By Shaun Inguanzo
AN ATTEMPT by a Greater Dandenong councillor to starve a Noble Park-based drug action committee of funds has backfired.
Lyndale Ward councillor Sue Walton led a charge this week against the Noble Park-Keysborough Drug Action Committee receiving $1000 from the council via its community grants program.
Cr Walton, a supporter of a single Greater Dandenong Alcohol and Drug Advisory Committee in place of separate drug action committees, said the Noble Park-Keysborough group did not deserve the funding because it did not want to be a part of the council’s single committee, formed late last year.
But her critics say the independent committee needs the funding to combat ongoing and prevalent drug-related issues in Noble Park and Keys-borough.
“Since we established the (new committee) we have spent time to advertise it, to meet, and make decisions on the responsible people to lead the new committee, and we are happy with the feedback,” Cr Walton said.
“So why do we need to waste ratepayers’ money into this committee, which is very happy to work independently (of council)?”
Councillors Yvonne Herring, Pinar Yesil and Paul Donovan backed the Noble Park-Keysborough Drug Action Committee, which works to identify and solve drug related problems in those areas of Greater Dandenong.
“I think the Noble Park-Keysborough Drug Action Committee have the same rights as any other organisation in the city to put in for community grants,” Cr Herring said.
“They’re still running, still incorporated and do need a bit of help with brochure printing and with their stationery.
“When you compare them to other groups that have applied for grants, I think the $1000 should be given to them because they are working for the community, in the community, and I’d be happy to see (the money) go there.”
Cr Yesil said Cr Walton was acting ‘disgracefully’ towards the Noble Park community by suggesting the funding is dropped.
“The reason why they are staying separate is due to the fact that drug and alcohol issues happening in Noble Park and Keysborough (have risen) in the last couple of years,” she said.
The committee can, this week, breathe a sigh of relief after a majority of councillors supported the $1000 being included in the document.
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