Thursday, April 29, 2010

Ban double dipping. Glenorchy Mayor confirms she will not resign if elected to the upper house.

Glenorchy Mayor Adriana Taylor this morning confirmed on ABC statewide mornings(http://blogs.abc.net.au/tasmania/2010/04/elwick-candidates-forum.html?site=northtas&program=hobart_mornings) that she will be democratic double dipping if elected MLC of Elwick.
Taylor argued that the Mayor of GCC and Elwick MLC "go well together". Taylor also dragged out the old chestnut of the “cost of a new election for Mayor”.
Presumably Adriana Taylor believes that there is no other candidate or current GCC alderman who is capable of doing the Mayors job.
This blogger does care what your political persuasion is double dipping into different levels of government should be legislated against.
And that includes you Mike Gaffney, Ivan Dean and Mark Shelton.
...................
Bloggers note.
In light of Beres Taylor's (who is married to the Glenorchy Mayor and candidate for the seat of Elwick, Adriana Taylor. Beres should of declared this when posting) comments on this post I will acknowledge (upon some late research) these comments by Adriana Taylor's as publish in the Mercury 1 month ago....
.........................."It will be a heavy workload but the Elwick electorate falls within Glenorchy, the issues are the same, I would be representing the same people," she said.

She has also promised not to "double dip" and draw both the mayoral $80,000 allowance and MLC salary of more than $100,000.
She said she would not make the mistake of Windermere MLC and former Launceston mayor Ivan Dean, whose promise to donate one salary to charity landed him in court on bribery charges that were later thrown out.
"I will only take one salary, probably the legco [Legislative Council] one," she said.

As I stated in my response to Beres, my main concern is the democratic double dip. That is, holding two powerful offices in a small place like Tasmania. I believe as others do that this practice should be banned.
If Taylor is elected and follows up on her promise not to take both salaries i will commend her for this.
However noble, even this position is problematic. One could argue, if the officeholder feels that they can do both jobs justice, why not draw the salary? One could also argue that when the officeholder promises publically during a campaign not to take both wages that then this acts as an extra voter incentive, an incentive not available to other candidates who cannot promise what amounts to a large saving to the public purse. Is this fair? Personally I dont believe so? This is an area where I would like to see the law changed.
I welcome further comments on this debate.

4 comments:

  1. I suggest you check your facts and define what you mean by "double dipping". What Adriana clearly said this morning on ABC radio and also in the April edition of the "Glenorchy Gazette" was that, if elected, she would continue to do the 2 jobs, Mayor and MLC until the next Local government election. Many people with particular talents successfully hold down and fulfil the requirements and more of 2 high level positions. Our community needs to maximise the use of available talent, particularly in the political arena. Deliberately, nothing has been said at any time about payment.
    Your comments, in their present form clearly misrepresent her and the facts in this situation and you should withdraw them.

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  2. Beres, first of all when I use the term double-dipping i am primarily referring to double dipping politically not financially.
    I do understand that the term double-dip normally refers to financial matters. Nevertheless, in this case I remain of the opinion that holding down a parliamentary and aldermanic or mayor job is unfair on the ratepayer and taxpayer for the reasons I have stated. Remember that Taylor confirmd this morning on ABC radio that she was too busy to doorknock in this campaign because she was holding down a Mayor's job???
    These comments by the Mayor only serve to support my view. Sorry Beres.
    In the grown up world of politics Beres, publically elected officials who hold down two jobs on different levels of government are always going to leave themselves open to accusations of double dipping.

    So I am not sure why you are attacking me Beres. I dont appreciate being heavied and asked to withdraw my comments for holding my views on the double dip.
    Also, whether Taylor has said she will holds the job till the next election is immaterial to this argument.
    My comments do not misrepresent Taylor.
    I notice you have the same surname as the Elwick candidate. Are you a relation of the candidate for Elwick? If so it is ill-advised for a campaigner or relative to be attacking media & media commentators for having an opinion. Please clarify this Beres.
    Also Beres I am not sure what you are suggesting when you say ..."Deliberately, nothing has been said at any time about payment". For me this comment is concerning.
    I would be very careful if I were an alderman or Mayor running for a parliamentary position in the same community saying or having any of their supporters remotely inferring foregoing their mayoral entitlements when they are standing for a parliamentary job in the same area. Remember the trouble Ivan Dean found himself in doing just that? You should probably clarify what you mean by that comment Beres.
    Anyway, you may want to download this recording (see link provided) of the Elwick candiates forum this morning where Taylor stated uncategorically that she would retain the Mayor’s position if elected MLC for Elwick. I have relistened since your post. http://blogs.abc.net.au/tasmania/2010/04/elwick-candidates-forum.html?site=northtas&program=hobart_mornings.
    Have a listen and then you might want to consider withdrawing some of your words Beres.

    Regards Pilko

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