By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
GREATER Dandenong mayor Heang Tak has defended his opposition to granting an extra $130 to two volunteer groups.
On 29 March, the council voted down a push to give $100 extra towards staging a free Mother’s Day lunch held by the Italian Senior Citizens Club Noble Park.
The council also knocked back an extra $30 for sausages for fund-raising barbecues held by family drug-and-alcohol counselling service Cyrene Centre.
The citizens club received $340 and the Cyrene Centre $320 – the lowest allocations in the latest community grants round.
Higher allocations were given to a world record attempt at the hokey pokey ($460) and to individual sportspeople ($750 each).
Cr Tak, who laid the casting vote, told the Journal on Thursday 31 March he denied the extra funds because he was a “strong believer in the policy”.
He did not believe in changing council officers’ original recommendations in an ad-hoc manner on the night.
“I’m a very strong supporter of community organisations, certainly the elderly groups. As you know I also have a background as a community group person.
“Because we have a community policy in place, we have to stand firm and strong with this policy.”
Councillors Maria Sampey and Peter Brown criticised the mayor’s position after the meeting.
Cr Sampey accused Cr Tak of being beholden to party factions rather than standing up for groups in his own Paperbark Ward.
“For Heang as mayor not to support that group is pretty poor.
“Never has a mayor used his casting vote against supporting an elderly group who have been paying rates all their lives in our city.”
Cr Sampey suggested the senior citizens club invoice any councillors attending the three-course lunch at $25 a head.
The club ruled out that suggestion, but stated it will have to make cuts to afford the $2000 event.
Cr Brown said the council recently paid $1850 for 10 councillors and partners to attend a State Government multiculturalism dinner.
“Where’s the equity – when councillors don’t see fit to support a seniors’ group for an extra $1.20 a head?”
