on accountability …
Last week the association wrote to the Mayor of Bega Valley Shire Council (BVSC), Cr Russell Fitzpatrick, seeking a public clarification in respect of an ABC South East Radio News report claiming that:
“The Bega Valley Shire Council says concerns over its financial deficit have been resolved after an $85M surplus was found.”
The association was disappointed by
Cr Fitzpatrick’s response as it ignored its call for him to publicly correct the false report.
The association wrote to Cr Fitzpatrick again, providing him with a copy of the original
ABC report, while acknowledging that there may have been a misunderstanding around what was said & how that had been interpreted, but nevertheless reminding him that the broadcast was completely inaccurate, would have acted to mislead residents & ratepayers as to council’s true financial standing & was sufficient reason for council to correct the public record for the benefit of the community or to request the
ABC to broadcast a correction.
The association copied the ABC on its further response to Cr Fitzpatrick.
Regrettably, both Cr Fitzpatrick & the ABC have thus far refused to publicly correct the original erroneous News report, seemingly satisfied with the fact that residents & ratepayers have once again been seriously misled on the status of BVSC’s financial affairs.
The association believes that the disdainful refusal of our public officials & institutions to accept responsibility for protecting the communities they supposedly exist to serve is a further reminder of how far our standards of public administration have deteriorated & how little they care.
John Richardson
Secretary/Treasurer
Bega Valley Shire Residents & Ratepayers Association
Tel: 0264945669
Email: secretary@begavalleyshireratepayers.asn.au
Website: http://www.begavalleyshireratepayers.asn.au