Service or Process ­ or Madness

At last Council meeting, I presented a Mayoral Minute entitled “Service or Process?” in which I questioned whether taxpayers or ratepayers received value for money for many bureaucratic processes undertaken by the three tiers of government. 
 
Inherent in what I wrote was the question of whether a public instrumentality should, for example, spend $10 to save $1. Now I exclude any suggestion of expenditure to counter corruption in the theme or purpose of what I say – that goes without question. I do not claim any skill of prescience, but an article in an edition of the Sydney Morning Herald last week showed that, perhaps, I might have some. 
 
The article detailed reviews and audits that had occurred involving and revolving around the sale, via a web-based auction site, of two billiard tables from the staff recreation area at Parliament House.  The review followed questions from the elder ALP statesman in the Senate, Senator John Faulkner. I’ve known Senator Faulkner for some time and he has been unrelenting in his campaign for openness and transparency in government and in the oversight of public revenue and expenditure. But, in this case, I think even Senator Faulkner would bristle at what followed his questioning of the relevant government department responsible for management of Parliament House.
 
Following his questions, consultants PricewaterhouseCoopers were commissioned to audit the process. The audit found the process was within departmental guidelines but it did find some weaknesses in processes. What government could live without “process”?
 
These weaknesses in process, or processes, led to a broader review by a former public servant.  As well, an investigation into whether staff had breached their code of conduct was commissioned from the Centre for Public Management.
 
Not content with all these audits or investigations, a survey of the cultural heritage value of items in Parliament House was also commissioned.
 
The secretary of the department responsible for Parliament House said he was grateful that such an affair had come to light as it had identified deficiencies in the department’s processes – there’s that word again.
 
The key is in the detail.  Let’s look at it.  PricewaterhouseCoopers were paid $42,000 for its audit.  The review of weakness in the processes by the former public servant cost $30,000.  Then the Centre for Public Management’s investigation came with a price tag of $25,000.  Lastly, the survey of the cultural heritage value of items will cost an estimated $5,000.
 
All up, the cost to review the processes of the on-line auction of two redundant Parliament House staff recreation billiard tables cost taxpayers some $102,000.
 
Process, after all, must be followed --- and reviewed, and investigated, and audited, and reviewed again.
 
That’s all well and good and the bureaucrats are no doubt reassured that the $102,000 expenditure was justified – all in the name of process.
 
The only issue I have is that, the outcome (another great word for bureaucrats) of the on-line auction was that the two tables sold for $2,500 each – a grand total of $5,000.
 
The federal bureaucrats spent $102,000 to check if all due process was followed in the $5,000 sale of two billiard tables.
 
If that’s the outcome of process then leave me out of it.  I’m just a mug taxpayer who helps foot the bill – for process, of course.
 
This is “Yes Minister” to the nth degree – or bureaucratic madness. In Canberra, however, it’s normal process!

Your City - Summer Edition

Council’s spring edition of Your City will shortly be distributed to residents.  It is available for download at http://tinyurl.com/3qqakh9.

Mornings @ the Museum - Shopping

Shopping – something we all have to do, which some of us like while others do it under sufferance.  Shopping, especially food shopping, is perhaps the most prescient illustration of society and it’s one our Museum is about to showcase.  But before the exhibition the museum has organised another in its Mornings @ the Museum events that will get the community involved in our City’s history. 

A number of questions will be asked at Mornings @ the Museum and the answers will make the forthcoming exhibition even better.  Before the construction of Westfield’s Shopping Town, where did you go shopping? Did you go to a corner store where the shopkeeper knew your name? Perhaps you remember Quality Stores in Mascot which is now home to ‘Best and Less’.

The Museum is asking locals to come and share memories and memorabilia over morning tea. Information collected may be used in an upcoming exhibition on the history of shopping in the City of Botany Bay.  Mornings @ the Museum is scheduled for 10am Thursday 17^th November 2011 at the George Hanna Memorial Museum, Mascot Library in Hatfield Street.   

Bookings are essential, which you can do by calling 9366 3888. The Mornings @ the Museum series has been very successful not only putting locals in touch with our City’s history but providing more information and memorabilia to make our history exhibitions better.

The picture below shows shopping as it used to be – when, in my kids’ opinion, we were all in the dark ages.

Construction gangs out and about

Council civil construction gangs have been busy down in McBurney Avenue Mascot installing new drainage lines and pits.  The work is designed to reduce flooding that’s been experienced during periods of heavy rain. As part of countering flooding, Council also installed new kerb and gutter, which channels the storm water into the new drainage system. When this work is finished, the gangs will move to Flint Street in Hillsdale for more drainage works. 

Along with the drainage works, the gangs are busy in Mascot shops, where the new footpath is under construction.  As I advised last week, the work along the Mascot shopping strip will take four to five week and to minimise disruption we’ll be working after 7.00pm at night.  When we’re finished the new footpath will add some new sparkle to the shopping strip as was the result when we did the pavers and planter boxes down on Botany Road along the Botany shopping strip.

Down at Sir Joseph Banks Park, the outdoor gangs are also upgrading the garden beds around the park, bringing the spring growth to what is probably our most popular park.

Local Volunteers Recognised

Last week it was my privilege to host a special function for about 70 of our local volunteers.  The groups represented were the Botany Historical Trust, our Meals on Wheels, the Senior Citizens’ Advisory Committee, the Access Committee and the Knitting Network.

There are within communities, that is if a community is fortunate enough, a few individuals, a group or a few groups who selflessly, unstintingly and with no need for recognition or reward give of themselves. These people, these volunteers, give to their community without ever seeking recognition. To me it is almost instinctive giving. They don't think about it. They just do it. It was fitting that, through Council, our local community took the opportunity to both thank and recognise the invaluable work done by our volunteers.

Your health Your hospital

The next in the Prince of Wales Hospital Foundation and Rotary Botany Bay series on better health and better health outcomes is scheduled for this coming Thursday night and the subject is one of growing importance – living and learning about cardiac disease. 

It will be presented by James McVeigh, a Prince of Wales Hospital nurse practitioner in the heart failure service area. James was the first cardiac authorised nurse practitioner in NSW and his presentation on this important subject will be well worthwhile. We all know that having a healthy life and making sure you don’t get diabetes, or taking care of your diabetes if you do have it, can go a long way in protecting your heart. And, protecting your heart means protecting your life.  James is keen to hear and answer questions after his presentation, which begins at 6pm Thursday, October 20. 

The location is the Edmund Blacket building at Prince of Wales Hospital. Tat’s the old stone building on Avoca Street. Light refreshments will be provided for those attending.  You can book by calling the Prince of Wales Hospital Foundation on 9382 4261 or email info@powhf.org.au <mailto:info@powhf.org.au. The lectures and presentations that the Prince of Wales Hospital Foundation and Rotary Botany Bay have organised in the past (and this is the fifth) have been extremely beneficial to those who have attended with positive health outcomes.

Mascot Shopping Strip Upgrade

Just as we’ve done down in the Botany shopping strip, we’ve kicked off works down in the Mascot shopping strip to upgrade the footpath – but it will mean some disruption.  We began last Saturday night and work will go on for about four to five weeks.  

We’re replacing the entire footpath on the eastern side of Botany Road between Hollingshed and King streets.  The existing pavers are coming up to be replaced by high quality asphalt.  To minimise inconvenience, we’re doing the work at night, starting from either 7:00pm or 8:00pm each night.  During the day, we’ll make sure there is a useable footpath for those who like to wander up and down the shopping strip.  In the end, the Mascot shopping strip will look as good as what we’re doing down in Botany.