Having lay dormant through the fog of the pandemic, a new iteration of the Ballarat Ratepayers and Residents Association has now emerged, and is looking to ruffle some feathers in council.
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"One of my main aims is to get the people who take their positions in council for granted out, and get some fresh blood into council," said Bruce Crawford, the association's new president, who has lived in Ballarat since 1986.
"People in our community are tired of the spin - just tell the truth, it wouldn't hurt."
By way of example, Mr Crawford cited the recent controversy surrounding the average 6.4 per cent rate hike for residential ratepayers, which was formally approved in council's budget this week.
"Many feel like they'll be paying more in rates for nothing - that's part of the problem," he said, noting various projects which have vexed residents in recent times, including the over-budget, incomplete $1.67 million fernery redevelopment, the over-budget Gatekeepers Cottage, and the lake lighting project, among others.
"But our issue with [the rate rise], as a community organisation, is the lack of consultation process - council wasn't open and frank with people about it."
To buttress this view, Mr Crawford noted that nowhere in council's draft budget 2022-23 is express reference made to the average 6.4 per cent rate rise for residents. It's conversely a figure only arrived at after a series of tedious calculations.
By contrast, the decision to increase the overall revenue derived from rates by 1.75 per cent - in line with the state government cap on rate rises - is much publicised in the same document, leaving residents with the false impression they may only experience a marginal increase in their rates.
None of this surprised Mr Crawford, who only recently turned his mind to council matters following a truly bizarre dispute over liability for damage caused by a fallen street tree situated outside his house.
"The tree incident really did open my eyes to what goes on in council," he said. "Before then, I hadn't really paid attention."
The street tree in question, which was assessed to be in "poor" condition by City of Ballarat in 2014, split in two on a windy day four years ago, falling on the powerlines in the process.
Hit with a $992 bill for the repairs, Mr Crawford made a claim to council, which in turn denied liability on the footing the tree had fallen, in its view, "due to natural causes".
Council also cited a little-known provision in the Roads Management Act, which spells out the circumstances in which council can reject liability for damage caused by roads - eg, potholes - including areas ancillary to roads, such as nature strips. In short, the Act allows council to deny liability for claims equal to or less than $1430, rendering Mr Crawford's claim hopeless.
After receiving another bill of $836.75 for the damage - this time from Powercor - Mr Crawford resubmitted his claim to council, which ultimately offered to pay the difference between the threshold and the total - $398.95 - provided he signed a non-disclosure agreement.
He refused.
"I said, 'stick your money - I'm not going to shut-up about it'," he said, adding that he later lobbied the injustice of the situation to councillors directly to no effect, not to mention various other individuals and organisations, including local MPs and lobby group Ratepayers Victoria.
The latter, however, ultimately made contact and persuaded him to revive the Ballarat branch, with a view to pushing for reform of the Roads Management Act as well as greater transparency and what many perceive to be wasteful spending by council.
"Think about the state of our roads with all the potholes - any damage [to your car] below that threshold amount and you pay, not council. I would like that threshold amount amended because it creates a lax attitude in council and road authorities," he said.
"But I also want greater accountability - the community should be able scrutinise council decisions and challenge them where appropriate."
Beyond that, Mr Crawford said there was a view, in the current fiscal environment, that council should "get back to basics" by reining in ambitious projects and refraining from peripheral matters to local government, such as motions on nuclear disarmament.
"Times are difficult; council should probably focus on the things that are clearly local government - rates, roads and rubbish," he said.
"And it certainly should not be wasting ratepayer money on reports or motions on nuclear disarmament, which have nothing to do with local government."
In a bid to bring pressure to bear on council, Mr Crawford is encouraging people to join the association, including young people.
"Change can be difficult but a strong, united voice which advocates for the community on issues that affect residents is needed," he said.
"Cultural change has long been talked about in Ballarat but it can't happen unless people get involved. As I see it, complacency is the only thing stopping change in Ballarat."
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