41 min
Meet Maria Kerr West Matters
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- Politics
Our special guest for this episode of West Matters is Maria Kerr, Taylors Ward Councillor for Brimbank City Council. If you wish to speak to Cr Kerr on council matters she can be contacted via email and phone on: crkerr@brimbank.vic.gov.au and 0437 796 630.
Opinions expressed in this episode of West Matters are solely those of Maria Kerr and do not necessarily reflect the views or stance of Brimbank Council.
The following is the Notice of Motion from Cr Maria Kerr on 18th July 2023:
"We live in free and democratic country where the citizens elect officials at all levels of government. The closest government to our residents is US.
Our residents want to ask various Councillors, Deputy Mayor and Mayor of their choice questions. Residents want to ask their own ward councillors about local ward issues and at present they can’t. The only avenue they have is to submit questions prior to council meetings, which are drafted by officers for the Mayor to read out of a script. Residents are frustrated , they feel disconnected from councillors and just want honest answers.
Residents just want to be heard, they want transparency and respect, scripted answers doesn’t wash with the community any more Mr Mayor.
We as elected Councillors need to be more transparent, more accessible and for our community to have the right to ask questions of Councillors Mr Mayor.
We should have a public forum once a month for the community to ask these questions, and if you are thinking I DON’T WANT TO BE ASKED QUESTIONS, then you are wrong, I want to be able to answer any questions the community may have of me. And if I don’t have the answer, I will take it on notice and follow up with the resident. That’s the least I can do as an elected Councillor who is paid by the community.
And if you think this will not work, there are many councils that have been doing this for many years, we don’t need to look far, our neighbours in Moonee Valley have for many years been welcoming Community input, questions and even formed advisory groups. This is called TRANSPERANCY, this is called being open and accountable. This is called doing what we-are paid to do by rate payers! We do not want to descend to the dark days at Brimbank, where there was an iron vail of none transparency and in the end that Council got sacked, yes SACKED!
Our community is asking for this forum, our community want to see the white in our eyes when we are answering questions. Our community wants to see if Councillors truly understand their concerns, they want to know which Councillors are willing to be questioned, who is doing their reading, who is authentic and our community just want an opportunity to have their say!
So, I will be supporting the community with this motion. For more access, openness & transparency!
I put it to you Mr Mayor and my fellow Councillors do you support the community and transparency, or are you content to hide behind the walls of Council, happy collecting your ratepayer funded allowances without accountability and avoiding the Community?
I hope you can all join me in supporting this motion on behalf of every resident in Brimbank.
Thank you, Mr Mayor."
Our special guest for this episode of West Matters is Maria Kerr, Taylors Ward Councillor for Brimbank City Council. If you wish to speak to Cr Kerr on council matters she can be contacted via email and phone on: crkerr@brimbank.vic.gov.au and 0437 796 630.
Opinions expressed in this episode of West Matters are solely those of Maria Kerr and do not necessarily reflect the views or stance of Brimbank Council.
The following is the Notice of Motion from Cr Maria Kerr on 18th July 2023:
"We live in free and democratic country where the citizens elect officials at all levels of government. The closest government to our residents is US.
Our residents want to ask various Councillors, Deputy Mayor and Mayor of their choice questions. Residents want to ask their own ward councillors about local ward issues and at present they can’t. The only avenue they have is to submit questions prior to council meetings, which are drafted by officers for the Mayor to read out of a script. Residents are frustrated , they feel disconnected from councillors and just want honest answers.
Residents just want to be heard, they want transparency and respect, scripted answers doesn’t wash with the community any more Mr Mayor.
We as elected Councillors need to be more transparent, more accessible and for our community to have the right to ask questions of Councillors Mr Mayor.
We should have a public forum once a month for the community to ask these questions, and if you are thinking I DON’T WANT TO BE ASKED QUESTIONS, then you are wrong, I want to be able to answer any questions the community may have of me. And if I don’t have the answer, I will take it on notice and follow up with the resident. That’s the least I can do as an elected Councillor who is paid by the community.
And if you think this will not work, there are many councils that have been doing this for many years, we don’t need to look far, our neighbours in Moonee Valley have for many years been welcoming Community input, questions and even formed advisory groups. This is called TRANSPERANCY, this is called being open and accountable. This is called doing what we-are paid to do by rate payers! We do not want to descend to the dark days at Brimbank, where there was an iron vail of none transparency and in the end that Council got sacked, yes SACKED!
Our community is asking for this forum, our community want to see the white in our eyes when we are answering questions. Our community wants to see if Councillors truly understand their concerns, they want to know which Councillors are willing to be questioned, who is doing their reading, who is authentic and our community just want an opportunity to have their say!
So, I will be supporting the community with this motion. For more access, openness & transparency!
I put it to you Mr Mayor and my fellow Councillors do you support the community and transparency, or are you content to hide behind the walls of Council, happy collecting your ratepayer funded allowances without accountability and avoiding the Community?
I hope you can all join me in supporting this motion on behalf of every resident in Brimbank.
Thank you, Mr Mayor."
41 min