COGG Watch

SPY TALES

2005-07-02T03:40:00.000-07:00

COGGWatch spies have been very busy of late and have been reporting in with some rather interesting occurences related to our great and wondrous Council.

A footy watching spy has raised another interesting conflict of interest issue that, you guessed it, raises some questions for the Gheringhap street spinmeisters, and the Big Banana. It seems that our loyal Cats followers are able to refresh themselves on match days at a "temporary" bar behind the Hickey Stand. That is, the current Hickey Stand behind the river end goals, not the great "Blinded By The Light" Stand that is to become the Hickey Stand. It seems there is a lot of angst among local publicans about this particular establishment - not because it operates during the match, but because it continues to operate up to 9:00pm, some four to four and a half hours after the match. This means that local hotels are losing traditional after-the-match custom, and even worse, having to deal with over-refreshed patrons from the bar later in the evening. It seems that this little bar follows an "all care but no responsibility" approach. Now why, you may ask is this relevant to this little column? Well the bar is operated by Lamby's. Lamby's is owned/operated by the Big Banana's family. The Big Banana is President of the Football Club that would have agreed to the bar provision, and would receive any lease payments from it. And of course, our Council is the ground manager, and highly interested in what goes on down there, as evidenced by their recent debate about naming of the stands. Yet no-one seems interested in a bar that operates way beyond its purpose and takes trade from local businesses. A few questions need to be asked here, of both the Footy Club and COGG:

Why does this bar need to operate so long after the game, and has this been approved by the Footy Club, COGG and the police?
Was the contract to provide the service openly advertised and contested, and when will it again be tendered?
Did the Big Banana declare a conflict of interest when the issue came before the GFC Board?
Why could it not have been provided as a part of the GFC licence, thus returning all profits to the Club?
What is the return to the Footy Club?
Has Council approved this use of the ground?

COGGWatch looks forward to the answers to these questions, along with a long list of local publicans,but we won't be holding our breath!

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Another eagle-eyed COGGWatcher has reported in about the use of a vacant block of land on the Melbourne Road at North Geelong for advertising purposes, Spy points out that this particular property is now sporting a very large and colorful ad for a local car dealer. (No, COOGWatch knows of no connection to the Big Banana!) This, in itself is not unusual for a high visibilty site, and is not the issue being raised. What is being questioned is whether or not this particular site owner has a permit for commercial advertising. After all, billboard style advertising is subject to control by, wait for it...., the local Council. Now, it seems that some rudimentary checking was unable to establish when or if a permit was issued. Surely just an administrative oversight? Hold on, we forgot to mention that the site, the former KFC site, was used to promote that fave of the Big Banana, the Good Ol' Boys, 'Geelong Addy', and the Laberals, the legendary man of vision, Ken Jarvis, in his disastrous Council election campaign against Buffy, and presumably belongs to a mate. Ah well just coincidence, we're sure!

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Yet another spy (We do get around, don't we?) couldn't wait to tell us what a busy person R2 is. According to spy it seems that Leopold's second Councillor has now commenced a full time job with the State funded Department of Human Services in Neighbourhood Renewal, at the same time, she is still paid Coordinator of Norlane Neighbour House, presumably at around 15hrs week (as all Centres recieve COUNCIL funding for this amount of coordination). As well, she holds down a $20,000 a year Board position with Barwon Health, and as we know, vigorously and enthusiastically attends to Council issues for which she picks up another $15,000 to $20,000 annually (plus expenses). What a hard working contributor to our local community - obviously deserves all that PUBLIC money that is rolling in!

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A recent correspondent mentioned the subject of D1's trip O/s to Japan. The 'Addy' tells us the prime purpose of this is to convince a Japanese Major League Baseball Club to come to Geelong and try our facilities at Grovedale. A COGG insider tells us that this has actually all been agreed and that the trip is little more than another in D1's long list of PR stunts - at ratepayers expense of course! Meanwhile one of our spies reports overhearing D1 at a recent function confiding in one of the mates that while everyone thinks that he is travelling economy, strings have been pulled to have him upgraded so that he will be travelling in a class more suited to his personage. He may be the mayoral equivalent of a bull in a china shop, but there's no cattle class for D1!

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We are following up on a number of other snippets sent in by our spies - some really good info, but there is a need to check. In the meantime, as they say in the classics "Keep those cards and letters (and emails) rolling in.

CONFLICT, WHAT CONFLICT? I DIDN'T SEE NUTHIN'

2005-06-16T17:55:00.000-07:00

Six months into their term, and our Councillors have not covered themselves with glory. As correspondents to this site attest regularly, planning is still an unresolved disaster area that defies rational explanation. Take the differening approaches to two developments in the Newcomb area. First, the Big Banana's proposal for a big box, bulky goods development is strongly supported (how many bulky goods developments does Geelong need?) but spotlight's application for a major new facility in the same area is sent back to the applicant with a request to detail how it fits with the retail strategy. Now, Gheri has no problem with ensuring that things fit into an overall strategic plan - in fact it would be a welcome change for this Council, but wonders why it is that all development applications are not treated in the same way. So in the north we have the Big Banana's development not having to jump over the same hurdles as the Mill markets, and in the south the Big Banana's development application apparently not being subjected to the same rigor as Spotlight. We are left to wonder if spotlight was a lessee in BB's development would it still be a problem.

This is a real concern, and one that now requires some explanation from D1 and the powers that be in the Gheringhap Street Palace of Power. Perhaps we could even have an explanation from that paragon of planning wisdom, the portfolio holder for planning, our own Deputy Mayor, D2. If we have a retail strategy for our city, is it aimed at degrading the Central Activities Area (city centre to us plebs!) and allowing unrestrained retailing almost everywhere else? If we have a coherent strategy why do we have so much trouble defending it at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal where COGG is regularly and mercilessly flogged at great expense to the rate payer? How does the strategy encourage investment in the CAA? After all D1 has publicly made it his major priority to make building owners in the CAA clean up their buildings. Has it occured to him that a strong policy of funneling retail activities into the CAA rather than allowing them to disperse to the (much cheaper for developers) industrial areas on the periphery of the city could help? But then again COGGWatch notes that the city has spent more than $20 million on so-called beautification works in the city, the main purpose of which seems to be making it harder and harder for people to get into the central area.

While on this issue of planning rumours around town suggest that there are also a couple of questions that need to be answered by individual councillors.

Cr McMuffin needs to clarify whether he has direct family connections with the Big Banana's Quay Development, and what is the nature and extent of this.

Cr "A fast pool's a good pool" Mitchell needs to clarify whether he has a family connection with the Harding Park development which could in turn have a "flow on" connection to the Quay Development.

These are important questions, and ones that the rumours say may well be tested legally down the track.

Then, of course, there are the continuing rumours, first aired in the Geelong Business News, that significant contributions were made to some councillors election campaigns by people who now have development proposals before council.

Finally, on the broader issue of our merry band of councillors not recognizing their own conflicts, COGGWatch asks who is the Councillor who is now repeatedly making a habit of promoting council funding of projects for organisations from which they receive payment? In fact a close look at budget details released by the city shows a very large grant to an organisation where that particular councillor is the senior paid employee. Funny that no questions have been raised about this. COGGWatch is advised that the Councillor both spoke in support of the funding and voted on it. Our good friends at the 'Geelong Advertiser' have been slow to look into this one!

Ah well, I'm sure that the millions collected from our 8% rate rise are being wisely spent!

CHANGE OF EDITORIAL POLICY

2005-06-02T21:02:00.000-07:00

COGGWatch was established as a means of sharing information about local matters in order to overcome a Geelong media that would not report on significant local issues in a balanced way, by presenting the other side. It has always expected and permitted rigorous comment around issues, and Gheri has only exercised administrative authority on few occassions where comment crossed the line into personal vilification and vitriol. It is becoming apparent that there are now contributors to this site that wish to pursue agendas against particular persons, some not elected or public people, rather than discuss the issues that confront our city. This is demeaning to this site. Gheri has no intention of allowing this site to be used for the purpose of vile and defamatory personal attacks to further the political agendas of a few people, regardless of which side of a political party they may support.

COGGWatch now intends to pursue a much stronger line in relation to posted comments that relate to specific people, and will delete them from the site where their only apparent purpose is to vilify - this will be particularly so for those who are not public figures. As it is not possible, nor does Gheri want to edit contributions, this will mean that where there is a transgression the entire contribution will be removed.

NOW THAT THE FORMALITIES ARE OVER ...

2005-05-25T15:40:00.000-07:00

It seems the phony peace that has existed in Geelong's Labour Party has finally turned the corner into real war.

Media reports this week (although not in the illustrious and informative 'Geelong Advertiser' !) have revealed that the Laberals, led by every Liberal's favourite unionist, Richard Marles, and his Mini Me, the night-clubbing MP, Hamdi (John) Eren have now formally noitified their intention to relieve Peter Loney of his seat of Lara. Now COGGWatch doesn't know how this is done in the Labour Party, and whether or not it involves things like horse heads being left in beds etc, but it seems to have the locals angry, and battle lines are being drawn up. Radio reports have said that Marles and Mini me, had a formal meeting with the non-Laberal faction of the Party locally to give them the news. We believe that this may, in fact, have been witnessed by a COGGWatch spy who observed a meeting in a Pakington Street caffeine dispenser last Friday. Our spy reports that Marles, Mini Me and an unknown third person were in earnest conversation with Trades Hall's leading female boyo, Christine Couzens, and Member for Geelong Ian Trezise. Now this could, of course, simply have been a convivial meeting of like minded Labour and union leaders, or a quick get together to discuss car pooling for the ALP State Conference held the next day, but COGGWatch suspects, with some good reason that the agenda revolved around two people not there, Peter Loney and Gavan O'Connor. It seems that poor old Elaine Carbines is now so low on the totem pole that she doesn't even rate a mention at a "who's being dumped" meeting. Oh, how the mighty have fallen! As we said, COGGWatch doesn't know the Labour Party protocol for traitorous hatchet jobs, but we do wonder why Loney and O'Connor were not even invited to their own executions. Anyway, in the words of sometime COGGWatch correspondent Andrew Landeryou, it is now Game On.

COGGWatch spies have also been at work in other areas. One reports an occurence at a local watering hole a short while ago. It seems that this particular spot is a favourite plotting place of Geelong's Laberals. On one magnificent night some time ago, there was a gathering of the whole clan. They were all there, Marles, Mini Me, D2 and all the assorted cronies. Pots were assembled and consumed with great gusto and clearly they were celebrating yet another week of great and wonderful service to the Masters of the people of Geelong. Spy reports that this continued for some hours, with various members of the party coming and going, but with D2 remaining throughout to anchor the group. According to spy, D2 should stick to the cream buns, as over the course of the evening he became a dribbling, blathering, stumbling, staggering dolt (yes, there was a discernible change from normal!). Seems his lurching into other patrons was not entirely appreciated and he went close to being straightened up - or should that be straightened out. Good thing for him that D1 and Groinpastures weren't drinking there, COGGWatch could only imagine the response if they had their frothy tops spilled! One fight that we don't expect to occur will be between Lord Jim and Marles to nominate D2 for Barwon Heads Golf Club membership.

If you notice that your beloved 'Addy' is considerably thinner over the next month, another COGGWatch spy probably has the answer. They have reported in that Frank, Costa that is, has gathered up the children and whipped them away on an overseas excursion. Only the children mind you, not the in-laws, they have to stay at home like Cinderella and keep their noses to the grindstone. Anyway, it seems that the Big Banana and the eight Lady Fingers are off on a month long European Grand Tour. How will our city cope, our Council will be directionless, the Addy will be at least four pages short every edition, DOD will have to take temporary leave, and how will the Good Ol Boys know what to do without the conductor to lead the band. Hey, isn't this the football season, and isn't the Big Banana the Prez? Wonder what his reaction would be if Bomber decided a European summer looked better than a Geelong winter?

Finally, a number of COGGWatchers have raised the 'Addy's' latest columnist Peter Moore, and how he came to join the happy gaggle of geese in the Ryrie Street bunker. Couldn't be to do with the fact that Moore was a one-time media buyer for the City of Greater Geelong who restructured their media contracts to exclude all other outlets and give exclusivity to the 'Addy' could it? While this has never been reported, it caused real anger among media chiefs in our town and it was only relatively recently that the contracts have again been opened up. The perplexing part of all this really is why would COGG even have needed to pay a media buyer to place its ads in the local media when it has a media unit the size of which would make a Hollywood star envious?

OF POLITICS, PRINCESSES AND PRATS

2005-05-10T14:39:00.000-07:00

Some interesting things have been occurring in the political scene around our town.

COGGWatcher's have reported that the smile that appeared on Gavan O'Connor's face about three Sundays ago had little to do with the Cat's performance against Port Power (although we did notice on the telly that you were there Gavan!) but was rather a reaction to a story that appeared in that morning's Sunday Age. The story related to one Andrew Landeryou and certain financial deals involving Melbourne University Students Union and companies associated with the said Landeryou. What caused Gavan's smile apparently was the reference to former MUSU Presidents being investigated as to their possible roles in the Landeryou deals. It seems that Gavan's local nemesis and every Liberal's favourite unionist, Richard Marles, is both a former MUSU President and a close confidante of Landeryou. We're waiting to see where this goes. Also potentially involved is John Eren, who rumour has it is gunning for Peter loney's seat. Eren is connected through his directorship of a company called Citizens Against Poverty (previously mentioned in COGGWatch) which was also closely connected to Landeryou. We note that while the connection of these two to Landeryou has been mentioned in the national daily 'The Australian' our own dear little 'Addy' has not covered anything of this. But then Marles is a card carrying member of the Good Ol' Boys, and Eren employs former 'Addy' hack and now Deputy Mayor, D2. Gheri suggests that COGGWatchers interested in the unfolding of this little tale should look to 'The Age' or the 'Oz'.

COGGWatch is told that things haven't been all that peaceful across the other side of the River either. Elaine Carbines has been loudly proclaiming to anyone of a mind to listen that she has been done over by the Marles Right group for her Upper House seat and that this a gross injustice after all that she has done for everyone. Unfortunately for Elaine, it has been reported to COGGWatch, that there really aren't many people of a mind to listen and she may have to settle for another option. It seems that an attack on Ian Trezise's seat may be that option. Meanwhile, Michael Crutchfield has been working on some problems of his own. COGGWatch is aware that Groinpastures takes a regular dose of angry pills, and that he is inclined to say and do things that in his moments of solitude and reflection (yeah, really!) he may think could have been handled better. Gheri's Good Ol' Boys insider reports that there was a savage recent exchange of correspondence between Groinpastures and Head Good Ol' Boy, Peter Dorling, which affected relationships so much that there were even muttered threats to sue. Isn't it comforting to know that even Geelong's high and mighty are not immune from a Groinpastures dummy spit!

Meanwile, back at the ranch, as they say, COGGWatch is told that there is an investigation taking place into the activities within Geelong's Labour Party Branches. While this was generated by local members concerned particularly about the activities of the Marles Right Laberals, ALP Headquarters saw fit to appoint a Marles lackey, Roger Lowery to conduct the enquiry. If COGGWatchers recognize this name it may be because he featured previously as a Labour appointee to Barwon Water despite having absolutely no background for the job, except being part of the Marles Group. Gheri is told that local ALP members are expecting the Lowery enquiry to be a whitewash, and are already gearing up for a far more public campaign.

All of these things of course are related to Labour Party preselections due later this year. There are real tensions in the town, and Marles, Eren, Saunderson, Brazier and company are making no secret of their plan to knock off O'Connor, Trezise and Loney in favor of candidates more to their liking (never mind if they are to the voters liking). Could it be that the Big Banana has also had a briefing on these plans. Gheri was interested to observe at the opening of the new Grandstand at GFC, that O'Connor, Trezise and Loney had all been seated at one table, while their colleagues were well away. Perhaps it was just coincidence, or just Gheri's suspicious mind at work, after all who would be telling BB about Labour Party matters?

We must also remark on the Big Banana's tremendous chivalry at the opening of the new stand, when he took time out to rescue a damsel in distress. The Member for Barwon Health, Ms Neville, arrived at the ground all primped, primed and princess-like only to be denied entry by a wholly unappreciative gatekeeper. And all because Ms Neville had left the corporate passes for her big day out on the kitchen sideboard. No amount of pleading, cajoling or imploring could sway said gatekeeper to let her important personage in, so eventually the Big Banana was called to attend and give guarantee that the Member for Barwon Health was under his patronage and was a fit and proper person to enter. Surely the job could have been done by Prince Nick of Everywhere, without requiring the King himself!

Finally, and on a different theme altogether, we can't let this column close without a comment on DOD's recent catastrophe. Fair dinkum DOD, before you use your generous 'Addy' page for a dummy spit, do some research. COGGWatchers, I am sure, would not have missed the article in which DOD wailed that he turned up at the Johnson's Park War memorial at 6:00am on Anzac Day only to find that the dawn service was at Torquay. "They should have told me", wailed DOD, "How could they make changes like this without letting others know?" etc, etc. Now DOD goes to great pains to let us know just how Geelong he is, and Lord knows he seems to have lived here forever, so do we surmise that this is the first occassion in those many years that the great patriot has sought to attend the ANZAC Service. For with even a modicum of research - restricted to reading his own beloved 'Addy', DOD would have known that the Johnson's Park service is a predawn service at 4:15 (the time the troops landed at Gallipoli) and that the dawn service is at Torquay. You would have expected that someone who had been editor of the local paper might even have known that this has been the case for many years. This episode gives an interesting insight into the amount of research that goes into DOD's articles. And isn't it oh so evident!

FOOTNOTE: DOD mentions in his article that he was at Johnson's Park with an MP. Come on DOD, name 'em, doesn't the community deserve to know which MP locally gives as little attention to detail as you?

STILL DODDLING ALONG

2005-04-15T23:21:00.000-07:00

Gheri has noticed over the past few weeks that our good friend Dear Old Daryl, has been inching his way back into the water on the subject of the Good Ol'Boys. Firstly, it was the big toe testing the water, and then bit by bit it has increased until, two weeks ago when he went in right up to that point where the first touch of cold water makes you gasp and temporarily lose concentration. At least, Gheri thinks this must be the explanation for the journalistically gymnastic piece that appeared under his name on that Saturday. In a piece headed "Drop The Arrogance" in the Insight section of our own 'Addy' DOD tells us:

"It is the community that must decide and commit to Geelong's future directions, not those vocal; little groups on the fringes who, without ever having been elected by the people of this region, nevertheless arrogantly and misleadingly claim to speak on its behalf. "

Now, before you start applauding hysterically, and shouting Halleluja, Praise The Lord, at last he's seen the light!, you should be aware of the context of this little remark. Believe it or not, as Ripley was wont to say, DOD was actually mounting this as a defence of the Good Ol' Boys.
No, your eyes are not playing tricks, he was telling us that community groups should get off the back of those wonderful people who are just trying to do something for this city, and let them get on with doing it. Apparently anyone who has a different vision for Geelong to the Good Ol'Boys is anti-Geelong (eerily reminiscent of his hero,Chairman Jeff!) and should either shut up, or ship out. Gheri must have missed it, so perhaps DOD can let us know just when these elections were for the Good Ol' Boys and how ordinary plebs like us get to exercise our democratic rights. We at COGGWatch were strongly under the impression that it was money up (and considerable amounts of it!) to get a vote on who leads the Good Ol'Boys. We always thought that Lord Jim, Nick Everywhere, and company were using money to ensure that the "little people" actually got nowhere near them, and that any community representative that does get a guernsey will be selected by the Good Ol' Boys themselves. It's nice to have DOD's reassurance that there is no arrogance in that position.

It is time that DOD, and other rich and famous groupies in this town faced up the the facts. While the Good Ol' Boys may be able to arrange access passes to all the "best" places and people, they are a well funded, high profile pro development lobby group,which includes the people behind Harding Park, and most other Council supported developments of recent times, nothing more. They are not, as DOD attempts to suggest in another part of his extraordinary piece, some kind of successor body to the Geelong Regional Commission, to which it actually bears no resemblence. The Good Ol'Boys are entitled to have an opinion on Geelong, with their opinion judged according to their prejudices. They are not entitled to have the only opinion in Geelong. It is this fundamental concept that DOD, the 'Addy', a large slice of the Palace of Power, and the Good Ol'Boys themselves, seems unable to grasp. An issue in Geelong simply does not need the imprimatur of theGood Ol'Boys, or DOD for the matter, for it to be a legitimate issue. Just because an issue causes discomfort for those who "just want to do things" doesn't mean it shouldn't be discussed.

STOP PRESS

We are all aware of how heavily dependent our fine city is on the collection of parking fines, and how it is harder to escape from the zealous clutches of our grey ghosts, than it is from Guantanamo Bay. With that in mind, a COGGWatch spy has brought to our attention an incident that occurred last week. A collection of local notables was standing in Moorabool Street, local media boys and girls in attendance, but nothing much happening. Clearly they were waiting for something or someone of importance. Then our breathless D1 arrived and all was well, journo's and photographers sprang into action and a moment of importance captured for prosperity. Now, you may be thinking that D1, may need the attention of a personal trainer if he gets breathless on the block walk from City Hall to the corner of Moorabool and Little Malop Streets, but according to our eagle-eyed correspondent he didn't even hoof it that far. Seems he arrived in the great mayoral limousine, proceeded to plonk it right at the action with front wheel on the footpath, and alighted, without paying any regard to the sign clearly telling all that this was a disabled parking space. In spite of all the Council people present, COGGWatch advises you not to put your hard earned on a parking infringement ticket being issued.

Not a great example being set by our No1 Citizen and Top Cop - we wonder if he will voluntarily put his hands up!

COUNCIL RELATIONSHIPS NEED SOME RELATIONSHIP COUNSELLING

2005-04-04T02:33:00.000-07:00

Firstly, may COGGWatch apologise for the break in transmission. Gheri has been a little poorly of late and really not up to the task. No, she was not beset in the street by irate pen-pushers or assailed by awesome aldermen, but the victim of a nasty, and persistent, little virus.

Anyway, all is better again.

However the same cannot be said of relationships at the Palace of Power in Gheringhap Street. It seems that only a little over four months into their four years and there is more fraying than on the sleeves of Grandad's old woollen jumper. The Tom O'Connor affair, recently reported in the on the job "Addy", is only the tip of an iceberg that may one day turn upside and reveal itself for the world to see. After all poor old Tom only demanded that a council staffer get him a drink while in an exhausted state (and isn't that what they're there for?) and suddenly D1 is treating him like one of those villains that he deals with in the other part of his day. COGGWatch understands that this left poor Tom wandering around in Monty Python mode mumbling to all and sundry something that sounded remarkably like "I didn't expect the Spanish Inquisition". Anyway the suitably admonished Tom wrote the letter demanded to the staffer involved, and honor was restored - to all but Tom. While we're on the subject COGGWatch strongly suggests that he should drop the amnesia defence - it's really not working for him. Even the Streaker's defence - "It sounded like a good idea at the time" would be stronger for Tom.

Tom may reflect on how unlucky he was. If he had behaved in that manner to another Councillor, he would not have suffered any consequences and D2 would not have followed up. After all, serious accusations were made in the Heather Wellington - Alex Di Natale Affair, and a bigger cone of silence than Maxwell Smart ever employed descended on the Council table. D1's years of detecting were not enough to break through the fog of "I didn't see nuthin' ", "I didn't hear nuthin' " from the room full of people.

But Tom's not the only one who is showing signs of fraying. COGGWatch previously reported a verbal stoush between two councillors. It can now report that at a recent meeting of councillors another storm cloud appeared. It appears that two councillors decided to verbally joust each other, and continued doing so, until one decided that he would invite the other to continue the discussion al fresco. It didn't quite develop to the point of our civic leaders forming a circle and chanting "fight, fight, fight", but our modern day Rocky and Sluggo got into some pretty serious glaring, and withering glances were exchanged. Any more of this behaviour and the COGG capital works program will have to include a shelter shed for councillors to invite others to the back of.

But it seems the fraying isn't confined to councillor and councillor, or councillor and the minions. Word is that 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' Abley is rocking the upper echelons. Buffy was recently sighted at an early morning breakfast with CEO Kaye Rundle, and it was no women's solidarity meeting judging by the body language, with Kaye adopting more defensive positions than the Sydney Swans backline. Sources inside the Council say that Buffy has strong views about how certain parts of the organisation are performing and believes that Council should have some say in "motivating" them to achieve better. (Now there's a radical idea, Councillors actually taking an interest in how the organisation performs, rather than using it for a waiter service - but hey, what would we know!) . They also say that she indicated to other councillors, including D1, that she was prepared to pursue it. This sent the bureaucrats into an extremely agitated state - legal opinions, the lot - and hence the meeting with Kaye where Buffy was to be sorted out. (Gee, a shelter shed is looking like an absolute necessity for this council.) We understand that the brekky meeting achieved an uneasy truce of sorts, but there are other councillors who privately agree with Buffy and the cracks are likely to re-appear.

Throw into this mixture D1's management style, which has all the subtlety of the Footy Show, and the recipe is there for exciting times ahead.

Perhaps we could get a spruiker outside the Palace of Power. "Roll up, roll up and see the show, the fights go all night, while they waste your dough"

TRAMS AND BANDWAGONS GET THE WOBBLES

2005-03-17T15:47:00.000-08:00

Ohmigosh, its been a big week in Geelong's establishment.

Firstly, there's our Mayor, new job and all, on a campaign to wrest the Captain Vision title from that old favourite of the "Geelong Advertiser" , Ken Jarvis. With our local fish and chip wrapper lauding him on its front pages and in feature articles, D1 is setting about changing the face of Geelong.

He's going to put trams down La Trobe Terrace. Yeah, that should fix the snarls, jams and road rage that it's currently famous for. The State Government is spending $400 million on a round around Geelong to try to sort it out, when all that was needed was to put in a tram! The immediate questions that spring to Gheri's mind are why?, and where? We don't know if D1 has actually tried to drive along La Trobe Terrace any time in the last few years, but perhaps if he took the Mayoral limousine for a run he would find that there is very little room left at most times to push a sardine tin up the La Trobe Terrace Car Park , let alone a tram. After all, trams mean rails and overhead power, and safety zones and stops. Gheri wouldn't like to be one of the paying public trying to venture from the tram to the safety of the footpath. Anyone succeeding is sure to get a gig on Strictly Dancing. And can you imagine our council trying to run a tram line at a profit, particularly when Councillors and their mates would surely be entitled to free travel. (Talking of Council mates, former mayor Ed "I'm with Lord Jim" Coppe, has been sighted at more ratepayer funded functions than the COGG logo - evidently D1 hasn't received the official election results yet!)

Next, D1 moves into "Clean up the buildings in the CBD" mode. Now, while Gheri thinks that our CBD is looking as tatty as D2 at the end of a big night out, hasn't this drum been beaten before, and before, and before ... Weren't Captain Vision, Special K and Groinpastures all going to fix the CBD during their mayoralty. (And didn't D2 localise it, promising to clean up dilapidated strip shopping in the north!) It seems every time a Mayor runs out of ideas they drag this one out of the COGG filing cabinet. Has it never occurred to D1 and other Mayors, that the solution to the state of Geelong's CBD is not to continually lambast building owners, but to actually pursue planning policies that make the CBD a good investment. This council has allowed retailing to disperse all over Geelong, willy-nilly, without thought for the consequences. So our CBD became a mish mash of $2 stores. Until the council produces policies that encourage quality retail in the city area, our CBD will continue to resemble a dog's breakfast.

Linking the two visions of our Mayor was his attack on the vacant block on the corner of La Trobe Terrace and Aberdeen Street. Did it never occur to D1 as he was standing there being photographed that the significant congestion at that particular intersection might be eased if he pursued the compulsory acquisition of the vacant block for a left turn slip lane out of La Trobe Terrace into Aberdeen Street. Traffic management evidently not his strong point.

Meanwhile, in another part of town, we hear the fire is really being stoked. Every Liberal's favourite unionist,Richard "I'm Bill Shorten's friend so I should get a seat too" Marles's plan to quietly dispose of Gavan O"Connor is facing problems. It seems the wheels on the bandwagon are becoming decidely wobbly. In a "what seemed like a good idea at the time" moment it seems Tricky Dicky prevailed on his mates at Party HQ to thwart attempts by local Labour party members to have strange happenings in the local area investigated. They would appoint his good mate, and Barwon Water board appointee (at around 20 grand a year, thank you very much! Those who know Rog well say that his major qualification in water is that he is as weak as. ) to conduct any inquiry and report back to HQ. This was meant to end it all quickly and quietly with Tricky and his local cronies getting a clean bill of health. Rather, it was, as they say in the war classics, a bridge too far! Now rather than Corio being quiet, the whole Labour Party is in uproar with threats of court action flying about. Gheri is told that this will not simply blow over and the action may last, very publicly for months. If they're not concerned down at the Good Ol' Boys, they ought to be!

GAGGING ONE DAY, SILENCE THE NEXT

2005-03-10T13:27:00.000-08:00

It is amazing what you find when you're not really looking.

Gheri was sitting down the other night, nothing on telly, and looking for a good read. So she pulled out her collection of "Magic Moments from COGG Minutes", also known as "Desperate COGGTimes", looking for a good laugh. After chortling her way through volume three - "The Rise and Fall of Captain Vision - the Jarvis Mayoralty" Gheri flipped to more recent times, and there it was!

******

Just prior to the last Council elections our august group had actually considered the issue of voluntary disclosure of campaign funding. Well, considered may be a trifle too generous as you will see as we go along. But there it was, sitting in the Minutes of the November 9th, 2004 meeting, for all to see ...

*****

NOTICE OF MOTION
ELECTIONS Cr Abley Proposer

Preamble

Local Government in Victoria, and the City of Greater Geelong, have an opportunity to demonstrate a degree of accountability and openness, which is required for State and Federal elections.
This transparency would be enhanced by adopting the draft legislation currently outlined in Division 9 Election Campaign Donations Local Government Act 1989 No.11.
In broad terms, this section of the Act requires all candidates to fully disclose to the Chief Executive Officer within 60 days post election, any campaign donation.
Donations include any gifts received which are equal to, or exceeds two hundred dollars, or, goods or services the amount or value of which, is equal to or exceeds two hundred dollars.
The Act prescribes the procedure and format for declaring such donations or gifts.

Cr Abley moved, Cr Binnie seconded -

This Council takes a leadership role and supports the full disclosure of election campaign donations as specified in Division 9, Election Campaign Donations Local Government Act 1989 No.11, from candidates for future Local Government Elections within this municipality and communicates this decision to the Minister for Local Government in writing.

******

Gheri was dumbstruck (and that's some rarity!). It seems we've all been unfairly attacking this Council for non-disclosure, for wanting to keep candidate funding secret,for not wanting to tell us where the money came from. All the time we thought they didn't understand conflict of interest, when they had actually dealt with it and were simply too humble to tell us. Gheri had started penning her grovelling letter of apology when her eyes slipped to what followed.

******

Formal Motion:
Cr Dowling moved, Cr Di Natale seconded

That consideration of the Notice of Motion be deferred.

Carried.

Gheri read on, eager to find what pressing business needed to come before this item, or to understand the reasons that our now Mayor would have for not wanting the motion discussed at that time. But, ... nothing. How could this be, she wondered in her girlish innocence, so she asked some questions. It seems that in COGG a formal motion is similar to what is called in other places a "gag" or "guillotine" motion. That is, it immediately brings all discussion to an end. In this case apparently it was brought to an end even before it began. Even the mover and seconder were unable to present their argument for the motion. Simply no discussion at all. It clearly wasn't because of more pressing business, as the next item recorded in the minutes is "Close Of Meeting".

******

So clearly, it is not just since the election that D1 and others have acquired a sensitivity about campaign funding. But to not even allow a motion to be discussed! A lesser person than Gheri may ask 'what have they got to hide?'

*****

A motion about campaign funding disclosure prior to the election is sent to the never-never by our now Mayor, a citizen who asks a similar question from the gallery after the elections suffers D1's wrath. No councillor has yet made a voluntary declaration. It really makes you wonder doesn't it?

*****

Perhaps one day discussion around the council table will be based on the interest of the community rather than the common interest of the few.

******

Oh! And in case you're wondering this is the way councillors voted on D1's motion to gag debate last November.

******

For: Crs Dowling, Harwood, Kontelj, Coppe, Farrell, Di Natale, Saunderson
Against: Crs Ristevski, Ansett, Wellington, Binnie, Abley

Note: Farrell is former Cr Craig Farrell, not current Cr Jan Farrell

*****

It would be interesting to see how a similar vote fared in this Council. Not much better Gheri thinks. Why don't you ask your local Councillor how they would line up?

*****

In the meantime Gheri's giving up reading and going back to the telly. There can't possibly be anything on that's worse than this.

TIME FOR COGG COUNCILLORS TO CHEQUE OUT

2005-03-03T11:43:00.000-08:00

COGGWatchers may well have taken an interest in a story that has received wide coverage in the Melbourne press over the last week. This story, heavily covered in the Age, reported that a Hume Councillor, Cr Mohamad Abbouche, failed to declare a $5,000 donation from a property developer before seconding a motion before the Council relating to an application by that company.

Why, you might ask, should Geelong people be interested in what happens in the City of Hume? Well there are a number of interesting similarities, parallels and links.

Mohamad Abbouche is a member of the Labour Party and a factional ally of Richard Marles's group in Geelong which includes D2, R2, and McMuffin
COGGWatch is advised he is well known to D2's boss, John Eren, and probably to D2
Like Cr Abbouche, Richard Marles's Labour Right group likes to be close to the corporates
Cr Abbouche has been accused within the Labour Party of "branchstacking" against sitting Federal Member for Calwell, Maria Vamvakinou, to replace her with a right faction member
Ratepayers were kept blissfully unaware of the source of Cr Abbouche's campaign funds until it broke in the media
In Geelong, rumours have persisted about the Costa/Business/Labour Right council candidates receiving substantial funding from individuals around the town. The Big Banana has publicly acknowledged that he "supported" four or five candidates but the type of support and who those candidates were has not been detailed. Other business people have remained more tight-lipped.

COGGWatch can now reveal that it has received first hand information that certain business people around Geelong were contacted and requested to contribute generously to a council election fund, and that a number did so. Who that money went to and how it was administered is still not clear, but there is no doubt that a number of council candidates ran campaigns that apparently exceeded their personal financial capacities. None of our elected Councillors have made volountary declarations about their campaign funding, and none has been asked to do so by our daily journal. Neither has the State Opposition, which raised the Hume matter in Parliament, raised any question in relation to Geelong. Is this because the Costa /Business/Labour Right connections are too close to them? Would revelations about Geelong's Laberals be embarrassing to both sides of politics?

Nor have our councillors responded to the public's questions. When the question of possible conflict of interest was raised, by a member of the public at the last Council meeting, rather than giving honest answers, the reaction was first to attack the person who raised it, and then to deflect it. R2 was particularly active in the deflection. COGGWatch notes that Cr Abbouche passed off the conflict issue when it was raised, two months after he voted on the issue, as an error and an honest mistake. He is a senior councillor, did it never enter his mind during those two months that maybe something was not quite right? Did he never seek advice about the potential for conflict of his accepting a donation from a developer? Can we expect any better from our Councillors?

What is well known is that many prominent business names usually connected to conservative politics have been attending big money fundraisers for the members of the Marles Right group. Is it possible that like Peet and company they thought they were donating to the ALP, but the money raised went to help individuals. remember, the Hume donation only became public because Peet and Co declared it under federal disclosure rules on donations to political parties. Given that over the period of this council, development applications will be considered by council from a number of the names that have attended the local fundraisers, is it not important that the air is cleared on this matter? Perhaps the ALP itself could step in and verify where the money raised has gone.

How are our councillors able to avoid the public financial disclosure required of all candidates in State or Federal elections? They are hiding behind a legal loophole. The Local Government Act was changed well before the COGG elections to require all council candidates to declare donations of more than $200 within 60 days after the elections. However, the section requiring this did not come into effect until a few days after the COGG elections. COGGWatch believes that the Costa/Business/Labor Right group and their backers were well aware of this, and have taken advantage of it to avoid scrutiny. But the question remains - why? They would do well to reflect that where secrecy prevails, suspicion follows.

It is interesting to note that while our councillors manouvre to avoid scrutiny, at least one other Council believes that even the new provisions do not go far enough. Manningham Council has described the provision as flawed, saying that candidates should be required to declare all campaign donations prior to the election so that ratepayers exercise an informed vote. Perhaps R2, with her recent interest in financial disclosure could sponsor a similar resolution at COGG. It would be interesting to see the support for it.

Meanwhile, we will just have to wait for our councillors to act according to the spirit of the new legislation and make volountary disclosures. But don't hold your breath.

I DIDN'T EXPECT THE SPANISH INQUISITION!

2005-02-24T13:08:00.000-08:00

The 'Addy' still seems to have difficulty getting the whole story. Take the happenings at the most recent Council meeting. The "Juddyjournal" followed the meeting with a report on the decision to give yet another $20,000 to the Good Ol'Boys so that unelected, non-consultative "leaders" will be able to go lobby people in places far from Geelong with their view of what our city wants and needs. In the course of this story the intrepid hack ( Little Tommy - remember "sang for his/her supper"!)who covered proceedings for the Ryrie Street tabloid, reported that R2 asked other Councillors to reveal who had received funding from the Good Ol' Boys for their council election campaigns. Well, good on R2 you might say, and maybe that's how the reporter intended you to respond. However if you had attended the meeting you might well have seen it all unfold in a completely different context.

As with all good stories, it all began at the beginning (not the middle, Little Tommy!). A well dressed gentleman, business suit, tie, clean shoes and presenting apparently no threat to the establishment, rose in the gallery to ask a question. Not to our illustrious Mayor, Planning Chief D2, R2 or even Special K . No, this question was addressed to the rarely in the spotlight Council Officer with responsibility for Governance. And the question asked cut straight through the Council like a meat cleaver through a cabbage (in this case maybe a row of cabbages). In essence the question asked was " Given media reports in the Geelong Business News and other papers before and after the council elections, that a number of council candidates were supported by the Committee for Geelong or individual members of the Committee for Geelong, can the Governance Officer provide advice about whether or not any Councillor present who received such support should participate in this debate or vote on the resolution to give the Committee for Geelong funding?" Silence lasted for about as long as a seven ounce beer in the hands of an 'Addy' journo on Friday night, before D1 leapt into the fray. D1 clearly recognised the questioner and vented his "disappointment" that this person should ask such a question, and continued on to attack him. When the questioner sought the opportunity to respond and defend himself he was denied that right by D1. It was in this environment that R2 joined in D1's indignation with her "request" for other Councillors to declare if they had received money from the Committee for Geelong. Note this wording which conveniently left out the further part of the question "or individuals members of the Committee for Geelong". This of course kept everyone semantically safe.

This was an important question that goes to the heart of good governance in our city, and it was a brave citizen who went to the meeting and asked it. It deserved coverage in the reporting of the Council meeting , and the underlying issue deserved examination. This is not simply about a $20,000 membership of a self appointed, white shoes lobby group, it is about how our city is run, where the power does and should reside, and how significant are the undeclared ties and relationships. It is not a big step from City Hall to Tammany Hall when secrecy and bullying prevail.

And one other thing. Since R2 wanted to ask governance questions let COGGWatch put one to her. Are you prepared to vouluntarily disclose the source of funding for the $25,000 + campaign that you ran? And lets not play semantics with it this time.

LOVE THY NEIGHBOUR!

2005-02-22T13:24:00.000-08:00

It seems that the severe outbreak of unity and peace claimed by D1, and loudly hailed by our bastion of the Free Press, the 'Geelong Advertiser' has not yet really settled all over Geelong.

It is amazing that our wonderful 'Addy' can pick up on tensions in the Labour Party locally, but seems totally oblivious to what is going on in other structures, particularly COGG.

Admittedly, our droopy-eared newshounds only ever find out about attacks on Gavan O'Connor some days after they appear in the Melbourne papers. Then, of course, they take the opportunity to profile his challenger, Good Ol' Boy and every Liberal's favourite unionist, Richard "I'm a Corio boy - I went to Geelong Grammar" Marles, with some nice little article about how unionism is good for Liberal voters. However, it seems no-one at the 'Addy' has access to the 'Australian' or they may have picked up the story on Marles's mate and D2's boss, John Eren, and his connection to a company named Citizens Against Poverty. According to the 'Australian', there are plenty of questions to be answered about which particular citizens' poverty this organisation was against! The fact that Blair Burr, Chairman of the Addy Board, and Marles are both highly valued members of the Good Ol' Boys is, we are sure, purely coincidental!

But the big story that they have missed, despite having a dedicated COGG reporter, is the Maul at Little Malop, the Stoush at the Hall of Hopelessness, the Tongue Fight at the Councillor's Lounge!

As COGGWatch is told this was a ding-dong go between two neighbouring councillors following a councillors' meeting a couple of weeks ago. It seems that during the meeting one councillor of the Costa/Business/Labor Right persuasion couldn't resist persistently baiting and belittling another councillor not of the in-group. Geelong's leading custodian of law and order, Mayor D1, did nothing to prevent this occuring, so at the conclusion of the meeting the aggrieved councillor determined to pass on to the offender that his behaviour had not been entirely appreciated. After politely requesting him to step into a corner so that he could explain the conventional rules of play in the COGG sandpit, our aggrieved, and by now aggravated and agitated, councillor suggested to the offender that if he wanted to continue to play this way, it would be returned in spades, and that he had a lot more ammunition (not exactly his word!) to throw, and the offender a lot more to lose. It seems that our poor old offender was having difficulty with his hearing so our aggrieved councillor had to repeat his concerns from very close proximity and at very loud volume, causing cars parked in Little Malop Street to shake. Other councillors were in the near vicinity, but clearly felt that this was a conversation of a private and personal nature so they went on with their post meeting imbibing in the hope of council conviviality creeping to the far corner. Seems it all ended with our aggrieved councillor feeling much better for having got it all off his chest and striding off into the sunset, and our offender looking a bit wobbly-legged and not quite ready for the next round.

Given that the volume of this little contretemps was such that it could be heard in Ryrie Street, one wonders how the boys and girls of the 'Addy' missed it. Anyway, now that they know about it, we hope that they'll at least be on the lookout for Round Two.

A CONCISE GUIDE TO THE GOOD OL' BOYS - Part 1 - We're In the Money!

2005-02-17T16:11:00.000-08:00

The Good Ol' Boys and their local activities are quite an item of interest for COGGWatchers so Gheri thought that it was about time that we had a quick look inside the organisation.

The Good Ol' Boys are headed up by 'Lord Jim' Cousins and his Deputy, Nick 'the Boy Wonder' Carr ( henceforth referred to as 'Robin'. Hey! does that make their CEO, Peter Dorling, Batman and the Big Banana Commissioner Gordon? Does he summon them with a bat signal from his office high atop the Myers Street hill? ... enough of this frivolous musing, we're on a serious subject here. ) Joining Lord Jim, Batman and Robin, in directing the affairs of the organisation is business woman around town Helene Bender otherwise referred to as 'Pencil' (Check the initials for a clue).

Their membership list is the glitterati of Geelong, if you go by the social pages of the 'Geelong Advertiser'. (Yes, Gheri does read it, she loves seeing her photo in print ...ego ... ego ... ego!). Among the luminaries joining our fabulous foursome as Board Members are Claire Higgins, Chair of Barwon Health, Michael King of Funerals fame, Paul Whelan of GMHBA, employment agent, Bernadette Uzelac, COGG's Kay Rundle and D1, and of course every Liberal's favourite unionist, Richard "I'm Gavan O'Connor's worst nightmare" Marles. In case you're not yet sufficiently enthused by these people looking after your interests, then perhaps a glimpse of the Members (category 3 in the Good Ol' Boys hierarchy). Featured here are night club king Stewart Harrison, Blair Burr (GM of the 'Addy' ) , the Big Banana, Fr Kevin Dillon, the CEO of the Western Bulldogs, Campbell Rose, and our leader without followers, Ed Coppe. Interestingly they don't appear to have persuaded the 'Addy's' "Captain Vision", Ken Jarvis to part with a membership fee.

Now that you're enthusiastic, what will it cost to join? Well, if you'd like to be a Leading Foundation Member, a mere $20,000 + GST yearly. Can't quite manage that? Well you can get in as a pleb for a mere $3,000 + GST per year. What a bargain! Councils can join for an annual fee "To be determined" To be determined by whom? And why do they have to pay a fee anyway? Then there is the category for the "little people" the Community Members membership, which is a voluntary contribution. Whooaa! Come back,...... read the fine print. The Good Ol' Boys vet this through an expression of interest process - prominentl advertised in our dear old 'Addy' no doubt. Clearly these fees bring in a fair moneybag for Batman to administer. No wonder he can have wonderful study touirs to the northern climes.

More interesting is the amount of public money that flows through this organisation. Listed as Board members and members are Barwon Health, Barwon Water, Gordon Institute, COGG, St Laurence Community Services, Deakin University, Surf Coast Shire, Corangamite Catchment Authority, Create, Geelong Migrant Resource Centre, Bethany Community Support, Golden Plains Shire, G-Force Recruitment, and the Victorian Regional Channels Authority. On the information supplied to COGGWatch this stream of your money into the Good Ol' Boys treasury could be as much as $200,000 per year. They also receive significant other funding from both local and State Government. Given that many of these have sunk dollars in for some years, isn't it time Board members at these organisations queried this use of public finances for what declares itself to be a political lobby group? (More about that in a later chapter)

Along with these are a number of "invited" community organisations there to look after your interests. These include Geelong Environment Council, Friends of the Botanic Gardens, St Mary of the Angel's Basilica (no other church allowed!), which presumably make a voluntary contribution.

Perhaps we shouldn't be concerned about so much public money propping up a business, development lobby group? Perhaps we can simply trust Commissioner Gordon to put up the Bat sign, call up Batman and Robin and do the right and good thing by our little Gotham city!

More to follow ......

SHOCK WAVES SET TO HIT QUAY

2005-02-12T03:56:00.000-08:00

Is COGGWatch imagining things, or is there an eerie silence around the Quay development?

This project which was touted in the 'Geelong Advertiser' as nearly the greatest thing to happen in Geelong since Fitzgerald's sliced bread, has not been mentioned since the full-color, glossy brochure appeared. Amazing, given that nearly everything else the Big Banana is involved with gets a run almost daily. Could it be that since its grand announcement it has not attracted the universal endorsement that is normally reserved for all things Frank?

COGGWatch is aware that there are mumblings and mutterings deep within the bowels of our city. However, the scions of business who are normally happy to rush into print with their view of what is good for Geelong have so far confined themselves to some red-faced grizzling in the corner. The leader of one well known local organisation has told people that this is not the best thing for the city, and that there are many flaws in it, but that he will not say anything because it is going to get the go ahead regardless, and so there is no point in jeopardizing his own position.

Mumblings are also being heard from city retailers not only about the effect on their businesses, but also about the backflip by supposed central city business leader, Helene Bender, who now supports the development.

However, none of this is surfacing, and the 'Addy' is certainly not being pro-active in seeking out views. But COGGWatch believes that this may be about to change.

It seems the people behind the Gateway development opposite the Trotting track have done some anaysis and fear, with good reason, that if the Big Banana's plan gets the green light, they will be out of business. An objection and a legal battle from them is looming. It will hardly help Quay's "local" argument that they are doing something for Geelong's northern suburbs, if their first achievement is to shut down a development actually in the northern suburbs for one that purports to be. On top of this, of course, Quay also propose to close down Bunnings in Corio to relocate it to their site. You could forgive people of the north for saying "Please don't help us!"

It also seems that once the snowball is rolled, others will get on board.

A part of Quay's plan that has not been given much mention is that it will allow almost 50,000 square metres of retail floor space. This is CBD size shopping space, and will have a potentially devastating effect on Geelong retailers in all areas. Rumor has it that Corio Village will object to the Aldi development in Corio. Given that they are currently spending millions on a long needed overhaul, it is hard to see that they will not also take an interest in Quay. And, as part of the Gandel group they are backed by an organisation with deep pockets.

Once these heavyweights step into the ring, others will gain the courage to follow.

It will be very interesting to see who lines up where as this fight develops, because it will be one where there is no place to hide!

FOOTNOTE: In an earlier article COGGWatch revealed that a number of Quay directors had associations with Smorgon companies. We can now reveal that this was not coincidental. In fact Smorgon is a major, perhaps the major investor, in this development. Yet another fact not revealed by the 'Addy' in their portrayal of Quay as being the local boy made good giving something back to the local community. Ah well! We guess it doesn't matter where the money comes from as long as the advertising bill gets paid.

ON THE ONE HAND, BUT THEN ON THE OTHER ...

2005-01-31T00:40:00.000-08:00

Confusion, dithering and inaction are again in vogue around COGG. Whether it is planning, By-laws, or watersports complex it seems that our Councillors just can't take a decision and stick to it. This evidently passes for leadership under the reign of D1 and D2.

Our Councillors decide they want to have it both ways in relation to Mill Markets, on the one hand voting by majority to kick the markets out, and on the other unanimously resolving to complain to the Minister that in taking the same stance she is undermining them! No wonder Ian Ballis is confused.

Similarly, they decide to put in place a raft of new, unpopular by-laws rejected by the consultative group that Councillors insisted be put in place, but then say the fines won't be implemented, we'll give offenders warnings.

The watersports complex again raises its head and first D2 leaps into print supporting his leader by saying a study could be useful, and then cartwheeling into opposition after some letters to the Editor. (Gheri reminds you that she predicted the entry of Ken Jarvis as chief supporter - the 'Addy' didn't let her down!)

Is this what we are to expect from our Councillors for the next four years (at an approximate cost of $300,000 per year in allowances and expenses)?

Is there any chance at all that they may take positions on the basis of the argument before them rather than on the basis of who said it?

Planning is at crisis point in Geelong. Our city has achieved a reputation throughout the State as being hopeless. Planning applications regularly are not considered within the required period, and go off to VCAT for decision automatically. Other applications are simply delayed for months so that Councillors can avoid making decisions. The result is that both the community and developers are frustrated. Some applications are given great prominence in the Council chamber, while others of great public interest, like the controversial Quay development (see previous article "Exposing the Quay to Geelong") proceed with little noise at all. And the community is left like Julius Sumner Miller asking "Why is it so?"

Also remember that it was our fearless planning portfolio holder D2 who spearheaded the move in the last Council to remove community objection rights from the planning process. How long will it be before we see that little gem re-cut, polished up and back on the agenda?

In the meantime, according to the 'Addy's' little sister the 'Geelong News', Cr Harwood and his mentor, former Mayor Michael Crutchfield have discovered Heritage. It seems that they now hold the view that multi unit development in the Belmont heritage area are anti-family and inappropriate. No doubt the defenders of Osborne House, and residents of heritage areas like Geelong West, Rippleside and Drumcondra which already has a Heritage Overlay but have been told that multi-unit development is allowed and appropriate will be less than amused.

COGGWatch is aware that the view that COGG is a planning disaster area is not confined to contributors to this blog, or a few letter writers to the 'Addy' . Paradoxically some of the big players around town are also whispering in corners about what should be done. While Special K moves resolutions to write to the Planning Minister expressing concern that COGG is being restricted in its planning role, some names he would know well are muttering about whether or not to approach the Premier seeking a regional planning authority for Geelong and taking it all out of COGG's hands. Interesting times indeed, but don't expect to read about it in the 'Addy'!

QUAY DEVELOPMENTS FOOTNOTE

We are indebted to an eagle-eyed COGGWatcher who has alerted us to some interesting entries in the Geelong Football Club Annual report. The first relates to former Director (and Harding Park developer) Greg Giles whose occupation is listed as Managing Director of Mondopoint Pty Ltd. COGGWatchers will recognize this name, as it has an association with Quay developments. Included in Quay director Peter Edwards of South Yarra's associations, is Mondopoint Pty Ltd, a footwear manufacturer located in Fiji, which had administrators appointed to it on October 18 2004. Probably just a co-incidence!

Also in the GFC Annual Report is the revelation that Gregory Hywood (unheard of in Geelong, but the Big Banana just had to have him) is Executive Director, Department of Premier and Cabinet, State of Victoria. But we believe the Big Banana when he says that Hywood was recruited for media skills!

And, of course, there would be no talk of anything but football when the Board meets, would there?

ANOTHER WEEKEND ROUNDUP

2005-01-20T13:20:00.000-08:00

Seen Around Town 1. COGGWatchers have been reporting in with information about some curious rendevous in our wondrous city. It seems that our good Mayor, D1, can't get enough of the Good Ol Boys. Not only does he regularly see them at city functions and meetings, but it seems that he also just has to meet them away from City Hall as well. We wonder what D1, Lord Jim and Good Ol' Boys secretary Peter Dorling discuss while they sip coffee in Pakington Street. Wouldn't have anything to do with the rumblings about whether COGG should remain a member, would it?

Seen Around Town 2. New whizz kid, and current darling of the establishment Nicholas Carr has been sighted in the company of Member for Bellarine, Lisa Neville. We are assured that this is purely business - and just as well. After all imagine the quandary that the Member for Getting Rid of Mayors would be in if at the next Federal election she had to chose between ex-hubby and political patron, Richard Marles, as the Labor candidate and the new Mr Everywhere as the Liberal. Ah well, in the end I guess they're both Laberals, and are really interchangeable.

Local Honors. COGGWatch has had a sneak preview of the New Year's Honors list headed Geelong's way and has found that some of our most eminent citizens are to get the recognition they justly deserve. Here are some of the highlights that we thought COGGWatchers may be interested in.

AJM (Auntie Jack Medal - "I'll Come Round To Your House and Rip Your Bloody Arms Off!) Cr Bruce Harwood for his magnificent crack of dawn appearance at a rival's house during the council elections after finding one of his paper signs in a rubbish bin.

OBVS (Order of Buffy The Vampire Slayer) Cr Barbara Abley for her against the odds defeat of the darling of the Goold Ol'Boys and the Costa/Business/Labor Right, Ken Jarvis in a council election where Ken performed so well that he ended up looking like the stooge for perennial candidate Jim Fidge.

RMSDM (Robert Mugabe Services to Democracy Medal) "Lord Jim" Cousins, leader of the Good Ol Boys for his post election tirade against preferential voting after his boy Ed Coppe was defeated. We can't wait to see his electoral reform campaign head into the State and Federal arenas. Perhaps he could even enlist Jeb Bush (an authentic Good Ol' Boy) as an adviser.

ODTB (Order of Downtown Beirut) Cr David Saunderson(or D2 to you!) for services to planning within the municipality, as exemplified by the now scrub-like Geelong Golf Course. How many more ways can he find to blame some other level of government or organisation for his responsibilities.

OOB (Order of Brian - "Always Look On the Bright Side of Life") Peter Judd, Editor of the 'Geelong Advertiser' for those almost daily front pages of funerals, accidents or other tragedies. No wonder there's never any room to analyse the performance of our council.

OPH (Order of Paris Hilton - "Famous for being Famous) Richard Marles - he's Labor and a Union heavy, but he's the darling of Geelong's conservatives (even noted Union hater, Ken Jarvis). Work that out! Other than getting his ex-wife, and almost his mistress, into Parliament, what is it that he's actually done for Geelong to sit him at the table with Lord Jim and the Big Banana. It's a mystery to us.

OBE (Order of Being Everywhere) Nick Carr - the Good Ol'Boys Man for All Seasons. Leading lawyer, footy, G21, Good Ol Boys, helping Lisa - does this bloke get around! Burns as brightly as Halley's Comet - we can only hope that his appearances are on the same schedule.

COGGWatch would be interested to know if any of you have picked up further inside info on the honors front.

Gross Defamation COGGWatch hears that in spite of D1's promise of a united Council there are some tensions. And it seems this little blog is at the centre of it. As we hear, after the first couple of our appearances the finger pointing started, and hasn't yet stopped. It seems D1 and his happy band believe that a Councillor must be responsible for this site and have a view about who it is. Evidently D1 is now in full "no-speaks" mode with at least one Councillor. COGGWatch is distraught at this situation, we can take a lot, but to be thought of as a COGG Councillor is beyond the pale!

BACKWARDS WITH BUSINESS - THE D1 WAY TO THE FUTURE

2005-01-13T13:20:00.000-08:00

Welcome back COGGWatchers! Gheri Malop hopes that you had an enjoyable break and celebrated without too many after effects.

Well, it's already looking like a vintage year at City Hall. Our Mayor D1, has started to outline his vision for Geelong and what has he come up with - a watersports complex on the Belmont Common. How visionary, how forward looking, an idea no-one has ever thought of!

No doubt we will be told again of the tens of thousands of (non-elite) rah rah followers who will troop to the banks of the Barwon with the boots of their Beemers loaded with the old champers and chicken to contribute to the economy of our town. This is a concept sure to be supported by the Good Ol Boys at the Committee for Geelong who will be putting on their best white shoes to go down and join them . Not sure who they'll be watching given that the Victorian Rowing Association and the Public Schools Rowing masters don't support Geelong - but hey, D1 would surely have done his homework. Well, wouldn't he?

Never mind that Geelong itself loses significant public open space, an important wetland and widlife reserve and an enjoyable place for everyone! Geelong simply must have a two kilometre long open drain to attract tourists!

Just a thought, but COGGWatch was intrigued that the only two Councillors prepared to go on the record supporting D1 were Labor luminaries D2 and R2. Hey, we thought that Steve Bracks had made it very clear that the Labor Party opposed this, and wouldn't be in it. So, what are they on about ? Why are the ties binding the Labor Right/Conservative/Costa group on Council tighter than those that bind Labor Party members?

COGGWatch can also reveal that this is not the whole of D1's visionary agenda for Geelong. We have been leaked a document that shows the full majesty of our Mayor's thinking. Over coming months these will be announced as part of the fabulous "Going Backwards with Business" vision that will be endorsed by at least seven Councillors, the Good Ol Boys, and of course, the Big Banana, without whose endorsement nothing can happen.

As part of the "Backwards With Business" package D1 is set to announce

The creation and funding of an Embassy for Geelong in the highest rent area of Melbourne
Geelong will bid for a Guggenheim Museum
Guggenheim Director Thomas Krens will visit Geelong next month (... or the month after, or the month after that,...)
Trams will no longer run down Ryrie Street (COGGWatch believes that this is purely a sop to Ryrie st traders disgruntled about recent 'beautification').
Council amalgamation will be more effective and save money
Former Mayor, and rejected Council candidate, Ken Jarvis will be appointed the City's "Vision Advisor" to assist D1 with these projects

COGGWatch looks forward to these announcement - with front page coverage and photo in the "Geelong Advertiser", and in-depth follow up by Dear Old Daryl.

We are extremely excited here at COGGWatch at this prospect of a bumper year. It seems that D1 who we thought was shaping up as a 'do-nothing' Mayor will actually give us plenty of material.

COGG WATCH HAS BEEN DODDDLED

2004-12-18T13:20:00.000-08:00

Well COGG Watchers it's been a busy week or so media wise for us. Hot on the heels of the Peter Begg expose in the 'Advertiser', COGG watch has featured in that wonderfully irreverent media watch site, 'Crikey' and in the sealed section, no less. On Friday the 'Geelong Independent' carried a story about the Quay development in North Geelong, raising issues that COGG Watch raised last Sunday. Then, in a sure sign that COGG Watch is being discussed in the corridors of power around Geelong, Saturday's high circulation 'Advertiser' brought out its heavy artillery to do an attack piece on this poor little blog site.

Yes, that's right, a feature article, promoted on page one, by that provincial Andrew Bolt wannabe, Daryl McLure. Now Dear Old Daryl doesn't muck around, accusing COGG Watch of everything but costing his beloved Geelong Amateurs the last flag! His main complaint seems to be that he doesn't know who we are, and therefore we have no right to an opinion. Funny, Daryl but I don't recall signed editorials during your time as Editor of the 'Addy'.

Dear Old Daryl's (DOD) major problem with COGG Watch seems to fall into three parts. Firstly, he accuses COGG Watch of denigrating Frank Costa. Now, we have had a look back over COGG Watch articles and we're at a loss to know what DOD is on about. Apart from the story on Quay developments (challenge the facts on that one Daryl!), there are few mentions of Frank. We mention that he is in charge of the Geelong Football Club ( not denigration to us Daryl!) and call on him to answer some questions about his role in the Council elections following revelations in, wait for it ..... the 'Geelong Advertiser' We are however interested in DOD's defence of Frank. It is a defence much loved by the British upper classes, and the establishment everywhere - the 'Good Chap' defence! Under this defence if a fellow is declared to be a 'Good Chap', then anyone who says anything against him is a bounder. DOD declares Frank to be a 'Good Chap' on the basis of charitable works in the community, and this automatically puts him above scrutiny. Sorry, but no matter how much DOD longs for a return to the days of the classes knowing their place, we're not falling for that one!

DOD's second gripe is that we've got it in for the Good Ol' Boys down there at the Committee for Geelong. Now DOD has a go at us about all sorts of slipshod practices, so you would think that he might be observant of all the best journalistic practices. If there were any conflicts of interest, he would declare them wouldn't he? So how is it that this paragon of journalistic probity just managed to overlook telling readers, that not only is the august publication that he appears in a paid up, card carrying member of the Good Ol' Boys, but that he received payment from them to write their book? Fair dinkum, with a memory like that DOD shouldn't be allowed out alone.

Third, he says we pick on the highly professional boys and girls who push pens at the 'Addy'. After all, don't we understand that they have deadlines. Well, DOD was meeting a deadline sufficient excuse for not getting all the facts when you were the editor? Was meeting a deadline sufficient excuse for having the balance of a three legged horse? Was meeting a deadline sufficient excuse for not checking with more than one source? COGG Watch, unlike DOD believes that opinions should be kept for the opinion pages not the news pages, and it will continue to expose the deficiencies at the 'Addy'.

COGG Watch noted a few other things about DOD's whinge. Most interesting was that he admitted discussing with unnamed persons at City Hall whether he should write it at all! Why would he do that? Either it's DOD's opinion or it isn't, and would this fearless fighter for truth justice and the establishment way need approval from others to write his piece? The next was that there was no mention of COGG Watch analysis pieces only those he described as "undergraduate humour". Perhaps he knows too that these are the pieces that the 'Addy' should be doing. Finally, much of his criticism is around your postings. Now, we know that the 'Addy' controls its letter page so that opinions are acceptable and kept to a minimum, but even we wouldn't hold them responsible for the opinions of some of their regular correspondents.

It seems that despite DOD's whining about COGG Watch being a site for around fifteen dissidents, that it is getting up the nose of Geelong's power elite. We'll let you in on a secret here Daryl - that is precisely what it is intended to do, because if they start to feel that their actions are going to be held up to scrutiny we may get a better town. Pity our local paper won't do it!

EXPOSING THE QUAY TO GEELONG

2004-12-10T22:36:00.000-08:00

Gheri Malop is indebted to 'The Insider' for emailing information which got this story started. Further research clearly showed that there was a story that needed telling.

...............

The numbers are crunched at City Hall to ensure Cr Saunderson remains as the Councillor in charge of Planning. Seventy-two hours later Frank Costa relodges his planning application for a bulk retail development in North Geelong. A day later the 'Addy' runs a front page story about wonderful news on a major new tenant for the development. There are a lot of coincidences in our town. And a lot of unanswered questions.

The Frank Costa backed Quay Developments Corporation proposal for former Ford land in North Geelong requires a rezoning from its current Industrial Uses status to one allowing the big box, bulk retail development. This means that Council will have to vote to approve it.

In a manner reminiscent of the selling of the Harding Park development which featured full colour inserts in local publications, the Quay development will pitch directly to the public to attempt to exert pressure on councillors. The key themes will be multi-million dollar investment for Geelong and the tantalising prospect of hundreds of jobs, with the sub-theme being that these jobs will go to the disadvantaged of the northern suburbs. The advertising blurb will underline that this is not so much about making money but more about a local company bringing a social benefit to Geelong.

COGG Watch can reveal that the first shot in this hard sell campaign will come on Wednesday when the 'Geelong Advertiser' will include a high cost, eight page information booklet about the project. According to information supplied to COGG Watch, it will include "high quality graphics perspective images and printing", and endorsements from Geelong 'leaders'. These will be published under the "by line" of the eminent person alongside their photo. These leaders have been supplied with a "fact sheet" of about one page which the Managing Director of Quay Developments tells them that they might like to use for their statement. The 200 page document which contains evaluation of the proposal has not been made available to them. Neither has the DVD which is also being prepared to complement the sell. Information about the company structure has not been included.

The "fact sheet" includes the Statement "...our company is locally based with local management who will have to live with what they build as long as other residents of the region." A statement clearly designed to enhace the appeal of the project as local. A search of company data for Quay Development Corporation reveals a vastly different story. The listed directors, apart from Frank Costa, have little connection to Geelong, but are very much in the big investment, heavy connections category. Dun and Bradstreet lists more than one hundred other directorships that are collectively held by the group. Again, apart from Costa their directorships have little to do with Geelong.

Who are the Directors?

Frank Costa of Newtown, well known in the Geelong community for a number of roles, but most recently his entry into property development.
Michael Vickers Willis of Bellbrae, the Managing Director, and another well known family name in Geelong. Vickers Willis was involved with bringing a similar development to Ballarat with the Gillies Street Development Corporation a group backed by leading property syndicator Australian Unity
Michael Fowler of Coimadai, who is the Managing Director of Treasury Funds Management Limited a Melbourne based funds management Company owned jointly by the directors and the Victor Smorgon Group. He claims to have been associated with business ventures both in Australia and internationally.
Martin Armstrong of Toorak, a lawyer with a string of company directorships. Among them is Carnbrea which was formed in 1926 to service the financial interests of the family of Alfred Nicholas but today services an "elite" group of undisclosed clients "offering a complete range of financial solutions". He is also listed as a director of Nicton Holdings Pty Ltd and a former director of Moorunga Pty Ltd both of which are in external administration.
Peter Edwards of South Yarra, who is also a director of a string of companies including advertising giant Brandhouse Arnold Worldwide, Smorgon Consolidated Investments, and Smorgon Steel. Included in Edwards directorships is Mondopoint Pty Ltd, a footwear manufacturer located in Fiji, which had administrators appointed to it on October 18 this year. Scorpio Bay Pty Ltd and VSP Industries Pty Ltd which list him as a director are also under external administration.
Daniel Burger of Albert Park, who similarly has a number of other directorships including Next To The Place Pty Ltd, Errol Street Properties Pty Ltd. and the Marine Apartments Pty Ltd and has been involved in a number of propert developments in Melbourne.
Robert Wischer of Surrey Hills is listed as company secretary, apparently with no other directorships.

This is clearly not a 'local' consortium, but it is powerful and well connected. They have already sold the development to key figures in the Committee for Geelong, who have been at some early briefings, and will no doubt figure in the 'Advertiser' booklet. The work on selling has been quietly going on for months, with Costa playing the lead local role. But there are significant planning implications and not all are privately as supportive as they are publicly.

COGG Watch has been told that figures in both the Chamber of Commerce and the Geelong Manufacturing Council are concerned about the loss of prime industrial land. They cite the strong stand that has been taken against Mill Markets and wonder whether Council will give this land similar protection. They say that Geelong is facing a shortage of appropriate industrial zoned land, and that the Council has not put in place any strategy to provide it. Yet, it is prepared to give away a site with road, rail and port access to be used for a purpose that really requires none of these. Some see this as symptomatic of an anti-manufacturing industry view that prevails within Council, and has since Mayor Ken Jarvis. They have no problem with this type of proposal, they say, but it could go anywhere. There is a view that the Council should bite the bullet and seek to have the application withdrawn until an industrial land strategy for the region is announced. That, they argue, would be to the real long term benefit of our city as modern manufacturing industry is the real driver of strong economic growth and wealth in the community. If this cannot be achieved then the application should be given a lengthy exhibition period, certainly an absolute minimum of three months.

The other group that is privately concerned about the proposal is CBD retail businesses who believe that it will simply contribute to the deterioration of our city centre. They say that they have put up with huge obstacles in recent times because of ad hoc planning attitudes that have allowed major players to escape the central area and its rents to locate on the city fringes. They also point out that Corio Village has been allowed to increase its retail size but has not had to provide additional parking. Added to this, they say, is that the Council' "beautifications' and "traffic management" changes have made life even more difficult for them. The Quay development, they fear will lead to a number more going out of business, and a city centre that fewer and fewer will want to go into.

These are strategic planning issues for Geelong, and many are privately anxious about how they will be dealt with. They are concerned that the 'Advertiser's' front page declaration of some weeks ago that "You, can't say no to Frank" may be self fulfilling, and lead to a virtual rubber stamping of the project. Few at this stage seem prepared to raise their objections formally.

While Quay is promoting the development in a positive manner at the moment, what is likely if there are objections?

COGG Watch has found that one director of Quay, Daniel Burger, as Managing Director of Ridge Corp Pty Ltd appointed Quadrant Research Services to carry out a survey in which they devised a fake planning application and then went out and sought objections to it in a petition. This signed petiition was then used as evidence to discredit petions objecting to planning applications generally. This tactic appears in the minutes of Stonnington Council of March 5, 2001 referring to "...a letter from Daniel Burger, Managing Director of Ridge Corp Pty Ltd, 164 Williams Road, Prahran writing on behalf of Next to the Place Pty Ltd re the petition presented to Council opposing the sale of 28-30 Jackson Street, Toorak. He pointed out that petitions are commonly used as a tool to convince Councils of opposition to certain development proposals. He enclosed evidence of a survey that Ridge Corp Pty Ltd had engaged Quadrant Research Services to carry out, where a petition opposing a fictitious development had been signed by over 500 people." It is to be hoped that the "local" company will deal with objections from people in this area in a less devious manner.

A further point of concern relates to our Councillors themselves. We know that Cr O'Connor is connected to Costa, and that he discusses council matters with him. What we don't know to date is how many other Councillors are connected to Costa. Mr Costa may feel uncomfortable about this being raised, but he is on public record as saying he supported people for Council, yet who they are has not been declared. Rumour also persists of an alliance between Costa and Labor powerbroker Richard Marles's right wing group, which controls at least three votes on our council. Were their large council election campaigns supported financially? And if so, do they have a conflict of interest on this application? These questions now need to be addressed.

The 'Geelong Advertiser's' role from here on also needs examination and clarification. It has already run two positive front page stories on the proposal, and will clearly be receiving large advertising revenue. It has also played a prominent role in promoting Frank Costa. Can we, as a community, be confident that it will carry out its role as a paper of record and proceed without fear or favour to analyse this proposal?

The Quay Development proposal as it goes through Council will say a lot about this town, our Council, our local media and the power relationships.

GHERI SCARRED BY SCRIBBLER'S SCRINGE.

2004-12-08T13:20:00.000-08:00

Ooooh! COGG Watchers, Gheri Malop has been quivering under the quilt as a result of the fearful flaying inflicted on her by those scriblerian scrutators at the 'Geelong Advertiser'. Gheri exposed! Gheri unplugged! The sky is falling! (We are not prepared to reveal if Gheri found out about this as a 'loyal reader' - given our understanding of the Addy's circulation, that would almost certainly identify her.)

In an investigative masterpiece to rank in the all-time top ten 'Addy' exposes, those never asleep newshounds were able to tell their loyal readers that COGG Watch exists! And it only took a week of intesive undercover investigation. Rumor has it that 'Addy'editor Peter Judd is seriously considering nominating the hard-hitting piece for a Walkeley award. (COGG Watch is considering nominating journo Peter Begg for a literary award for his description of D2's appetite as 'feats of voracious eating'. Bravo Peter! COGG Watch is jealous.)

Among the earth shattering revelations in the 'Addy' expose were that

COGG Watch has nicknames for Councillors including D1, D2 R2 and horror of horror their favourite, Stretch Kontelj was referred to as Special K ( You should have seen the email suggestions!)
COGG Watch claimed that R2 would be 60 next birthday (We note R2's response equating her age with Jack Benny - could we have understated by around thirty years?)
COGG Watch mentioned some councillors but not others ( Give us a go' we've only been around for a week! We'll get to 'em all)
COGG watch criticises the Conservative/Business/Labor Right Councillors but not others (Fancy being lectured on balance by a publication that resembles an away from home sailor on a Saturday night!)

Amazingly however, those megastars of the Murdoch media failed to reveal other aspects of COGG Watch such as its work on the Good Ol' Boys of the Committee for Geelong, or its criticism of the 'Addy's' coverage of local affairs. We guess the clues must have been too well hidden! Editor Peter Judd will just have to stretch the budget to new Sherlock hats and magnifying glasses for the beagles! The other aspect that our intrepid investigative team just couldn't pick up was that the difference between the 'Addy' and COGG Watch is that everyone is free to put their opinion up - even D1, D2, R2, Special K or Juddy himself. My word, a free and open media outlet that not only the big end of town has access to is a thing to fear, isn't it?

Gheri is feeling better. the quilt is coming off and the curtains are opening. Life is flooding back and the keyboard is beckoning. She is feeling well enough to start dealing with the flood of emails that have come in thanks to the 'Addy's' publicity. There have been many suggestions that will be followed up (no, 'guts for glory' while your suggestion has a certain attraction for its vitriolic vengeance, it would be extremely messy and almost certainly illegal, so we won't be pursuing it) and there is an impending expose of our own on a local issue. So keep watching - even you Peter Judd we don't mind if the 'Addy' continues to use us as a source as long as you attribute - and keep sending in your snippets, sightings, rumours and facts.

Gheri survives as long as you feed her!

GOING FOR GOULD!

2004-12-06T13:20:00.000-08:00

It seems that not all the post election tension at City Hall is around the Council table. COGG Watch is told that it has also heightened throughout the bureaucracy.

The story apparently goes this way. Current Chief Executive Officer, Kay Rundle, was not our new Mayor's choice for the position. D1 it seems, backed the City's financial guru, Peter Gould, and was very strenuous in his lobbying even after the boyo was not shortlisted by the external consultant in charge of the process. He was joined in these efforts by Liberal, "Stretch" Kontelj (Special K). Both lobbied other Councillors to have Gould upgraded and considered for the job in spite of the external assessment. It seems that they did not rate having administered a Council and community credentials as highly as other councillors.

Gould is a trusted confidante of D1 and Special K, and moves in the same circles. He reportedly was at the same post 2002 State election function as them. This was a sad little affair given Special K's dismal performance, but as we know misery loves company, and at least they had each other! It is not known whether he played any role in writing Special K's amazing and long remembered election night speech.

Such devotion above and beyond the cause does not go unrecognised, and there is concern that the Guru will become the real power behind the new throne, with the very well paid CEO becoming more and more like the Governor General to his Prime Minister. Given that CEO Rundle's contract will come up during this term of Council, and that the guru will have powerful friends, lower level bureaucrats are starting to tense up. The days of watch your words and watch your back look like returning to City Hall.

Sad for Geelong.

COGG WATCH WEEKEND ROUNDUP

2004-12-03T14:29:00.000-08:00

The biggest question around Geelong this week has apparently been "Who is Gheri Malop?" It appears that even the droopy eared newshounds at the 'Addy' have been on the job. Given their wonderful track record for exposes, COGG Watch believes that Gheri's identity is safe at least until she is old and grey. There have been some wonderful rumors, with a number of people claiming to know for certain who Gheri is. These range from a local MP (Gheri a politician? You'd have to be kidding!) to our own personal favourite - a plant in the 'Addy'.

COGG Watch can now reveal who Gheri Malop really is.......................... It is YOU! COGG Watch is your means to speak out about the things that happen under the surface in our town and that no-one else will tell. Gheri Malop is simply the medium by which that occurs. This is your space and your opportunity, use it.

Gheri Malop is your city through your eyes and ears. Keep them open, and any snippets you come across send us on coggwatch@hotmail.com.

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It seems the wags are at it already. A new nickname has emerged at City Hall. Cr Brazier is now being referred to as R2. Why you may ask? Well, it seems that she absolutely can't be separated from D2. Does this mean that COGG Watch has readers who are also Star Wars fans?

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On the subject of names, COGG Watch has always been fascinated by their meaning. So, in a rare moment of quiet out came the trusty Concise Oxford Dictionary to look up Dowling and Saunderson. The closest entry was Dowel, meaning a headless peg of wood, metal or plastic, and Dowelling, meaing a long rod to be cut into dowel. As COGG Watch hears it there are plenty of his fellow councillors lining up to cut Mayor Dowling into little pieces!

Saunderson makes no appearance in the Oxford, and even an internet search was fruitless. However Council insiders assure COGG Watch that Saunderson means able to consume three Big Burgers, six donuts and two milkshakes in a single sitting.

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It is said that liars need good memories. Hot on the O'Connor affair we now have Cr Brazier - R2 from here on, telling last week's 'Geelong News' (the 'Addy's' country cousin) that she and D2 won because they live in Corio. Hey, R2's official Council profile told us she lived in Leopold - a fair way from Corio! This was even printed in her 'Addy' profile. Amazing that the ' super sleuth writing the puff piece didn't pick up on that. So Leopold now has two Councilors and Corio none. COGG Watch also notes that R2 declares herself to be "mid fifties". Don't know how they count in Leopold, but we believe her next birthday will be the big SIX OH!

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Is the leadership of Geelong being alphabetised? COGG Watch notes that not only do we have the ('Geelong Advertiser' Dream) D Team running City Hall, we have the C Team (Costa and Cook) running the Football Club, and another C Team (Cousins, Coppe and Carr) presiding over the Good Ol' Boys at the Committee for Geelong. It's really a pity that a City the size of Geelong can't have an A Team to guide our future. (At this stage COGG Watch would even settle for a B Team!)

COGG Watch invites readers to suggest their alphabetised teams for Geelong. Best suggestion gets a free seat at the next round of Council Biffo.

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Have a great weekend and remember to send in your council snippets.

PLANNING FOR A FIASCO!

2004-12-02T18:12:00.000-08:00

It may seem on the surface that things have gone quiet over at City Hall since the D Team was installed, but COGG Watch understands that this isn't actually so.

COGG Watchers will recall that while there was great haste to hold the mayoral election, the same haste has not been applied to the allocation of Councillor portfolios. There has been some nice, amiable talk about giving Councillors time to get to know one another and how things work before these are allocated, but in the backrooms the deals continue. In fact, much had been discussed and decided by the Conservative/Business/Labor Right coalition even before the vote for Mayor (probably before the elections!). Members of the group will be rewarded for their loyalty.

It seems that the BIG portfolio, the one of tremendous importance to our City and its residents, not to mention the Committee for Geelong - the Councillor responsible for Planning has been promised to D2. Yes, that's right, the Deputy Mayor, Cr Saunderson. The "No Vacancy" sign has apparently gone up. This is yet another slap in the face for the community and its views as expressed during the election. D2, you may recall, was the portfolio holder for Planning during the last Council and presided over such fiascos as

the attempt to remove ratepayers rights in the process for hearing objections to planning applications
the attempt to set up a bureaucracy dominated Council Hearing Panel process on hearing objections to planning applications thus restricting the right of ward councillors to act on behalf of their constituents
the two year involvement of the City in the Port Land Use study which was kept secret from the community and Councillors alike
the keeping secret of applications for Butadiene and Sulphuric Acid storage and distribution in the North Shore/Corio areas
the recommendation of the Port Land Use Study to restrict the rights of North Shore residents which was kept secret from them in spite of it being in his ward
the Geelong Golf Club debacle
Central Business area "beautification"
the Ropeworks redevelopment
the Rippleside development
the pillaging of Heritage areas

The list could go on and on, but I suspect you see the point by now. Of course, the question is "Why would anyone want to give this spectacularly unsuccessful councillor four more years to get the same sort of results?". D2 and planning are like oil and water, they just don't mix successfully. In spite of this don't expect the 'good ol boys' of the Committee for Geelong or other establishment groups to voice concern. But if you know any, ask them why their pro-development groups support a Labor councillor who ran out election pamphlets in his ward attacking development. And, if you get an answer let COGG Watch know.

Also, keep an eye on who gets the Sport and Recreation portfolio. If the word filtering back from City Hall is correct, this was the key to the successful outcome of the leadership elections for D1 and D2.

The portfolio allocations are the real test for Mayor Dowling. They will determine whether or not we are to have a faction riven Council for the next four years. If he succumbs to the demands of his group to use the portfolios for reward and punishment, then Council unity will remain nothing more than rhetoric trotted out once every four years in the Mayoral acceptance speech.

What are the odds of D1 turning away from his role of faction heavy to become a unifier? Not good enough for COGG Watch to be betting on it.

COUNCIL SCORES TWO D's AT FIRST TEST

2004-12-01T13:20:00.000-08:00

The 'Geelong Advertiser' Dream Team will lead our city for the next twelve months.

Shane Dowling is to be Mayor with David Saunderson as Deputy Mayor. In the words of Lewis Carroll, "O frabjous day!'.

COGG Watch can reveal that despite the 'Advertiser's' insistence that all is now sweetness, light and unity at City Hall, this was a very close and bitterly fought thing. In fact, Tuesday night's informal council meeting was described by one insider as "a classic rant and rave" as the two D's insisted on knowing Barbara Abley's intentions. Our fly on the wall says that only stern action by new Cr Mitchell stopped the bully boy approach going into top gear. Apparently the two D's worked the phones and the face to face meetings non stop following this meeting in an effort to ensure that the "Addy" would not be disappointed.

Late on Wednesday they secured their guaranteed seventh vote and it was all over. Rather than a sudden outbreak of unity it was a sudden outbreak of numbers. COGG Watch is told that the rusted on Business/Conservative/Labor Right group of Dowling, Harwood, Kontelj, McMullin, Saunderson and Brazier was joined by Leopold's own Rod McDonald to get the Dream Team over the line. McDonald has evidently confided to aggrieved supporters (and there are many!) that he did it because the two D's can work together. Sounds more like rationalising than reasoning to us, Rod! COGG Watch suggests that you all remember these seven names as the year goes on, and hold them accountable for the way in which this leadership team behaves.

Of course, Mayor Dowling has given the standard speech about unity and working together. However, he is well known as the bovver boy of the Council and COGG Watch suspects that unless there is massive change in his behaviour his speech will have lasted longer than Council unity.

If D1 truly believes in unity and trying to work together then the test will come in the allocation of Council portfolios. Will the payoffs go to the "magnificent seven" who supported the team, or will there be an allocation according to merit?

If you're fair dinkum Mayor Dowling, let's see the community rewarded with good people in the key posts. Perhaps you could start by persuading Barbara Abley to take over as the senior Councillor responsible for planning. It would be good to have someone who at least speaks the language of the community in that position.

For the rest of us, strap on the seat belts. With D1 and D2 at the helm its going to be a wild ride!

SO,WHY ELECT A COUNCIL AT ALL ?

2004-11-30T13:20:00.000-08:00

Revelations today that Frank Costa has once again involved himself in discussions about who should become Geelong's Mayor has raised serious questions about influences on our Council, even before it has its first official meeting. Most disturbing is that one of the newly elected Councillors,Tom O'Connor, should, according to the "Geelong Advertiser", deny having met with the Mr Costa at all. If this was an open and above board meeting why should Cr O'Connor firstly deny it and then refuse to comment?

We have here shades of the infamous Frank Costa - Barbara Abley meeting of nine months ago when supposedly Frank told Barbara her time as Mayor was up. Is that the agenda again, to stop Cr Abley becoming Mayor? And if so, why? What is Frank's big interest in who becomes Mayor all about?

This follows previous revelations that Mr Costa supported a number of candidates in the Council elections. We now know that Cr O'Connor was one.

It is time for Mr Costa to answer a few questions.

Who were the candidates that he supported?
How did he support those candidates?
Are the candidates under any obligation for that support?
How many Councillors has he spoken to about the Mayoral election and what was the substance of those discussions?
Why has he become so intensely interested in the composition of the Council?

The central issue here is that of public trust in our elected representatives. If Mr Costa does not publicly and fully answer these questions then on the first day of its four year term our Council will be irrevocably tainted.

Geelong ratepayers are indeed entitled to ask "Why elect a Council at all?"

CITY OF GREATER GEELONG ELECTIONS 2004

2004-11-29T21:03:00.000-08:00

The 'Geelong Advertiser' says today that the dust has settled on the City of Greater Geelong elections - but has it?

So far there has been very little media analysis of the elections, and that which has taken place has been very superficial. It is clear that there have been a number of winners and losers, and that goes beyond the elected and rejected Councillors.

The biggest loser without doubt has been the Committee for Geelong, Big Business, Labor Right supported candidates. The rejection of Mayor Ed Coppe was a major blow to this group, who up until the final result was posted in the Austin Ward were supremely confident (some might say arrogantly so) that Ed would triumph easily. After all he had been supported by both Liberal shaker and mover Frank Costa and State Labor MP Michael Crutchfield. These groups clearly under-estimated both John Mitchell's campaign and the strength of feeling in the ratepayer and CBD business community. These groups would be wise to take some time to reflect on the result and its implications rather than blaming negative campaigning and dirty tricks for Ed's loss. There is simply no evidence to support that argument. They also, of course, suffered a further big hit with the astoundingly poor showing of former Mayor Ken Jarvis whose task was to defeat the popular Barbara Abley. Ken may be a pin-up of these groups, but he is clearly not held in the same awe by voters who may well have recalled his infamous "the people don't appreciate me and I'm leaving Geelong" dummy spit of some years ago! Ken's campaign revolved around lecturing the community that Council had spent enough time addressing services for them, and should now get back to following his (and the Committee for Geelong's) "Big Vision" agenda. Ed and Ken's comprehensive defeats show that this community wants elected people in charge of its future not unrepresentative, unelected groups.

The next big loser was the 'Geelong Advertiser'. Its coverage of the Council elections was disappointing to say the least, and focussed almost exclusively on incumbent Councillors. At one stage it seemed that there was a contest running in the editorial staff to see who could find the most creative way to show yet another photo of an Ed Coppe sign! This incessant coverage of the Mayor led to one candidate's team giving the paper the derisory nickname 'The Edvertiser'. In another unprecedented move the 'Addy' effectively banned council aspirants from coverage by refusing to publish letters from them, and at the same time providing no forum for them to present their credentials to voters. We often hear from the media about its role in preserving democracy and holding all levels of government accountable, 'The Advertiser' fell a long way short of living up to those ideals taking a role more like a participant in the elections than an observer. Let's hope that it rethinks its role, and obligation to the community, so that over the next four years this Council is subjected to more scrutiny than has been placed on it in the last eight months.

Richard Marles's Labor Right group also comes out of this with egg on its face. It had committed itself to the re-election of Ed Coppe (some strange politics there!) and Alex Di Natale and the defeat of Barbara Abley and Tony Ansett, and was widely claiming that it would directly control five Councillors. The group's failure to produce on its promises will create some problems with its erstwhile partners. It als remains to be seen if it can maintain control if the claim of Labor insiders that they have a record within the Party of changing sides is correct.

The winners include the conservative group of incumbent councillors, Dowling, Harwood and Kontelj who were left alone by the Labor Right group, and consequently had good wins. Was this just coincidence or does a close examination of the name authorising Bruce Harwood's material provide a clue to a link? Some may argue that Cr Kontelj did have opposition, but there is still a mystery surrounding how two Labor candidates came to be last minute nominees against him. One strong whisper around town is that it was a Machiavellian payback for voting against David Saunderson in the last Deputy Mayor election. There was no intention of beating him, just a strong message to keep his mind on the job. Will he vote for Cr Saunderson this time?

The other big winner is the Council bureaucracy. It seems that Geelong will again have a divided Council unable or unwilling to focus on the agenda served up to it by the bureacracy. It seems that yet again we will have a controlling group of councillors who will rubber stamp what is in the Council papers without adequate consideration or argument. No pressure will be placed on the bureaucracy to implement policies that are in line with the community expectation. Will we again have a Council that only thinks about the community view after thnere is an uproar - as was the case with the proposed removal of community input on planning panels, or those infamous by law proposals? Do we have yet another Council with a majority of councillors who believe that they can swan through to a few months before the next elections in four years without listening to the community? If we do then the big losers of this election are the people of Geelong!

Let's hope that at least some of the councillors have heard the message of this election.

The message is clear - Big Vision Councillors are not wanted. Geelong wants Councillors that will respond about local issues of concern and consult when they are proposing significant change. It wants Councillors who will take on the crazy anti-community ideas that come from the bureaucracy and speak on behalf of their constituents without fear or favour. It wants Councillors who are not influenced by outside groups or individuals. It wants an end to "bully boy" tactics by Councillors more interested in personal power and getting their own way than working to get the best results for our community. Most of all we want to be constantly in our councillors focus when decisions are made, not just paid lip-service every four years. Not only does Geelong want this - Geelong deserves it.

And as Ed can vouch Councillors who ignore this message do so at their peril!