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^{Council Briefs}

^{(From May Meeting)}

^{Allowances recommendation passed:}

1. That the Councillors' allowance be $3,000.00 per annum, paid monthly in arrears on the last working day of that month; and  

That the Deputy Mayor's allowance be $4,000.00 per annum, paid monthly in arrears on the last working day of that month; and

That the Mayor's allowance be $12,000.00 per annum, paid monthly in advance on the last working day of that month, plus a vehicle and Mobil fuel card

2. That the above allowances be paid on a monthly basis up to the conclusion of the 2006 periodic election.

Motor Club Rate Rebate Request passed.

Cr Rapaic speaking for his motion said that the Motor Club only has twelve meetings a year and does a good job involving the community in a positive way. The rebate was to be a 'one-off' rebate.

Backhoe Purchase for Water Supply

It was resolved that in the next budget deliberations strong consideration would be given to the purchase of a backhoe to assist Water Supply Manager Les Hoad in the replacement of the town water pipes. 

He said he wouldn't retire until the job was done. 

Then he said he didn't say that.

Issues and actions undertaken by Keith Simmonds, Environmental Health Officer

Letters were written to all owners of premises inspected advising of results of inspection. The standard of premises were very good to unsatisfactory. One premise inspected was a follow up on a business that is currently undergoing upgrades. Work is of an excellent standard.

One premise was a follow up as a result of an unsatisfactory standards report from the previous inspection that resulted in a letter being written requesting work be undertaken otherwise an "Improvement Notice" under the Food Act would be issued. This matter has now been resolved.

One premise inspected has recently opened as a new food business and is operating at an excellent standard.

One premise inspected has unsatisfactory hygiene practices resulting in a letter being written requesting work be undertaken otherwise an "Improvement Notice" will be issued and a joint inspection conducted with the Liquor Licensing Authority.

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Archived copy

District Council of Coober Pedy - Unique

Completely surrounded by Crown Land, Coober Pedy township has evolved from a remote opal mining community in 1915 to a District Council with a Mayor and eight councillors. The council administers the "three R's" - roads, rates and rubbish - just like other councils. 

But that's where the similarity to other councils ends. Electricity generation was until recently done by the council. Now only distribution and billing is handled. 

The council also operates water desalination, reticulation and billing, and sewerage collection, treatment and reticulation to grassed playing fields. 

The council also has the responsibility of maintaining roads to mining areas on land controlled by State Government Primary Industries department.

Within the council area is another council - Umoona Aboriginal Council, a situation requiring added expertise.

Last but not least is the extensive amount of Crown Land within the council boundaries, on which people can have an annual 'Occupation Lease' costing around $200 per year, administered by State Government Environment and Heritage department, which is not surveyed, to which the council supplies utilities. However, even though water and electricity are supplied by the council to this kind of land tenure, the council does not have the responsibility of supplying and maintaining access to these leases. It is up to the lessee. This may on first appearance appear to be unfair, as the council still charges rates on these properties. But as the State Government only allows annual renewal of a lease, there is no guarantee that a lessee will renew the lease. If it did lapse the land reverts back to the Crown and any access put in by the council across Crown Land from a gazetted road to the lease would be wasted if the lease lapsed. In contrast, privately owned land has as part of its conditions a surveyed road providing access, which is the council's responsibility to supply and maintain.

The council makes time available (8 pm) at the monthly meeting for anyone to address the elected members: five minutes per person, with no previous notice required. This month a ratepayer took advantage of this and expressed in 'colourful' language, getting louder as he went on, dis-satisfaction with the council's treatment of a certain situation, remonstrating with a clenched fist, in which a piece of paper was having a hard time. When asked to calm down, he  shouted, "This is how I'll calm down!", and released his grip on the piece of paper, which travelled a short distance towards the Mayor and the CEO before fluttering down to the floor, by which time the ratepayer had stormed out of the chambers.

In Maria Crisa's garden 

Above:  Goldfish pond

Below: Passionfruit as big as cricket balls

Natalie Slovachevsky, Paul Athanasiadis, and Kathryn Micka are the members of the Working Group. The petition is available around town until May 31. The organisers are confident of obtaining 1000 signatures by then.

"TO : LOCAL / STATE / FEDERAL GOVT

WE THE UNDERSIGNED COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE ASKING FOR YOUR DIRECT SUPPORT IN ADDRESSING THE FOLLOWING ISSUES WHICH ARE CAUSING MAJOR PROBLEMS IN OUR TOWN. THESE ISSUES STEM FROM THE LACK OF ADEQUATE LEGISLATION FOR THE DRY ZONE WHICH WAS ESTABLISHED IN AUGUST 1996. THIS THEN CAUSES CONSIDERABLE ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR AND FLOW ON EFFECTS SUCH AS CRIME AND IMPACTS ON TOURISM. OUR TOWN CAN NO LONGER COPE WITH THE VAST INFLUX OF TRANSIENT PEOPLE AND THEIR DOGS WHO GATHER PRIMARILY IN THE MAIN STREET. OUR HOSPITAL AND HEALTH SERVICES CAN’T COPE. WE NEED MORE RESOURCES, BOTH FACILITIES AND STAFF. 

FUNDING IS A KEY REQUIREMENT.

WE NEED HELP AND WE NEED IT NOW !"

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Family First Senator Steve Fielding says that,

Banks are robbing customers with exorbitant penalty fees in a ruthless profit. FAMILY FIRST wants penalty fees abolished. They should be for cost recovery only, not an excuse for banks to reap even more millions. We must stop banks fleecing Australians with high fees totally out of proportion to the cost on the bank.

FAMILY FIRST calls on the Government to:

Give the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) the power to abolish outrageous penalty fees. At the moment, it only has the power monitor fees;

Order banks to ensure fees appear on ATM screens before transactions are processed, so people know exactly how much they are being slugged.

A 2004 report by the Consumer Law Centre of Victoria estimated banks could be reaping "hundreds of millions of dollars in profit each year from penalty fees".

As if banks don’t already make enough profits!

The report also found "cheque and direct debit dishonour fees charged by Australian banks are out of all proportion … with the cost incurred by banks in processing cheque and direct debit dishonours." It revealed penalties for a dishonoured up to 16 times the cost to the bank, while some banks seized 92 times the cost of processing a dishonoured direct debit transaction. Fees of $35 to $50 are just robbery. Make a mistake at an ATM, like entering the wrong PIN number, and some will charge you $2. Withdraw money from another bank’s ATM and it’s another $2, while an over the counter transaction costs up to $3. Be a day late for even the smallest minimum credit card payment and the average penalty is $29.

The Australian Consumers Association's Dr Nick Coates says hidden bank fees "provide a striking example of how the complex network of interchange fees is passed on to consumers in an unfair and unjust manner."

     
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COOBER PEDY’S BIG AFTERNOON TEA

Coober Pedy’s Big Afternoon Tea, to raise funds for cancer research, will once again be held in the TAFE SA & PIRSA building on Saturday 27^{th May.}

The Coober Pedy Big Afternoon Tea is sponsored by the Cancer Council of Australia and the District Council of Coober Pedy, and is aimed at raising funds to fight against a disease that affects one in three Australians.  It is a chance to relax, catch up and chat whilst raising funds that will benefit cancer patients and their families, of whom there are a number in Coober Pedy and the surrounding area.

  If you have any items you wish to donate to the “Monster Auction” please contact one of the people below to arrange collection.

Lynn Freeman – 86725298 or 86725848

Kate McLeod – 86789000 or 86725406

Miriam Kammermann – 86725009 or 86725460

Chris Durdin will be along again with another interesting and informative presentation on Social Support.

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Dogs

Works Manager Darren Zechner reported that nine dogs had been destroyed in the previous month. He said it is very difficult to catch the smart dogs. Councillors began discussing ways of getting rid of the large number of dogs wandering in the main street. Someone suggested a bounty system whereby people were paid for dogs handed over to the council. This was at first thought to be a really good idea. Then they started to think it out a bit and the possibility of people breeding dogs and bringing them in for the bounty, and of people from outside Coober Pedy bringing in dogs for the bounty dawned. Consequently there was 'Mutiny on the Bounty'. Mayor Baines said he'd had enough of dogs for the night and said he'd be happy if the meeting would move on to something else.

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