Setting the Record Straight

Setting the Record Straight: Countering Misinformation with Facts and Accountability - By Chris Chan

With an Extraordinary Meeting called for this Friday, one of our local online trolls, Olivier Kapetanakos, is at it again: “So is the extraordinary meeting on Friday designed to compel the Mayor to sign a letter to the Minister of Local Government as part of a ruse by some councillors to see who can pee the furthest? Or does it actually benefit the ratepayers?”

Fortunately, his attempts to stir division in the community are being met with level-headed responses. Cooma resident Mick Newman quickly countered:

“Councillors should be doing their best to prevent administration, NOT promoting it.”

However, it’s disappointing to see this same misleading narrative – blaming the Independents for the proposed PIO – being echoed by local shop owner Rocky Harvey. Why amplify a story that ultimately harms the community by shifting blame in the wrong direction?

Let's stand by the facts, not the distractions.

Unless you understand the detail of the circumstances that have led to the Extraordinary General Meeting, it is easy to see how some residents could think that the Independent councillors are just “muckin’ about”. However, this meeting and proposed letter to the Minister are critical for our community, if the council is to continue to function independently with elected representatives.

As a famous politician once stated: “Government is not the solution - it is the problem”! Having the government step in to administer the council will certainly not benefit our community. So - it is important to understand the importance of what Councillors Williamson and Rose are attempting to do - supply a unified response to the Minister’s proposed PIO, as requested by the Minister himself.

The best way to counter misinformation is with clear, honest facts. Here’s my attempt to set the record straight:

_______________________

Hi Rocky,

I appreciate your engagement, but I think it’s important to clarify a few key points.

First, as you partially noted, the proposed undertaking isn’t just about councillor behavior – it extends well beyond that. A significant part of the Performance Improvement Order (PIO), specifically Schedule 2, Part 11, requires: "Council must, at all times, maintain unrestricted funds of at least $500,000 and expend externally restricted funds only for the purpose for which they are set aside."

Here’s the issue – councillors have no direct control over this. Day-to-day financial management is handled by executive staff, not councillors. This concern has been raised repeatedly by Independent councillors at meetings, and each time the question of unrestricted funds came up, executive staff were unable to provide a clear answer. Even at the most recent meeting, no executive could give a figure. This isn’t speculation – this is fact.

Secondly, the PIO proposal seeks to restrict councillors from communicating directly with the public. Let’s be clear – this is a direct threat to democratic principles and the transparency that good governance relies on. I’m not alone in this view – Minister Hoenig himself criticized similar actions just weeks ago.

To quote the Minister’s own words about Georges River Council:

"Local Government Minister Ron Hoenig warned Georges River Council he intends to hit it with a performance improvement notice unless it complies with an order to not impede with ‘the right of a councillor’s ability to communicate about political matters’ and scraps rules that force councillors to register interactions with the media."

The only difference? That case involved Labor councillors. Now, when it’s Independent councillors in our region, the rules seem to shift. This is a glaring double standard, and it shouldn’t sit well with anyone who values fairness.

Regarding your point about new councillors needing to “choose their battles” – they didn’t create this battle. Council pursued legal advice before the newly elected councillors even took office. This PIO isn’t a result of the Independents – it was set in motion by the previous council. This is well-documented and indisputable.

Furthermore, at the last emergency meeting (called by Mayor Hanna), the Gang chose to stay silent. Despite convening councillors for an emergency session, they voted to block a response to the Minister without offering debate or an alternative solution. Calling for an emergency meeting, then refusing to engage, is bad faith.

The slogan during the election – “Those who caused the problems can’t fix them” – has proven more accurate than expected. Now, it’s clear that not only can’t they fix the problems, but they will actively block others from doing so.

Shifting the blame for this proposed PIO is both intellectually dishonest and ignorant, and undermining the community by deliberately misrepresenting the facts.

• The Independents didn’t push for the PIO – the Gang did.

• The Independents wanted to respond collectively to the PIO – the Gang blocked it.

• The Independents want to continue informing the community about what’s happening in council – the Gang wants to keep things hidden.

Shame on the Gang for bringing this upon the region. Shame on those who push the narrative that the Independents are to blame, when these problems existed long before they were elected.

If we’re talking about representing the community, the new councillors are doing exactly that. They were elected to ask tough questions, push for transparency, and hold those in power accountable.

Here’s what they’ve achieved so far:

• Exposed poor governance (including document suppression).

• Highlighted staff dissatisfaction and poor working conditions (1 HR Lead, 2 CFOs, 1 Chief Operating Officer, and 2 CEOs in the last three years).

• Called out financial mismanagement (despite Gang members approving questionable financial reports).

• Questioned failed projects (like the Polo Flat Road disaster and Mobile Library shelving).

• Advocated for justice for victims of the Cooma water tank failure – who, to this day, are still waiting for action.

If you truly care about this community, I urge you to stand behind the councillors fighting for the truth – not those trying to silence it. Blaming the new councillors for problems that have festered since amalgamation does nothing to solve them.

The community deserves better – and pretending otherwise is a disservice to everyone.

_______________________

As always, if you found this article helpful, please share it with your neighbors and friends. Together, we can continue pushing for greater transparency and accountability in our region.

As it is written: "Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them."

Let’s stand united in bringing the truth to light and ensuring our community thrives through honesty and integrity.