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                  From Rags To Riches But At What Long Term Cost?

Since Australia changed over to becoming almost totally reliant on imports sacrificing all its own manufacturing base and employment in all those areas year after year we have become the lazy rich country and can't be bothered anymore looking after ourselves. We're paying others to do that for us now.

But there could come a time be it by a war or other major world recession issues that this laziness will catch up on us all. Australia has become complacent thinking the flow will never stop but if it did the turmoil caused in our country would be massive. Our industries have tooled down and no longer have trained people and starting anything up quickly may not be as easy as we'd expect.

Most of our petroleum fuel production has or is moving overseas now. Any form of war or blockade would see our country move to a direct standstill in the space of a few days. Our government will spend billions on our military but takes the biggest risk of all by not stopping our country from outside source interference in case of conflicts that could easily effect us all.  We have no national insurance risk policy in place to cover our missing manufacturing industries. All war expenditure is based on "what if" but nothing is being spent on keeping vital industry alive in Australia. Industry that once gone will not be able to supply Australia in its real time of need if required.

The cost rises alone would stifle people and send our country into instant recession with people losing their homes and it will leave people starving. Everyone thinks it could never happen but if the world ever took a turn for the worst and major wars were to break out even with areas like say Korea that could bring many more issues into this factor.

Australia should be doing everything it can to re-establish its own manufacturing base in all areas so it can be independent again. Get people working and let them get their hands dirty doing what we've paid others to do for us for far too many years. Our complacent lazy attitude in this country will one day be our downfall. Then to recover from such a fate could haunt us for generations to come.

As I travel all around Australia making Australian Pictorials - www.australianpictorials.com I see our once alive towns turned into ghost towns all in decline except for the few larger regional towns.
Most towns all had working flour mills to process grains now we export the raw product. Woollen mills gone and now we import all the material and clothing.  The cost of most materials alone in Australia is more expensive than the imported finished products.

All we are doing is supporting the slave labour wages in other countries. We wouldn't work for that ourselves here but we take advantage of other people in other countries paying their employees for basically slave labour like wages.
We may take a high moral stand in this country about equality but we close our eyes to the truth of what's really going on in other countries. Child and slave labour produce most of our imported products that we use here every day.

We all somehow rationalize it all as being a fair trading market. But in fact we have created a huge poverty in the world where people are being taken advantage of everyday. We created it and we support it by continuing to support international imports. Australia's over inflated style of living needs to change back to getting it all more balanced and right for the future of this country. 

To do this major sacrifice would need to take place meaning lower wages, property values would need to fall massively and everyone would have to live at a standard they haven't ever lived at before. But inline with that would come a matching economy to re-match those living standards back to what they should really be anyway. Everything in Australia is over inflated as to its true real value. Our economy is super over valued for what we have.

Manufacturers in Australia can never compete against the slave labour wage markets compared to overseas because we as an import nation help keep that situation in place as it stands by always buying at their lower prices. We may like to think we are doing those people a favour over there but that's not the case as we are just taking advantage of them all supporting the slave low wage market place in those countries.

Australia needs to readjust its total economy and yes as it stands everything made in Australia is too expensive and that's because our fast economy is too over inflated compared to the poorer nations around the world. This is also why many of the so called more developed countries all went into recession. They were and are all living too high above their means. We are still doing this and if we don't change its only a matter of time before it all catches up on us.

If major war ever broke out or major recession took place that affected us too then this is exactly what we would be forced into anyway. Meanwhile that's not the case but Australia should still be toning down its imports and start looking at building up our own independent manufacturing base again and restructure our economy and prices to suit that trend. If we do it now it can be done gradually over time so its not as noticeable.  It would mean we'd have to change our living standards more so than lowering them. Controlling that process gradually would make more sense than being forced into it. And it makes sense to plan for a better and stronger self supporting future for our own country rather than forever be reliant on too many others.  
                                                  Australia's Employment Future

If Australia wants people to work till they're 67 years of age we need to re-access that process of thought and challenge ahead for those workers in our country. For instance you couldn't expect people that are currently doing heavy work load tasks or more high risk jobs to still to be able to perform those same tasks when they're older. Obviously not so what are they expected to do then when they're say in their 50's and can no longer do the heavier work and more risky type jobs?

Example: Construction workers, roofing workers and so on.

Older people can't be expected to continue doing the same tasks till they retire in many fields of work so what are they expected to do then? As people get older their health situations may vary as well and again we need to compensate our workforce to allow work for these people too.

We need a better plan in Australia to offer retraining in areas where these people can follow on to progress to the next stages in their lives. And this needs to be incorporated into the education system from an early age so people will expect to have to do that as they get older. Some people may need to retrain and have several occupations within their lifetime.

New occupations may need to be created and in areas of technology and manufacturing and we should look at reducing the vast amount of imports to do this. If we don't produce enough product ourselves then how can we find employment? Importing reduces employment prospects.
We need to make Australia more self sufficient regarding future employment because if we don't do that then we'll just end up being a country supporting the bulk of its people on welfare.

We can't create those employment opportunities on a mass scale for the whole country unless we reduce the input of imports and start up major industry again.

One day Australia will have to make a choice:

* We'll either have to pay most people on welfare.

Or

* We'll become a more independent country that can support its own with substantially less imports and more manufacturing to create the work needed to support the country and the growing aging population. 

Australia will be forced to re-open up its manufacturing base again or be debt ridden by welfare payments.  

Currently Australia is still seeing companies and manufacturing going out of this country leaving us totally dependant on imports in too many areas. The Government knows this so they don't need to blame the people because they are allowing this to happen by the imports coming in to our country.

Australia should be making this choice now. Either they pay people better on welfare indefinitely or they reduce imports massively and provide work in Australian manufacturing. You'll also find that if companies are no longer allowed to import into Australia then they'll again set up manufacturing back within Australia to gain back their market share. Australia can't have it both ways expecting the high level of imports and then to have plenty of employment for those getting older. We have to be prepared to pay better and ongoing welfare or we'll need to create more industry through less imports. Because we have an aging population the choice needs to be made so we can prepare for the future in a better way.

If we go with the greater welfare system option then the superannuation system needs to change so people pay for their support while they are working from an early age as per my article on superannuation page 16.  We should be using that super system anyway no matter what the future. Our current super system just doesn't work for the majority of people anymore and they still end up being supported by the government.
Page 16 shows a working system for the future which should have been applied here years ago.
Council Wasting Ratepayer Money
Several years ago I contacted the council about the problem of the creek walls subsiding into the creek on the corner of Coff Street and Pacific Highway after some of our wet spells and even years later I contacted them again and suggested they cut down some of the trees that would take the footpath with it the next time it could happen.

They only had to cut a few trees to prevent that from happening but our Coffs Harbour Council isn't too good at preventative thinking and they never got around to it so now the ratepayer has to foot the bill for a new footpath that could have been desperately used else where around our town seeing many streets have no sealed paths and people have to walk on busy roadsides. Our council is faced with one disgrace after another and they just can't seem to understand what the basics are of providing real service to our town. We are paying for their stuff ups every day.

The council also received flood assistance money to fix that section of the creek wall from the government and it will need to be seen if they actually spend that money on that too? There's a lot going on within our council that people just aren't aware of and I try and report each case as I see it. There were at least two places that money was suppose to be spent on and no doubt it was a few hundred thousand dollars claimed. Perhaps council could contact us and clarify that? But I'd like people to see how these councils operate spending the minimum on these jobs only to squander the money away in other areas in many cases.  This footpath cost was 100% preventable. The rocks they've placed along the creek wall is only a fraction cost of the money received no doubt.
So what happens to this other money and from other government funds you may ask? The corrupt process of money skimming is riff within many councils. Do you really think that playground in Brelsford Park cost the council 1.2 million to make for instance?

You may say what's it matter the money is still being spent? But no its not as in many cases its diverted into waste costs, poor management and debt recovery from things they don't want people to know about. They like to cover their tracks this way.
Councils are a law unto themselves and they may seem accountable but they're not. Papers and receipts can easily be manufactured to show whatever they like even retrospectively if troubles occur. Don't think it doesn't go on. The existing council system is full of corruption opportunities.
                             Pedestrians Not Safe In Coffs Harbour

This Sunday morning I walked across Harbour Drive in the center of Coffs Harbour and we were nearly run down by some old lady with her dog on the front seat. Distracted drivers are not watching the road with their mobile phones and other distractions within our city.
Every day I use a few pedestrian crossings and every day cars drive through them and don't give way. Last week a biker nearly ran us down he was going so fast on the footpath in the center of town. No bike riding should be permitted in the CDB shopping streets. Put more signs up!

Nearly all of Coffs Harbours road crossings are totally unsafe. Most road crossings including pedestrian crossings are too close to corners and they're not safely designed for the amount of traffic using them.

Every pedestrian crossing in Coffs Harbour should be replaced by a press only red light stopping system so they at least have a safer chance of crossing the roads around our town. The lights could be of solar construction and they are not expensive to buy.

Our Council traffic management team are useless in our town and show no sympathy to the dangers around our streets. So many of our main streets have no sealed footpaths leaving residents to walk on busy roadsides each day as well. The council only reacts to road statistics. Who would like to be a statistic just to satisfy their stupidity in exchange for common sense? Near misses are happening everyday around our town and they take no notice of what is being said or pointed out to them. Its not good enough councillors. Refund all our residents 50% of our rates or start making visible changes around our town on the jobs that "need" to be done!

Every time you cross a street in Coffs Harbour you risk your life because you never know if the drivers will give way to you. Many old and disabled people face an even higher risk. Its time our council started listening and made these changes. 

* Bikers riders going too fast on our footpaths.
* Crossing all need updating with press only red lights.
* Reposition all pedestrian crossings and walkovers away from corners.
* Instigate an ongoing sealed footpath building program.
Beryl Street Too Dangerous For Pedestrians
Beryl Street a main arterial Coffs Harbour Street has no safe sealed footpaths for people to walk on. As you can see there are always cars and trucks parked on the roadsides that the pedestrians have to walk around into on coming cars. Even the disabled have to do the same thing with their wheelchairs, walkers and mobility scooters. Some people are too scared to take the risk and they have become prisoners in their own homes around our town. Do people have to die to make a point to our council before they take any notice or will they use their common sense?

Everyday cars swerve around the pedestrians on to the wrong side of the road over the double lines into other on coming cars just to avoid hitting people forced to walk on this and other busy town roadsides. Our Coffs Harbour City Council still has no sealed footpath building program in place for our city. Its beyond a public disgrace and its downright negligent on their part for not taking notice of what desperately needs to be done around our town. This should be taking place even if they have to borrow for it to get done. Peoples lives are at risk everyday in Coffs Harbour only because our council can't do its job.

We pay extremely high rates for this area and receive little back in what we really need. Most people would have paid council fees for sealed paths years ago when first building and never received them too. Money squandered away no doubt just as they still do today. We could hardly be called a city with such poor infrastructure.
This is blind turn for drivers when cars are parked there and oncoming drivers can't always see pedestrians safely in time. Cars will drive right over those double lines to pass people safely. They have no choice but to do so.
Here you can see its a blind turn for drivers going up the hill at the top.
Note you can't see these parked cars from coming up the hill in time or with people walking along there.
            Australia Can No Longer Afford The Existing Council System

After filming most towns all around Australia making Australian Pictorials its clear to see that over 90% of Australian towns have become like run down and worn out like an old pair of shoes without any sole left. All left infrastructure poor and many have become nothing more than ghost towns burdening the rest of Australia because there is no hope of them ever making a recovery.

We need to turn this around so when we pay out a dollar we get back a dollar in value for that what was given out. Our council system all around Australia no longer works and its a burden that has destroyed this fine country. If you don't believe me look at all the towns I've filmed here: www.australianpictorials.com

Its should be a clear message to all Australia that we need to change the way we do things especially the way our money is being spent on towns around the country. I've been leading a big push for this change for a long time but few people take any notice as its all about their own personal gain in this life and not for the good of the future.  The article at the very top of the page deals with much of this issue and offer alternative ways to achieve better outcomes. www.coffsonline.com/Stories_18.html  This is a national issue even though it may be dealt with through each state.
         Paying For Local Sporting Events From Ratepayer Money?

Its often spread about how spending on sporting events brings profits to local economies and it should also be expected that the people receiving these profits are the businesses and like all businesses this profit shouldn't be generated from the public ratepayers money in this way. Let the businesses pay for their own profit generation. Its called business advertising and promotion. Many methods can be used like sponsorship as per example. Sporting groups can apply for grants and we shouldn't be paying especially professional athletes to perform for us from direct much needed local ratepayer money. Let the people pay for a ticket if its such a big deal. Don't let the whole town pay for the pleasure of a few in comparrison. If its such a popular sporting or event then it would easily pay for itself from ticket sales wouldn't it?

There are much better ways to generate sustained employment from the ratepayers money in much more resourceful ways rather than fork out funds in this manner. Its a nonsense that these sporting events wouldn't survive without the ratepayer cash injection and our host of inept councillors have little idea of how to generate anything good for this town other than further debt.

These people shouldn't be managing our rate money at all. That money should be used for visible selected changes around our town that everyone will benefit from. Not pie in the sky gambling with our money.  Give us "real" sealed footpaths, safer street crossings, better infrastructure, employment creation opportunities and leave the profit making to the people in business. Not led by amateur councillors. 
We don't need people regulating our town money for personal agendas or their conceived satisfaction to please specific groups. Profits should be earned and not generated from the ratepayers resource fund. If we start doing that we may just as well give these business people the money straight out and avoid the risk of loss and more debt for the whole town. There's a lot more to running a town than just making some business mates richer.

Why spend and waste ratepayer money on events that should be able to pay their own way if they are deemed so profitable as people make out? Ratepayers should not be expected to pay for the profits of businesses as they should find their own ways of promotion to finance that themselves. Let them band together and sponsor events.

If the council is creating sustained employment opportunities with a portion of our money that would indeed make sense. But why take the risk of gambling with our much needed town rate money to support what should pay for its own. Sports should be user pay by people paying for tickets. If that money doesn't cover the event costs our rate money shouldn't be used to cover that loss.

The council can't find the money for safe road crossings and sealed footpaths but they're prepared to line the pockets of their business mates. Sounds more like favours and options for corruption in the form of kickbacks to me. Ratepayer money should never be used to finance professional paid sports people for entertainment that make profits. Non-profit events may be a different circumstance and grants should be made available for that.

Our council has been speculating in areas of sport, waste and real estate and has lost miserably for years and they sent our town broke because of it and they still can't keep their hands out of the cookie jar. Now you can see why they're in council.

We have council people playing the same old hand of cards they've been dealing out for Coffs Harbour for decades and they still haven't learnt there are much better secure ways of making our town prosperous. Different ways to create sustained job growth. Stronger ways to secure real business trade for all businesses and not just the few select accommodation places. Definite ways retail businesses will become more secure and grow rather than close their doors after every couple of years of continued losses. 

Its about thinking outside the box and no longer thinking how they all traded in the past. The whole ball game has changed now and Coffs Harbour like many other towns around Australia is fading away and continues to lose and get behind with everything it may once have had. And yes it can be reversed and kick started again but not with these councillors or the within the current system of their operations. It needs to change.

                                For Woolgoolga And Other Shire Areas

Yes I'm sure our Coffs Harbour local council will find ways to con these people into believing that their future will be brighter too. Woogoolgarites stand up to this council, councillors and their system of town destruction as they've done in Coffs Harbour. Play a bigger part in making sure you get the here and now things you need  before you all die of old age from hearing the con of 2030. It should be 2013. They just want to pass the buck into the future from their past and future mismanagement so they can retire better for themselves. A government ploy.

The council is broke from mismanagement by the same people that want you to believe it will some how be different in any claimed future so then they can wash their hands of you while they still wheel the mighty stick for themselves bleeding every cent out of our towns. The council system needs to change so we all get back the dollars we pay into it and not into the debt fund they created. You can find me on coffsonline.com for the real truth about what they're doing to our shire. Demand a dollar for dollar return from your rates. Not 5 cents in the dollar.

Half your rates should go into community needed things like sealed footpaths, safer street crossings, things for kids, much needed community projects, employment revitalization for your area etc. This should be spent every year building up the quality of life from your money.  Not secretly squirreled away into debt and mismanagement as they do now.  And definitely not into the agendas from sitting councillors or into deals for their business mates. Our council system is open to many avenues of outside interference that bleeds money from each local community within the shire area. We don't get a fair return on the dollars we pay in our rates every year and that needs to be addressed on a massive scale. The other half of your rates should be used to pay for the services the council actually supplies like water, sewerage and garbage etc. The State Government should also be part of supplying these services like roads etc as this is why we pay our GST.

The people running our council make the decisions where the money goes each year and it never ends up going to where it should first. Back into much needed community needs. We need legislation to protect your community dollar so you get back the dollar you spent so the whole town will benefit. Not just a few select people that stand to make a gain from your loss.  Councils have become money and real estate speculators gambling with your yearly rate money. Nearly all councils around Australia are doing this to their towns. This is why the council system needs to change on a National basis.   
                             To Be Or Not To Be An Australian Worker?

Not sure what the whole solution is but Australia would no doubt have millions of over stayers that have most likely lived and worked here a life time. Many not Naturalized Australians too. Most of these people are the people that want to work in Australia not like the others in Australia that are too lazy to work and live off the social system. Many English live in this country living off the social system but never got Naturalized taking our money because the Queen allows it as part of being in the Commonwealth. Is that fair? Its not compulsory to be Naturalized even if you live in Australia and get benefits.

Now we have the different lot of people classified as Asylum Seekers within our community that aren't allowed to work but still receive fortnightly government handouts. I'm sure most would again be happy to work for that and more. They're not the lazy one's in most cases. They would probably contribute more to Australia than so many others here living off the dole.  Perhaps we should ship those dole bludgers off to their country as an exchange?  Keep the workers here and swap the bludgers out. I think everyone would rather see people working rather than make excuses for their own misgivings. If a person is working they're not such a burden on the rest of us.  They're not taking jobs away from our lazy dole bludgers as many never want to work either.  A huge portion of society will always be a burden on the welfare system no matter what is introduced.
Coffs Online
Fixing Australia Town By Town - Innovative Ideas
      Some Of My Past Relevant Articles Concerning The Current Council System.

I know people think I'm crazy about going on about this election and the council process but it is a totally bogus and corrupt system whereby a host of people can basically set up their own little empire to take over the town jewels and have a controlling interest in a multi million dollar town economy.  Past results are on the table and they've been there for years and its driven this town broke and left hundreds of business people disillusioned.

We have a series of groups that legally have to show no accountability in what they present to the public in the form of a running platform of plans and goals for the town. They can conspire together without public knowledge to make their chances of controlling all the council voting seats in their favour. The system is totally open to outside influences by that of developers, contractors, organized crime and personal agendas that the town can't afford. And no accountability at all for what people are voting for.

At least in a political each party specifies specific goals, plans and reforms. With this council system all they have to supply is a name on a ballot paper and that's all. It's totally baseless and open to corruption.  People will most likely just vote for a name they recognise on the voting ballot. They have no idea what they'll get for their vote. The State Government should have stepped in long ago to stop this corrupt fiasco.

I posted in the Advocate paper well before the election process and it was also presented to the state government which then formed a task force to change the current Council system even though the elections were coming up they could have stopped it and waited until these issues were at least sorted out. Now we're stuck with a corrupt council process infecting towns everywhere. Many of the former councillors ended back in this new council system and to the detriment of the town.

The council system as it stands is and has been open to corruption and has only got worse over the years. The ICAC already knows this and it’s just a token gesture on their part full well knowing some of these community leaders have been rorting the system and have been effected by outside influences being mainly organised crime just like as its been throughout much of the commercial building industry.

Councillors are easily swayed into making decisions that can benefit and sway contracts into the corruptors favour sometimes through several tiers of people involved. Even unsuspecting councillors can be used like puppets when these professional manipulators gets involved. People that have investigated these types of actions can recognise the signs just by decisions and the way a town operates.

The NSW government full well knew this last version of council system was indeed open to massive corruption opportunities as I made many contacts to them pointing this out beforehand and while the council elections were running they ran a corresponding program to make changes to the council system. Instead of waiting to get those findings they choose to let the councils become more infected with corruption and so now we have the corrupt system we have today due to that. They could have made many changes to reduce many factors and made councils more accountable. The ICAC does nothing to protect local communities from the wolves.
They already know the system is rotten to the core and they protect the council system and they are by no means an independent organization against corruption. In fact if you've ever gone through the whole process and I mean the whole process from using the police, politicians and all the different government departments you'll find the result is nearly always the same as they'll stick together to cover up the truth at any cost and wont undertake proper investigations.

The biggest issues with that is that the councils know this and they use that to get away with no accountability to anyone. They even use their own departments to investigate themselves and only choose to use the portions of evidence that suits their application. The truth is rarely ever considered because they already know what that was. The EPA is another classic organization that has a lot to answer for when it comes to doing its job. At the end of the day they all cover each another to keep things quiet. The levels of corruption within self governing bodies is in itself a major matter for concern for Australia. We're at the stage now that we need watchdogs to watch the watchdogs.

Again printed in the paper to make people aware just how bad and toxic this council system has been for many areas. There are councillors and others out there disguising themselves into positions as community leaders just to get what they want for their own personal agendas. The council system is no longer designed to deliver what people need or really want. Its become about how its being controlled by others. As a retired investigator I can tell you now I can recognize how a town is being run just by the actions and decisions a council makes. I can see through the lies and corruption at many levels because these people just aren't that smart. Its just the system lets them get away with it. Many groups have these wolves operating in amongst them and they have only one goal and that's about themselves. They do a level of good around them to suck everyone around them in but in between their personal plans then take effect.
There is no discount fuel. Only discount fools that think they're actually getting something cheaper. You're paying for it at the supermarket 10 times over.
Value for money is based on interpretation.
Implications and statements are made and printed from politicians everyday. Are they above the law? Or is it because that's what sells news? Making an honest observation and statement about the people and our system that represent us is democracy. Inferring wrong doings are committed is speaking out for justice.  Inferring actual criminal acts and intent is a different matter. Unless the proof is provided for all to see and the wrong doings are exposed. People need to speak up more so we don't become a more down trodden society of yes sir no sir drones. We may be one of the most tolerant nations in the world but lets make sure we don't become totally controlled by the media and political rule. Speak up Coffs Harbourites as these are your rates being used and abused.  Its not about an event its about how you as a local are being treated by this council system.
Thoughts For Today
Mixed Articles Of Mine Concerning Councils And Australia On A National Level
The core issue of Australia is the condition and prosperity of Australian towns. Everything starts at the grass root issues within each and every community within every town around Australia. When that system is broken then so is the whole country because the team of towns that make up the nation no longer becomes productive and they slowly but surely breakdown.

This is the Australia we live in right now.  Our whole country has been let down with continued waste for so long that the core ideal of most towns has crumbled into disrepair.  I've filmed most towns around Australia and you can see them all here in pictures for yourself:
Australian Pictorials
  Which is the most comprehensive look at all the towns around Australia you can see today.

Over 1,200 towns most of which are disappearing due to many reasons but most of all the money that's generated for each area isn't being put back into those areas in the best possible way. You can't fix the towns or the country by continually throwing more money into wasted areas of use. This is the current Australian council and government system and the core of each town within Australia. You can't fix Australia and make it a better place to live if the core issues at the bottom are the cause for its decline. We need to start at the bottom and work our way up and out of the old systems of waste within our nation. There are more productive ways to get results. 


A Better System For Councils


Town Administrator - Manager Of Community Fund.

Have a 4 year term Administrator that must offer a detailed town delivery plan for the whole community. People would vote for the best offered and valued delivery plan for each town. The winning elected Administrator would deliver what they were voted in for during their term in office to the best of their ability. Administrators would campaign there public submission for each election term period.  

The Administrator elected would work with various local groups spending money wisely and use free labour where possible, pay for best valued contractors and get the best deals they can to get the jobs done. No more open cheque book spending and waste. Everything must be accounted for. So many things could be built for lower cost with just the cost of building materials and using volunteer labour. Millions saved and gained every year by competent Administrators.   Nearly two thirds of current local councils could be dissolved and that money saved then used back into the community.

The state government would continue with its state based services most of which would be rationalized into larger cities. Example water, roads, sewerage, garbage collection, planning departments etc. People only pay for direct services delivered. This would reduce yearly rents for businesses and household renters too. The reduction will need to be passed on to everyone.

People would pay $900 as a fixed yearly fee for the 4 year term for the Administrator to work with to progress each town. Plus any available government grants and funding that could be applied on top of that figure. The present town run bureaucratic system would go. Its just a self perpetuating system of creating more debt. The fixed yearly fees could be indexed after the four year terms.

More Government land would be made available for more public use options subject to plans submitted for each by town Administrators. 
So towns can move forward and grow over time rather than become stagnant and non productive. Red tape would be shredded to a minimum.

Town administrators would provide town infrastructure items and community needed amenities. They would build towns up economically and make them viable again.  Work toward strong employment creation and growth for the whole town.  They would lobby government for the much needed work in the areas where most needed. Not areas most wasted. Millions would be saved and gained with this system. Take away the town rule by people that have conflicts of interest and political ties. Let the community get what it needs.

Hundreds of small to large projects would be actioned on every 4 year term using this process while the current council system continues to waste more money each year just feeding its own debt, rising operating costs, waste and self replicating losses. While the town gets next to nothing done each term. It may not be a perfect system but at least every year we'd be guaranteed some visible return for what we pay out in rates every year. Currently we really see nothing back but rate rises, waste, mismanagement and debt.

Your $900 per year then goes into a Community Fund, plus grants and funding and is spent 100% on community needed things. Doesn't go into debt, administration or waste.

Example: Sealed footpaths, safer road crossings, better park facilities for kids, community club free use sheds, better signage around the town, employment creation projects, advanced dynamics improving the town for all, hundreds of the small things fixed, much more every year. And you'd get some of this or a version there of to suit your town. No rate increases on this part. What you pay you'll get back. You still pay for your government normal services like that of water, sewerage and rubbish removal. Compare that to what we get back now.

A Better System Explained In More Detail

The new system would be separated completely into:

Council Supplied Services Like That Of:

· Water
· Sewerage
· Garbage Removal
 
These would be charged as separate rates for actual services delivered only. Roads would go back to the state and out of council control as they can't do a good job without qualified funding. If the funding can be supplied then it could stay as a council job. Major infrastructure would still be supplied by the Government be it state or federal. The government pays the council wages and that of the Community Fund Manager.
All Council activities like that of planning departments etc is done by those employed by the government. No more councillors involved with their private agendas. The councillor system will be gone. This comes out of our GST state taxes.

The Community Fund

Town Administrator - Manager Of Community Fund.

The other half of our rates would go into a community fund. 100% Of which would be spent on each town. Money from government grants and special needs would be added to this fund.

This could be spent on things like sealed footpaths, community use buildings, environmental projects, employment creation projects, beautifying areas, making more productive use of land around a town. Basically worthwhile ideas that could make a town prosperous again. Its not set in stone what the money is spent on but large areas of the community must benefit.

They may be infrastructure type things mixed with all manner of concepts that would make towns stand out and bring tourism to areas and make them viable entities again. It will give a town administrator in charge of the Community Fund a chance to progress each town year after year. Be they hundreds of small projects to a mix of small and large projects. The dollars spent will finally be seen back in physical attributes around each town. Even simple things like better signs or safer road crossings. What towns need to get will finally have a chance to get done with this system.

The community fund isn't there to pay wages, debt, or to be wasted on something that doesn't deliver real viable returns.  Towns can get what they need this way. Even if its in stages like say sealed footpaths could be spent on a percentage basis every year. But at least every year something can be seen for that money. Major projects may be coupled with government funding on a percentage basis. Charity helpers can offer their time for free and expand the use of that same money even further. If people can see that 100% of every dollar they pay into the Community Fund is going back to them they'll be very grateful for that. This concept of town management can change this throughout Australia. Everyone can have a chance to take part spending their money.


The Major Changes 

We would no longer be charged rates based on a property value tax system.

You only pay for what you get. Like Sewerage, Water, Garbage Removal from specific council bills as the provider unless they were to be privatized. 

All other major infrastructure would come from GST and taxes.

Planning matters would still be handled by a mixture of council, government  and private enterprise.

Many other council services like rangers, parks and gardens, would be taken care of by a mixture of council and state government bodies. Some could be privatised.

The new Community Fund would be run by an elected hands on Town Administrator that would implement major changes around the town from minor to larger projects to revitalize each town according to a plan of operations that they present to the public. Funded by the people and with assistance from grants. They may include badly needed infrastructure to community buildings and major tourism operations to improve a town.
It could be to introduce more infrastructure in areas to make a town more viable for employment. They must still work with council and government but its set up to ensure as close as possible dollar for dollar return is put back into each community. It would take away much of the bureaucratic hurdles preventing change within each town.

People would see physical changes immediately. Please note that the town administrator is also there in place to provide levels of infrastructure to benefit each town. They could be sealed footpaths, bike paths, garden improvements, developments to improve employment and hundreds of past taboo type areas that the "normal" council system would never have tackled due to so many restraints. They would still be required to work within planning systems but more flexibility would be in place to push things through with the many varied departments. People want to see that they're getting what they vote for and need the most.

No More Councillors or Mayor. Respected volunteer public representatives could be appointed as public speakers or for opening ceremonies.

The overall system of GST would be reviewed to cover these changes or a different tax share would be arranged by Federal Government.

With this system it separates the services delivered by council and government and then offers an alternative for residents at a local level to see real tangible working everyday results from the rest of the money they pay out to benefit "their town" via a community fund.


No one expects to get it all for free but with this system its all in the open view.

Council and Government = Set costs for services delivered be it by fees and GST taxes. Variable fees based on cost of living rises.

Community Fund = Paid by residents for selected and "voted upon" town improvements of "their" choice. A set yearly fee for a four year term.

Its a fair and equitable system that reduces the waste and lies of spending into non areas of public interest and away from outside control.
Reducing corruption and costs to manageable levels for maximum results. Naturally organized crime and those that stand to manipulate the system would never want this to ever become fact.

This Is What Australian Towns Need

A system whereby people pay a set fee yearly and they actually get to vote on projects for that money to be spent on each town. Every town has different needs and requirements. The spending is based on their town income and no debt is ever entered into.

If the Administrator that was voted in says:

If elected propose to organize and build the following during my term plus whatever else I can do to benefit the community like:

A new community hall.
Start ongoing programs to build sealed footpaths.
Build a specific bike track in town.
Develop a section of land subject to permits to create massive employment options for the future.
Create more car parking in specific areas.
Build some small public walk bridges over creeks.
Build a community park for many groups.
Develop an area with improvements for tourism.
Install playgrounds in some vacant parks.
Better signs around town. 

Well the list of options to benefit and suit specific towns is endless in ideas. But the common factor with all is people would actually see these things being put into place with what they paid into the community fund each year. Funds may also come from government grants that could be applied for the larger infrastructure type projects etc. The Administrator would submit no doubt hundreds of town items in the list of projects for over their four year term.

Our current council system just can't operate this way anymore and this new system is designed specifically to deliver real visible results based on town votes. People vote to get what they need for their money over a four year term. The Administrator can do a costing on what they offer because they'll know an approximate figure upfront of the rate payer community fund. This would be taken from the number of rateable properties. The Administrator may also incur ideas on how to build and institute these projects at reduced costs using different methods not used in the past like that through charity group participation and other ways. A good operator can achieve better results.