Councils want state action COUNCILS across Victoria are uniting to demand changes to pokies laws but the plea seems to have fallen on policymakers’ deaf ears. The Labor state government, led by Premier Daniel Andrews, and Liberal National Coalition, headed by opposition leader Matthew Guy, have not given any indication that they intend to limit maximum pokies bets to $1 a spin or reduce pokies venue operating hours from 20 hours a day to 14 hours. Mayors and councillors from “major metropolitan councils” joined Alliance For Gambling Reform representatives including director and spokesman Tim Costello to launch “The Pokies Play…
Author: Neil Walker
LOST pooches will be quickly reunited with Kingston municipality owners who nominate a second and third contact for registered pets. Kingston councillors at the 23 July public council meeting unanimously backed a move to have wandering pets picked up by council rangers returned to owners’ workplaces or emergency contact addresses. Lost pets were previously often taken to Cranbourne’s Lost Dogs Home for collection later by owners. ”Our officers will now be able to drop the dog at the owner’s workplace or to an emergency contact if they are available to take the dog within 30 minutes,” Kingston mayor Cr Steve…
CENTRAL “green land” in Frankston is attracting interest for development as councillors debate how to push ahead with “greening” the city. The Times understands a state government department has in recent weeks tentatively expressed an interest in buying Evelyn Street land near Frankston Police Station for offices. Councillors rebuffed the approach behind closed doors and North-West Ward councillor Cr Glenn Aitken mentioned the Evelyn Street land during a debate about “Greening our City” at the 23 July public council meeting. “It’s one space of land that still provides some sort of relief to the people of Frankston and, as such,…
CONFIDENCE in senior leadership at Frankston Council is low, according to the first staff survey conducted at council for many years. The results of an employee “alignment and engagement survey”, seen by The Times, reveals just 25 per cent of survey respondents believe council’s “senior leadership team has a vision for council that inspires me”. A low 36 per cent think “our senior leaders act with integrity” and just 30 per cent believe “our senior leaders are good role models”, the staff survey conducted by consultant Insync Surveys shows. The staff survey paints an overall picture of low morale among staff…
CONCERNS over potential conflicts of interests will see greater oversight of a company set up by Frankston Council to manage aquatic and sports centres. Councillors at the 23 July public council meeting unanimously voted to bring in three independent experts including a “qualified probity auditor” to run the rule over any tender bids by Peninsula Leisure Pty Ltd beyond its existing commitments. Peninsula Leisure is the operator of the Peninsula Aquatic Recreation Centre (PARC) and the Pines Forest Aquatic Centre in Frankston North. The Times revealed in May last year that Peninsula Leisure had talks with neighbouring Mornington Peninsula Shire…