide training to authorisers with respect to approval of monthly credit card expenses. 6. Review and update the existing Fraud and Corruption Controls Procedure to include specific trigger points when an independent auditor should be brought in (i.e. the period after unusual/misuse has been identified to when possible fraud is suspected). 7. Implement a process wherein pre-approvals (except CEO) shall be required for expenses such as (but not limited to): a. Business travel b. Accommodation c. Conferences d. Seminars 8. Implement an approval process which aligns with the practice recommended by the Victorian Auditor General. (The Council’s Chief Financial Officer or Director Corporate Strategies, shall approve CEO’s credit card expenditure, and table the full transaction history to the Audit and Risk Committee for periodic review.) 9. Implement ongoing reporting and monitoring processes that fosters continuous improvement of credit card processes (with suggested areas for improvements including implementing Breach reports and Repeat Offenders report) 10. Incorporate a process wherein Statutory Declarations are witnessed by one of the many people authorised to do so (outside the Council). I have one more update to come. You can download the full report here: https://parliament.vic.gov.au//Ombudsman_-_Investigation_i
23.01.2022 New: Next up tonight we have WCC election candidate Angie Paspaliaris who has been a fixture in the public gallery of most council meetings for several years now. Angie and I have often raised the same issues and frustrations over the years, but this is the first time I have actually sat down with Angie to have a good chat. I hope you enjoy this short video - click on the link to find it, plus Angie's responses to 10 questions and her "how to vote" card.... What a wide range of candidates we have running in 2020 and I hope these profiles are helping you to get to know the new candidates a little better. #votewarrnambool #WCC2020 #election2020 https://www.the-terrier.com.au/wcc-candidate-angie-paspali/
23.01.2022 NEW: It's been a long time since I have written about Lyndoch Living. Now is the right time to dive back in. https://www.the-terrier.com.au/lyndoch-budget-blowout-a-fi/
23.01.2022 New: First up tonight in the new Warrnambool City Council candidate profiles is Otha Akoch, and little later is Angie Paspaliaris. Otha is a quietly spoken man who has lived in Warrnambool for 18 years since migrating from his homeland of Tonga, in South Sudan, which is part of the Shilluk Kingdom. He is yet another candidate that I could have easily chatted with for two hours about his fascinating earlier life in Sudan, and his new life in our city.... Click on the link below to hear a little of Otha's ideas, plus his written answers to 10 questions, and his "how to vote" card of preferences. This is the first time I had met Otha and despite my practicing how to say his surname at least five times - "A-kotch" - I stuffed it up. I decided to just leave it in and have a laugh. Thankyou, Otha, for being so gracious with my re-takes. #votewarrnambool #WCC2020 #election2020 https://www.the-terrier.com.au/wcc-candiate-otha-akoch-tal/
23.01.2022 Update: I have been crunching the numbers from the VEC on the clean sweep at the Warrnambool City Council today and here is how the full 24 candidates landed in order after preferences. A candidate needed to reach 2677 to win. 1. Vicki Jellie. 2. Otha Akoch. 3. Angie Paspaliaris.... 4. Debbie Arnott 5. Ben Blain 6. Max Taylor 7. Richard Ziegeler ---- 8. Peter Sycopoulis (2403 - 337 votes short of a spot) 9. Lynn Hudson (1791) 10. Michael Neoh (1535) 11. Jim Burke (1320) 12. Tracey Togni (1140) 13. Matt Walsh (970) 14. Bruce Campbell (887) 15. Sue Cassidy (808) 16. Kylie Gaston (636) 17. Michael McCluskey (542) 18. David Owen (492) 19. Thomas Campbell (378) 20. Steve Moore (369) 21. Anthony Earnshaw (336) 22. Cassandra Prigg (263) 23. Andrew Squires (185) 24. Jacinta Anderson (182) I will be back later this afternoon with a piece once I digest this unprecedented result.
23.01.2022 Fabulous Friday: A few things to post tonight...and I will start with links to the candidate Facebook pages all of the sitting councillors who are seeking re-election because apparently there may be voters out there who have never heard of them and I am doing a disservice by not including their profiles in my coverage. The first is Cr Kylie Gaston, who is seeking a third council term. https://www.facebook.com/CrKylieGaston... The second is Cr Michael Neoh, who is seeking a fifth term (first elected 2004). https://www.facebook.com/Vote1Neoh The third is Cr David Owen who is second a second term. https://www.facebook.com/David-Owen-for-Warrnambool-Council-119149016595928 The fourth is Cr Sue Cassidy who is seeking a second term. https://www.facebook.com/Sue-Cassidy-for-Warrnambool-City-Council-106064707909302 And the fifth is Cr Peter Sycopoulis who is seeking a full second term, having re-entered council in March on a count back. https://www.facebook.com/petersycopoulisacouncilforthepeople The last of the new candidate profiles will be rolled out tonight and Sunday night. Starting with Thomas Campbell and, a little later, Max Taylor. We are in the home straight now! #votewarrnambool #2020election #WCC2020 #vote
23.01.2022 New: I have had terrific comments about these little videos and how people are enjoying getting to know a bit more about the new Warrnambool City Council election candidates. First up tonight I have a new face to Warrnambool, Lynn Hudson, who is a retired lawyer now living in our city and bringing a wealth of experience with her, and - later tonight- a well-known face to Warrnambool, business woman Tracey Togni, owner of Phinc in the CBD. As mentioned last week, before the ba...llot papers arrive in your mailbox from next Tuesday, I will be running a single post with links to ALL 19 new candidate profiles. I will also run a post with the "how to vote" cards of each candidate who is setting out their preferences. Remember, these how to vote cards are just a guide from the candidate, but they give an indication of who that candidate would like to see in the final seven. The main thing is to list who YOU think would be best on the new Warrnambool City Council: from number one right through to 24. It is a tough decision, but we are so fortunate to have some excellent contenders. Click on the link below to hear more from Lynn. #votewarrnambool #WCC2020 #vote #Election2020 https://www.the-terrier.com.au/wcc-candidate-lynn-hudson-t/
22.01.2022 Be warned! I had no idea it was illegal to park, or half park, on a nature strip and I don't think I am Han Solo there. Under a state law enforced by councils, it is a $95 fine. Earlier today I had to do a quick trip around town and so kept a bit of a count of the number of vehicles parked on nature strips...I stopped at 50 spotted in about 15 mins. ... Thankyou to reader Sallyann H for alerting me to this, so I can alert you and hopefully save you 95 cool ones along the way. Be sure to help spread the word.
21.01.2022 New: Next up tonight we have WCC candidate Richard Ziegeler, who I first interviewed when I was about 24 and had brown hair. We have both changed a little since then. This is Richard's second tilt at council. As mentioned last night, I hope these short video profiles and answers to 10 written questions help you to get to know each candidate a little better and what they hope to bring to the council, if elected after 24 October. We are so fortunate to have so many quality can...didates standing for 2020. Thankyou to all of them for having a chat with me. (If you have any specific questions of a candidate, you can contact them on their Facebook page, with a link at the end of the profile.) #vote #election2020 #warrnamboolvotes https://www.the-terrier.com.au/wcc-candidate-richard-ziege/
21.01.2022 NEW: A warning. If you were around in the 80s, you are about to suffer a serious ear worm because we are now entering THE FINAL COUNTDOWN! After what seems like weeks for a methodical count, we will know by mid-morning who has been elected to the new Warrnambool City Council. No matter what happens tomorrow, we have already witnessed history. Warrnambool has never seen an election quite like this one....Continue reading
21.01.2022 NEW: Former WCC councillor Kylie Gaston is the last of the five affidavits to be lodged in defence of the sacking of former CEO Peter Schneider. It was lodged late Monday and released by the Supreme Court today, after the Cup holiday. In it, Ms Gaston claims the former CEO was under-performing virtually from day one and, a month after he started, both she and the former Mayor were checking the fine print of his contract. You can read the full piece here: https://www.the-terrier.com.au/former-wcc-chief-under-scru/
20.01.2022 ...AND last, but definitely not least, I am pleased to say that the highly sought after, limited-edition, inspirational-troll-quote Terrier t-shirt has been won by a follower and Tip Jar contributor with the initials MB. I am keeping it as MB, because I have found that following and supporting The Terrier is considered by some to be a radical act...such are the times in which we live. Thankyou to every single one of you who has contributed to the Tip Jar these past weeks, mo...nths and year. You help keep this whole "radical act" - aka public interest journalism - going. See you on Sunday. [If you would like to visit the Tip Jar, you can find it here: https://tinyurl.com/y2u4pc8v]
20.01.2022 NEW: As the year comes to a close, I wish I could do more for those who contact me about Lyndoch Living. Whenever I write about Lyndoch aged care, I get a stream of messages from readers, most of whom thank me for just listening, even if I can't help. People care about Lyndoch and its residents: the staff who have to go to extraordinary lengths just to get a message to me, for fear of being "caught" talking to The Terrier, and the families of residents, and friends of residen...Continue reading
20.01.2022 The full set of Terrier interviews with new candidates in the WCC election, plus links to the FB pages of councillors running again. This has been a marathon and it ain't over yet, so I am taking a couple of days down time to catch my breath. Thankyou to everyone who has sent me such terrific feedback about the Terrier's campaign coverage. It's now over to you!... https://www.the-terrier.com.au/wcc-election-2020-all-terri/ See more
20.01.2022 NEW: As promised, I am bringing more voices to The Terrier and tonight we have guest poster Jim Burke, who I am thrilled to see has decided to keep writing about the nitty gritty of Warrnambool City Council affairs beyond his recent run at the election (he came in a very respectable 11th from 24, in what was his first attempt). Jim's piece responds to an article in last week's paper that saw several retired councillors say the result of the WCC election was "undesirable" beca...use it saw a clean sweep. I am with Jim on his response, "really!" How can such a decisive result from a full and fair vote be "undesirable"? Jim pulls this apart in his piece, which you can read here: https://www.the-terrier.com.au/undesirable-result-was-the-/
20.01.2022 New: Next up tonight in the new WCC candidates profiles is Vicki Jellie. While Vicki already has a significant profile from her work with Peter's Project and the fantastic cancer centre we now have in Warrnambool as a result, I can tell you that she is working just as hard as the other new candidates to make sure she earns your vote - this includes agreeing to be my first video that I made for this series. Thankyou, Vicki, for tolerating my amateur video skills, but more impo...rtantly, thankyou for being one of the 19 new candidates who are hoping to make a difference in this election. Click on the link below for the short video, the written answers to my 10 questions and a link to Vicki's Facebook page. #election2020 #voteWarrnambool #WCC2020 #vote https://www.the-terrier.com.au/wcc-candidate-vicki-jellie-/
19.01.2022 Tonight: I am taking some down time (for real!), but I have two posts - a shared, serious one and a fun one. Here is the serious one: I am sharing this short, sharp analysis by Jim Burke, one of the candidates running for Warrnambool City Council. This is what happens when you don't have robust policies on how to spend our money. ... For public servants to plan and attend an invitation-only "thankyou party" for a colleague and buy three bottles of wine costing more than $300 knowing the bill would be picked up by ratepayers says all we need to know about the WCC culture prior to this all being blown open. Utterly disgraceful. This is what happened under the watch of our previous councillors who are our "eyes and ears" within the WCC. I hope Jim is one of the seven at the table after this election. I want him to be among those who are our "eyes and ears", because we are done with the excuses and we are done with this largesse. #NoMoreExcuses2020 https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=161617078964054&id=100859465039816
19.01.2022 Coming to you live! An historic Warrnambool City Council meeting tonight as seven new councillors are sworn into office and a new Mayor is elected. The live stream is via the link below (although I am having some issues making it stream). The councillors are currently taking the oath of office. https://www.warrnambool.vic.gov.au/council-meeting
19.01.2022 NEW: Just when I was taking a wee nap, a bombshell drops. It is the sworn affidavit by Warrnambool Mayor Tony Herbert which sets out what allegedly happened behind closed doors on the night former council CEO Peter Schneider was sacked just 18 months into his job. And it is not pretty.... In fact, it's brutal. The 22-page affidavit was lodged in the Supreme Court on Monday in support of Mr Schneider's civil action against the Warrnambool City Council, scheduled for a hearing next year. Cr Herbert's sworn evidence, obtained from the court today, paints a damning picture of how Crs Kylie Gaston, Michael Neoh, David Owen and Sue Cassidy allegedly behaved during the confidential council meeting on 13 July, which saw Mr Schneider lose his head. That behaviour allegedly included shrugs, a smirk and a question: when can we go home? The full piece is here and, frankly, I consider it a must read: https://www.the-terrier.com.au/wcc-mayor-herbert-affidavit/
19.01.2022 Follow the link below to find the full "how to vote" preference lists for all Warrnambool City Council election candidates. Some candidates have not compiled a formal card, but still offered suggestions. These are also included at the end. You don't have to follow these preference lists and your vote will still count, but they are a handy guide if you want to follow a particular candidate and their recommendations.... If you want a sense of who a candidate would like to see on the next council, look at the top seven people listed on their card. If you agree with them, follow their card. If you don't agree, then don't follow the card. The main thing is to number the candidates YOU would like to see on council in order of priority, from number 1 (your first choice) right through to number 24 (your last choice). With only seven vacancies and a whopping 24 candidates, including 19 new faces, the heat is on to secure a spot. Make your vote count by filling out all 24 boxes on the ballot paper when it arrives in the mail and posting it back straight away: don't leave it on the fridge! https://www.the-terrier.com.au/wcc-election-2020-candidate/
19.01.2022 New: We will have to wait until February for the outcome of the court case between the W'bool City Council and sacked CEO Peter Schneider (see earlier posts) but the election rolls on. Tonight I am posting another two catch ups with new candidates and the first is Jacinta Anderson, who is running for a second time. You can see the short video and written answers to my 10 questions by clicking on the link below. Jacinta's candidate Facebook page link is at the end of the que...stions. https://www.the-terrier.com.au/wcc-candidate-jacinta-ander/
19.01.2022 NEW: The times, they are a changin'. And The Terrier is changing too. Or perhaps a better word is evolving. Or growing...in different ways. It's two years since I started "The Terrier" and it is seven years since I first started to dig into what is really going on in Warrnambool and some of you have been reading from the very beginning. Now, as part of the next chapter, I am bringing other voices to The Terrier - people who know and love Warrnambool and who have something to... say. Tonight, we have Peter Ronald, who was a director of Flagstaff Hill in its prime. He is also a diver, and respects the sea. Peter has written a fabulous piece about our harbour and how, in his view, we need to approach its upgrade with caution and clear heads for a number of reasons, including that no matter how safe we make boat launching, the Southern Ocean remains in charge and it can take lives. You can read his piece here: https://www.the-terrier.com.au/harbour-plan-needs-cool-hea/
18.01.2022 A final word. I want to say thankyou to all of the brave souls who have helped to bring the truth to the surface today, despite the denials, excuses and dismissals that go on from enablers, even as we speak. I remember the day these brave souls came to me about the busted culture at the WCC, because they had nowhere else to go. They had tried the "internal systems" and they got nowhere. They had approached councillors for help, and they got nowhere. Nobody would listen. But ...they are listening now. It has been a long, slow and exhausting road but here we are. Change has come and change is coming. On. We. Go. #slowburn #99next #ombudsman #truthrises #nofear
18.01.2022 New: What a stupendous day! Finish it off with a glass of your favourite beverage and a few minutes with two more of the new candidates running for Warrnambool City Council. First up tonight, we have Cassandra Prigg. Later, we will have Jim Burke. Cassandra is a very patient person, as I had to interview her twice - the first time the camera moved so much, it looked like we were on a cruise ship...and nobody wants to be on a cruise ship.... Follow the link for our 4min chat and the written answers to 10 questions. If you have more questions, you can visit Cassandra's candidate FB page. Thanks for being a part of this Cassandra. #election2020 #warrnamboolvotes #WCC2020 https://www.the-terrier.com.au/wcc-candidate-cassandra-pri/
18.01.2022 NEW - And now for the full, red-ink story on Lyndoch Living's finances: A $1.9 million loss - the fifth deficit in five years. A further erosion of its asset base, which has dropped a staggering $20m in five years.... And the hiring of even more high-paid executives to an already top-heavy administration. The Terrier doesn't publish spin, but the full picture. If you, like me, care about the direction of our beloved aged care home that is owned by the community, you can read the full story here: https://www.the-terrier.com.au/red-zone-lyndoch-posts-1-9m/
17.01.2022 New: Next up tonight in the WCC new candidate election profiles we have long-time Liebig St trader Max Taylor. (I think Max may have sold me my first ever Golden Breed windcheater...or was it a Miller shirt?) It was great to chat with Max and hear his concerns around the CBD and, in particular, the long-running issue of parking. Click on the link below to watch the short video and read Max's answers to the 10 questions. ... https://www.the-terrier.com.au/wcc-candidate-max-taylor-ta/ The final two new candidates will run on Sunday night. Thanks for following this series and for all of the terrific feedback. #vote #2020election #warrnambool2020 #WCC2020
17.01.2022 New: Warrnambool has spoken and oh boy, it is being heard. Like you, I went to bed last night in one Warrnambool and woke up to another one. In what is an unprecedented election result, we saw one candidate, Vicki Jellie, finish with an astronomical 6526 first preference votes: almost a third of the total counted....Continue reading
17.01.2022 NEW: As the count goes on to decide who will sit alongside frontrunner Vicki Jellie on the new Warrnambool City Council, we must remember that there is important, unfinished business from the last go round. The first is whether the WCC has referred a crime to the police - the abuse and misuse of a council corporate credit card. It is now almost four weeks since the Ombudsman recommended it consider doing so: we still don't know if it has.... The latest statement from Acting CEO Vikki King is "at this stage there is no update in relation to the referral of the credit card findings to the Warrnambool Police". A former senior council manager lied and covered up his spending on a council credit card and yet, four weeks on from this confirmation, the council is apparently no further forward on pursuing any criminal charges. For a council that allegedly couldn't wait to throw a CEO out the door for pressing pause on a fishing pontoon, this is disturbing. And for our local paper to argue that the stolen money was "paid back"...if only such justice was served to the poor bastards thrown into court for pinching a packet of chops. Just as disturbing is the second item of unfinished business: the leaking of highly sensitive, highly personal documents from within council to at least two councillors, in the mail. Three sworn affidavits from Tony Herbert, Sue Cassidy and Kylie Gaston all revealed that psychometric test results for those who applied for the position of CEO were leaked. Senior council staff have known about this leak since at least April this year, when Robert Anderson asked for an investigation. Has it been investigated? Did it turn the joint upside down? Did it run a full IT audit to see who had access to these highly personal documents? (I would guess, not many people.) Has it contacted the Inspectorate or the anti-corruption body IBAC? We don't know, because the Acting CEO - as of today - has declined to comment. "It would be inappropriate to comment on matters currently before the Supreme Court," is the statement. But this leak is not being challenged in the Supreme Court. It happened. And nothing, it seems, has been done to track down the person/s responsible. As it happens, IBAC just today issued a newsletter on this very topic of misuse of private and personal information held by councils. IBAC warns that such misuse "may constitute corrupt conduct". There is that c word again. I am as invigorated as you are by the wave of change that is poised to roll through our council and the above just underscores - yet again - why such a change can't come soon enough.
17.01.2022 Update: Well blow me down if the Cassign team was not back at Lyndoch Living today installing a huge, illuminated sign on the front of the new Swinton Wing. Just last night, as you know, I wrote about the perceived conflict of interest between Cassign and Lyndoch chair Sue Cassidy, who is married to the owner of Cassign, David Cassidy. I wonder if Lyndoch put this latest slice of non-essential corporate branding out to tender, because this sign is not a little A-frame at risk... of blowing over in the Warrnambool wind it needed a cherry picker and three guys to install. We will most likely never know, because Lyndoch no longer tells the community such things. But what I can confirm is, as flagged last night, the Lyndoch at-home gardening team is being dismissed as of late January because they are costing Lyndoch money. These are the hard-working men and women who visit people’s homes to mow lawns, whipper snip, and edge garden beds with a skilful eye well beyond my own. They are now dispensable to Lyndoch, even if they were indispensable to those who used the service. The home gardening team costs Lyndoch around $100,000 a year, and so they are out. Be gone ye faithful gardeners, Lyndoch has a snazzy sign to install via a cherry picker! I was thinking we could offer some suggestions as to where Lyndoch could whipper-snip its costs to save the gardeners, and we could start with the number of executives. As I wrote last night, a brand new executive position has just been filled and, as it turns out, another two will be advertised in January: Operations Manager: Organisational Development Organisational Development Consultant Good grief. An organisational consultant to assist the organisational manager who reports to another manager, who reports to the CEO At last count, Lyndoch had around 60 administrative staff. The good people of Seymour know all about top-heavy administration, which unfolded at their hospital some years ago, and was one of several upsets challenged by the local community that led to a complete upheaval in 2012: (https://www.pressreader.com//seym/20120718/281479273530866) The CEO of Lyndoch was the CEO of Seymour Health at the time. Lyndoch also sponsors the Grand Annual Steeplechase horse race, which was ostensibly in the hope that such advertising would help sell the waterfront apartments. It didn’t work. The last of these apartments was flogged off recently in a fire sale for $115,000 less than the listed price in 2014. Lyndoch also hosts a corporate marquee for three days at the May Racing Carnival at a cost of around $40,000 and would have done so again this year had it not been for Covid-19. And yet the gardening staff are being cut. We see what is happening here. We all see it. And we are not looking away. https://www.the-terrier.com.au/cherry-picker-on-the-job-at/ (If you would like to support The Terrier, you can visit the tip jar via the story link).
16.01.2022 JUST IN: Two more affidavits have dropped - late - into the Supreme Court in the case launched by former WCC chief Peter Schneider. This is the first of the two. The second will follow later tonight, after I fix my writer's cramp! This whole story just gets more fascinating. https://www.the-terrier.com.au/former-cr-cassidy-alleges-w/
14.01.2022 Still trying to decide who gets your vote in the Warrnambool City Council election? Due to popular demand, I am running again this "one-stop-shop" of new candidate profiles and videos, together with links to current councillor Facebook pages. (The videos may take a moment to load, as they are via Vimeo).... Apparently the postal votes are already pouring in, which is terrific. Remember to number every box, from 1 to 24, based on who you would like to see in the final seven. The deadline for voting is Friday, 24 October. The results will be known by 13 November. https://www.the-terrier.com.au/wcc-election-2020-all-terri/
13.01.2022 New: Next up tonight in the WCC election candidate profiles is business owner Tracey Togni and yep, you guessed it, it took me three goes to get Togni - "Toni" - right for the start of this video. (This is why I always aspired to be a print journalist and not Jana Wendt......) Again, I hope these videos help you to get a sense of each new candidate. I, too, have met most of the candidates for the first time.... Click on the link below to see Tracey's short video chat, a link to her Facebook page, and her how to vote card. Thankyou to Lynn and Tracey for being a part of the Terrier chats tonight. #votewarrnambool #WCC2020 #election2020 #vote https://www.the-terrier.com.au/wcc-candidate-tracey-togni-/
13.01.2022 Provisional results just in for WCC election: Vicki Jellie, Otha Akoch, Angie Paspaliaris, Debbie Arnott, Ben Blain, Max Taylor and Richard Ziegeler. Results will be confirmed at 11.30am after allowing two hours for any appeals.
13.01.2022 AN update: The entire train wreck that is the sacking of the former Warrnambool City Council CEO Peter Schneider has now been shuffled off stage until AFTER the council election. Today was the deadline for the WCC to submit its sworn evidence to the Victorian Supreme Court to defend its actions in sacking Mr Schneider "without reason" on 13 July. After requests yesterday for an extension - which must be agreed to by Mr Schneider's legal team - that deadline has now been exten...ded by the court until 30 October. Observers were expecting sworn affidavits today from, at the very least, the two alleged key drivers of this decision, in Crs Kylie Gaston and Michael Neoh, and perhaps from the two other councillors who voted in support of the move, David Owen and Sue Cassidy. We shall now have to wait until after voting closes on 24 October to see the arguments in support of the sacking. As we know, Mr Schneider is aiming to get his old job back, on the grounds he was denied natural justice. The case will go before the court on 1 February.
13.01.2022 NEW: Well here's a little surprise I discovered purely by accident - Warrnambool City Councillor Sue Cassidy is now Vice President of Lyndoch Living. Wow, that is called shooting to the top after just three years on the board. Ms Cassidy is now second in charge on the board of the largest aged care home in Warrnambool and no doubt primed to replace President/chair Kerry Nelson when she retires.... At least two board vacancies should be coming up at next week's Lyndoch Living AGM, although I can't be sure, because board vacancies are no longer advertised. But on my reckoning, Cr Cassidy is one of them and WCC colleague City Growth Manager Andrew Paton is the other. Abbey the Airedale, the Unofficial Member of Lyndoch representing the broader community, had hoped to apply. Of course she had no hope, because to become a board member, you have to first be a member - approved by the board. At last count, there are no members of Lyndoch Living who are not already connected to Lyndoch either as executive staff or board members. As I have written before, this is because ever since Lyndoch changed in 2018 from an association to a Company Limited by Guarantee, it runs pretty much as a closed shop. Board members are now appointed by invitation to what is a volunteer position. Not only did Abbey have to scale that impossible hurdle, she had to unseat either Mr Paton or Ms Cassidy, and they are going nowhere. Because in addition to being board members, Ms Cassidy and Mr Paton have another special job inside Lyndoch and that is as co-directors of Lyndoch Healthcare Pty Ltd. (The third director is Lyndoch CEO Doreen Power.) Lyndoch Healthcare Pty Ltd is the company that oversees the Warrnambool Medical Clinic which was bought by Lyndoch last year for $1.3 million and will be relocated to Lyndoch as part of the $100 million masterplan. Here is question for the AGM next Tuesday: are the directors of Lyndoch Healthcare Pty Ltd paid? And if so, how much? And did the board select who became directors? I hate to break it to Abbey, but I don't think she is going to be sitting at the board table as a fresh face and neither, most likely, is anybody else. [The Lyndoch Living AGM is next Tuesday at 4pm and will be Zoomed live by invitation only. Lyndoch has said a recording of the event will be uploaded to its website.] www.the-terrier.com.au
13.01.2022 Two critical elections are unfolding as we speak, on opposite sides of the planet, in the US and right here in Warrnambool. Unlike in the US - which is again coming down to the wire (how? why? are they crazy?) - the very, very, very early figures coming out of Warrnambool are trending toward a blowout, with only one or possibly two of the former councillors being re-elected. Peter Sycopoulis (elected in March on a countback) and Michael Neoh (a 16 year veteran of WCC) are sha...ping up to be the only two former councillors who may make it in on preferences. It is early days, but Vicki Jellie is roaring along with almost a third of the 2100 votes counted so far . If this trend continues, Vicki could end up with the highest percentage of first preference votes ever recorded in recent times - we shall see. There are another 20,000 votes, at least, yet to be counted, so it will be another two to three days before we see a result. One thing I can tell you, which is so heartening, is that Warrnambool has voted in record numbers for this council election. In fact, as of last week, Warrnambool had THE highest turn out of any council in Victoria - 87 per cent of eligible voters in Warrnambool had voted. This was highest of the 79 councils across the state. Go Warrnambool! Democracy is alive and well in our city and the people are grabbing it with both hands. I can also tell you that former Cr Kylie Gaston has submitted an affidavit to the Supreme Court - the last of the four councillors involved in the sacking of CEO Peter Schneider to do so. It was lodged late Monday, so was only released by the Supreme Court today, due to the Melbourne Cup holiday. I will write a separate post on that affidavit later tonight.
12.01.2022 A pause from the candidates tonight. As promised, I have one of these very, very, very limited edition t-shirts on offer which captures one of the more memorable quotes on Facebook about The Terrier. Everyone who has made a tip into the Tip Jar during the Terrier telethon is automatically in the running and I will make a random draw at the end of next week. The t-shirt is 100% cotton and perfect for campaigning, gardening, council meetings or After-5 wear depending on which ...circles you move in....most of all, it is just for a laugh. Thankyou so much to everyone who has chosen to support my work, which keeps it free to read, and means I can keep pressing on. You can find the tip jar here: https://tinyurl.com/y2u4pc8v
12.01.2022 Tonight is an exciting night, because this old terrier gets to celebrate the very first work by a new, young storyteller, Jess Chatfield, from the Framlingham Aboriginal community. Jess is a proud Gunditjmara woman, part of the Maar nation, who grew up at Framlingham about 20kms north east of Warrnambool, and has since returned to live there with her own two children and her extended family. Jess is the recipient of The Terrier digital indigenous storytelling mentorship, a pr...Continue reading
12.01.2022 New: (No video) Tonight we have the final two of the new candidates for the Warrnambool City Council election who - together with the five councillors running again - are all hoping to secure your vote for one of the seven seats on the new council. First up tonight is Anthony Earnshaw who was unable to catch up for a video chat, but has submitted his answers to the 10 Terrier questions. You can read those via the link below. A bit later tonight I will post the final candidate..., Andrew Squires, who works at South West Health Care and, also due to Covid-19, felt more comfortable recording his own short video. Thanks Andrew! Tomorrow night I will post a single link to all 19 new candidates who I have profiled, plus the Facebook links to existing councillors running again. I will also run the "how to vote" preference lists that candidates have put together as a guide. Your ballot papers will arrive from Tuesday. Voting closes at 6pm on Friday 23 October. The successful candidates will be announced on Friday 13 November. #vote #votewarrnambool #vote2020 #2020election https://www.the-terrier.com.au/wcc-candidate-anthony-earns/
11.01.2022 NEW: Is it really only a year since WCC Cr Sue Cassidy was throwing barbs at Crs Kylie Gaston and David Owen for doing the dirty and anointing Cr Tony Herbert - for a second time - as Mayor? (This photo paints a thousand words.) Now we have Crs Gaston, Owen, Cassidy and Neoh tucked up together and all threatening to sue Cr Herbert - and two other councillors - for defamation. It rolls on: legal threats, emails and warnings, as we pick toward the truth.... Here is the latest instalment in this ongoing, can't-look-away-saga, and, once again, it is a must read: https://www.the-terrier.com.au/wcc-chief-sacking-legal-thr/
11.01.2022 New: Boy there is a buzz in the air about the WCC election and I am loving it! I am getting fabulous messages from readers saying they are thinking very carefully about who to vote for, and the overarching message is that it's time for a true, generational change. Warrnambool is done with the wheeling and dealing, the self-interest, the politicking, and the deep, unresolved divisions: we want our city to shine. I am so enjoying meeting and filming short videos with each of th...e new candidates who are hoping to be a part of that change. Tonight we have, first up, veterinarian Michael McCluskey, followed a little later by retailer Debbie Arnott. Click on the link below to see the short video and Michael's 10 answers to 10 questions, plus a photo of his beloved and beautiful kelpie, Ryan. #WCC2020 #election2020 #warrnamboolvotes #newwarrnambool https://www.the-terrier.com.au/wcc-candidate-michael-mcclu/
11.01.2022 More from the Ombudsman's report: "Room Hire" #2. Terrier readers will remember this "Room Hire" at the Lady Bay resort was one of two in the same week, in September 2018. (Original story here: https://www.the-terrier.com.au/revealed-the-credit-card-sp/)... As with the one I just posted, this "room hire" was another cover up of a night of boozing, this time after a Great Ocean Road tourism dinner hosted by the WCC. The function was legitimate, the booze up afterwards at our expense - $434 worth - was not. Here is what City Growth Manager Andrew Paton had to say: "I wasn’t aware of any alcohol to be paid, certainly wasn’t aware of this list, it’s the first time that I’ve seen this list. I’m shocked. So, $434 of alcohol that we don’t know who was consuming. It wasn’t for everyone at the conference, because VTIC paid all the costs. Wow. There was no communication to me that that alcohol was going to be funded by Council. I had no visibility of it. " "Wow" is right. Here is what Mr McMahon, who put the bill on his credit card, had to say: " ...what each LGA would do is pay for after the function drinks basically. So, the receipt for VTIC was for effectively the bar tab. It was drinks after they finished ... We were in a room. And then we moved out of that room to the bar. And then I paid for that It was what I was asked to do, the expectation of us hosting it." I am so grateful to the Victorian Ombudsman and her incredible team for ensuring the truth is now out there. Their hard work has exposed the answers that we were denied. As I wrote at the time, we were not expected to find out any of this, but fortunately through the work of The Terrier, whistleblowers, Freedom of Information and all of those who spoke to the Ombudsman's investigation team, the truth is now surfacing. #justablogger
10.01.2022 I was having a little rest, but a number of important updates have happened. The first is to let you know the Ombudsman's report into credit card use and misuse at the Warrnambool City Council will be released on Friday. The second thing is coming shortly.
10.01.2022 New: Next up tonight in the new candidate profiles for the WCC election is business owner Debbie Arnott, who runs a store in the CBD and - I learned - was born in Nullawarre. I hope these short video profiles and the answers to the 10 questions help you to get a sense of each new candidate, who all face a tough time of raising their profiles in a Covid-19 climate. This election is shaping up as a game changer. Click on the link below for Debbie's video, questions and preferen...ce list. #WCC2020 #election2020 https://www.the-terrier.com.au/wcc-candidate-debbie-arnott/
09.01.2022 Just in: A Supreme Court challenge by sacked W'Bool City Council CEO Peter Schneider to be reinstated is expected to go to a two-day trial early next year. A directions hearing held this morning in the Supreme Court heard from Mr Schneider's counsel, David Grace QC, that Mr Schneider had hoped the matter be treated as "an issue of urgency" and a trial date be set for December. Mr Grace argued this would reduce the amount of time between Mr Schneider losing his job on 13 July ...and - if successful in his court challenge - being reinstated. Her Honour Associate Justice Ierodiaconou said a December hearing was unlikely, however, as that month was normally set aside for priority cases where, for example, people were dying. Justice Ierodiaconou said she would check when the next trial date was available and notify both parties later today. Mr Schneider is expected to call two or three witnesses, with their evidence to be given via written statements rather than in the witness box. Mr Ragunath Appudurai, representing the Warrnambool City Council, told the court his client was "puzzled" by why Mr Schneider's termination was subject to a judicial review. He said Mr Schneider's contract contained a clause that allowed for him to be removed for a reason, or no reason, and that he had received and accepted his full entitlements. The WCC is yet to prepare its full defence, but will do so in coming weeks. I will post the trial date when I have it, plus more on Mr Schneider's affidavit shortly. [In the meantime, an interesting tidbit is Mr Grace QC, who is representing Mr Schneider, was involved in the successful defence of 32 of 34 of the Essendon Football Club players caught up in the infamous doping scandal in 2015. The AFL anti-doping tribunal found all 34 players not guilty.] www.the-terrier.com.au
08.01.2022 New: These little WCC election candidate cameos are going well! Tonight we have just the one, because it's a Friday, and that is my chat with candidate Steve Moore, tourism operator and proud owner of a Labrador. If you click on the link you will find the short video, the answers to 10 written questions, plus Steve preference list ('how to vote' card). Hopefully this all helps you to get to know each candidate a little better and what they hope to bring to the council, if ele...cted after 24 October. (If you have any specific questions of a candidate, you can contact them on their Facebook page, with a link at the end of the profile.) #vote #election2020 #warrnamboolvotes https://www.the-terrier.com.au/wcc-candidate-steve-moore-c/
08.01.2022 NEW: And so it comes to this: as of tomorrow, Warrnambool will vote for a new city council and the choice is surprisingly clear: either voters want real change, or more of the same. It’s that simple. The past few days have seen distractions around which new candidates are aligned with who, who met with who, who telephoned who, and who is truly, ruly, cross-their-heart-and-hope-to-die independent and who just says they are....Continue reading
08.01.2022 Looking ahead: A special council meeting will be held on Monday November 23 at 5.45pm where Warrnambool will officially welcome its seven new councillors, elect a new Mayor and, I would also hope, thank the eight councillors who have come before. The reaction from the WCC to the election result has, thus far, been very subdued, particularly compared with Moyne Shire and Corangamite Shire, where the messages of welcome and congratulations to new councillors, and a thankyou to... past councillors, has been on full display from city hall. Unlike those councils, however, our election was a far more bruising affair and that pain lingers, I know that. There is unfinished business which has to be attended to. We know that too. We are all picking our way through the broken glass: the former councillors, the new councillors, and the candidates who didn't get across the line, but who gave so much of their time and energy. It takes a toll. I thank all of them. I always remember this: Warrnambool is our home. I even wrote a book with that title - Warrnambool: this is home. All of us love this city and it is why we choose to live here, and my hope on 23 November is that we can celebrate this fact for those who are about to step onto the stage, and those who have gone before. I pinched this photo from Claire Drylie and I hope she doesn't mind. www.the-terrier.com.au
07.01.2022 Update: Turns out the new, swish piece of illuminated corporate branding at Lyndoch Living is illegal - there is no permit for this sign to be installed on the side of Swinton Wing. As readers know, this sign, which is bright-white at night (disclaimer: I live not far away, but these photos were taken by another nearby resident), was installed last week by Cassign, which is the business owned and operated by the husband of the new Lyndoch board chair, Sue Cassidy. We still do...n't know if all the signage works undertaken by Cassign at Lyndoch Living these past months went to tender (Steve Moore, did you have any luck finding out?), but I do know that there is no council permit for this one. This means a permit must be sought retrospectively from the Warrnambool City Council. How does Lyndoch think it can get away with it? Meanwhile, as the corporatisation of Lyndoch rolls on, I continue to get calls and emails and messages every second day from families worried about staff shortages, staff exhaustion and the impact of both on some residents. Yes, yes, we all know these complaints can be taken here, and reported there, but what happens as a result? Nothing. Nothing seems to change and the staff become more tired, and families of those residents affected become more frustrated. I know not all families are affected and we all know that Lyndoch's hard working staff do the very best they can, but the resignations keep coming - from the nursing staff to those working at Waterfront Living. I hear about them all, and I despair that nothing happens to fix it and turn things around. All I see is more corporate branding, more executive appointments, more staff surveys, and fluff stories about Lyndoch trying to win awards. Who will step up? Who is going to step forward and say, enough of this? This whole story is much bigger than a sign on a building, but that illegal, unnecessary and expensive sign - to me - sums up the changing priorities of Lyndoch Living, the arrogance, and a corporate culture that cares more about image than substance. We own Lyndoch, but we have lost control of its destiny and we no longer recognise its soul and I am not sure how we can reconnect with both, but every time I speak to those families and workers who are in the thick of it, I know we have to keep trying. https://www.the-terrier.com.au/illegal-signage-illuminates/
07.01.2022 New: The final profile of the 19 new candidates standing for Warrnambool City Council is Andrew Squires. Andrew works at SWHC, so in a C19 world was more comfortable making his own video and I want to thank him for going to that effort. There are some bits - a short introduction and some photos added - that were my additions. (I also realise I mis-spelt Andrew's dog's name, which is Denco. Apologies Denco). You can watch the short video from the link below, read the answers ...to Andrew's 10 questions, and find the link to his candidate Facebook page. What a marathon effort this campaign coverage has been for all concerned and not least from you, for hanging in here, watching, reading and, I hope, learning more about the candidates that hope to represent you in a new chapter for Warrnambool City Council. I will return with a final wrap up tomorrow night. Embrace change. https://www.the-terrier.com.au/wcc-candidate-andrew-squire/ #vote2020 #WCC2020 #election2020
07.01.2022 Well, the votes are in for the Warrnambool City Council election 2020 and we will know by no later than 13 November which seven candidates will make up the new council. I thought this might be a good time to reflect on how the FIRST preference votes fell in 2016. No single candidate reached the number needed to win on their own (2517 votes) but candidate Michael Neoh came closest with 2003 first preference votes, followed by Kylie Gaston on 1800 and Sue Cassidy on 1766.... Next was Peter Hulin on 1519 and Tony Herbert on 1456, both of whom are not running this time around. Making up the top seven was David Owen on 1206 (running again) and Robert Anderson (not running) on 1058. It will be fascinating to see how the first preference votes stack up this time around and given Peter Hulin, Tony Herbert and Robert Anderson are not in the race, there are technically at least 4033 first preference votes that will go elsewhere. This has been a campaign with a bit of everything and, from where I sit, the first time in a long time that I have heard so many people talking about local politics - that has to be a good thing. I have seen a lot of thankyou posts coming up from those running this time around. It is not easy to put yourself forward, and well done to all those who have taken that step. Let the counting begin! #2020election #warrnamboolvotes
07.01.2022 Update: The deadline for the Warrnambool City Council to lodge its sworn written evidence (affidavits) in defence of its sacking of former CEO Peter Schneider passed at 5pm tonight - and nothing has been lodged with the Supreme Court. As far as I know, there has also been no request for a further extension. What does this all mean? I am not a lawyer, but perhaps it means the matter will be settled out of court, or a judgment will be made purely on the sworn statements supplie...d so far by Mr Schneider and former Mayor Tony Herbert or.... The hearing date is set for 1 February 2021. A lot can and will happen between now and then, including, of course the election of a new Warrnambool City Council. We shall wait to see how those final numbers fall, but word is that change is firmly in the air, if not an unprecedented number of new councillors being elected in one swoop. The VEC website is now saying we should have results from as early as Monday. Have a good weekend. www.the-terrier.com.au (Photo ABC)
05.01.2022 A final post on the Ombudsman's report: the story does not end here. One of the things picked up by the Ombudsman's investigation was a strong sense of disunity and discord within the W'bool city Council, both among councillors and council officers. A number of "concerns" about senior management's handling of misconduct were raised with the Ombudsman during the investigation into the credit cards, but some were unfounded, some lacked substance and some were beyond the scope o...f this particular investigation. These concerns may, however, still point to a broader problem that was most recently played out by the sacking of Peter Schneider (which rates a mention). The Ombudsman, Deborah Glass, writes: "While we did not find evidence of systemic abuse by Council officers or systemic failings by senior management...we did not deal with every allegation aired publicly or privately, and which continued during the investigation. "Their prevalence and persistence suggest a disunity within Council which this investigation does not purport to deal with, but for the sake of ratepayers and the community must be addressed. "Communities rely on their council to practice unified and strong civic leadership." No truer words have been spoken and none more timely. Thankyou for hanging in here; this is a report with a lot to digest. Again, you can download it here and it is worth a full read. I am now off to have a lie down . https://parliament.vic.gov.au//Ombudsman_-_Investigation_i
05.01.2022 More on the Ombudsman's incredible report: If ever there was an example of how loose the goose was running down at 25 Liebig St, it is this one - the "spend local" idea during the Liebig St upgrade. A large swathe of the spending on credit cards held by managers other than David McMahon - including City Growth Manager Andrew Paton and former Economic Growth Manager Shaun Miller - is explained away by the council through its "spend local" idea. According to the Ombudsman's re...port, the council had set aside a budget of $170,000 a year for "support local" activities during the Liebig St upgrade. Under this, "council officers were encouraged to hold work-related meetings at local cafés and restaurants, and to use their Council credit cards to pay for food and coffees". A noble cause, perhaps, but this is a remarkably generous eat-and-drink plan that I don't recall ratepayers ever being told about. More importantly, as the Ombudsman points out: "No guidance was issued by Council to assist Council officers decide what was an acceptable purchase using Council funds and what was not, other than the directives in the Procurement Policy and the Credit Card Policy." No guidance and a $170,000 a year budget: that's a winning formula. Mr Paton told the Ombudsman he was mindful of community perceptions and told his team that the "rules" were the meeting had to be business related, and involve another council officer or stakeholder. (Call me naive, but that sounds like a recipe for pretty much anything goes.) Here is Mr Paton's response to the Ombudsman: " it’s easy to look at a spreadsheet and say, ‘You spent $600 on coffees. How do you justify that?’ with no context of why that meeting occurred and why that expenditure occurred. And that’s a hard one to explain sometimes even to the people who are involved in it "I can see how that would look. But in terms of the context of the space we were in and the battle we were in, I’ll use that language it was a bit of a battle to try and keep the wheels spinning because it was a day-today thing." I am not sure how this accounts for the after-hours work drinks on a Friday night at places like the Hairy Goat or the Warrnambool Hotel. I am also curious as to why the "spend local" was confined to pretty much the same places: Fishtales, The Hairy Goat, Seanchai, Whaler's, Warrnambool Hotel.... Nobody ever opted for Mack's Snacks. As the Ombudsman says, while this "shop local" idea may have been well-intentioned, the approach was "fundamentally unwise" and the public perception could rightly be council staff eating and drinking on the public purse, as opposed to doing "business". Again, this report not only reveals what was clearly misuse of a credit card by one person, but what was permissible use of a credit card by others who were simply following the "rules". Thankfully those rules have now changed.
05.01.2022 Worth a listen: If you would like to hear Victorian Ombudsman Deborah Glass on the WCC credit card scandal, you can listen back to her interview today with ABC Regional Drive Nicole Chvastek at the 1.16 mark. It all comes down to integrity. https://www.abc.net.au//programs/vic-statew/drive/12741972
04.01.2022 Flying terriers! It's Friday and The Terrier has this week passed 5000 followers! Wowowow! Fabuloso! For one little, short-legged, terrier, this is a real milestone - thankyou! And thankyou to every single one of you who has helped to keep The Terrier going through The Tip Jar. ... My Terrier telethon was slightly sidetracked by rapidly unfolding news events, but I still have my 'collector's edition' t-shirt to give away, which I will tell you about tomorrow. This little site just keeps going and growing, thanks to all of you. I am just so thrilled to see a thirst for journalism that tells it like it is, digs deeper, and challenges those in charge. On we go, hey? www.the-terrier.com.au
04.01.2022 New: Next up in my very enjoyable video chats with new WCC election candidates is Matthew Walsh, with Vicki Jellie following a little later. Matthew is yet another candidate I could have talked to for hours. We chatted a lot about the council culture and how turning a culture around is hard, but a necessary bridge toward change. Vicki Jellie has been raising this same issue over these past months. What a timely couple of profiles tonight, given the story in the paper today on... the leaked confidential draft Ombudsman's report into credit card misuse at WCC. Widespread misuse was never the issue: the culture that enabled ANY misuse is the issue. (In line with the statement by the Ombudsman, Deborah Glass, to the paper, I am not writing anything further on her findings until the final report is tabled in Parliament around 12 October). How fitting that both of the new candidates running tonight have recognised this cultural issue and hope - like all the new candidates - to be part of a new chapter for WCC. Click on the link to see our short video chat, Matthew's answers to 10 written questions, and a link to his Facebook page. #vote #warrnamboolvotes #WCC2020 #election2020 https://www.the-terrier.com.au/wcc-candidate-matthew-walsh/
04.01.2022 JUST IN: The Victorian Ombudsman's long-awaited report into credit card use and misuse at Warrnambool City Council has just hit the decks. You can download the whole report here and I will run updates as I pick through it. Scroll down for the first instalment. https://parliament.vic.gov.au//Ombudsman_-_Investigation_i...Continue reading
04.01.2022 NEW: Lyndoch Living is definitely getting bigger, but is it getting better? The numbers say no. The reason I keep writing a lot about our community-owned aged care home is to put on the public record what is happening under the change of leadership and change of direction since 2015. It's important that we - as the community who own Lyndoch - keep track of what is going on, because nobody else is telling us. ... We are the custodians of Lyndoch and the community will be here way past whoever happens to be in charge, so yes, we need to keep track of what is going on. We owe it to Lyndoch, the residents, the staff, and those who helped create Lyndoch more than 50 years ago. This is why tonight I am running this little chart, because it captures how Lyndoch is travelling financially. It shows that before 2015, Lyndoch ran at a small profit/surplus or was break even. This year, it posted its biggest loss - close to $2 million. Lyndoch has run at a loss for five of the past six years. From my research, this is unprecedented in recent times. At the same time, its assets have gone up, but so have expenses - they have more than doubled. This has meant a $20m cut to its net assets in just six years. Is this visionary? It is sustainable? And why, when it comes to cost cutting, do we hear of cuts at the coalface, and not in the corporate? Speaking of which, it's worth remembering that the very first thing to happen under the $100m masterplan now being rolled out by Lyndoch was an upgrade of the corporate area. Out with former CEO Rhys Boyle's old wooden furniture and in with the fingerprint resistant glass table. We still don't know how much that corporate re-vamp cost but it was an early sign of the shifting priorities. We still don't know, exactly, how much the Swinton Wing re-vamp and extension cost, but estimates are it blew out by $2m to $13 million. And coming up next is a new two-storey medical clinic to be built next to Scoborio Reserve with, it is said, radiology, pathology, acute care and educational facilities alongside up to 20 GPs. Lyndoch will bulldoze Tomlinson Wing and its gardens to make way for more glass and cement. How much will that all cost to build and set up? We don't know. Is this all necessary? Is it all sustainable? These are the questions I would like to ask the board - our eyes and ears at the table - and I am sure you would like to ask too. In the face of their silence, we just keep pressing.
03.01.2022 Listen in: Victorian Ombudsman Deborah Glass (and a cameo from The Terrier) will be on ABC Drive with Nicole Chvastek just after the 4pm news today, talking about the report into credit cards at Warrnambool City Council. You will be able to listen online here: https://www.abc.net.au/radio/centralvic/live/
03.01.2022 JUST IN: Sworn evidence by former Warrnambool City Councillor David Owen sheds some light on why he was one of the four councillors who voted to sack CEO Peter Schneider. The five-page affidavit was received by the Supreme Court at 6.30pm last Friday 30 October, which was the revised deadline for the Warrnambool City Council to lodge any affidavits in defence of Mr Schneider's claim that he was denied natural justice when he was sacked on 13 July. Mr Owen claims in his affida...Continue reading
03.01.2022 Update: A trial date of 1 February 2021 has been set in the Supreme Court to determine if sacked W'bool City Council CEO Peter Schneider will be reinstated. The judicial review hearing has been set down for two days. The WCC has until 16 October to lodge its affidavit outlining its response to Mr Schneider's claims.... [I have checked with the court about publishing Mr Schneider's full affidavit which, of course, contains allegations that will be challenged by the WCC as part of this hearing. The advice is that I can quote from this document in my reporting, but those interested in the full affidavit can order a copy from the Supreme Court. I am erring on the side of caution, for obvious reasons.] www.the-terrier.com.au (Image: Fiona Basile)
02.01.2022 More from Ombudsman's report: ROOM HIRE #1: The truth behind the first of two "room hires" at Lady Bay Hotel, this one on 6 Sept 2018. The drinks bill of $538.50 included three bottles of red wine for $325. (Food made up the total bill of $736.50). The 'room hire' was in fact an unofficial thankyou party for a council staff member, organised by former tourism head David McMahon and paid for on his credit card. According to the Ombudsman's report, City Growth Manager Andrew P...aton and Director Corporate Strategies Peter Utri both attended this function and offered to pay their share as they did not consider it work related. Mr McMahon had a different view: " I can’t speak for them, but I went there under the full knowledge that this was a work ‘thank you’ function. I don’t remember anyone having a discussion " Mr McMahon's lawyer had a similar view and told the Ombudsman's investigation: [David McMahon] was asked to arrange a thank you dinner by his employer for a staff member. There was never any discussion about payment. His employer attended the dinner. There was no offer to pay or contribute to the bill." The second "room hire", as it turns out, was also a euphemism for a huge drinks bill. I will post that in a moment.
02.01.2022 JUST IN: The Supreme Court has this morning released an affidavit lodged late yesterday by acting W'bool City Council CEO Vikki King in relation to the sacking of CEO Peter Schneider. The five pages of sworn evidence responds to claims made by Mr Schneider and former Mayor Tony Herbert in their affidavits lodged last month. The evidence does not shed any light on the motivation or justification for Mr Schneider's sacking, but sets out Ms King's working relationship with the c...Continue reading
02.01.2022 NEW: One of the important things The Terrier does is get information on the public record, like this... why, if four Warrnambool City Councillors were so desperate to get rid of the former CEO, did they have to rely on the most expensive payout clause? There was another option, which would have cost ratepayers about $30,000 instead of more than $360,000. It turns out Mr Schneider's contract contained a number of clauses for termination, including two for instant dismissal....Continue reading
02.01.2022 NEW: Does bullying and intimidation just disappear? It's seven months since a leaked staff survey at Lyndoch Living revealed poor staff morale and serious allegations of intimidation and bullying that went right to the very top - nothing has been heard of it since. Was anything done within Lyndoch to address these allegations, and to lift poor staff morale?... It's a question that should concern us all - and another one to add to the list for tomorrow's AGM. Read the full piece here: https://www.the-terrier.com.au/lyndoch-living-does-bullyin/
01.01.2022 Now for the election of our new Mayor - Vicki Jellie has been formally nominated by Richard Ziegeler and Max Taylor in what Richard says was a unanimous choice. Vicki Jellie is our new mayor for the next 12 months. The vote is unanimous. Vicki is now giving her inaugural speech. She speaks of unity, working together and "a confidence that Warrnambool's best days are ahead". (You can read Vicki's full speech on her council Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/vickijellieforwarrnamboolcity/posts/175367627285595).
01.01.2022 The second, fun, post. A reader sent this today and I did laugh. See you in a few days. https://vimeo.com/467014098
01.01.2022 NEW: honestly, you could not make this up. The final (well, so far) affidavit in defence of the sacking of former WCC chief Peter Schneider. Former Cr Michael Neoh sets out his case, including claims that Mr Schneider used a "dog video" as a formal progress report. We also learn a little bit more about that legal advice. https://www.the-terrier.com.au/former-cr-neoh-says-sacked-/
