YORK Ref: 50-14553 TYRES & FIRES ETC.

THE MINISTER’S RESPONSE

As you will see below the Hon. Albert Jacob, MLA, Minister for the Environment& Heritage did respond in a positive manner with regard to the hideous old tyre suppository in the main street of York. 

The Shire of York also acted positively by enforcing a demand for the removal of the tyres to the maximum amount required by law. The Shire claims the removal was done by the business owner, at no cost to the ratepayer, with none of its employees, including former staffer Christian Chadwick, involved. 

This action has removed a potential fire hazard and health risk, but only to a certain extent because some tyres still remain.

The question that is yet to be answered is to why this tyre pile was allowed to exist for so long in the middled York’s highly acclaimed, national heritage precinct. The answer is most likely through self-proclaimed local personalities engaging in self- interested local politics to the detriment of the rest of the community. In other words, some past Councillors who would gerrymander the democratic process!

There are three main towns in the Avon Arc- Toodyay, Northam and York with York the oldest and most historic.

Each of the others has well- appointed fuel service stations with all modern amenities.York has two fuel outlets that look like ramshackle public outhouses. (Dunnies if you prefer.)

These two establishments are branded by, and represent, two major, multi-billion dollar fuel companies, Shell and Gull.

Therefore it is about time that the Shire of York, representing the interests of a major historic town, wrote to both companies politely demanding that they improve the ambiance and quality of these outlets to reflect and show respect for their historic location and bring the overall services they provide into the second decade of the 21st Century.

If Shire of York staff does not have the ability to engage in such correspondence, pointing out the logical, commercial need for a positive response, then there are plenty around who can.

Another, yet to be properly explained, conundrum is why there is a large weed-infested, wire fenced-in, ghetto style, undeveloped block, smack in the middle of the commercial heart of York.

Based on its important location, the pertinent building authority should have placed a prerequisite caveat over the purchase and use of the property demanding that it must be developed within a certain time frame or severe penalties would apply.

Who would have been the building authority at that time? It is highly likely that it was the Shire of York, overwhelmed by the promise that a large commercial/residential premise was allegedly going to be built there. Who were incompetent?-guess!  Who got screwed?- the community

The Shire of York is in the process of navel contemplation being its Major Strategic Review 2016, full of extremely important  principles and guidelines that will take York through to the next decade.

Unfortunately, when someone wants to build a shed to house their pet elephants on a residential block, guidelines become a dysfunctional slide-rule, not the original principle commonly agreed to in the overall community interest.

Therefore, based on the standard Shire procedures and processes, there is absolutely nothing preventing current building codes and land occupancy requirements being amended to reflect a demand that the vacant block in question must be developed. If that is not the case, then it is germane that the community is told by the Shire exactly why it will not happen.

By the end of this month, York’s three senior shire amigos will be saddled up and ready to herd the town towards a new dawn.

Unfortunately a few community assets have already left the herd. Two iconic cafes have gone and another popular enterprise may soon follow.

Yet there is a possible commercial plus- York has a bus for hire. It is there to meet the massive local demand in the corporate, club and group, tourism and wedding markets. Probably not in York, because the business is called Avon-minibus-hire and the strength of York’s market demand is questionable.

It is the brainchild of York’s Donald Trump style entrepreneur, Mark Duperouzel, a former short-term Shire Deputy President, a self-proclaimed admirer of everything Ray Hooper had to offer, especially advice, and an unbelievably keen supporter of the Allawuna Farm, Perth refuse dumping project.

Mr Duperouzel may still find it regrettable that the project never came to fruition as it may have offered a daily ‘Big Day Out- Trip to our Tip’ tourist experience requiring the hire of his minibus.

Finally it is 12 months since the current Council members of the Shire of York council were elected.

There are still many unanswered questions, not the least of which is the future of the York Recreation and Convention Centre, how dire is the Shire’s real financial situation is, how it will rectify this situation and in what positive directions will York progress.

There is quality among the Councillors, but serious questions have been raised regarding one particular Council member that should be addressed. This is regarding personal dedication and adequate performance of the duties involved. York cannot afford a disinterested ‘bum on a seat’ and payment of a sinecure- no matter how pitiful the amount is.

A holistic overview of where York stands today, given all circumstances, local and peripheral, is that it is a glass half-full, or half-empty. The choice is yours.

One thing is certain, there will be no ‘quick-fix’! Four years will probably be the minimum term necessary for a raft of required, substantial positive results to emerge.

One more thing the community of York can be sure of is that its Council and shire administration will be monitored more closely than it has been in its entire 185-year-old history and there will be zero tolerance for any form of poor governance.

York ratepayers are investing in their future by paying the Shire’s three senior executives the equivalent of the annual base salary of three Federal Members of Parliament. So it should now be the understanding that everything created by the Shire is of a highly creditable standard- including the simplest of public communications.

Recently an official email (below) was sent from the Shire offices advising members of The Avon Park Working Group of a meeting. The day/date was wrong but more importantly the structure of its content was a literacy nightmare. It was unprofessional, a tautological mess that a twelve-year-old should be ashamed of.

Some may consider this small change, but in overall quality control in showing the required degree of competence- it is a big ticket item.


David Taylor

Dear Working Group Member,

Thank you for your willingness to be a member of the Avon Park Working Group for the Shire of York.

As a member of the Working Group, we ask you to participate in the first Avon Park Working Group meeting.

The Avon Park Working Group meeting will be held on:

Revised Date & Time: Wednesday 27^th October 2016 at 4pm

Shire of York Meeting Room

1 Joaquina St, York

The Shire of York looks forward to meeting you and values your contribution towards this project.

Kind Regards,

 Sharla Fythe

Technical Services Officer

Shire of York

Ph: (08) 9641 2233

Fax: (08) 9641 2202

tso@york.wa.gov.au

HOORAY FOR RAY.

It is official. Local Government Officers such as Ray Hooper and local government nefarious activity as described in an article in The West Australian Newspaper, by Kate Emery, titled “Councils collecting rubbish”, all about robbery, deception, graft, shonky gifts, and council member enforced censorship is entirely the fault of the local government election candidate choices made by WA ratepayers.

The State Government and the Department of Local Government and Communities bear no responsibility at all for the self-inflicted calamities befalling way-too-many Local Government Councils.

This evaluation comes from the very pinnacle of power, The WA Premier, Mr. Colin Barnett.

It is in the Premier’s response to a letter sent to him and the dearly departed Minister, Tony Simpson regarding the appointment of Ray Hooper as the Acting CEO of the Shire of Mukinbudin.

The Premier admits that there is an ongoing perception of some members of the community regarding Mr. Hooper’s tenure as CEO of the Shire of York. (Taken in his context ‘perceptions’ could mean ‘a matter of opinion only’ and ‘some members’ mean- a disgruntled few.)

He goes on to say in particular there has been some disapproval over financial and other decisions made by Mr. Hooper, particularly in relation to projects such as the York Recreation and Convention Centre. (Once again ‘some disapproval’ could mean from a disgruntled few.)

Now here come the best bits.

In the Premiers’ opinion such projects and the budgetary decisions associated with them, were overseen and supported by the elected council members at that time. (The fact that the YRCC was partially funded by his government, through its Royalties for Regions scheme, does not get a mention in accountability. So- obviously such expenditure, now $6 billion state-wide, is not monitored by his government as the Pilbara Real Estate financial fiasco shows.)

The Premiers’ assertions cast a wide discriminatory net, placing a vast cumulonimbus cloud of doubt over the reputations of every York Council Member who served during the time of Ray Hooper. These are Messrs Pat Hooper, Boyle, Scott, Fisher, Deleich, Randell, Smythe, Duperouzel, Lawrence and Walters. Even David Wallace and Matthew Reid were there. Some deserve it, but some do not.

The community itself does not come off lightly either. According to the Premier the elected members are accountable to the voters of their community for the elected council’s governance of that performance.

When you finally decipher what that means it suggests a Barnett Government policy of ‘caveat-emptor’ for ratepayers- insisting you voted for the councillors- you pay the price. Not one mention is made of the $108 million dollar per annum Department of Local Government and Communities which appears to be responsible for jack-shit where local government is concerned.

Now here comes the best ever Pontius Pilate impression. Views expressed to the Premier regarding the need for administrative and financial transparency in Local Government are appreciated but under The Local Government Act, 1995, Ray Hooper’s appointment by the Shire of Mukinbudin is another ‘buyer-beware’ situation. So if you get yourself a lemon?- learn to suck it up!

There are three impressions that you can get from this letter, besides being gold-logo embossed and personally signed, is that the 21-year-old Local Government Act is about as useless as mammary glands on a male bovine and in the end, any robbery, deception, graft, shonky gifts and local council enforced censorship, is the ratepayers fault.

Last but not least is that all the above also applies to the next State Election. So make sure you do not vote for a lemon.

David Taylor
Shire of York ratepayer.

Friday, 9 September 2016

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 YORKThe 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!

OPEN LETTER TO THE MINISTER FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT

October 7, 2016
Hon Paul Miles
Minister for Local Government
8^th Floor Dumas House
2 Havelock Street
WEST PERTH, 6005

Your Ref: -     Mr. Brad Jolly, Executive Director Sector Regulations and Support
                        Department of Local Government and Communities

I bring to your attention the poor quality of service and support that Mr. Brad Jolly brings both to the above role and as the Presiding Member of the Local Government Standards Panel.

Just one example of Mr. Jolly’s ineptitude is featured in his relationship with fellow panel member, the Lord Mayor of Perth, Ms. Lisa Scaffidi, who has since resigned from this position because it was no longer tenable.

Despite the close association between Jolly and Ms. Scaffidi that should include instilling the concept of probity throughout local government, Ms. Scaffidi, ( and her Council), is now allegedly being investigated by the Corruption and Crime Commission for, among other things, the alleged lack of probity in accepting gifts and travel contributions.

On November 27, 2013, Mr. Jolly presented a widely read thesis ‘Maintaining Probity in Local Government, A State Regulator’s perspective’ in which he claimed ‘we don’t cross our fingers and hope’.

Three years later, In Ms. Scaffidi’s case and numerous other similar instances, Mr. Jolly’s, claim could not be further from the truth.

Yours sincerely

David Taylor.


Please read this social media comment

BRADJOLLINA’S FOLLY:  The world’s number one Hollywood A-List couple, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, commonly known as Branjelina, is no more.

Unfortunately, the head of the ‘D-List’ at the other Hollywood, the Department of Local Government and Communities, is still there. Brad Jolly remains the local government savant of make believe in DLGC Tinsel Town.

The English language can be complex with words having different meanings but with the same spelling- or the same pronunciation with different meanings. An example is ‘eight hunters ate the rare, skinned-bare bear, when medium rare, while deciding where to wear the bears’ skin or just hide the hide’.

However words commonly used by Brad Jolly such as ‘Probity’ and ‘Autonomous’ have little to no ambiguity. Autonomous in particular has the meaning of self-ruling, self-determining and free.

Time and time again it is documented that Jolly claims that within the Local Government Act, 1995 it is clearly stated that Local Governments are ‘autonomous incorporated bodies’. On advisement from someone who should know- this comes straight from the script for ‘Willy Wonka and the chocolate factory’, a fabulous Brad Jolly style fable.

It is now time for the new Minister for Local Government, Paul Miles, to take the step of telling Jolly to prove it. Exactly what regulation, statute, decree, dictum, order or commandment in any state law now in full force and effect in Western Australia does Jolly quote to make this unequivocal claim? If he cannot provide the required answer then he should jolly well resign.

Another related meaning for autonomous is uncontrolled. So without being smart enough to know it, this is where Jolly is right about himself and the DLGC.

If you have any valid complaint against your local council tell the Ombudsman, the WA Planning and Building commissions, the Public Sector Commission, the Corruption and Crime Commission or get yourself a lawyer. Do not bother contacting the Department of Local Government and Communities.
(And certainly do not contact the WA Police. That would make Local Government officials look just like common criminals who cruelly steal from those they do not know. Dacre Alcock, the CEO of the Shire of Dowerin stole from his friends, neighbours, work colleagues, in fact the whole community. There is nothing uncommon about that.)

Instead of handling complaints the DLGC is way too busy spending $30 million of its $108 million annual costs on employee benefits (where life really is a Jolly box of chocolates) and whatever else it takes to have nothing to do with local government. It is difficult to locate any Key Performance Indicators that the DLGC actually meets.

That is until an autonomous incorporated body (a Shire Council) tells the DLGC that it is an autonomous incorporated body and not to use the control it keeps telling everyone it does not have- and ‘piss-off’.

All of a sudden the DLGC decides that Local Government Councils like York are out of control and are no longer an A.I.B. Forget the autonomous incorporated body crap and send in a commissioner chosen by the Minister and the DLGC to take despotic- totalitarian control that is autocratic, not autonomous.

Sorry Jolly you cannot have it both ways. Tony Simpson has paid the price, now it should by your turn.

What the DLGC does with everyone’s hard earned tax dollars, other than keep it rich and infamous, is anybody’s guess and everyone’s worst nightmare.

David Taylor
Shire of York ratepayer.

TYRELESS YORK (and the Shire of York Website).

The tyre fairies, assuredly complete with the required waste removal permits, have whisked away the offensive pile of rotting rubber from the main street, hopefully never to be seen again within the Shire of York which has no adequate, legal, permanent disposal facility.

Unfortunately they were specifically ‘Tyre Fairies’ and the car bodies and car batteries (with the attendant carcinogenic chemical elements), as well as rats, mice and the odd dugite have yet to be removed.

The Shire of York, as an entity, should be applauded for its efforts in finally removing a potentially dangerous eyesore. It would have engaged with the business owners citing from the Policy Manual 2016, Council Policy/ Governance CP 1 5 ‘Enforcement’ that includes, in ‘Principles’, notwithstanding (a) immediate action is taken when required to ensure public health and safety and for the protection of the environment.

This Shire of York was notified of the problem on September 5, 2016, so its response was less than immediate- but to be equitable to all parties involved there would have had to be time taken for procedural fairness regarding the issuing of infringement notices and obtaining the required permits to remove, transport, and store the offending rubber goods.

A stimulus to increase the speed of the process may have come on September 15, 2016, when Environmental Health Officer, Mr. George Johnson, should have read the warning by the WA Health Department regarding the increased volume of mosquitos and the increased risk of related infections throughout southern WA this summer. He should then have ascertained that the risk to the York community could be exacerbated by tyre-style, stagnant swimming pools for mosquito lava being in the main street, and proceed accordingly.

In the best interest of proper, effective community engagement including accountability, Mr. Johnson should now advise ratepayers, through the Shire of York Official Website, that all proper procedures were undertaken in this matter and that these tyres have not been retained within the shires’ Local Government Area boundaries as occurred in 2014.

Regarding the Shire of York Website an email was sent to the Chief-Executive-Officer, Mr. Paul Martin, on September 29, 2016, querying the quality and timely updating of this extremely important local government community information resource.

Specifically it raised the issue that important additions to the Shire of York Administrative staff had still not been listed as being members of staff, even though their appointments had been approved and ratified by Council weeks ago.

It was suggested to Mr. Martin that this tardiness was unacceptable in any other sphere of government and/or private enterprise and tended to suggest either inefficiency or laziness. (Obviously, the problem was recognised and the names and employment positions of these three employees broadcast on the Website within 24-hours.)

From now on it would be in the best interest of the Shire of York to use its website as a transparent community conduit advising every one of the processes it is undertaking to provide responsible local government. A supposedly new era in administration requires vastly improved channels providing for openness and accountability.

Mr. Martin has arguably agreed, responding by stating that the broadcast of the details of the new employees should have been sooner. The Shire now has someone who is responsible for the development and updating of the site and its improvement is a high priority. Although not specified, the employee most likely is the Executive Manager Corporate and Community Services, Ms. Suzie Haslehurst who has Information Technology as part of her brief.

In the near future this should allow Mr. Martin to provide relevant information of concern to the community  within a designated page of the Shire of York Website, thereby potentially reducing the number of concerned ratepayers forced to the only public recourse available to them =Question Time at Ordinary (and Extraordinary) Council Meetings.

It is slightly bemusing that the content of this innocuous correspondence from Mr. Martin is claimed by the Shire of York Administration as being confidential (including attachments) and potentially privileged information. The only attachment was my original correspondence to Mr. Martin which is subject to my right to confidentiality and privilege that is not required.

Nothing in Mr. Martin’s correspondence could be considered confidential by any legal authority and if released publically (which it has) any breach of confidentiality case would be thrown out of court.

Basically why this potential threat of ‘confidential’ is used by all levels of government in its correspondence is because there can be no confidence in the accuracy of what has been written. You are certainly not privileged to receive this pap. The confidential clause is there to provide immunity to the Minister, department and agency from public humiliation.

One positive is that the Shire of York’s administration ‘Dream Team’ is now positioned with positive results not only to be expected but demanded. The fact that two iconic cafes in York, the Carriage and the former Bugatti’s are closed and a massive Aldi’s shopping complex is being built in Northam is not going to make York’s financial resurrection any easier or give the dream team a dream run.


David Taylor.