SunRRA Executive
From Left to Right: Deb Howell, Brian Carroll, John Hedditch, John Girardi, Gwen Goedecke, Sean Spencer, Garry Collins, Darlen Reilly.
Opinion
as written for “The Star”
22/09/2009
Sunshine Residents and Ratepayers Association (SunRRA) was born out of the grass roots community campaign to replace outdoor swimming pools that had been left empty and cracked for well over a decade.
SunRRA quickly identified the link between disadvantaged communities across Brimbank, and the factional power plays that had dominated Brimbank Council for many years.
Powerbrokers external to Brimbank Council did not want a pool for Sunshine and their puppets on council followed orders. In the end the community won the fight and delivered not only an outdoor pool for the children and youth of surrounding areas but also a community movement focused on delivering better services, facilities and outcomes for the future.
Brimbank residents have been caught in the middle of warring between two sides of the same ALP faction both of whom wanted control of the Council. Both sides have succeeded in getting their wish.
The outcome has been political patronage for a few and neglect for the majority.
The obvious conclusion is that while candidates loyal to factional warlords remain on Council the community comes a distant second. Party-aligned candidates who had the community’s interests at heart have been few and far between. Councillors must not view Local Government as a stepping stone to State and Federal Politics but rather as genuine community service.
For Brimbank residents, missing out due to Local and State Government collusion has manifested as the worst health status, highest rate of diabetes, higher than average unemployment, poor access to open space, sub-par public transport, the highest gaming machine losses in the state and rising street violence due to under-resourcing of police.
The State Government should have sacked this inept Council long ago and saved the ratepayers a lot of money and heartache.
We can only hope the Commissioners will right the wrongs of the last 15 years, invest in our parks and gardens; playgrounds; create environments for healthier living; and improve our sporting facilities and run down community buildings. More importantly, we hope this is delivered fairly and equitably for all in our community.
SunRRA is advocating for a Community Reference Group to be formed to work and provide feedback to the Commissioners. A list of community issues that need revisiting will now be compiled. Now is the time for our community to heal, rebuild and redress all the wrongs that have been inflicted across our municipality.
Congratulations to the residents of Brimbank. Community groups and voices have been communicating the same message – that we deserve better; we refuse to be neglected any longer; and, we demand a better standard of Local Government. Finally, that collective voice has been heard.
We need to learn from communities such as Geelong, Bendigo and Ballarat that have regularly turned over local MP’s; kept their electorates marginal, and obtained better outcomes as a result.
When it comes to the 2010 State and Federal Government elections think carefully about what John Brumby and your local MP’s have given you in return for decades of loyalty and vote accordingly.
Sunshine Residents and Ratepayers Inc
