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By Nasik Swami The Tatiara District Council is headed for a $2.9million loss this financial year, thanks to some “extraordinary circumstances”. The loss, which the council administration says is “largely due to grants not received yet,” was discussed at the council’s meeting in Bordertown on June 13. When asked by this newspaper for some clarity on the loss, council chief executive officer Anne Champness said the deficit included carry forwards and that it was important to understand where council revenue came from. “A large part of the projected deficit is related to grant payments, which include both payments received in the previous financial year, the 2021–22 financial year for this current financial year, and grants expected to be paid in this financial year at the time of setting our 2022–23 annual budget but now likely to be received in 2023–24 instead,” Ms Champness said. “Another significant component of the deficit […]

By Nasik Swami There is very little in the federal budget for towns like Naracoorte in regional South Australia. And with the new budget, the government has put the heavy lifting at the feet of the community, with very limited spending in the region to counterbalance the increasing costs. That’s how the shadow minister for finance and tax reform, Heidi Girolamo, has described the new budget, claiming it would only “bring economic hardships”. “Speaking of the federal budget to add to the pain, a lot of commentary from the credit-ratings agencies is saying that this latest budget will possibly add to inflation when what was needed was deflationary spending,” Ms Girolamo claimed. She told The News that the Reserve Bank’s decision to increase interest rates for the tenth time under the Federal Labor Government was difficult news for Australians struggling with the rising cost of living. “This latest hike means […]

By Nasik Swami Some of the fees and charges of the Naracoorte-Lucindale Council will increase from July 1. This follows the adoption of the new fees and charges guide by the council for the 2023–2024 financial year. The following fees and charges are set to increase: General administrative Aerodrome charges  Cemetery fees Dog registration and pound charges Expiation – reminder notice Harry Tregoweth Retirement Village – monthly maintenance fee Lucindale Recreation Ground – annual club fee Mobile food vending business permit fee Road reserve permit – annual fee Rental charge – Carters Road Waste transfer station fees Council manager finance and corporate Alex Edmonds told the council meeting on May 23 that fees and charges had not been increased for several years. “Each year we review our fees and charges guide, which comprises council set fees and charges as well as legislative fees and charges,” Ms Edmonds said while presenting […]

By Anne Champness, Chief Executive Officer, Tatiara District Council At its May meeting, Tatiara District Council had to make the disappointing decision to note a bad debt of $356,382.60 from the failed purchase of a new Paveline Auto Patch from Paveline International. “Back in 2022, Council sought quotes for the purchase of a patching truck, and after a formal tender process selected to purchase an Autopatch Road Repair Unit Truck from Paveline International for a total amount of $522,695,” Tatiara District Council Mayor Liz Goossens said. Council was advised on 31 January 2023 that the company has gone into liquidation. The Liquidator has since determined that it was not feasible to trade on the business and the company ceased to trade. The Liquidator also advised that he would not be completing any works that were on foot at the date of appointment or issuing any refunds regarding the payments made […]

By Nasik Swami The use of inappropriate language by elected members of the Naracoorte-Lucindale Council will not be tolerated in the chambers. That’s the warning from mayor Patrick Ross, who says with the livestreaming of the meetings, counsellors must conduct themselves in a manner pleasing to those who are listening and are interested in local matters. Filthy language was aimed at the mayor at his first meeting of the council by elected counsellor Craig Maguire. Mr Ross said this episode won’t be repeated. “I was very early in my term, and I most probably erred in respect. “I hope and expect that an outburst that we may have heard early in the year will never happen again. And if it were, that member would be sanctioned and asked to leave the chamber purely because of their behaviour. “I don’t believe any other mayor I have spoken to since that time […]

By Nasik Swami Naracoorte-Lucindale mayor Patrick Ross has defended the council’s ambitious spending on livestreaming council meetings to the public. The council has spent $72,472 for the supply and installation of the live streaming and recording systems in the current council chambers. The previous council had included $40,000 in its budget to enable meetings to be livestreamed, but that never happened. Based on recommendations purely from the council’s IT team, the new council added $32,472, bringing the total spend to $72,472 on the purchase of the livestreaming equipment. In a public letter, former mayor Bill Pomery questioned the council’s spending of ratepayer funds on live streaming the meetings. He asked, “Does the livestreaming merit such a large amount of rate payer money when the meetings were open to the public and media coverage was excellent?” In response, Mr Ross said he wouldn’t be able to tell whether this was a […]

By Nasik Swami The Naracoorte-Lucindale Council will do what it can within all townships of the district to provide an environment where business can thrive. That’s the assurance from mayor Patrick Ross to all businesses in the district, which are still recovering from COVID-19 and now feeling the pinch of inflationary pressures. While many businesses in the district failed to remain open after the pandemic, Mr Ross says small businesses in town were “very risky”. “Small business is very risky, and there are many failures for many different reasons, which only a very close look at the business in detail may provide,” he said. Mr Ross said the council’s responsibility was to ensure it provided fit-for-purpose roads and paving as well as maintaining a commercial precinct where businesses could hopefully thrive. “Council also has representation on the Naracoorte Business Organisation (Association), where needs and wants can be discussed and debated […]