NSW Council Amalgamation - City of Ryde, Municipality of Hunters Hill & Municipality of Lane Cove

The Baird Government in New South Wales is on an ideological mission to amalgamate Local Government Areas on the pretext of scale equals greater efficiencies. It is intended to amalgamate 152 Local Government Areas ( LGA's) into 112 whilst in Sydney that figure is 43 to 25.

Whilst, in some industries, size is important to achieve economies of scale in production there are limits to the effectiveness of large organisations.

Whilst size may achieve a per unit cost advantage, can it also achieve increases in service quality, delivery and customer satisfaction?

This is the conundrum that faces both the Baird Government and residents of affected LGA's.

I intend to make a submission to the Council Boundary Review whose Public Meeting is to be held in a the small venue Hunters Hill Sailing Club at the extreme end of the proposed LGA in an area notorious for limited parking and poor public transport alternatives.

This immediately brings out the cynic in me and further reinforces my belief that this is "window dressing" so that it can be claimed at sometime later that "Public Consultation" occurred.

If the venue chosen is not easily accessible by all residents then how "Public" can that consultation really be?

With specific regard to the Amalgamation of the Council of City of Ryde, Hunters Hill Municipal Council and Lane Cove Municipal Council it should be noted that the City of Ryde represents some 70% of population of the amalgamated LGA's and it is forecast to increase its population by some 40,000 within the next 15 years. Hunters Hill is projected to grow a modest 3,600 and Lane Cove some 12,000.

The greatest source of population being predicted is Overseas Migration.

Looking at the proposed amalgamation, it is obvious that Ryde brings the bulk of the population, revenue and services to the table. Population is approx. 71% of the Total Merged LGA and Revenue is approx 70% of total revenue of the new LGA as is the total land area.

Ryde also includes the largest areas of income growth with significant developments planned for Macquarie Park and around various railway stations within the City.

That being so the City of Ryde should assume some rights.

Firstly, the City of Ryde should continue to be the LGA name. This is the only City in the merged entity and has an historical affiliation as the third oldest settlement in Australia, predating both Lane Cove and Hunter's Hill, and bordering the Parramatta River which was the historical driver for the establishment of all three LGA's.

Secondly, if the City of Ryde is to be merged it should retain 70% of Councillors within its geographic area. This is consistent with democratic principles that the NSW Government assures us directs the whole process.

Thirdly, if a new name is to be given to the merged entity then it should reflect the role of the traditional owners in the area and not be some conglomeration of existing names to satisfy existing residents.

Whilst it is my desire to keep the City of Ryde intact and independent, I am aware that these amalgamations are politically driven and I'm afraid that without significant elector protest it will be a "fait accompli".

I haven't been convinced by the NSW Government's argument that these amalgamations will lead to greater efficiencies and lower rates per resident especially since the savings predicated in the two reports by EY and KPMG,  both of which have been used by the Minister as the Authority for amalgamation, each appear to have serious flaws in their premises and methodology.

If the City of Ryde is to assume the burden of major revenue provider then it should remain as the most significant player in the amalgamated LGA.

When NFP Boards give the impression that they are doing something?

We got our first black and white television set in 1958 which was a major event for our family and initially the whole family spent most of the afternoon and into the evening watching it no matter what was on. We even watched and liked the ads!!

 

One such ad was for Trix Detergent which the Cussons Company marketed as the first sudless detergent. The main message was that suds were nothing but froth and bubble on the surface whilst nothing was happening below the water.

 

The initial shot was of a raging ocean which then panned to a sink of sudsy water and the script went along the lines of " Beneath the swirl of froth and foam, What mysteries? What deeds go on?" then the camera panned beneath the water to a nice clear sink of water then the "tag line" - "Absolutely Nothing"!!!

 

I am constantly reminded of this ad when I watch from outside the Ryde Ex Services Memorial and Community Club Ltd ( Under Deed of Company Arrangement) from which I am still suspended for having the audacity to criticise the actions of the previous Board for its failed governance of the Members' Funds.

 

Apparently the Administrator, Mr Greg Russell, has a team of staff overseeing the operation with the assistance of a 7 man Committee of elected members.

 

I have been viewing this operation for the nearly six months since the Administrator was appointed and the nearly three months since the "Committee of Management" were elected and I will attempt to analyse the result.

 

I do occasionally talk to a few of the Committee but as far as I can see despite meeting on an almost weekly basis for three months the only change that has so far been effected to the "failed business model" is the change of hours for the daily " Happy Hour".

 

Now as I have previously asserted that most Boards of Licensed Clubs in New South Wales, at least, are composed of " bogans, barflies, bums,losers or no-hopers" I am not surprised by this lack of results on behalf of the Administrator or the Committee in a Company that needs urgent resuscitation but I am amused that these people actually believe they are conducting some sort of business strategy.

 

"Do nothing " is not and never has been an effective business strategy. To continue the above nautical analogy most Boards of Licensed Clubs think that by providing poker machines, a bar, a bistro and maybe a function room that all they have to do is sit back and wait for the customers to arrive. This is akin to launching a boat and relying on the currents, winds and tides to push you to a certain destination.  That destination, however attractive it may be, is not planned and there is no guarantee that you will stay there unless you do something proactive to either anchor the boat or take up some power unit that puts you in control of the boat's progress.

The current actions by the Administrator and the Committee of Management and lack of any business plan employs the old Tibetan tradition of busyness which is the art of conducting lively but meaningless activities and producing "absolutely nothing" !!

This has often been referred to as the "ultimate laziness".

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bizarro World in Clubland

This is my initial blog which will examine all aspects of the New South Wales Club Industry given my recent adversarial relations with a few clubs who hide behind a disciplinary system that would make the Inquisition look like an exercise in Jurisprudence.


I will examine a number of aspects of how Boards of Directors are actually elected, rights of members to dissent, business models, ethics of the participants and the waste of members funds on professionals and consultants.

To appreciate the term "Bizarro World" - one that I first encountered on episodes of " Seinfeld" would be to understand the serious technical deficiencies that exist in directors, management and staff and why Clubs find it difficult to compete with Pubs.

I will examine the prevalence of the Dunning-Kruger Effect especially my experience as a Director of Ryde Ex Services and Community Club Ltd. ( under Deed of Company Arrangement ) and the many self appointed moral guardians who cannot understand that a professionally qualified person like myself with significant experience in the Hospitality Industry may become extremely hostile when he sees over $3 million of members' funds wasted by the politics of personality with a racist undertone.

I intend this blog to be a precursor to an eventual PhD which will examine the Dunning-Kruger Effect within the decision-making bodies of the Industry but also reveal some serious ethical deficiencies with the actions of so-called  professionals that suck members' fund like leaches off incompetent members' representatives whilst masquerading as self-appointed "Club Experts" and then walking away without any accountability when the business is no longer considered a "going concern".

I trust that we can share our experiences and obtain some justice for Club Members who lose their clubs due to management and professional incompetence.

This is my introduction please feel free to make any comments, suggestions, criticisms as unlike the Board of Ryde Ex Services Memorial and Community Club Ltd I welcome constructive criticism and hope for lots of intellectual feedback.