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.