TASMANIAN RATEPAYERS’ ASSOCIATION INCORPORATED
PRESIDENT’S REPORT FOR
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
MONDAY, 19th. NOVEMBER, 2012
AT HEATHER HALL LAUNCESTON
PRESIDENT’S REPORT
I had hoped that after another year of depressing financial news, that by now we could be looking forward to a brighter economic period and the increasing costs of living may have become more manageable. Regrettably, that is not possible, and in the case of Launceston City Council, the State's largest municipal body, our Aldermen have voted to allow the City's finances to descend into deficit. There has been no rates relief, with real increases in the rate being made and above the level of the Consumer Price Index, adding fuel to the fire of increased costs of living.
As I stated last year, nowhere more than in Launceston, is it so obvious that the community is living well beyond its means. It seems remarkable that some of the State's smaller municipality's have managed to tighten their belts, reigning in or keeping rate increases to the same as the previous year. One wonders how long Launceston can keep going in this manner.
As the bite of Service Utility hikes are felt, power, water & sewerage costs continue to rapidly escalate, reducing everybody's disposable income and in many more cases, below the poverty line and will continue to do so for years into the immediate future. Dire predictions by welfare agencies and reports into Cost of Living in Tasmania are still being ignored and this next winter period will be harder still for the most vulnerable in our community.
The State Government has now moved to force the 3 Regional Water and Sewerage Corporations to combine into one single state-wide authority and for Onstream, the dysfunctional billing enterprise, to be closed down altogether.
Our continued pleas for Local Government to restrain their spending on non-core activities, and to keep budgeted expenditure under control have been totally ignored. The true horror of the operational deficiencies at Launceston Aquatic are now common banter, and in spite of significant new funds being spent on consultant's reports, alarming errors in the advice to Council whether it be to arrest the huge consumption of energy or develop a sustainable and
positive Business Operations Plan are striking the community in waves.
It is now learned that just to balance the "books" at Launceston Aquatic, admission fees must double, unless attendances double, but neither can be achieved and the feared "white elephant" slogan may as well be slung across the facade as a banner.
After almost 3 years of deliberations, the State & Local Governments Steering Committee investigating the Valuation and Municipal Rating Systems of Tasmania have finally handed down their Draft Report. Remarkably, this recommendation is for AAV valuations to be abandoned in favour of Capital Valuation data, cementing the philosophy that Rates are a wealth tax and not a charge for essential services. Contained with the Association's submission lodged today, is the observation that in councils where a residential ratepayer pays 10 times more than another, its vote has much less value.
It is now fact from Government figure published in May 2012, that in the period between 2000 and 2011, Local Government was the only level of government to grow revenue greater than the growth in average weekly earnings.
The resources of the Association, both human and financial are continue to be an increasing strain, and unless matters improve, the Association will be forced to be abandoned.
The state of the Tamar and Esk waterways described in our 2 previous Annual Reports as the embarrassing indignity for Launceston has not yet abated, although the new Chairman of the Launceston Flood Authority is looking positively at the aesthetic improvements to be gained by strategic "raking" of the silt beds.
Whilst support for the development of the old Duck Reach Power Station site is increasing, it is unbelievable that this project is now said to be advancing without any increase in the 2.5 cumec water allocation.
This meeting will be our last meeting to be called for this calendar year, and business will resume for us again in February 2013. I have pleasure in presenting this report to you and wish members a safe and happy summer holiday break.
Thankyou
Lionel Morrell
President
Tasmanian Ratepayers Association Incorporated
19 November 2012
1 comment:
The Ratepayers Association must be getting awfully tired of saying "I told you so to Launceston City Council."
Keep up the good work, without you the ratepayers would be completely at sea.
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