There appears to be a serious problem at the City of Canning, that cannot be blamed on the long gone Council anymore.

According to Treasurer Mike Nahan, in Parliament today, the staff at Canning plan to hit ratepayers with a massive rate rise to fund their rampant spending, huge pay rises, care packages (before and after the failed attempt at local govt reform), and now what has been described as their “huge” demands for the All of Staff Enterprise Bargaining Agreement due at the end of this year.

Life under “administration” has been very lucrative for staff, it seems, and as for the Commissioners?  There isn’t even provision in the Local Govt Act to supervise these “appointed” administrators!

Three out of the four Commissioners packed in to Canning haven’t even served on councils, that we are aware of… meaning what?  That the Commissioners must then take all their guidance from staff?  

Under the “guidance” of a CEO appointed by a Commissioner, Canning has become only the second council in Perth to have wage costs that exceed its rate base – and ratepayers have already had to choke on an 18% increase since Commissioners were appointed to, it appears, say “yes” obediently to any motion the staff put forward.

As far as we are concerned, there couldn’t have been a worse outcome, all things considered, to the so-called “inquiries” in to Canning.

A Special Council Meeting has been called for 1 July 2015 to rush through Canning’s adopted budget.  CEO Lyn Russell informed us this was “standard practice”.

No, it isn’t.

As for Chairman Commissioner Steven Cole, he might as well take the rest of the year off for all the good replacing former Commissioner “spendthrift” Reynolds has done for the finances of the people of Canning.

The Barnett Govt needs to take a very serious look at what has happened at the City of Canning, in the near three-year absence of a Council.  Our suggestion is that Colin Murphy, our Auditor General, be authorised to audit Canning as soon as possible.

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