SENDING almost all of Swan Hill’s councillors to a local government conference in Canberra could be perceived by the public as a junket and the money would be better spent fixing footpaths, councillor Les McPhee says.
Council recommended it send Mayor Jade Benham, chief executive officer Scott Barber and one other councillor to the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) National General Assembly from June 19-22.
However, at its monthly meeting this week, council unanimously voted to also send councillors Nicole McKay, Bill Moar and Ann Young to the four-day event.
Cr McPhee said he had attended the conference a number of times while he was mayor and it was “well worthwhile”, but he questioned the need to send more representatives than recommended.
“Unfortunately, sending this amount of councillors we tend to get into the mind of where people start to think it’s a junket,” he said.
“There are 500 councillors right across Australia and not every council goes to this meeting in Canberra.
“As to saying it’s not a great cost for council, it’s not about the great cost to council, it’s about the perception.
“I’d rather be spending that money on other things that could be done, like the missing links of footpaths rather than sending councillors to the conference.”
It will cost council close to $5000 to send five representatives to the conference, excluding accommodation and meals.
“I don’t think it’s appropriate to be sending this many councillors up to this event … we talk in all levels of government about junkets, by sending this many we are giving the impression it’s a holiday away.
“I agree you are working and networking, but you only need two people, not five.”
Cr Ann Young said it was a chance to bond together.
“It was a great networking and bonding opportunity with councillors to discuss a whole range of issues in the car not previously had,” she said.
Acting chief executive Rosanne Kava said the ALGA conference was the only opportunity that local government had to bring all mayors, chief executives and decision-makers together at the one event.
“At previous events, Swan Hill Rural City Council has taken the opportunity to meet with federal ministers and shadow ministers to communicate the major projects and issues that are affecting the people of the municipality,” she said.
“Joint advocacy meetings with the Murray River Group of Councils have been extremely effective on topics such as the Murray-Darling Basin Plan.”
Ms Kava said she couldn’t provide an “actual” figure of how much council would spend for its attendance.
“It’s a minor cost in the scheme of things for the opportunity it provides to network with other councillors and also the rare opportunity to meet with ministers, staff and departmental officers,” she said.
“The budget would certainly allow for at least three councillors who have expressed interest in addition to the mayor and chief executive.”
Cr Benham told The Guardian the term “junket” was an “old term way of thinking”.
“I’ve been to the conference before and it’s hard work, it’s taxing and when I went I slept the whole way home because I was exhausted,” she said.
“The Ronald Street housing development in Robinvale started through a conversation that (former chief executive) John McLinden and I had while sitting in the housing seminar at the conference.
“The productivity from it is phenomenal.”
Cr McPhee was the only councillor to vote against the motion.
