Bendigo Ratepayers Association of Council Scrutineers planning anti-council rally
THE City of Greater Bendigo council will face another public rally against it early in the new year. The Bendigo Ratepayers Association of Council Scrutineers is planning another anti-council rally for February. The rally will be a blow for council, with mayor David Jones looking for a back-to-basics year, highlighting the good work council does. A rally in an election year will only add to the negativity surrounding the council’s performance. BRACS spokesman Martin Ruffell said things had not improved since the last rally in April. “Council still hasn’t learnt, they are still making mistakes,” he said. “People are still angry and feel disenfranchised from their ward representatives.” Mr Ruffell criticised the council for its performance since the rally. “The community satisfaction surveys are getting worse and worse each year,” he said. “The public perception is they are not doing a good job. They haven’t really served the community well, even though they claim they have. “I think David Jones has listened, but the rest haven’t.” Cr Jones went immediately on the attack. “The truth of the matter is that the last rally organised by Martin was a flop, with not even 1000 residents present, and there was no evidence that all of the people that were there were anti-council anyway,” he said. “Greater Bendigo has a population close to 100,000 so if the council is doing such a bad job as Martin claims, then why did only one per cent of our residents turn out to show their displeasure at the previous rally? “To be perfectly honest I think Martin Ruffell speaks on behalf of a very vocal minority group who do not represent the views of the wider community.” Mr Ruffell said BRACS would run strong candidates in most wards at the next year’s November election, against most of the sitting councillors. “We have four or five people who have already put up their hands,” he said. “We have candidates for David Jones’, Trudi McClure’s and Julie Rivendell’s seats and we have a good one to take on Keith Reynard. “It will all be part of a launch next year.” Cr Jones said he was getting a different response. “I regularly talk to residents of my own Kangaroo Flat ward to gain feedback and many say to me that they just don’t understand or relate to what Martin and Lisa Ruffell and the Epsom Huntly Action Group are on about,” he said. “Over the last three years in Kangaroo Flat we have developed a Structure Plan which paved the way for the Rocklea development. “In addition, there has been the opening of the Aldi supermarket, the new IGA supermarket and a $25 million redevelopment of the Kangaroo Flat Market Place. “The EHAG group’s continued negativity is hindering growth in Epsom. “Most of the residents in the Epsom and Huntly area have accepted the umpire’s decision and moved on. They just want to see a supermarket built and that’s exactly what is about to happen.” Mr Ruffell would not be drawn on whether or not he would run in the council elections. “I am not saying no to running, it’s just a matter of seeing who else will run in the area.”
“To be perfectly honest I think Martin Ruffell speaks on behalf of a very vocal minority group who do not represent the views of the wider community.”
How hypocritical. Mayor Jones and former mayor Rivendell are well known for pushing their bright-Green, minority-group beliefs upon the public.
I know Martin Ruffell and respect him for his common-sense and honest approach to local affairs.
While Mayor Jones start fires, businesspersons like the Ruffells try to put them out and help the business community get on with their jobs.
Bendigo Council suffers from exactly the same problem as many councils: It is lop-sided, leans well to the Green-Left and pays lip service to the genuine needs of small business.
I wish BRACS well in their quest to have decent councillors elected.
I live in Epsom and many of us just want a s/mart complex built asap. i was told that ALDI applied to build out here over a year ago but were knocked back by the Council. now they are building in at least 2 other areas of Bendigo & we miss out AGAIN.
Who appointed Martin Ruffell to be the guardian of all that is good - I do not recall any electionn or similar for his position. In a similar way to the EHAG group he simply decided to appoint himself and away he went. Who are BRACS and why does this paper continue to give them publicity. Why no publicity for the pro Supermarket people. The only reason Epsom does not have a supermarket by now is the obstructionist behaviour of the EHAG group who have objected to a supermarket at every turn.
Council is not there simply to look after the business people in Bendigo. Councillors are elected to look after all people equally.
It is easy to sit on the sidelines and snipe away, but it is interesting that he will not commit to running at the next council election. If he is so sure he can do a better job surely he should get his election campaign up and running.
Of course when on council he would have to make many decisions that would be upsetting to some people and would he then be happy if a similar group to his did nothing but criticise his every move.
It is also interesting that they are claiming to put up a candidate agianst Trudi Maclure as I believe she supported their moves to retain the Howard Street site in council ownership.
As for the ALDI rumour unless you can come up with more evidence than 'I was told' it is meaningless, and where are their "at least" 2 other sites?
Re: EHAG: The Ruffells (both Mr and Mrs) have failed in their previous attempt/s to gain office at both Local and State level which tends to make one believe that all their bleeting is merely just an expression of sour grapes. You can hold all the rallies you like, but until we actually see you turning up to many of the community-based events where you are actually required to put some work in on the ground rather than espousing what others should do, you will always ever only get the support of those ignorant fools whom reside on the margins.
Re: Development in the Northern Corridor: Please educate yourselves as to the facts. Please get a copy of the Structure Plan and read it. You may be surprised to find that many of the answers you seek are contained within its pages. The reason why the Midland Hwy proposal is not supported and Howard Street is, is because the latter is the lessor of two evils when it comes to commercial viability. Population projections inform us that it would be 50-years before the Midland Hwy site would be viable as a commercial entity, and no company (not even a multinational) is prepared to endure a net loss for that period of time. As it is, Howard Street will run at a loss for at least 10-years, but the multinationals are big enough to carry this loss with a view to recouping it in the second decade.
Re: Leaked documents: Blind Freddy can tell whom did the dirty. If he is not going to own up, then why not play him off against Radford (another with political aspirations who just can seem to make the grade)? Surely then they will rat each other out and that will be the end of it.
Really people, all the information IS available. Rather than listen to gossip, why not educate yourselves as to the true reality of land use and development issues in the CoGB, and if then you feel that you want to change the direction that it is heading, put your hand up and actually DO something about it rather than knocking those that are having a go.
Have a nice end to this year, and a great start to the next.
Notta.
Comment #5
(Posted by Big John)
Lets get rid of this virus spreading council will attend any protest rally that takes place i'll be there.
I have every faith in our council and especially the two Green Councilors. I have no idea what Mr Ruffell is on about and wish he would stop causing trouble and hindering the good work that is being done.
It takes very little energy to utter words of negativity but a great deal of energy to be creative and serve others.
Comment #7
(Posted by Big John)
The only people this council care about are themselves as long as there is plenty of booty around they'll be there.
Get rid of this rubbish that is amongst us these very people have held this city back for years for industry and the like.
It's time to piss them off for good.
Big John - rather than simply criticising the council as you do, please provide us with your wisdom as to what you would do differently. I beleive the councillors get paid a pittance for the work they do, so can we assume that as you have all the solutions you will be putting your hand up to do the job when the elections come around.
Comment #9
(Posted by BigJohn)
Yes HUW,
I would put my hand up and yes i do have a model a good proven one too that has worked internationally even.
I'm tired of excuses from councils etc.
If they can't roll up the sleeves get rid of them simple.
