Yarra Council accused of sitting on its hands as upcoming meeting scrapped

The Greens-led Yarra Council has scrapped its upcoming council meeting because there are “no agenda items”.

Yarra Council has moved to restrict debate in its public meetings and installed a barricade between the public and councillors in the chamber. Picture: Kris Reichl

The Greens-led Yarra Council has scrapped its upcoming council meeting because it has no work for councillors to do.

The Sunday Herald Sun has seen an internal email to councillors from staff saying the meeting has been cancelled because there are “no agenda items”.

It has outraged resident groups and one councillor, who say that the council, which meets every three weeks, must have crucial community issues to discuss.

It comes after the council moved to restrict debate in its public meetings last month and installed a barricade – dubbed the Great Wall of Yarra – which was wedged between the public and councillors in the chamber.

Councillor Stephen Jolly said the move was “outrageous” and showed a blatant “attack on democracy”.

Yarra Councillor Stephen Jolly says it’s ‘outrageous’ that Yarra Council has nothing to talk abou. Picture: Alex Coppel

“This is the first time this has happened in 20 years and it’s outrageous,” Cr Jolly said.

“There’s not a day that goes by when there’s not some type of political debate about something. The idea that we’ve got nothing to talk about is ludicrous.”

Cr Jolly said there were dozens of issues that needed to be discussed at the upcoming council meeting.

“Every single meeting lots of residents turn up to ask questions about council policy and councillors have the opportunity to move motions. There are also planning issues and a housing crisis – these are very important issues.

“It also means for six weeks the chief executive has total control over 120,000 residents with zero check from elected councillors and the public.”

Ratepayers Victoria spokesman Dean Hurlston said: “From the council that brought you the most controversial and outrageous decisions for the past 12 months, suddenly Yarra has nothing to say.”

“There is always something happening at councils. How can councillors and chief executives be paid and have nothing to come before council? I’ve never seen it happen,” Mr Hurlston said.

“Residents should be very disappointed that this council seems to be sitting on its hands.”

Ratepayers Victoria president Dean Hurlston has said ‘suddenly Yarra Council has nothing to say’. Picture: Kiel Egging

Adam Promnitz, co-founder of Yarra Residents Collective, said: “Increasingly this council is hiding business in private away from the public in secretive meetings where there is little public oversight.”

“We question the overuse of classifying items as confidential to hide items from the public,” he said.

“Last month they put up a wall in the public meeting and this month they have cancelled it altogether. This is a dysfunctional administration that is besieged by democracy and transparent governance.”

Sue Wilkinson, who joined Yarra Council as chief executive in June and served in the same role at Darebin City Council, was paid $360,000 – $369,999 for her previous role.

Ms Wilkinson’s current salary has not yet been disclosed until the council releases its latest annual report.

Yarra’s internal operation has also been overseen by state government-appointed monitor Yehudi Blacher since December.

The council has also come under scrutiny in recent months after it spent $3000 on “inclusion training” and splashed $22,000 last year on a menacing big banana sculpture in a bid to make a key street more ‘pedestrian friendly’.

Yarra Council has been contacted for comment.