Casey party games

By Jim Mynard
EDRINGTON Ward councillor and Liberal candidate for Narre Warren North Mick Morland said he would use the council as a political forum.
Cr Morland said this while trying to stop a Labor faction move during the Tuesday, 6 February City of Casey Council meeting to have the council run a series of forums on the Federal Government’s new industrial legislation.
Springfield Ward councillor Michael Farley successfully moved the council conduct the information forums.
Cr Farley said the forums were needed to get answers on the legislation.
“If these laws reduce pay a lot of people will be hurt,” he said.
Four Oaks Ward councillor Paul Richardson said he supported the idea, and called on Cr Morland to listen to the needs of people as he ran for Parliament.
“This country is in a shambles the way the Government is treating its people,” Cr Richardson said. “Rich people like Cr Morland don’t care about little people and he walks all over them.”
Cr Richardson was later in the night forced to apologise for the insult.
Mayfield Ward councillor Steve Beardon said he totally supported the forums.
“What will happen when people in Cranbourne get laid off and we will have no penalty rates at weekends?” he said.
Balla Balla Ward councillor Colin Butler asked Cr Farley what the issue had to do with local government.
“He said it had nothing to do with council business,” Cr Butler said.
“Cr Farley can organise the forums if he wants, but if the council goes down that path I’m out of it. It’s a waste of officer time. I will not be associated with matters like this.”
River Gum Ward councillor Janet Halsall said employment was to do with the community and the council had a department concerned with employment.
Cr Morland said he had been on the council for 15 years and prided himself that he made no comment in council debate on party political issues.
“This is not local government business, this is a political witch hunt,” he said. “The Federal Government and the ACTU spent multimillions of dollars in the media to debate this.
“The unions have stated their case. We can’t compete in Australia because we don’t work smart enough. What will we do with the feedback we get from the community? This is already law. We will only get the political ratbags from both sides involved in this,” he said.
“If this is passed then every week until the election I will put forward a notice of motion asking what the State Government is doing on issues.”