Date September 27, 2016
Hon Paul Miles MLA
Minister for Local Government
8^th Floor Dumas House
2 Havelock Street
WEST PERTH, 6005

Dear Sir
Your Ref; - Department of Local Government and Communities Annual Report 2014–15, Page 45

Welcome to the office of Minister for Local Government. I hope it does not become a poison chalice.

To ensure that it does not- I suggest you read past press statements by the National Party’s, Vince Catania, and the Auditor General, Colin Murphy, regarding the efforts of your predecessor, Tony Simpson, in ensuring Local Government Area compliance with Local Government and Criminal Law.

Mr. Simpson’s ultimate failure can be attributed to the advice given to him by his Director General, Jennifer Mathews and her cohorts Brad Jolly and Jenni Law.

You may find the following response to a part of the Annual Report 2015-16, page 45 as slightly derogatory and facetious. It may well be, but it is a strong perception of the truth and in politics that is all that matters.

The fact that a National Party colleague seriously attacked the reputation of a Liberal Party Minister is not comforting leading up to a State Election just six months away. 

Mr. Catania’s statement was published on September 6, 2016 and Minister Simpson resigned 10 days later. Rest assured that this matter was raised by the Premiers Office with former Minister Simpson and may well have contributed to his resignation.

In your own best interest it may well be that you should go that extra mile and where possibly meet with councils to obtain their opinion of what is going so badly wrong.

Yours sincerely- 

David Taylor

************

PAGE 45 

6.1.6 Specific local government issues

Shire of York (this is what the DLGC had to say- with an unambiguous York Council response that assisted in Simpson’s ultimate demise.)

a) What happened
as a result of winging, carping and whining from a number of disgruntled Councillors and bullying by a disgraced Chief Executive Officer, a couple of less than intelligent department hacks interfered in council business and decided to conduct a targeted Probity Compliance Audit without sound knowledge of what probity actually means. This obscenely rapid audit, taking just 16 hours, including coffee and lunch breaks, made a mockery of any form of due process and provided a prejudiced, jaundiced, misanthropic premeditated view of the processes and procedural standards of good governance shown by a local council.
a) What they said
as a result of a number of complaints from the public, the department monitored council meetings, and decided to conduct a targeted Probity Compliance Audit to determine if the Shire of York’s processes and procedures were of a standard expected of a local government for the provision of good governance to persons in its district. The Probity Compliance Audit was conducted on 15–16 September 2014.

b) What happened
this ridiculously short monitoring process identified serious concerns regarding the ability of Tony Simpson and his coven of nincompoops to operate as the governing body over anything, including a kids Xmas party.
b) What they said
the monitoring identified serious concerns regarding the ability of the council to operate as the governing body of the shire, and the council was issued with a Show Cause Notice under Section 8.15B of the Local Government Act 1995 on 20 November 2014.

c) What happened
following consideration of the Mathew Reid council’s appropriate response telling the DLGC, politely but firmly, to ‘piss-off’ ‘Tony Who’ spat-the-dummy. National Party MP, Vince Catania, has since stated bullying, financial mismanagement, vested self-interest and fraud had become rampant within rural local government because of the DLGC’s ineptitude. Simpson’s instinct was to lash out to try and save his political skin already scorched by his past failures with city councils and their amalgamation and from the day he entered office-his knowledge of what had happened in the previous councils dating back to 2008.
c) What they said  

following consideration of the council’s response, the Minister for Local Government determined that the seriousness and duration of the suspected failure of the council, to ensure the local government performed its functions properly, made it appropriate for intervention under section 8.15C of the Act.

d) What happened 
on January 7, 2015, by Governor’s Order, the council was suspended for a period of six months and Mr James Best, a small man with a big attitude towards municipal funding and the epitome of a local government ‘cling-on’ was appointed commissioner. Mr. Best brought with him visions, ideations and lots of butchers’ paper to scribble them on. He left, leaving a damage bill of around $1million.
d) What they said
on 7 January 2015, by Governor’s Order, the council were (should be was) suspended for a period of six months, and Mr James Best, an experienced former local government mayor, was appointed commissioner to act in place of Council for the period of suspension.

e) What happened
an incompetent Director General, Jennifer Matthews, her equally incompetent senior staff and WALGA, another local government ‘cling-on’ created a training program for the suspended councillors. Any positive end result of this has yet to be qualified and quantified.
e) What they said  The suspension order also required the four remaining councillors to undertake training in local government and council related functions as approved by the department. The training program for the suspended councillors was determined by the director general, and was provided by the Australian Institute of Company Directors, the Western Australian Local Government Association, and the department. It commenced on 1 April 2015 and concluded in early June 2015.

f) What happened
the council was reinstated on July 6, 2015 and was monitored by the same agents and agencies that initiated the problem. 
f) What they said

the council was reinstated on 6 July 2015. Upon its return to office, the department established a mentoring/monitoring panel to provide ongoing assistance to council for a six month period.

g) What happened
of the 16 recommendations contained in the probity compliance audit report how many of these recommendations have actually been completed successfully?
g) What they said
of the 16 recommendations contained in the probity compliance audit report, a number have been completed through the provision of elected member and staff training. The remainder of the recommendations is expected to be completed by November 2015.

h) What will continue to happen
the ratepayers will support the council and monitor its actions. They will also closely monitor the actions of the department and what positive support it actually gives to the shire.
h) What they said
the department is continuing to monitor and support the shire.

SIMPLE SIMPSON QUITS.

The shambolic reign of Tony Simpson as Minister for Local Government (but not communities) is over. Simplistic to the last- Simpson blamed anyone but himself.

No wonder Simpson heard what his policies should be via talk back radio and news broadcasts, Colin Barnett did not trust him, nor did a panel of his colleagues who found that Tony and his department were inept.

No city amalgamations, the Lisa Scaffidi saga, the City of Canning sacked, York given the Commissioner from hell and half the 138 Local Government Councils suffering from financial auditing dementia, all these news headlines can be laid at the feet of the bungling baker from Byford.

Simpson had the unique ability to turn both his actions, and lack of action into chaos.
Political pundits who claimed he was destined for the backbench in March this year, are amazed that he survived this long and was allowed to use the Premier as a scapegoat for his own stupidity.

For many months now there has been concerted public campaign to save WA Local Government from itself and Tony Simpson. This has included a large number of written complaints to both the Premier and Simpson himself as well as articles appearing in social media sites such as the ‘The REAL Voice of York and ‘The Shire of York, The unofficial, official site’.

Believe it or not, thousands have entered both and read what they contain, including parliamentarians, their spin-doctors and staff.

When the ditty below first appeared in early 2015, it is alleged that merry laughter rang out through the corridors of power, including the Premiers Office.

Most knew that it would be before the next election that Simpsons’ ‘big soft and round buns’ would be gracing the back benches.

 THE BAKER OF BYFORD

His buns were big and soft and round
his bread crusts made a crunchy sound
His pies he cooked to true perfection
now was the time to seek election

Thirteen years in a baker’s shop
kneading dough until he dropped
He needed a job that’s nice and easy
he didn’t care if it was sleazy.

He wanted a job that required no thought
and a nice slush fund- could he be bought?
A kick-ass job, he’d rave and rant
be a next-door-to-useless mendicant

Local Government was his choice
he’d ensure ratepayers had no voice
The rules for him need not apply
As Minister- no need to try.

Good governance went in the bin
democracy was -a mortal sin
Conflict of Interest was not a tort
you must have a system you could rort.

That idiot village he called York
would not walk-his-walk or talk-his-talk
Send in the tanks to quell unrest?
No, instead he’d send James Best.

In his mouth Best put both feet
his Australia Day address, a scurrilous treat
A clown, a fool, a sad reflection
on what we cop, each State Election.

BYE-BYE TYRE PYRE

It should soon be goodbye to the old Goodyear, Dunlop, Pirelli and Bridgestone tyres piled up near petrol in York’s main street.

The Shire of York President, David Wallace and CEO Paul Martin have both responded with encouraging alacrity to the potential powder keg.

Shire Officers have already inspected the property finding a number of issues that need to be addressed in accordance with Council Policy CP1.5 Compliance and Enforcement.

This week these Officers will be meeting with the operators of the property to discuss compliance issues regarding the approvals (and their conditions) applying to the site.

Should there be no positive response from the operators then the matter will be referred to the Department of Environmental Regulation for adjudication and any necessary enforcement.

An assurance has been made that no Shire staff will be used to physically remove any offending materials from the site.

A legitimate question is, as this highly concerning matter was raised two years ago, why has nothing appropriate been done before now? 

The answer is three Acting CEO’s, a waste-of-space Commissioner, an enforced hiatus for Shire Councillors, the Fitz-Gerald Report, the Minority Report, the YRCC, the Old Convent school and a plethora of other distractions.

It is highly unlikely that this matter has ever been raised with Council until now.

There should be no negative retrospection. Day one of redemption started yesterday.

David Taylor.

YORK’S TYRE FIRE FUNERAL PYRE

 The burning question is- why is this still a toxic wasteland?

In 2014 Shire workers attempt to remove the tyres using ratepayers money and without a ‘Controlled Waste Removal Permit’. The tyres are still there and they should not be.

York is acclaimed as one of the most architecturally stunning 19th Century towns in Australia. It is not a dusty, ramshackle outback fleapit littered with old car bodies, rotting tyres and decomposing car batteries.

Well- not quite.

There would be no other town in Australia like York with a two metre high pyre of old tyres and car batteries comfortably nestling against a petrol station and gas bottles just metres from an historic main street. And, of course, with the ubiquitous rusting car bodies not far away.

Petrol is one of the most flammable, explosive fire accelerants known to man and propane is not far behind.

Stockpiled tyres are usually set alight by lightning strikes, grass fires, electrical fires, arson and just plain stupidity.

You could not imagine more of a worst case scenario than York’s toxic time-bomb stored within metres of a massive volume of fire accelerants.

So if this eyesore went up- could you expect smoke induced sore eyes?

Sorry it is a lot more than that. Tyre fires distribute hundreds of potential carcinogens, not the least of which are cyanide, carbon monoxide and sulphur dioxide. If you include the car batteries you can add lead and sulphuric acid to this scary mix.

So whose health can be seriously affected?  It is quite a large list including young infants, children, the elderly, asthmatics and those suffering from lung and heart disease.

So how long do these fires last for?  The answer is days, weeks and in some cases months, years and decades.

Can these fires cause severe environmental damage? The answer is yes. Besides the airborne toxic contaminates there will be carcinogenic liquid residue infecting the soil, groundwater, and in York’s case, probably polluting the Avon River.

So what can the Shire of York do about this situation? It has an Environmental Health Officer and the potential to utilize the content of the Environmental Protection Act 1986 and subsidiary legislation such as the Environmental Protection Regulations 1987 to have this contaminant waste removed.

How does the Shire of York achieve what should be its aim? The Environmental Health Officer contacts Viva Energy Australia, Head Office, Level 16, 720 Bourke Street, Docklands, Victoria 3001, the owner of Shell’s nation-wide retail petrol station network advising it of the situation and politely demanding the removal of all potential toxic waste from the site.

This will be a true test of the Shire of York’s Major Strategic Review 2016 including its Comprehensive Policy Review, its Clear Shire Direction and its ability to stamp out blatant deferential cronyism and interventional, nepotistic favouritism shown by several Shire Councillors regarding the implementation of its policies.

Otherwise the threat remains with added extras.

International health agencies advise that piles of rotting tyres left in the open air are a health hazard attracting mosquitos and vermin such as rats and mice.

 In particular mosquito borne diseases are a serious threat. So serious that on September 25, 2015, a ‘Fight the Bite’ mozzie campaign was launched in Mandurah by the WA Health Department.

Western Australia’s mosquito fleet delivers debilitating illnesses such as Ross River and Bumah Forest Virus. There is another that lurks in the wings, Murray Valley Encephalitis, an extremely serious and potentially deadly condition.

So York’s tyre trouble should not be a matter for contentious, protracted Shire debate. It should be a case of tyres here today, but gone tomorrow!

David Taylor.

APOCOLYPSE NOW- MUKINBUDIN STYLE.

WALGA’S RAY OF SUNSHINE-Behind the scenes ‘the voices of York’ have been loud and clear in condemnation of State and Local Government bureaucracy in its inability to engage with local communities to establish what their wants and needs really are. Also regarding a regime of Local Government, senior employees with no abilities and ethics who are continually reincarnated by inglorious bastard, finger-in-the-pie groups such as WALGA which make protectionist, militant, left wing union’s look like a church choir. Our community wants and needs are strictly limited to the wants and needs of WALGA’s often incompetent membership. So why bother giving any of these useless bureaucratic departments and agencies a spray? It is because they deserve it, and the day we stop- they have won.

Letter sent to Lynne Craigie, President WALGA, September 14, 2016.
Your Ref: - Acting CEO Ray Hooper.
Congratulations

It appears that WALGA in an ersatz Local Government Mafiosi encouraging and perpetuating the lowest standards of officialdom within Local Government Areas, while retaining the highest level of poor quality administration and lack of ethics and morality among your members.

As you can see both Tony Simpson and the Premier have been in the past, and now in the present, made aware of local government community disrespect of the likes of Ray Hooper and by association, WALGA.

Yours sincerely
David Taylor.

Letter sent to Tony Simpson and Colin Barnett, September 11, 2016
Your ref: - RAY HOOPER former CEO- SHIRE OF YORK
The disgraced former CEO of the Shire of York, Ray Hooper, has resurrected himself as Acting CEO of the Mukinbudin Shire.

Two years ago it was reported in the press that Hooper had resigned amid accusations of misuse of a corporate credit card, using improper auditing procedures and engaging in the personal harassment of local ratepayers.

It has been alleged that Hooper left York with a multi-million dollar debt including a new convention centre and Shire-owned tavern in extreme financial difficulty and crumbling assets such as unmaintained and unsafe local roads.

Hooper’s activities were brought to the attention of the Major Fraud Squad and the CCC, but no charges have been laid (nor has he ever been officially exonerated.)

Hooper’s appointment has come at a time when the Auditor General, Colin Murphy, has continuously expressed grave concerns regarding the quality of the financial auditing of nearly 50 per cent of Local Governments in WA and questions have been asked regarding the capabilities of the Minister for Local Government and his department.  

Yours sincerely- David Taylor


Ray’s resurrection!

The only living creature that can survive a nuclear holocaust is believed to be the humble cockroach.

However, there is another great survivor, a humble Local Government love-child named Ray Hooper.

Now this brilliant example of local government administration aficionados’ is the Acting CEO of the

Shire of Mukinbudin.

How lucky are the 491 locals who can look forward to his friendly smile, his personal generosity with the Shire’s Corporate Credit Card and getting a postcard when he attends an obscure conference in some Far-North Queensland holiday resort at their expense.

The Mukinbudin Council must have seen Ray’s enthusiastic referee statements from Kalgoorlie, Chittering and last, but not least, York. Then there are all the glowing testimonials in the Fitz-Gerald Report.

I am sure the Mukinbudin’s are mightily impressed with the lovely article which appeared in The West Australian after York’s much-loved leader resigned suddenly leaving the town physically, emotionally- and financially devastated.

Yes Mukinbudin now feels like it has just won ‘Lotto’.

So ring them up and ask to say ‘Gooday Ray’ or drop him a friendly email wishing him well.
The number is 9047 2100 and the email is admin@mukinbudin.wa.gov.au .

He is not wanted by the Major Fraud Squad or the Corruption and Crime Commission. So make him feel wanted by somebody!

THE PILBARA PRINCE

YES IT DOES MATTER TO YORK- Pilbara 10- Wheatbelt 0

In November, 2013, at the height of his political power, Brendon Grylls, chose to live with his family in his Pilbara Electorate, give up his leadership of the National Party and his important ministerial portfolios. A very commendable action, the reasons for which have never been explained, nor should they be- although strong rumours abound.
Since then Mr. Grylls has thrown billions at a dream to build two North-West cities, one Pt. Hedland, the other Karratha with a combined population of 100,000.
He expected the plaudits and co-operation of the international mining giants Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton. He got neither. It is understandable, BHP in particular is known throughout the mining industry as Be Hired at your Peril. An Orwellian, ‘1984’, nightmare where its Newman sites are electronically visually monitored from Perth 24/7 and your first mistake is your last.
The Australian Securities & Investments Commission and the Western Australian Department of Commerce are now investigating the $100 million failure of the luxury Newman Estate.
Last year, Brendon Grylls, appeared on a promotional U-Tube Video for this company. Despite the fact that the mining boom was already over, Mr Grylls, clearly stated that the Pilbara cities plan should go ahead and by inference, the Newman Estate was still a viable commercial project for prospective investors. Mr. Grylls is now desperately trying to get this video removed.
What has this got to do with York? York is in a National Party held electorate, the Minister for Agriculture and Food is Liberal, Dean Nalder, a portfolio traditionally held by the Nationals and believe it or not, there is now an underlying bitter enmity within the Party.
Mr Grylls is not the Nationals Messiah- he’s just a silly boy!


A Poem for the Pilbara Prince

He leapt back out of the wild North-West
lisping loudly and beating his chest
The Nat’s had come last in its own backyard
the Pilbara Prince was taking it hard
In the Federal Election R4R had not worked
this made the Prince look a bit of a jerk
It was not just the fact of the almighty loss
even Hanson had rubbed in a pile of compost.

His shiny brown Bludstone’s made everyone wince
morphed from Nedlands’ farm boy to Pilbara Prince
In R.M Williams he was immaculately garbed
his jowls manly haired, his lisp sharply barbed
Steely eyed he was, like iron ore rust
Those evil mining giants had turned his dreams into dust
They had no truck with his political illusions
Heatstroke had caused some Princely delusions.

Stylish Pilbara Club Med, a luxury Newman Estate
the latter is now on ASIC’s plate
A sun and cyclone drenched oasis, the North-West on the go
proudly supported by Rio Tinto
Grand public conveniences from R4R grants
to BHP it was uneconomical political cant
For the mining giant mantra is ‘Fe, Fi-Fo, and Fum’
Fe means iron, Fi-Fo, fly-in and Fum means f….um.

Most of Australia think heat’s pan-fried his brain
in taking on giants there is nothing to gain
He’ll be corporate toe-jam if he goes down this track
he went north for his family, why did he come back?
The Liberal’s think that he’s gone barking mad
for his party his posturing could end up really bad

For both the Libs and the Labs the cock as thrice crowed
for Abott, Rudd and Gillard it meant the end of the road
Now another political pistol butt has a new notch
Poor Terry Redman got a huge kick in the crotch
Old Max Trenorden, was the one who first learnt
step aside for the Prince or get horribly burnt
Colin Holt was smarter, roll over play dead
I’ll give him my job and stop the kick to the head.

The R4R bullet is all that’s been fired from his gun
is there more to his resume? -the answer is none
What he’s spent on the Pilbara is like the national debt
He wants Pilbara city’s- and he’s not finished yet
His gold-tooth rat rhetoric, could see the Nats drown
Foot between lisps, he’s now considered a clown
His Newman Estate links he’s trying to hide
A $100 million loss could see some go inside

The Prince has the delusion that he’s terribly smart
most of his peers think he’s just a loud fart
The Prince has spent billions on his Pilbara scheming
to those who really know it’s been expensive wet dreaming.

THE PILBARA PRINCE TALKS TO MACRO

"I as a local member have continued to talk to all of the developers interested in the Pilbara about market conditions and how we deal with not just the property boom ... but how we deal with the downside of that," Mr Grylls said.
Mr Grylls said he had instructed his staff to investigate whether the video could be removed.