by Cam Lucadou-Wells
Greater Dandenong councillors have voted down a cost-cutting move to cap their numbers at an annual conference in Canberra.
The proposal was to fund only four councillors and the chief executive to attend the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) national general assembly on 2-5 July.
On 8 April, a majority of councillors rejected the notion – despite a councillor labelling the event a “junket”.
They approved eight councillors and the CEO Jacqui Weatherill to attend at the estimated cost to ratepayers of $3320 a head.
The ‘extra’ four councillors will approximately cost Greater Dandenong a further $13,280 in flights, three nights of four-star accommodation, conference, general assembly dinner, meals and taxis.
Mayor Lana Formoso, deputy mayor Richard Lim, councillors Tim Dark, Angela Long, Bob Milkovic, Sean O’Reilly, Sophie Tan and Loi Truong were approved to attend.
Phillip Danh, Rhonda Garad and Jim Memeti will not be going.
In favour of a numbers cap, Cr Garad said the conference was “undeniably a junket” and failed the “pub test” during a “cost-of-living crisis”.
“I’ve never heard a councillor come back from the assembly with any collaborations, actions, changes, policies, ideas that they have gained.
“I’ve never seen any benefit back to this council.”
She said Greater Dandenong was the only Melbourne council to her knowledge that sent all of its councillors to the NGA.
The council needed to be “financially responsible” while dealing with its own “financial pressures”, she said.
Cr O’Reilly said the council was keeping the “status quo”, which is to fund any Greater Dandenong councillor who wished to attend the annual assembly.
“Individual councillors have a great deal of benefit to be had by attending the ALGA NGA and we do intend to keep that.
“I reject the notion that the (assembly) is a junket. It’s a work trip and therefore councillors should not have to pay for work expenses out of their own pocket.
“We do understand community views regarding council expenditure on interstate trips… This will be comprehensively dealt with by the new council and will be reviewed (in 2025).”
Cr Milkovic said the NGA was a “great tool for councillors to learn … and actually find out what the other councillors are doing to improve the service for the residents”.
On their return, the councillors must each file a report.
In 2025, Greater Dandenong officers will review the council’s policies on the assembly “in line with best practice”.
Interstate trips have been in the spotlight at the council recently.
Last month, Cr Dark attacked the mayor and chief executive’s upcoming trip to Canberra with advocacy group Greater South East Melbourne as “nothing short of another rort”.
Also Greater Dandenong mayor Lana Formoso called for new protocols for councillor-travel claims after a recent “administrative error” on a trip to a Statehood Day of Serbia reception in Canberra.
“I won’t be approving any further travel for any councillors until we change the policy – that it is voted upon by council resolution or Ms Weatherill makes the call,” Cr Formoso said.
“I don’t want to be put in that position of approving other councillors’ travel.”
