Council slams bungling Dogs

[Missing Dog]

Re: Council slams bungling Dogs

"The Bulldogs call themselves ‘the community club’ – but due to their own mismanagement, our community will not receive what they desperately need," Maribyrnong mayor Cr Michelle MacDonald said today.

What won't the community be receiving? Sorry Ms. MacDonald, you tool, the Club is providing the community services that your council is supposed to be responsible for but couldn't pull together in your lifetime, let alone the limited time you have before 30,000 Dogs members vote you out.


"The Bulldogs commenced the redevelopment over two years ago, knowing that they did not have the money to complete the project. We’ve made repeated efforts over the last two years to help the Bulldogs pull the Whitten Oval redevelopment back on track, and they’ve turned down every offer," Cr MacDonald said.

Surely it was reasonable to expect that the commitments made by State, federal and local governments would be honoured? The AFL committed money as well. The only shortfall at the time was the Forever Foundation who not only come through with their original estimate of $2m but have so far come good with $5m, allowing us to increase the scope of the project.

The only group who has not come good with their promise is the local council - you, Ms. MacDonald.

Why would the development need your help to be put back on track? It was never off track until you stuffed us around with your petty bureaucracy.

Love the dogs as much as anyone but to suggest that I would vote against the Council just because they didn't give the Club what they wanted- even if it was detrimental to the local Community- is just being one-eyed to the point of being stupid. Remember football is now a business, and like all business profit is king, not public well-being. If the dogs management is not following local planning guidelines and procedures then why should they be exempted. How stupid is it that the club didn't put in plans that meet planning guidelines in time to get a permit so that the builders could carry out the works? Bad football administrators have screwed clubs up before, maybe the club members/board need to ask the club administrators a few questions?

[LostDoggy]

Re: Council slams bungling Dogs

Love the dogs as much as anyone but to suggest that I would vote against the Council just because they didn't give the Club what they wanted- even if it was detrimental to the local Community- is just being one-eyed to the point of being stupid. Remember football is now a business, and like all business profit is king, not public well-being. If the dogs management is not following local planning guidelines and procedures then why should they be exempted. How stupid is it that the club didn't put in plans that meet planning guidelines in time to get a permit so that the builders could carry out the works? Bad football administrators have screwed clubs up before, maybe the club members/board need to ask the club administrators a few questions?

Is that you Mayor?

[Sockeye Salmon]

Re: Council slams bungling Dogs

Love the dogs as much as anyone but to suggest that I would vote against the Council just because they didn't give the Club what they wanted- even if it was detrimental to the local Community- is just being one-eyed to the point of being stupid. Remember football is now a business, and like all business profit is king, not public well-being. If the dogs management is not following local planning guidelines and procedures then why should they be exempted. How stupid is it that the club didn't put in plans that meet planning guidelines in time to get a permit so that the builders could carry out the works? Bad football administrators have screwed clubs up before, maybe the club members/board need to ask the club administrators a few questions?

So why would you vote for a councillor?

All I see is a list of names on a piece of paper. I've never heard of any of them before and I know damn well after I've voted I'll never hear from them again.

[westdog54]

Re: Council slams bungling Dogs

1. The size of and population of the Melbourne Metro area makes it difficult for a State government department to handle local issues effectively. How big would such State departments need to be handle all the issues that a given property or street might have from all of the regions in Melbouren. it would be unworkable.

2. So that they can justify charging you and me another tax (after you have already paid income tax on it, mind you) which they call "Council Rates"

There's your problem right there, its State Governments that are redundant. The pity of it is that no Prime Minister, no matter how powerful or influential, will be able to convince the Governments of 6 states to simply surrender their power to the Commonwealth, irrespective of the benefits.

[Missing Dog]

Re: Council slams bungling Dogs

There's your problem right there, its State Governments that are redundant. The pity of it is that no Prime Minister, no matter how powerful or influential, will be able to convince the Governments of 6 states to simply surrender their power to the Commonwealth, irrespective of the benefits.

very good post. i only considered the option of abolishing local councils.

other than taking Land Tax, Speed camera fines and property stamp duty, i always wondered what else the state govt did. They've sold our water, our gas, our electricity, our hospitals and public transport are in a mess so what good is the state govt for?

[Missing Dog]

Re: Council slams bungling Dogs

So why would you vote for a councillor?

All I see is a list of names on a piece of paper. I've never heard of any of them before and I know damn well after I've voted I'll never hear from them again.

you are right to an extent, i don't believe individual councillors usually make a whole lot of difference, but I think its important to have a local councillor that you can raise issues with. My elderly parents and their neighbours recenty had to fight a developer who wanted to put up 3 double story townhouses along three boundaries, each with 6 metre high brick walls. thank god the elected ward member took the planning department on- which approved it- it then went to VCAT who said the councillors had to vote on it- and the councillors voted on it and rejected it. I like to believe that the elected councillors have some influence over the non-elected beauracrats.

[Missing Dog]

Re: Council slams bungling Dogs

Is that you Mayor?

Nah i just don't think its as clear and cut as the Bulldogs being 100% innocent and the council 100% guilty.

[westdog54]

Re: Council slams bungling Dogs

very good post. i only considered the option of abolishing local councils.

other than taking Land Tax, Speed camera fines and property stamp duty, i always wondered what else the state govt did. They've sold our water, our gas, our electricity, our hospitals and public transport are in a mess so what good is the state govt for?

Not a heck of a lot.

The Federal Defence Minister came out recently and basically called for the abolition of State Governments. There's so much duplication and waste with a 3 tiered government. Its not viable for 20 million people, and its only state parochialism which stands in the way.

[BulldogBelle]

Re: Council slams bungling Dogs

The latest in the continuing Council saga...

Bulldogs' woes grow
The Age
Cameron Houston
July 31, 2008


A BITTER feud between the Maribyrnong Council and the Western Bulldogs is set to intensify, with the council expected to withdraw $1 million in funding for the Whitten Oval redevelopment and walk away from the project's Committee of Management.

More than $8 million in funding from Victoria University is also under threat after delays by the Bulldogs to relocate 48 poker machines from the site.

The council has called an emergency meeting next week to discuss its involvement in the deal, after the State Government's shock decision to seize planning control of the $26 million redevelopment amid growing concerns about the Bulldogs' financial future.

Mayor Michelle MacDonald said: "They (Western Bulldogs) see council as an impediment to the development and if that's true, then I think it's appropriate for council to withdraw from the Committee of Management and allow the State Government to manage the Whitten Oval project."

Cr MacDonald confirmed the council's $1 million contribution would also be reviewed, after the State Government intervened last Thursday.

Maribyrnong councillor Janet Rice said the council was informed of the Government's decision at 5pm last Thursday, just hours before it was announced on Channel Nine's The Footy Show.

She said the council had not been contacted by the club since.

"The Bulldogs' behaviour has been disgraceful and they seem to think they can ignore the local planning process that applies to every other development in Maribyrnong," Cr Rice said.

A Western Bulldogs spokeswoman refused to answer specific questions about the project last night. "If that is correct … it's disappointing, however we will wait to hear from the council," she said.

The council only became aware of Victoria University's plans to occupy part of the redeveloped John Gent stand in August 2007, but did not receive planning permits from the club until April this year.

A final planning decision could not be made until September to allow for community consultation, which would have derailed the project and left the Bulldogs with a crippling debt of about $6 million.

Relations between the club and the council have deteriorated further, after a planning application for a $25 million hotel-and-gaming development in the nearby Edgewater estate was unanimously rejected by the council two months ago.

The council's decision stalled plans by the Bulldogs to relocate 48 machines from Whitten Oval to the new Edgewater venue, which now jeopardises Victoria University's $8 million sports campus on the site. The university's funding is contingent on the removal of the machines, according to Victoria University academic James Doughney.

"We can't have poker machines on a university campus, that's not a good look for us," he said.

A Bulldogs spokeswoman said the club was committed to the removal of machines from Whitten Oval and an overall reduction of pokies in the City of Maribyrnong.

[ledge]

Re: Council slams bungling Dogs

Seems to me both council and the Bulldogs need to stop sooking to others and ring each other up and sort out the problem.
The AFL will be watching.