Howdy y'all in the Seychelles, Uganda, Costa Rica, and Aotearoa (New Zealand), and 'Unknown Region', welcome one and y'all to TMGI...today's post is self-evidently about the latest self-serving deceit from the rancidly corrupt Mt Gambier City Council; this Indoor Pool palaver is an absolute lie, just another absolute lie from MGCC, an absolute lie ahead of and motivated by the looming November 2018 Local Government Elections...(I thought you said that it was a Tony Pasin (Member for Barker) inspired exercise in Threat-Bribe Pork-Barrelling?-Ed)...well yes, there is that to it, sure, but in this context he's effectively back in his old position as a MGC Councillor acting as part of and in absolute collusion with MGCC...(which explains why he's kept saying "we" when discussing this deceitful manipulation-Ed)...well exactly, more than just a 'Freudian slip', it's the reality, dodgy mates lookin' to help each other with Ratepayers caught in the middle and payin' for it all...
Back on Friday 3rd August 2018, MGCC Mayor Andrew Lee was yet again on the South East ABC Radio, spuriously spewing absolute lies about how he/MGCC act solely for the benefit of Ratepayers and won't proceed without widespread public support via extensive Public Consultation...(ahahahhaaahaaa, nice one man-Ed)...no, I'm serious, he actually said 'Council is all about serving Ratepayers'...(well that's just an abject lie, MGCC is a Mates Club that operates for the financial benefit of it's Members and their families and/or friends!-Ed)...indeed...(MGCC is a Nepotistic Rort looking for somewhere to happen!-Ed)...well quite...(MGCC is a perpetual pouring of Ratepayer's monies into the pockets of Councillors and/or their mates!-Ed)...yeah, you've made ya' point, and nobody's disagreeing with you, not least of all because it's fundamentally provable given the openly corrupt conduct of issues like the Boundary Adjustments, the Main Corner, the Old Hospital Demolition, the farcical Rail Lands Development...(the lights around the Blue Lake-Ed)...yeah, the Paving Frenzy, etc, etc, and now this Indoor Pool Farce...
I remind availees that my rancidly corrupt Pro-Paedophile Political Persecution is the result of me 'speaking about' South Australia's ICAC (Independent Commission Against Corruption) and it's supposed 'investigation' of multiple corruption issues with MGCC...(ah, you mean the farcical faux-investigation comprised of 1) a 30 minute chat with you in a Mt Gambier cafe, in clear earshot of 6-7 other patrons, and with nothing written down or even recorded, and 2) a similar chat held with MGCC CEO Mark McShane in a hallway of the Adelaide Convention Centre, that 'investigation'?-Ed)...yep, that's the one, and as I proved in my rancidly corrupt "Malicious Prosecution" Trial, that right there, a chat if a cafe, that's how ICAC investigates multiple definable corruption issues within a Council...(not least of all regarding the rancid Nepotism and Insider Trading at the heart of the Mt Gambier Old Hospital Demolition, corruption defined in MGCC's own Minutes and as previously provided to the Ombudsman/ICAC?-Ed)...yep again, MGCC Minutes that ICAC acknowledged they were in possession of during that 'cafe chat'...
I was at that meeting and personally witnessed the brazen corruption, as supported by the entire Council, and that's why I went to the Ombudsman and (then) Member for Mt Gambier Don Pegler ...I was also at the MGCC Full Meeting over 2 years ago when they formally voted to not pursue the issue of an Indoor Pool...check for ya'selves any of MGCC's farcical litany of 'plans' for Mt Gambier...(you mean nonsensical jargon-laden tripe like the City Vision Planning Framework 2017-37 or the City Economic Blueprint 2017-37, shizzle like that?-Ed)...exactly, go where you will, do what you can, you'll find ne'ery a mention of an Indoor Pool in those official plans...this Indoor Centre carry-on is straight-out manipulation and deceit, 1) from a Council desperate to be seen to actually be doing something ahead of this weeks Local Government Elections, and 2) for Member for Barker Tony Pasin to use to self-congratulate and self-promote all the way to the next federal election...
And with this Indoor Pool lie, I can only apologise to all those genuine citizens who do genuinely believe that they are part of something genuine that is actually going to improve Mt Gambier...as per usual, as per standard operational procedure, it is an old manipulation to get genuine people involved in a project/issue, and then push them out in front as the genuine face of that project/issue, but to have complicit stooges cast in controlling/critical roles...(like people like rankly corrupt lawyer Bill DeGaris hiding in plain sight behind the Stand Like Stone Foundation?-Ed)...yep, exactly like that Ed, yeah sure he's a corruptly crooked betrayer who acts in the most vile ways to protect paedophiles, but gee whiz, look at his great works with SLSF...(whatta' guy-Ed)...indeed, gidday Billy mate, a perfect example...(I note that a few people, not least of all Mayoral aspirant Mr Mark Jones, has called-out this Indoor Pool Community Consultation Group as being a carefully manipulated construct of MGCC, put together by Council with people Council wants to tell Council what Council wants to hear-Ed)...couldn't have put it better myself, and as per usual, MGCC will have peppered that mix with a handful of genuine people who are otherwise irrelevant...
So initially it was gunna' cost something like $12m-$15m...(that was when it was discussed years back by MGCC as "too expensive", the cost being their fundamental reason for dumping it-Ed)...that's exactly correct Ed, but now their suddenly talking about $40m...(seriously?! $40m?! and where the shreck are they gunna' get that?-Ed)...well originally it was discussed in terms of 'dollar for dollar' to match a 'government grant', with MGCC stumping-up $10m and trying to get $10m from the Sow Strayn government, with the Federal government to hopefully cough-up the remaining $20m...now Tony Pasin has declared that the Feds will provide $15m, but only, and let me emphasise this, only if everyone in Mt Gambier votes for this specific project...
And there has been quite extensive discussion/criticism about how much MGCC managed to mis-manage the appallingly expensive Library and Main Corner Projects, both of which blew-out by more than 100%, both started at approx $5million and both went well past $10m...(and which MGCC CEO Mark McShane quite deliberately misrepresented on ABC Radio as being 'a $5m government grant for the Main Corner'-Ed)...indeed, it was a combined $5m of grants for both, and it was put to me that the Main Corner went past $12m, including costs hidden in MGCC departments under 'general expenses' and not directly charged to that project...(does that include the $345,000 that former CEO Greg Muller misappropriated/defrauded/stole?-Ed)...I certainly hope so...and then there's the Rail Lands debasco (debacle meets fiasco)...back in November 2011 and with enormous pomp and an actual ceremony/media release at the Helpmann Theatre, etc, Council spruiked their $10m Parklands Concept Plan, and it's now 7 years and $10m+ later and what do we have?...(gourd knows?-Ed)...no, we know, no Sound Shell, No Covered Plaza, no renovated Iconic Old Rail Station, and the entire site's still an unusable tundra with appalling drainage and almost no facilities...(yay-Ed)...
And now aspiring Councillors Ben Hood and Max Bruin have had a The Border Watch article (page 5, 4th October 2018) to canvas 'their ideas' for renovating the Old Station as a Visitor Info Centre and central bus terminus, and putting angled parking for caravans, campers, etc, and a covered walkway, possibly moving the Lady Nelson replica, etc, all in a 'central location that will attract business and builds on Council's "success stories" of the Rail Lands and Rail Trail'...(but don't they say that "The Rail is a huge open space and an absolute wind tunnel" and a "dead space", where "the rundown railway station building is just sitting there", etc?-Ed)...yeah, but it's also a huge "success", don't cha' know...(and hang on, isn't all that stuff what you and others were asking for aways back in February 2006 at those Rail Lands public meetings?-Ed)...spot on, more than 12 shreckin' years ago, it's exactly what people asked for and MGCC flatly refused to do, particularly the bus terminus stuff...(and now this is an exciting new plan from these 2 Chamber of Commerce stooges?-Ed)...and presented by TBW in a context where it promotes these 2, where TBW should be questioning and slamming MGCC for their rank failures/deceits re the Rail Lands Retail Agenda...as described, it's an unused, unusable wind tunnel with no shelter...we'll cover this in a full RLRA post...
And The Main Corner is a similar costly disaster...(I remember you attending those 5 community meetings after it was built as they tried to come-up with ideas for it's use-Ed)...indeed, where a grand total of 2 dozen people attended, if you count me at every meeting...spend $12m+, hand the $2m+ Commercial Function Facility to Councillor Mutton's son, and then hold meetings to decide what to do with the rest...this is MGCC's history of construction projects, well over $20m for 2 projects that were meant to cost $10 (Library and Main Corner), and more than $10m on the unusable and grossly incomplete Rail Lands, and now they want to get their grubby and clearly incompetent mits on $40m...(well "incompetent" if you believe that it's purely atrocious management and abysmal planning ability, etc, and not as many believe it to be, deliberate 'incompetence' that then 'justifies' overspending and/or repeatedly re-spending Ratepayer's money with Councillor's mates/family/stooges-Ed)...an excellent point Ed, and I would suggest that it's a fair bit of what you're saying, deliberately orchestrated 'incompetence' that profits Councillor's mates/families/stooges...
Now they want to build a $40m Indoor pool that's also apparently gunna' be an Art Exhibitions and/or Convention Centre, etc...(but isn't that what MGCC did with the $12m+ Main Corner?-Ed)...sorry?...(well didn't MGCC put a $1m+ Commercial Kitchen into the Main Corner Debasco several years ago?-Ed)...well indeed they did Ed...(and wasn't the whole 'Project' thing meant to create a Convention Centre-style Function Facility?-Ed)...exactly...(which they then handed free-of-charge to MGC Councillor Des Mutton's son, Lachlan-Ed)...yep, that's what I was saying...(and then to Sam Rothall via a secret Mates Only tender process and secret vote at Council?-Ed)...hmmm, yes, it just doesn't matter how many times I hear that, it just doesn't get any less corrupt...(and who's actually running it now?-Ed)...dunno', Council won't say, it's apparently 'Commercial Confidentiality'...(so it's still the Rothalls or it's another Councillor's family member or mate?-Ed)...I'd bet your money on it mate...but we digress, again, sort of, because this Convention Centre thingy is a very large part of the proposed project...
Also a major part of this project is the local Pioneers basketball team, but even then they only get 800-900 people to games, so why the need for a 2000 seat stadium?...(well isn't there discussion of a local state League netball team?-Ed)...yeah, 'discussion of' but not an actual, there is no such team...(and haven't the Pioneers just got the very unceremonious ass from the Victorian league we/they were part of, and therefore there is effectively no Pioneers just right now?-Ed)...well indeed Ed, I care nought for basketball, but it's a fair kick in the baskets for Mt Gambier and the team itself, meaning it's quite unfair, and it really rips the justification rug out from under the Convention Stadium Pool thingy...
And then comes the 'Official Announcement' which just happens to be at the Chamber of Commerce soiree at The Barn, where Tony Pasin joyfully declared that if Mt Gambier Ratepayers vote for this specific project, than the Federal government will chip-in $15m...(hang on, hang on, I've got a coupla' questions-Ed)...thought you might...(but haven't Council and Tony both been bleating about how everyone in Mt Gambier has wanted an Indoor Pool since like forever?-Ed)...as indeed 'everyone' in Mt Gambier knows, yes and yes, it has been a long-desired project, but that was more about an 'All Year Pool', not specifically an Indoor Pool, and certainly not a Convention Centre...(then why did we need a Public Petition and now the very costly Postal Vote of 19,000 Ratepayers?-Ed)...well, it's about trying to force/justify the massive expenditure by giving Council and Tony some arbitrary number to refer to, and justifying the inclusion of the Convention Centre...(and what odds that there's some connection between Council and/or Tony and the company being paid a small fortune to do that voluntary Postal Vote?-Ed)...very, very good odds I'd reckon...and your second question?...
Here Comes The Crunch:...(yeah, wasn't it meant to be $20m from the Feds?-Ed)...yep...(and $10m from the South Australian government, to be matched by MGCC with $10m from gourd knows where?-Ed)...yes, yes, and gourd knows yes...(so with the Feds $15m contribution, albeit not even secured yet, with that falling $5m short of what was originally being discussed/required, where is the remainder $5m coming from now?-Ed)...you and your damn mathsing, mathsness, number crunching, I don't have a specific answer for that, other than apparently we are to 'hope' that the SA gov will come to the party with that extra $5m, or maybe meet us halfway, or we're gunna' just get lumped with that extra $5m...(on top of the $10m we already don't have?-Ed)...errr, yeah....(oh, it's all coming together nicely then-Ed)...not really...(no no, I was being sarcastic-Ed)...oh right, my bad...and don't forget that we don't even have that Federal $15m yet either...oh, and Tony knew about that 'grant' on the Tuesday, but waited to fortuitously drop that announcement at the Chamber of Commerce soiree on the Friday night...(for maximum mutual self-gratification-Ed)...indeed...
And here's where Tony Pasin's impassioned Bribe Threat about the Postal Vote comes in...(errr, "Bribe Threat"?-Ed)...yeah, either y'all vote 'Yay' for this specific project, or you don't get the money...(not at all?-Ed)...not one red cent, we must vote for the Convention Centre with Pool Project attached or no dineros pour vous, amigo....(ah, Mexican-French gibberish, my favourite-Ed)...ok ok, 'no dollars for you my friend'...(so MGCC doesn't have a $15m grant as is frequently reported?-Ed)...nope...(they have a statement from Tony Pasin that we'll probably get that money?-Ed)...but we have to vote 'Yes' for it, yeah...(and so therefore it's a 'Bribe' to get people to vote 'Yay'-Ed)...yep...(backed-up with the 'Threat' that if y'all don't vote yes, you ain't gettin' squat-Ed)...exactly...(well my friend, that is indeed as you describe, an absolute Bribe Threat-Ed)...and all rammed home with copious quantities of guilt-laden manipulation about how if you don't get behind this project and vote 'Yes', etc, then you aren't a good citizen who cares about Mt Gambier the way Tony does...(mmm, I love being manipulated and denigrated and Bribe Threatened all in the one snide hypocrisy-Ed)...you and me both mate, you and me both...
And MGCC Mark McShane chimed in with his li'l bit about this...(well hurrah!-Ed)...and he reckons that the Postal Vote will be decided by whoevs actually responds to this voluntary/non-compulsory ballot...(where non-compulsory Local Government elections manage a staggering 35-40% response in an exceptionally good scenario?-Ed)...exactly, normally around 32-33% state-wide...and as my mate Mighty Mark McShenanigans states, if 30% of Ratepayers respond then it'll be 51% of that lot that decides the outcome...(in a 'scenario' where Council already knows, as repeatedly stated, that people want this Indoor Pool, they're gunna' spend squillions to find out what they already know, just so they can use that arbitrary number to either 1) justify the whole project and it's expense, or 2) justify non-action by blaming Ratepayers for 'our' decision-Ed)...exactly...(in a context where non-return of the Postal Vote clearly indicates a 'No Vote'-Ed)...absolutely...(because if people don't even respond, if they're not even motivated and enthused and supportive enough to respond, then clearly they don't want this-Ed)...bingo!...(but Council is just gunna' ignore that 60-70% with this deeply manipulative vote process-Ed)...or blame them if it doesn't get-up...(but it will likely get-up because Council will have organised themselves so that vote says 'Yes', and they only need approx 15% of Ratepayers to achieve that-Ed)...well quite...
And that right there's exactly all there is to this farcically deceitful manipulation, this calamitous Convention Centre construct...it's all about self-involved political self-promotion, built on smoke and mirrors, and then clumsily blown right-up Ratepayer's fundamental responsibility for the construction and running costs...(well that's the other thing isn't it, the $1.4m-$1.7m annual running costs, where in the shreck is that gunna' come from?-Ed)...well Council reckons that they'll have that saved by the time that it's finally built, say 4 years from now...(tell ya' what I will say, and that's 'bollocks', absolute bollocks-Ed)...well said sir...(only last year Council discarded 2 Councillor positions with the sole justification that they needed to save that paltry stipend, a grand total of less than $40,000 in allowances-Ed)...well quite, it's about saving money, not at all about reducing the numbers to maintain absolute control easier and ram-through decisions with only 3-4 votes, etc...and even if it is about saving the money, then that entirely compromises this notion that MGCC can somehow manage the costs of this Convention Centre on top of everything else...(and in a context where they still haven't finished the Rail Lands; no covered plaza, no Sound Shell, etc-Ed)...and again you're spot on mate...
Bottomline, the rancidly corrupt Mt Gambier City Council have been paying architects (Adelaide
architects with a local connection Design Inc) and has already spent a fortune on design plans, and organising a committee, etc, and this hugely expensive Postal Vote, but they haven't got any funding yet, and it won't get built for 4 years, and who the shreck is gunna' pay for all this...(future generations of Mt Gambier Ratepayers?-Ed)...exactly, literally generations...and all washed down with a big steaming serve of Bribe Threat Guilt...(mmm, yummy-Ed)...
Tomorrow: More Bizarre Court Stuff And/Or Indoor Pool Stuff And/Or Rail Lands Stuff
(Ooo, what's that smell, smells like something's gone off-Ed)...that sir, is the stench of Spoilt For Choice...(nice one man-Ed)...with a healthy side-serve of me going right off about it...(another nice one-Ed)...indeed, so many rancidly corrupt topics and only one Large Angry Hippy...
I am Nick Fletcher and I am said Large Angry Hippy, and this here, this is my blog...cheers and laters...
No comments:
Post a Comment