The Bega Valley Shire Residents and Ratepayers Association (BVSRRA) refers to the reported claim by Bega Valley Shire Council (BVSC), published in the local media last week, that the BVSRRA is “swamping” council with complaints.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The BVSRRA flatly rejects that false and dishonest accusation and notes that no such claim appeared in the report tabled by council’s general manager at the recent council meeting.
For the record, the BVSRRA has lodged only three complaints with BVSC since its inception, with all three being code of conduct complaints.
As to the references to correspondence contained in the general manager’s report, the BVSRRA prepared and circulated its own submission to councillors, highlighting the fact that it believed that the general manager’s report “was misleading, to the extent that it focuses on the alleged volume of correspondence, rather than recognising the number of issues being addressed, many of which result in an ongoing exchange in correspondence as the issue is explored”.
As to the volume of GIPA Applications made by the BVSRRA, our report highlighted the fact that a number of those applications had been necessitated by council refusing to provide information unless an application was submitted; surely something that it could hardly then complain about?
Given the comments in council’s report, the BVSRRA can only regard government claims that the GIPA process is designed to “encourage proactive release of information; to give members of the public an enforceable right to access information and to ensure access to information is only restricted when there is an overriding public interest against disclosure requirement” as being nothing more than a sad joke.
As to the accusation that the BVSRRA “is placing a strain on council’s resources and time”, residents/ratepayers might wonder how an organisation boasting a workforce of over 350 people, with an annual budget approaching $100m, could feel so put-upon by a community-based, not-for-profit organisation run on a voluntary basis?
John Richardson
Secretary
Bega Valley Shire Residents & Ratepayers Association
Wallagoot