By Cam Lucadou-Wells
A council election candidate has called for City of Greater Dandenong to boost its waiver for unemployed ratepayers to $500.
Rhonda Garad, who has been endorsed by outgoing Greens councillor Matthew Kirwan, is standing in the Keysborough South ward in the October election.
She says the council’s $200 rebate to 2020-’21 ratepayers on JobSeeker needed to be more generous.
“It would be substantial in terms of financial relief but also a show of support from the council for what people are going through right now.
“We’re in extraordinary times where we need extraordinary measures.
“The community are suffering great distress at the moment.”
A public health researcher, Ms Garad is studying the profound impacts of climate change and Covid-19 on mental health.
She said the council could review its spending to prioritise greater rates relief.
During Covid-19, the council announced a $4 million relief package including 2019-’20 rates waivers for pensioners ($100) and unemployed ratepayers ($200).
It recently extended the $200 waivers for the unemployed into 2020-’21.
Greater Dandenong has also contributed $250,000 towards a massive food distribution effort of at least 120 tonnes since April.
With the program’s funds near exhausted, the council is seeking state and federal grants to extend it into 2021.
the council’s Covid material aid food-box deliveries had nearly doubled from 1900 a week to 3500, he said.
Since April, the program has distributed 120 tonnes of food, 5550 disposable masks and other necessities since April.
The council contributed $250,000 with a further $50,000 of donations, but has nearly exhausted the program’s funds.
Greater Dandenong will seek a state or federal grant to extend the program at least until the end of the year, if not longer.
As of 12 August, the council had received 722 rates hardship and Jobseeker rebate applications as part of its Covid-19 relief package.
It had also provided $100 waivers to 10,728 pensioners on their 2019-’20 rate notices.
The council has also distributed thousands of disposable masks to vulnerable community members in boarding houses, rooming houses, caravan parks and aged care centres.
