Gas cash blow

By Bridget Brady
CASEY Council is seeking more cash from the State Government after receiving an offer of $14.5 million to help with the financial blow-out of the methane gas mess
Councillors this week voted that the minimum they would accept would be $20.5 million, which already includes a $3 million contribution through the EPA.
But not all councillors agreed on the ruling, with some fearful that nominating a figure would set the benchmark too low.
Springfield Ward councillor Sam Aziz said the figure put a cap on the State Government’s contribution.
“Is this the best we could’ve gotten from the State Government? The answer is we’ll never know,” he said.
The debate at Tuesday night’s council meeting has also sparked claims from the mayor and another councillor that their Labor affiliated colleagues had “folded to the whims of their political masters”.
The State Government offer, that came through just days before the council was due to adopt its budget, fell well short of the council’s request of $41.9 million to assist with ongoing clean-up costs at the Stevensons Road landfill, which are tipped to reach $100 million.
If an agreement is reached with the State Government, the councillors resolved to remove the $500,000 it set aside in this year’s draft budget for a fighting fund to lobby the government for the cash.
Edrington Ward councillor Simon Curtis said it was time to take responsibility for the debacle.
“Being responsible does not mean setting aside half a million dollars for a political campaign,” he said.
The idea of tightening the belt through reducing capital works projects was also flagged at the meeting, and there was speculation rates could decrease from the proposed 11.6 per cent to about 8.4 per cent.
Mayor Lorraine Wreford said the result of the meeting on Tuesday night was not the best outcome for residents. She did not agree that reducing capital works was the right thing to do in a growth area.
She also said it was not until the idea of a fighting fund was suggested that the government came to the table with an offer.
“We’ve sold ourselves short without a doubt,” Cr Wreford said.
She said the 11th hour offer from the government was designed to force the council’s hand.
A State Government spokesman urged the council to accept the offer, which he said would reduce rates.
Casey Council has campaigned to the government for cash for about 18 months, and Mayfield Ward councillor Kevin Bradford likened it to “two bulls running at each other and nothing is really giving way”.
Springfield Ward councillor Wayne Smith supported the motion on Tuesday night.
“I’m not prepared to gamble any more. I want the battle over,” he said.
Council is now due to consider the draft budget in July.