LGA head Lorraine Rosenberg urged to stay away from campaign against council rate-capping

AN Adelaide councillor has urged the head of SA’s peak local government body to distance herself from a campaign against rate capping because she has done “irreparable damage”.

Local Government Association president Lorraine Rosenberg. Picture: Tom Huntley

• SA councils launch campaign against Liberals’ rate rise cap
• Govt knocks back push to cap council rate rises

A WALKERVILLE councillor has urged the head of SA’s peak local government body to distance herself from a campaign against rate capping because she has done “irreparable damage”.

Walkerville Cr Gianni Busato told a meeting this month Local Government Association president Lorraine Rosenberg should not lead the campaign against the state Liberal Party’s election pledge to set a maximum level for council-rate rises because of her role in Onkaparinga Council’s golf-fee saga.

“No offence, but she has done irreparable damage to local government in the past few weeks,” Cr Busato told a meeting.

“If her name is on the marketing material it could seriously weaken this important campaign.”

Mrs Rosenberg, who is also the Onkaparinga mayor, has spent the past month defending her council’s funding of Mr Dowd’s membership to the exclusive Kooyonga Golf Club, which she said was to help out with networking with international stakeholders.

Mr Busato said he was subsequently told by Walkerville Mayor Ray Grigg the issue had been raised at a “higher” level — however both Mr Grigg and Prospect Mayor David O’Loughlin defended Mrs Rosenberg’s involvement.

“We should not cloud this important debate by placing unnecessary attention on an individual,” Mr Grigg said.

Walkerville Cr Graham Webster said the golf saga was “really unfortunate”.

“The fact is her council has been highlighted for reckless spending and that is an issue that goes to the core of our community,” he said.

City Cr Anne Moran dismissed Mrs Rosenberg’s reasoning for the golf membership.

“How many Chinese ‘squillionaires’ does Onkaparinga really have to deal with?” Ms Moran said.

“We don’t deal with that many.”

However, she warned that councils had become a “low hanging fruit” for critical ratepayers.

Mrs Rosenberg declined to comment.

The council voted to support the LGA campaign.