A LOSS IS A LOSS IS A LOSS ... PERHAPS ... UNLESS YOU ARE A COUNCILLOR

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Council report draws line under 'very busy' year in Launceston. By Joe Colbrook December 9 2023 - 4:00am 

[OPINION EMBEDDED]

 The "three Rs" of roads, rates and rubbish are stand-out features of the City of Launceston council's Annual Report. The document - adopted at this year's annual general meeting - reviews the council's performance for the 2022-23 financial year, recording metrics from attendance at council meetings to its overall financial position. [AKA the documentation of self-serving SPIN] 

This was an operational deficit of $3.44 million, however when other forms of income like grants for capital grants were accounted this became a $4.1 million surplus. [An operational loss is a loss and the money is gone and grants DO NOT make up for it because whatever they are for needs to be delivered and they are not granted to cover a LOSS]

How does a government go into debt, who are they in debt to and is it even a bad thing? [Debts need to be repaid and only justified IF they come about to achieve a needed amenity] 

It also includes a snapshot of what the $79,210,000 residents paid in rates and charges got in terms of service, with the council saying it responded to 25,289 service requests over the 12 months. [TOO much for precious little] 

Waste management made up more than one fifth of these, at 6582 requests. [However, waste management is all managing to waste NOT recover resources] 

 This was followed by parking issues at 5020 requests, and roads and footpaths leading to 3052 requests. [Yes, and now we know that Council collected a lot of money from illegal parking fines] 

Issues with nature strips were the least-commonly reported, with the council responding to 321 requests. [Yes, and looking around nature strips are NOT making much of a contribution to ‘GREENING’ Launceston] .

Deputy mayor Hugh McKenzie said the previous financial year had been a busy one, and the council was aware there were "still a number of things that we still need to do and get right". [NO, Council needs to get a LOT more things right] 

 "The council has been very busy across all of its areas," Cr McKenzie said. [Yes, because it is shedding people who do things and therefore busy means doing less with fewer people] .

"Whilst we don't always meet community expectations on the things that we do, we continue to try to improve what we do." [Yes, Council hardly ever meets citizens expectations and as for trying to improve, well that’s unlikely wedded as ‘THE COUNCIL’ is to the status quo] 

Cr McKenzie said the council's financial position at the end of the financial year demonstrated "good stewardship" of the city's finances, even if there was still work to be done to reach a budget surplus. [THIS IS TRUTH BY ASSERTION and it just does not stack up] 

The deputy mayor noted although the council was prepared to sell the Birchalls building at Brisbane Street for $2 million less than it paid in 2020 it had not actually taken the loss yet. [HMMM, YET but it will and by intention!] 

Cr McKenzie said future plans for the site - expected to be announced in 2024 - would lead to a result that was worth more to ratepayers than the dollar amount. [Yet another bit of SPIN AND TRUTH BY ASSERTION while the LOSSES are not recoverable … they are lost, out the window, not there to deliver much needed services and amenities that the money was provided by ratepayers to delver] 

 "(The loss) is yet to be realised," he said. [Well it has been LOST and by design PLUS there is more loss to come. BOVINEdust is bovineDUST no matter which way it is SPUN] 

 "What people don't understand is we actually bought a building but we're actually moving and selling something which is actually different than the building that we bought." [WELL this will go down in HISTORY as an exemplar of an unaccountable representative attempting to SPIN their way out of their failures]

 "Hopefully, sometime in the new year we'll see that our Birchalls acquisition will actually add significantly to the fabric of Launceston, and its surrounds." [AND legend has it that HOPE stuck a feather in the ground in the ‘hope’ of growing a rooster … ] 

All councillors present at the December 7 annual general meeting voted to received the report. [WE have to think that those who were not there just could not stomach to vote on rubbish] Councillors Tim Walker, Joe Pentridge, Andrew Palmer and Susie Cai were absent from the meeting. 

..|..

FOR CONTEXT

Cr McKenzie in his own words ... As you will see I am an active participant in our community

 • HEALTH-I was a board member of Primary Health Tasmania for 9 years (3 as Chair), Chair of Cornerstone Youth Services, which managed headspace & other youth health activities for 4 years. I am a current board member of the Hobart Clinic 

 • BUSINESS-I was a partner in an international Chartered Accounting practice consulting with small business, major corporates & rural specialising in Estate & succession planning. I am an owner of commercial & residential property 

 • EDUCATION-I was a board member of Scotch Oakburn College for 17 years (6 as Chair) & a board member of the Tasmanian Qualifications Authority (TQA) for 2 years 

• SPORT-I have always been an active sportsman, including football, cricket, golf, basketball & cycling

• THEATRE-My family has been involved in theatre for many years, with a son who is a professional actor & a wife who is actively involved in local theatre groups. I have occasionally trod the boards & worked backstage & am now the COL representative board member of Theatre North (8 years)

• HERITAGE-I have been a member of the COL Heritage Advisory Committee for 8 years & its Chair for the last 4

• EVENTS-I was the President of the Launceston Cycling Classic (Stan Siejka Cycling Classic) for 3 years & a committee member for 9 

 • SUSTAINABILITY-During COVID I completed a course in sustainability to help inform me on what we need to do as a community to improve our city for my children & grandchildren. I was a member of the Tamar NRM Board for 3 years 

 • ACCESS-I prioritised becoming a member of the Council’s Access Committee when I first joined the Council in 2011 to learn what issues were faced by members of our community who had different access abilities to the greater population. I later Chaired this committee & use the knowledge I learnt from this experience to guide many decisions I make at the Council table 

• COMMUNITY-Actively engaged in the Northern Suburbs & current President of the Northern Suburbs Community Centre As I am sure many of my fellow Councillors will attest, I bring an educated & reasoned argument to most discussions. My views are valued

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MORE FISCAL DISCONNERCTION AT LAUNCETON TOWN HALL

 

As Launceston’s Council showers Gorge works with cash, well might ratepayers ask if it is it value for money! If not, why not?

Yet another $375K in emergency works at Cataract Gorge have been approved but by the time it’s spent it will be $500K no doubt given Town Hall’s past fiscal performance indicators.

Just how long have Town Hall’s managerial functionaries been sitting on their hands, not looking, and wishing the hard work away? It’s endemic Town Hall behaviour it seems.

Also, sit on your hands for long enough and someone will spot an opportunity to tap into a ‘nice little earner” or the problem will dissolve. Either way, it’ll make you look good when you’ve actually missed a real opportunity.

If this is an emergency. what was it weeks ago? A lucrative fiscal opportunity in waiting perhaps?

The iconic Gorge Walkway has been closed for weeks due to all this. Yes, it is time-sensitive enough to warrant emergency procedures, but when will it be open again?

This is being asked as in the tourism High Season with dollars flying out the window and down the drain.

Councillor Joe Pentridge’s objection here is misrepresented as he is clearly looking for ratepayers to get value for their dollars.

When he talks about his’ little bit here and there’ that need to be done, he is right on the money. Councillor Pentridge’s asking for emergency works presenting value for money and it should have been managements advice to our Councillor, but no.

Deputy mayor and professional bean counter Cr. Hugh McKenzie is late to the party. Why wasn’t he looking to get the infrastructure officers doing their due diligence, yonks ago, given that he now says, “this is our greatest asset,"

Moreover, as the people’s bean counter on the job he must have known, or should have known, that there was unspent cash in the budget due mainly Council’s non-delivery (non-performance?) elsewhere.

The reality of it is, these are skilled operators; it can be understood from the officers' report to Councillors, but did they do what they did anywhere near early enough?

It is what it is and Councillor Pentridge come up looking like the ratepayer hero.

IN THE EXAMINER:

Council showers Gorge works with cash,

but is it value for money?

By Joe Colbrook

Updated December 4 2023 - 10:02am, first published 6:00am

Another $375,000 in emergency work at Cataract Gorge - this time to fix a retaining wall that supports Cataract Walk - has been approved by councillors.

Two sections of the wall were considered at high risk of collapsing, to the point where City of Launceston council officers sidestepped the usual tendering processes.

Instead of seeking proposals from multiple contractors, infrastructure officers asked a single company, Invision Developments - something permitted by the Local Government Act in an emergency.

Council officers said as the walkway was already closed due to work at the top of the gorge, the project was time-sensitive enough to warrant emergency procedures.

This required an absolute majority of councillors to support the recommendation, and 11 councillors endorsed the proposal at the November 30 meeting.

Only councillor Joe Pentridge objected to the spend.

He said the council should give the gorge a "big once-over" which would ensure value for money, rather than doing several piecemeal projects.

"I seem to have a recollection that there needs to be quite a bit of work done on the walkway," Cr Pentridge said.

"Yes, what a great time to do it while it's closed. But all we're hearing is, every few weeks 'a little bit here needs to be done, a little bit there needs to be done'.

"Why not grab this opportunity and give it a big once-over so it does become the asset that it should be for Launceston."

Councillor Joe Pentridge said the emergency works needed to present value for money. File picture

Acting chief executive officer Shane Eberhardt said other works to improve the path - like hand rail and lighting improvements - had been planned and budgeted, but the retaining wall failure was a priority issue.

Council officers said in a report they were confident in the proposal given by the contractors, as they could compare it to other recent projects.

"Given the nature of the works, the availability of suitably qualified tradespeople is limited," they said.

"The council's officers are confident the tender received presents value given the complexity of work, the site constraints and the rates received.

"Further confidence can be derived from rates received for other similar projects at South Esk Road and Ockerby Gardens."

Deputy mayor Hugh McKenzie said the infrastructure officers had done their due diligence, and the council just needed to "get it done".

"This is our greatest asset," Cr McKenzie said.

"The reality of it is these are skilled operators, I understand from the officers' report to us in doing what they did. As a consequence of that they've done a value for money assessment.

"We just need to get it done."

LAUNCESTON GASTRONOMES AWAKE

The people in governance and those who 'egg them on' are always up for missing an opportunity. Here we are boasting that the city is one where 'gastronomes' preside and set very high standards.

AND here we are winging about something that we should be celebrating. Instead of whining way, those who can afford them, could be wining and dining upon our very own GULLSeggs.

ONEday someone will see the dots and join them and do so for a profit. This years season has been missed no doubt and what a pity. Truffles, abalone, mutton birds, scallops, possum and crayfish indeed!

Seagulls commandeer abandoned ship, bomb Launceston businesses

By Hamish Geale Updated November 28 2023 - 8:20am, first published November 26 2023 - 4:45am

Invermay businesses are being bombarded with seagull poo after mass breeding on a Tamar River shipwreck.

Two of Launceston's biggest retail buildings - Bunnings and The Good Guys - have been among the hardest hit, and there are concerns that the booming seagull population could pose a health hazard to the community.

Launceston businessman Errol Stewart, who has helped develop much of the land surrounding the problem site, said the birds had become a big problem.

"They're just an absolute pest," Mr Stewart said.

"Bunnings is absolutely covered in seagull crap, as is the Good Guys, as is our aircraft hangar - you put a car over there and it'll be covered with seagull crap in 10 minutes.

"The Good Guys store has got significant solar panels on the roof and instead of being black they're white.

"I don't know what the solution is, but they're a problem."

A FERRY GOOD PLACE TO BREED

Authorities have been working for more than five years to stop silver gulls nesting on the derelict Harry O'May, which is tied up opposite Tamar Valley Dairy.

Once a car ferry servicing Bruny Island, the vessel has become home to huge numbers of seagulls, particularly around the August breeding season.

Birdlife Tasmania convener Dr Eric Woehler said the vessel provided an ideal hang-out for the "opportunistic" gulls, which are a protected species.

"It's a convenient nesting platform, but it's also close to the Mowbray tip, so you have food close by as well as a safe nesting spot," he said.

"Because there's water between the ferry and the shore - even at low tide - it means the wreck is basically free of predators.

"So the birds can nest there without the threat of predators taking adults or chicks."

Dr Woehler said groups of seagulls were roosting on ground sites - such as a vacant block near Invermay McDonald's - as well as atop large buildings.

"It's simply a reflection of an increased local population making its presence felt by roosting on rooftops and elsewhere around the city," he said.

Derelict vessels sit along Kings Wharf in the Tamar River. Video by Craig George

WHY CAN'T SOMEONE JUST MOVE THE SHIP?

The Harry O'May is one of several ships that have been left rotting on the Tamar River for decades.

The Examiner revealed last week that legal action is under way concerning four abandoned vessels, including the Harry O'May, as authorities attempt to clean up the waterway.

It remains unclear if, or when, the ships will be moved.

Dr Woehler said it was hard to predict how the gulls would respond should the Harry O'May be relocated, including whether they would stop roosting at Bunnings.

"It's likely... the distance to the nearest food supply would be part of the decision that the birds make as to whether they persist or not," he said.

LASERS COULD SOLVE A BROADER PROBLEM

In the meantime, work continues to dissuade birds from nesting on the ferry.

A range of experiments have been tried in the past five years - periodic loud noises, citronella repellents, moving string lines, and human and drone disturbances - but none have proven successful.

Since early 2022, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment has engaged CSIRO to see whether pre-August laser lights would keep gulls from nesting on the ferry.

The birds acclimatised to the lights within 24 hours of both trials to date, but researchers aren't giving up yet.

"We are currently in the process of revisiting the design of the lasers by updating the frequency and rapidity of movement," CSIRO environment research scientist Geoff Tuck said.

"Additional deterrents, notably sound-based interventions, are now being considered as we endeavour to devise a more effective deterrent mechanism."

NOTE: The now decessed owner of the PONRABBEL, Peter Smith, knew how to stop the gulls roosting on his ship. He put several cats on board and the gulls stayed well way. SMARTscientists might do well to talk to the locals who know how to spot the dots and then join them. That's their problem, if they worked at Town Hall they just would not fit in!

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Fortnum & Mason

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Gulls’ Egg season is here, and we’ve got the first batch!

We are proud to present the first batch of gulls' eggs to our Piccadilly Foodhalls. For a brief period in early Spring, strictly limited numbers are handpicked by licensed ‘Eggers’, who abseil the steep cliffs of this sea bird, to find the small delicacies.

A fleeting luxury, gamer than hens’ eggs with a vivid orange yolk and delicate flavour. With the season lasting between three or four weeks, it is a true delight to receive such a wonderful delivery.

Wild gulls' eggs are collected under strict licensing that limits the number of pickers and the number of eggs that can be gathered each day. These regulations ensure the practice is fully sustainable.

Pick up yours today in our famous Foodhalls, or head to The Gallery restaurant to enjoy yours fresh from the cliffs.

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One chef describes the taste of the eggs as the ‘creamiest, richest flavour imaginable, with a subtle lingering aftertaste’. These days, he prefers them soft-boiled with a wild salad and home-made celery salt and, although he gave up collecting when the licences were introduced, he has many friends who still do.

Despite the dwindling number of collectors, gulls’ eggs are more popular than ever, their short season only adding to the allure. James Golding, chef director of The Pig Hotel in Brockenhurst in Hampshire has been serving gulls’ eggs for five years with homemade red celery salt and pickled samphire.

‘There is much more awareness of them now,’ he says, ‘and customers have started asking when they’re going to be in.’ Rex Goldsmith of The Chelsea Fishmonger, whose shop has been selling gulls’ eggs for more than 100 years, sells a few thousand every year, mostly to older customers. ‘They always ask the price and when I tell them they say: “Outrageous—I’ll take two dozen please”.’

THE GREENING OF LAUNNY

 

City plans to double its trees with first urban greening strategy … By Declan Durrant December 2 2023 - 3:30pm .

City of Launceston horticulturist Kyle Love in the garden in Civic Square with councillor Danny Gibson and Chamber of Commerce's Will Cassidy. Picture by Paul Scambler .

The City of Launceston council has endorsed its first urban greening strategy, which sets a target of planting 18,000 trees in an effort to double the city's canopy coverage.

Councillors unanimously endorsed the Urban Greening Strategy 2023-2040 at this week's council meeting with the goal of creating a "resilient, connected and diverse" urban forest across the city. 

The strategy's vision is to contribute to the "health and wellbeing of the community" and the city's vibrancy, livability and sustainability. 

The strategy has been in the works for more than a year and replaces the Street Tree Strategy 2012, and represents a shift from managing individual trees to the city's entire urban forest. 

Launceston's urban forest - made up of all the trees, shrubs, grassland and other vegetation, growing on public and private land within the city - currently covers around 19 per cent of the urban area, which is well below the national standard of 39 per cent.

Launceston mayor Matthew Garwood said the strategy recognises that urban forests have economic, social and cultural benefits and can help conserve biodiversity, maintain soil and water values and mitigate against heat impact and climate change. 

"While some parts of our community have good canopy cover, many parts still do not," Cr Garwood said. .

While some parts of our community have good canopy cover, many parts still do not. The strategy will help us identify appropriate future locations for greenery across our city. 

-City of Launceston mayor Matthew Garwood "The strategy will help us identify appropriate future locations for greenery across our city in consultation with the community so that we get some really great outcomes." 

The strategy contains targets under five distinct themes: retaining and increasing canopy cover to 40 per cent; improving urban forest diversity and resilience; supporting biodiversity and conservation; developing infrastructure to support the targets; and increasing community knowledge and participation. .

To improve the urban forest's diversity, the strategy targets that there can be no more than five per cent of any tree species, no more than 10 per cent of any genus and no more that 20 per cent of any tree family. 

Biodiversity health checks are also planned, and the implementation of a vegetation condition assessment to ensure improvement of the city's urban biodiversity. 

The strategic plan will also be assisted in its efforts by an existing Memorandum of Understanding with the Launceston Chamber of Commerce, which pushed for a combined effort to enhance Launceston's central green spaces by increasing the number of street trees, plantings and arbour systems across the urban realm. 

Council also has key partnerships with other tiers of government and community groups which they said would assist in achieving the goals set. 

"The Urban Greening Strategy sets out a bold target," Cr Garwood said. 

"It's an exciting vision for the future, and one the City of Launceston is looking forward to implementing."

THAT [L]-WORD THAT COMES WITH MISSED UNDERSTANDINGS

 

political spin ... politics

Political spin, in politics, the attempt to control or influence communication in order to deliver one’s preferred message.

Spin is a pejorative term often used in the context of public relations practitioners and political communicators. It is used to refer to the sophisticated selling of a specific message that is heavily biased in favour of one’s own position and that employs maximum management of the media with the intention of maintaining or exerting control over the situation, often implying deception or manipulation.

In the political context, it is often associated with government press conferences in which it is understood that the press secretary or the government official has a vested interest in communicating a political message to have a desired outcome, often to the neglect of delivering the full truth of a situation. In such situations, the press conference room is sometimes cynically referred to as the “spin room” and the schedule of briefings as the “spin cycle.”

SADLY IT HAS COME TO THIS

Now the [L]word is passing lips but its meaning is being toyed with. If something has been 'lost' it's gone, it's missing, it's no longer there to use, it's been squandered, it is bloody well lost! Its not recoverable and maybe its can be covered but not covered up or recovered.

Here it is our hard earned  $$$$$ your money, my money, our money, our rates, our fees paid, our opportunities lost, out the bloody window, down the freakin drain.

We should not allow ourselves to be fooled by fools. If this was a movie it would/should be classified AO:

• PLOTLESS HORROR MOVIE
• MACHLAVELLIAN MOCKUMENTORY
• AMATEUR HOUR PRODUCTIONS Pty Ltd.
• SURREAL PERFORMERS AND PERFORMANCES
• CLOWNS A PLENTY

but somehow some infantile SPINdoctor gets to write the bloody scripts and they are unconvincing and just should not pull an unprepared crowd. 

The acting is OK but that SPINdoctor cum SCRIPTwriter, well she needs to be dismissed forthwith along with all those who feed her with lines in that darkened room. 

It is all too MEDIevil and true to type.  It will not, no, cannot, be delivered on time and on budget. 

So, the investors who backed this project way back when, well they have done their dow good and proper. It is time to move on.

Good people get hurt, children get to be deluded and all the while the thieves and rouges prosper. 

SO, action stations Minister, do your stuff and save the good citizens who are being and have been held to ransom. It is your job and it is there to be done! 

It's worst time but it is the best time! It''ll be a far far better thing that you'll do than you have ever done!

GO TO IT COBBER!

CLAYTON'S GRAFFITI FOR LAUNCESTON?!

 

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The City of Launceston council has announced the Paterson Street East car park will receive an artistic facelift courtesy of a newly planned mural.

The council has released an expression of interest for two artists to take on the project which will paint two walls on the building's cream-coloured facade with a large-scale artwork. [WHY only a painted mural? ... Not explained!]

The project is a collaboration between Tasmanian street art advocacy collective Vibrance - a group supporting Tasmanian creatives working in street art and graffiti - and City of Launceston. [OK but WHY only a painted mural? ... Not explained!]

"The Paterson St East Car Park is a brilliant location and I can't wait to see some quality submissions," Launceston mayor Matthew Garwood said. [WELL YES! BUT AFTER ALL this is a public building in a public space ... So what was the approval process and the community consultation process? ]

"I think that it's really important to engage and create opportunities for not only Tassie artists, but those who want to express themselves creatively. [YES but when is the public engagement to take place ... While this may have the apparent approval of the elected representatives when was it on the agenda at any open council meeting?]

"We need to have outlets that continue to build upon our incredibly creative and vibrant arts culture and identity, and I hope that these sorts of initiatives assist in building that sense of pride and purpose. [ POSSIBLY but on what grounds is this assertion mad in this case and where is the STRATEGIC POLICY determination that backs it up?

"I'd rather see these sorts of projects - that harness the interest of our community with the ability to engage positively - than those expressed through illegal scribble tag." [ POSSIBLY but on what grounds is this founded given that "illegal scribble tags are a kind of social indicators that should alert 'governance' to serious community issues" ... GRAFFITI IS A SOCIAL BAROMETER ... That is its real value]

Both far side facades on the Paterson Street East car park entrance are up for murals with council's announcent of an EOI. Picture by Craig George

The expression of interest form states that, while Tasmanian artists at all career stages will be considered for the street art project, artists who already have a proven track record for producing large-scale public murals are especially encouraged to apply. [WELL YES! But why is this apparently blanded down apparently non-confrontational STREETart(??) on the agenda. Indeed, what might the apparent and likely outcome have to offer in regard to Launceston's cultural landscape and culturalncapital?]

After the successful artists are chosen, planning and design for the project will begin in November, with the intent being to present the completed drafts in January next year before the painters take on one wall each in February. [WERE ARE THE APPROVAL PROCESS ARTICULATED AND WHO GETS A VOICE WITHIN THEM?]

Artists will be selected by a panel comprising representatives from Vibrance, the City of Launceston, Launceston Central and the Council's Cultural Advisory Committee. [WELL YES! But in reference to what brief published where?]

Applications for the project close at midnight on November 20. More details can be found at the Vibrance website.

COMMENT: The process as it apparently stands has all the hallmarks of the failed MALL TASMANIAN THYLACINES PROJECT along with other contentious' cultural installations' . It appears that yet again the Community of Ownership and Interest have not been considered. The danger here is that due to the arrogance and naivety of the process is that lowest common denominator exemplar of CLAYTONSart that say little of importance. It is the risk and risk that has apparently not been considered and sadly so.

For those who have not given STREETart much thought it is understood to be visual art created in public locations for public visibility. It has been associated with the terms "independent art", "post-graffiti", "neo-graffiti" and "guerrilla art". Its reason for being is ton contest ideas.

STREETart has evolved from the early forms of defiant graffiti into a more commercial form of art, as one of the main differences now lies with the messaging.

STREETart is often/usually meant to provoke thought rather than rejection among the general audience through making its purpose more evident than that of graffiti.

The issue of permission has also come at the heart of STREETart, as graffiti is usually done illegally, whereas STREETart can nowadays be the product of an agreement or even sometimes a commission – a blanded down shadow of real graffiti. However, it remains different from traditional art exposed in public spaces by its explicit use of said space in the conception phase for the contest of ideas typically aimed challenging the status quo rather than celebrating the "nice stuff".

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KISSING COPS LINK

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