Stink over gas charge

By Bridget Brady
CRANBOURNE MP Jude Perera has dubbed Casey council’s plan to charge ratepayers for a fund to persuade the State Government to ease the Brookland Greens blow-out as “completely political”.
At the 2010-11 budget, the council will consider charging ratepayers a $6 fee to raise about $500,000 for a fighting fund.
It wants the State Government to chip in $41.9 million to help the council with long-term remediation costs at the Stevensons Road landfill.
“It’s completely political, it’s an election year,” Mr Perera said.
But Casey mayor Lorraine Wreford said it was normal for councils to advocate at election time.
“A council will put in their top priorities and this is council’s number one priority. Without that we will have a significant rate rise,” Cr Wreford said.
“This whole disaster was a combination of many issues and many of them are State Government bodies.
“So my question to Jude is why aren’t you batting for the residents of Casey and the residents of Cranbourne?”
Mr Perera said residents would be annoyed if the council planned to collect their money and not use it towards works at the closed landfill.
“(Council is) giving people the impression that because of the Government, your rates are going up,” Mr Perera said.
The Cranbourne MP has held the state seat since 2002 and said he felt confident about retaining it at the upcoming election.
“I am feeling confident because we have done a lot in the community.”
He dispelled talk that he was absent from the community, saying he door-knocked residents and dealt with every issue that came through his door.
“We are on top of things,” he said.
Mr Perera said he would like to see improvements made to the Cranbourne Integrated and Health Care Centre, and supported upgrades to the Cranbourne Racecourse.
Liberal candidate and current Casey councillor Geoff Ablett will contest the Cranbourne seat at the State election.