7 things any NEW Councillor must do to show the community who is in charge!
These council elections have seen a massive changing of the guard. Not all change is bad. In order for the sector to improve, here is...
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Dean Hurlston
Oct 274 min read
Housing: At What Cost?
The incessant media cycle continues to screech “we are in a housing crisis”. No doubt we need more homes if the population is going to...
2,372 views6 comments
Dean Hurlston
Sep 86 min read
RAINBOW LOCAL GOVERNMENT PLEDGE – A TROJAN HORSE TO AVOID?
These Local Council Elections - the Rainbow Local Government (RLG) Pledge is back. As a gay man, I wanted to share my views and...
5,062 views1 comment
Dean Hurlston
Aug 224 min read
AGENCY.
It is a term many of us have been conditioned to forget or not taught to use. Agency is our power, not just as an individual but also as...
1,381 views0 comments
Dean Hurlston
Aug 151 min read
These elections - have your say and make a better Council - WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM CANDIDATES
Democracy is a funny thing. It can often be misunderstood. In addition to the Candidate Questionnaire that we will soon release, we would...
1,824 views0 comments
Dean Hurlston
Aug 84 min read
Rate capping MUST remain untouched - sign the petition - and let's KEEP the lobbyists away from the money pot
OUR KEEP RATE CAPPING PETITION TO PARLIAMENT IS HERE: https://www.councilwatch.com.au/ratecaps You can read on below. A few weeks ago, I...
1,233 views0 comments
Dean Hurlston
Jul 185 min read
INVESTIGATION - Citizens Panels & Juries infect Council decisions with bias
Citizens panels are a dud. They use flawed methodology to misrepresent, skew, and "steer" council priorities and funding into majorly social
2,124 views2 comments
Dean Hurlston
Jul 84 min read
Let the "gRifting" END
Last Thursday I wrote to 30 Councils asking for a copy of their gift registers. Why? Because many of them are not easily accessible...
2,431 views11 comments
Dean Hurlston
Jul 28 min read
GREEN, PINK, BLAK – It washes all the same
Australia's Local Councils generate more than $45 billion in revenue each year. It’s a LOT of money to provide localised services....
2,349 views8 comments
Dean Hurlston
Jun 235 min read
Councillors subjected to oppressive State Conduct regime and denied procedural fairness.
This week some of the most "oppressive and restrictive " reforms to Councillor conduct were passed by Parliament. They deny procedural...
2,938 views4 comments
Dean Hurlston
May 302 min read
PEACE, ORDER, AND GOOD GOVERNANCE
These are the key reasons Councils apparently exist. That is what the law says, at least. So, you will excuse me that I am frustrated...
2,561 views6 comments
Dean Hurlston
May 125 min read
Does reducing traffic speed save lives? Yes, but there is a LIMIT
Victorians tend to be pathologically concerned with safety. Just look at our response to COVID, the way kids’ playgrounds are designed...
1,782 views7 comments
Dean Hurlston
Mar 245 min read
How Climate Change has EXPOSED Victorian Council Decision Making as WEAK and BROKEN
This week Bayside Council announced it was the FIRST South Eastern Victorian Council to be certified CARBON NEUTRAL With so much hype and...
2,682 views8 comments
Dean Hurlston
Mar 105 min read
DEATH BY A THOUSAND COMMITTEES
Why Council Decisions have been compromised. You know how it goes, Council makes a decision, the community is outraged, councillors and...
3,316 views20 comments
Dean Hurlston
Dec 17, 20233 min read
WANT A BETTER COUNCIL? THEN DO SOMETHING
For years satisfaction with Local Government has declined faster than a Liberal opinion poll in Victoria. (ouch) The Statewide Council...
2,380 views4 comments
Dean Hurlston
Oct 16, 20232 min read
Local Councils lack ETHICS & VALUES
Our local councils claim to have a values-based approach to their communities. Sadly, thousands of Victorians DO NOT AGREE. Again, this...
1,715 views12 comments
Dean Hurlston
Sep 4, 20233 min read
What’s ruining our Councils?
The culture of appalling leadership! Local Government employs over 50,000 people in Victoria. That’s more than the Commonwealth Bank –...
2,115 views20 comments
Dean Hurlston
Aug 2, 20234 min read
There is a SILENT but RAGING WAR within our Councils.
It is an ideological battle between highly-paid CEOs and the elected Councillor group. Every 4 years, Victorians vote for a group of...
1,723 views3 comments
Dean Hurlston
Jul 9, 20235 min read
Let the People Be Heard
Councillors enter local councils with the best intent, well at least the vast majority do. There are over 600 Councillors across the...
885 views5 comments
Dean Hurlston
May 20, 20235 min read
PLANNING REFORM – where does the BLAME LIE?
In 2019, IBAC launched an investigation (Operation Sandon) into alleged developer influence in council planning decisions in Casey. It...
548 views3 comments
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