The Liberals Demand Council Travel Transparency if they win Government in March.
Travel-AllowanceThey will make it mandatory for all South Australian councils to publish travel expenses in their annual report to increase transparency and accountability. They will Demand Council travel transparency.
Seems their answer to the State’s woes rest with fixing Local Government.
You get no argument from me regarding transparency. I demand Council transparency too.
All Governments should be transparent in all they do. It is important that those who have the responsibility of spending rate payer (or taxpayer) funds be subject to public scrutiny.
My colleagues here in the City of Unley concur with the principle. Cr Bob Schnell and Cr Mike Hudson have both welcomed the move as can be seen on their blogs. My Co-councillor Jennie Boisvert has likewise responded. Bob & Jennie have questioned them however.
It sounds like we have no such obligation now. Wrong!
Section 79 of the Local Government Act 1999 already requires the Council’s CEO to keep a register of all allowances and expenses paid to their elected members. Section 7 of the Local Government (Members Allowances and Benefits) Regulations 2010 then goes on to say that this is required on a quarterly basis.
Unley’s own David Pisoni said a check of 19 metropolitan councils showed just one disclosed travel undertaken by elected members. I wonder which Council he is referring to.
He can’t be talking about the councils of 6 Mayors I talked to yesterday. We all do. This group of Mayors are of the belief the Liberals see fixing Local Government as their priority in Government, rather than the workings of State Parliament. Hmmmm!
This may be why we keep hearing that the public, in a background where they hate the government and see Mr X as looking to fix Parliament, see them as irrelevant.
Well said… agree that Libs have a disproportionate focus on Local Government. People just don’t wake up every day cursing their local council.
Should be transparent on their end as well, not just throwing out numbers like its going to cost $20 million etc who are the tenders was it the right choice, more public consultation.Too many projects that cost taxpayers are going into the boys/mates club and nobody knows how when and where,who is a big one and costing was done and more often than not its already a done deal in secret and then the public is notified.