Municipal Association of Victoria’s latest move to prove local government critics wrong

MELBOURNE councillors have taken aim at 3AW Drive host Tom Elliot’s views on local government in a tongue-in-cheek video aimed at showing the work they do is about more than just “roads, rates and rubbish”.

IN A video seen by more than 7000 people, councillors have hit back at 3AW Drive host Tom Elliott over his running commentary on the role of local government.

The tongue-in-cheek video, posted to the Municipal Association of Victoria Facebook page, takes aim at “Tommy Tabloid” Elliott, highlighting what services we would be without if councils stuck to his “roads, rates and rubbish” rule.

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“Councils are good at doing more with less and will resort to cheap shots at 3AW Drive with Tom Elliott (a really good sport) to make a point,” the post says.

Port Phillip Deputy Mayor Dick Gross says local government is about more than the Three R’s. Picture: Sarah Matray

Port Phillip Deputy Mayor Dick Gross, who stars in the video alongside MAV president and Whittlesea councillor Mary Lalios, told the Leader the “local government bashing” had gone on long enough.

“(The bashing) fails to appreciate how important this underfunded tier of government is,” Cr Gross said.

“Local government gets only 3.6 per cent of the taxation take and yet the governments who get 96.4 per cent of the pie never fail to shift costs, limit our income and unfairly blame us.

“(Councils) provide 85 per cent of roads and services (that are) loved and needed throughout the community.”

No ratepayer funds were used to produce the video, which highlights the work councils do outside the three Rs, including maternal and child health services, child care and kindergartens, libraries and sports grounds.

Response to the video has been mixed, ranging from “all councils should be abolished” to “this is a very important message to the ignorant shock-jocks”.

Amy Johnson wrote: “Completely agree, councils provide numerous important services outside the ‘three R’s’”.

While Stuart Johns said “local councils have no rights under our constitution and as such all there (sic) power comes from state government”.

“Local councils are a waste of money get rid of them,” he wrote.

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