It was great that ABC National Radio broadcast their program AM from Stockton today. Why, however, was Newcastle Council GM Lindy Hyam , rather than Lord Mayor John Tate interviewed as spokesperson on Council policies? Why didn’t Ms Hyam suggest him as the appropriate interviewee and what will Cr Tate and councillors do to rectify this? Her ideas about Newcastle initiatives for a more sustainable city appeared to be eminently supportable. However, the ABC announcer’s claim that Newcastle City Council supports an increase in coal production and export was incorrect. It’s a pity she didn’t correct this. One would expect that Cr Tate would have corrected this error.
THE ABOVE LETTER TO THE EDITOR (NEWCASTLE HERALD) WAS SENT TODAY.IT HIGHLIGHTS THE OLD PROBLEM OF GENERAL MANAGERS SEEKING TO ACT AS SPOKESPERSON ON POLICY MATTERS AND TOO OFTEN THEY GET AWAY WITH IT, EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE QUICK TO REACT (OFTEN PUBLICLY) IF MAYORS OR COUNCILLORS MAKE PUBLIC COMMENTS ABOUT THEIR DOMAIN-OPERATIONAL MANAGEMENT.THIS INSTANCE MAY BE EXCUSED AS GM INEXPERIENCE-TIME WILL TELL.
IT ALSO RAISES THE QUESTION OF WHAT LORD MAYOR TATE WOULD HAVE SAID IN DEFENCE OF NEWCASTLE COUNCIL POLICY OPPOSING MORE COAL MINING, GIVEN HIS PERSONAL SUPPORT FOR IT.
AFTER 28 YEARS AS A COUNCILLOR AND 5 GENERAL MANAGERS HE SHOULD BE AWARE AND SWIFT TO RESPOND TO INAPPROPRIATE ACTIONS FROM COUNCIL MANAGEMENT.
BASED ON THE EXPERIENCE OF HIS ACTIONS OVER THE PAST 2 MAYORAL TERMS ,NOTHING WILL HAPPEN IN MY VIEW.
MAYORS AND COUNCILS THAT ALLOW GENERAL MANAGERS TO RUN THE SHOW, EITHER BECAUSE OF LACK OF KNOWLEDGE (10 NEW COUNCILLORS) OR MAYORAL LAZINESS (THE BUCK ALWAYS STOPS WITH THE MAYOR AS LEADER) ARE DIGGING THEIR OWN GRAVE.
REMEMBER THE MAJOR HERALD ARTICLE DURING THE LAST TERM(C 2005),WHICH FEATURED THE MOST POWERFUL PEOPLE LEADERS WHO RAN THE CITY? GENERAL MANAGER JANET DORE WAS ONE BUT LORD MAYOR TATE WAS MISSING.TATE'S RESPONSE TO CALLS FROM (THEN)GREENS CR MCKENZIE TO ASSERT HIMSELF AND COMPLAIN WAS TO DO NOTHING.THAT'S WAS INDICATIVE OF COUNCIL LEADERSHIP SINCE 1999.
Published as a Short take; Newcastle Herald, 11/08/09.
