CIVIC TOXICITY ... Why is it tolerated?

This Launceston Council has evolved into a GUNNAdo OUTFIT, with no doubt about it. The first GUNNAdo   that was spruiked was delivering 'on time and on budget' thing. Well that was always a furphy because the managerial mindset is, it seems is 'it is what is, and it'll take as much as it takes, budgets are budgets and elastic'. 

Nevertheless, it is worth remembering that every 'actual estimate budget over run' of say $1Million it is equal to one  GM/CEOsalary and a couple of annual GMsalies. So when 'crap happens' that's a yardstick to measure it with.

Moving on, for every $Million overrun the city's ratepayers' bear the cost and mostly in 'lost opportunities'. When their elected representatives look away saying "dear, dear dear" they may well be representing another interest other than those of the ratepayers. Heaven forbid that ratepayers might think so!

Taking a look at some of the GUNNAdos, we might look at Riverbend Park and yes it has been done. Trouble is ratepayers are GUNNAbe wearing the opportunity loss well into the CLIMATE EMERGENCY that has been identified and put on the GUNNAdo something, soonish, maybe list.

Then we might look at the  Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery that ratepayers have been investing in for over 130 years. Decades ago it was acknowledged that operating the institution as a 'Council Cost Centre' was not sustainable, and within Mayor van Zetten's tenure the GUNNAdo 'fix the institution's governance and operational paradigm' has been on the agenda but rusted on to its status quo operational ineptitude – cost centre driven as it is.  

The fact the 'elected 12' are essentially dilettante with no real 'expertise' in museology and who stood for office careless of the need to have any. Likewise, the 'executive officers' are in much the same position. The 'Peter Principle' is alive and well at Launceston's Town Hall and the ill informed museology paradigm place $230Millions worth of cultural treasure at risk. Well, more that that, serious jeopardy let's say. Moreover, within some kind of weird and surreal time warp that might find some kind of vague social relevance in 'Stasiland' or some kind of 'bat ridden Gothic castle'.

The 'tail wageth the dog' and the waged subjects are milked relentlessly to support a self serving, self appreciative fiefdom populated by yesterday personnel by and large. And, all on the arrogant assumption that 'they' are the smartest act in town.

If it is done often and it is not by mistake, it is how it is. If one were to walk away from a toxic, one sided low relationship one might win but can that be done?