Murray Bridge council cuts travel costs: ‘It’s a bad look’
The Murray Bridge council will spend $2500 less than it had planned on travel to a conference in Canberra.
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The Murray Bridge council will cut back on its travel expenses in response to public concerns about its spending during a cost-of-living crisis.
At their April meeting, councillors voted not to send three representatives to a local government conference in Canberra.
They will still send two to the National General Assembly of Local Government in June: Mayor Wayne Thorley and CEO Heather Barclay.
But Deputy Mayor Airlie Keen will have to stay at home, saving ratepayers about $2500.
“We can’t continuously belt ratepayers to turn around and (pay for) our social life,” Cr Clem Schubert said.
Cr Fred Toogood agreed.
“I think at the moment, with the cost of living problems … it’s a bad look,” he said.
“I’d argue in favour of this if we were in better times.
“It’s up to the nine elected members to have a fairly good fist of spending ratepayers’ money, and I think we need to be hugely prudent at the moment.”
More lobbyists means more influence, John DeMichele argues
Taking the opposite view was Cr John DeMichele, who argued that Murray Bridge needed as many advocates as possible in Canberra.
Those who went would would be able to lobby for the rural city’s interests – and, in particular, could pressure the federal government to make funding available more quickly during natural disasters such as floods and droughts.
Murray Bridge News understands that the council is still out of pocket for the cost of road repairs following the 2022-23 River Murray floods.
“With three people going in there, (we) can discuss the hard times we’re going through, discuss how our regional community is doing it tough through the drought,” Cr DeMichele said.
“The cost will be outweighed by the results we can bring in.
“Now’s the time that we need the voices there, because it is tough out there, and if we’re not pushing, if we’re not knocking on doors, nothing’s going to happen.”
Ultimately, a vote about how many representatives to send was tied, 3-3.
Cr Baltensperger used his tie-breaking vote to rule that just two people would go.
China blowback may have influenced Canberra decision
The decision came in the wake of a much-criticised decision by councillors to approve a $14,000 spend on a trade mission to China.
The decision, reported exclusively by Murray Bridge News in March, drew a strong negative reaction from many locals on social media, who described it as a “junket”, “rort” and “waste of taxpayers’ money”.
Several expressed concern that the trip’s timing coincided with a council proposal to increase property rates for ratepayers with low-value homes – an idea which the council ultimately abandoned.
Only one commenter argued in favour of the trade mission, saying any foreign money invested in local businesses would ultimately create jobs and increase the council’s revenue.
The China trip will still go ahead in May.
For context, its cost will be equivalent to about 0.0002 per cent of the council’s budget for 2024-25.
Andrew Baltensperger takes the chair
The debate about the Canberra trip was preceded by moment of comedy at the council meeting.
Both Mr Thorley and Cr Keen had to leave the room for the discussion, since both had a conflict of interest in the matter at hand.
In their absence, councillors needed to decide who should step up to chair the meeting.
After some pussyfooting around, Cr Tom Haig eventually instructed Cr Andrew Baltensperger, in his no-nonsense Scottish accent: “You’re the past deputy, get up there.”
Cr Toogood was most grateful when Cr Baltensperger did as he was told.
“Thank you, stand-in Your Worship,” he said.
“You are dressed very well and looking very upper-class sitting in the big chair.”
