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Monday, 13 February 2023
QUESTION ON NOTICE BUT OFF THE RECORD
This is somewhat extraordinary in that the intension in asking questions on notice was to have the Mayor and Councillors to address the issues via deliberation. BUT NO here we have an officer presuming to know what Councillors might say IF they had been given the opportunity to address the issues – POLICY ISSUES essentially – ideally around the decision making table. Management's role is to put into action the determinations of Councillors – the policy makers, the strategists, the governance body.
Ultimately, this eMAIL is an expemplar of management usurping the the function of governance albeit that a good many of 'the Councillors' typically turn a blind eye and lend a deaf ear as they count their shekels for being there.
Looking to 'the Bible' and GOD'Sword for inspiration, in the 1st Epistle to Timothy 2.12, there is this...""But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence." This is of course an ENGLISHtranslation blighted more that somewhat by the inbuilt misogyny and rankism that tends to come with EMIREbuilding. Subliminally this class of 'blighting' taints Town Hall's decision making and by extension 'the placemaking' – Council's fundamental purpose for being.
Management it seems is more than comfortable with the status quo and apparently so too is a cohort of Councillors – especially those on a SIDEgig. Resistance to change should be something that is behind us but if we could develop growth mindsets and create organisations with growth cultures local governance might well be more effective in delivering what its constituencies seek.
Response to Ms. Purchase,
Your advice is noted as has been Mr Campbell’s of the 13th of Feb.
However, it needs to be said that you lack the authority to deem what you do, and make the assertions that you have, without being instructed so to do by ‘the Councillors’ the city’s governance body and thus the determiners of policy and strategy. As yet, there is no credible evidence of them doing that either on or off the public record. If I am mistaken please advise me of the extent of my mistake and ideally on the record. ... Ray Norman
Do it with the communities within 'a place' rather than to them!
Let not the tail waggeth the dog
Swami Mukundunandill
JUST DO NOT HAVE A HOME TO GO TO
LINKback ...https://homeless7250.blogspot.com/
ECHOlink ... https://echo7250.blogspot.com/2023/02/launcestons-largely-ignored-housing.html
A 'home' is a physical 'place' or structure within which a person or household lives. In a legal sense, a home is the place of permanent residency where one lives, or intends to return to live.
• A 'home' is NOT an investment, rather it is a 'fundamental human right'.
• Legally, a home is a person's permanent primary residence—even if they aren't currently living there.
• A physical location is still legally considered a 'home' if there is an intention to return and the resident has not been claimed someplace else as their legal place of permanent or principal residence.
• A home can determine everything from the taxes one pays to one's citizenship status to the laws one follows.
“A house is made of bricks and beams.
A home is made of hopes and dreams.”
RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS ON NOTICE
GO TO
https://echo7250.blogspot.com/2023/02/question-on-notice-but-off-record.html
&
https://echo7250.blogspot.com/2023/02/questions-to-mayor-all-councillors.html
WARNING
Be aware that If you have questions of Launceston's Councillors you are best to put them to them up close and personal. However finding one to do that to is very difficult. Forget 'the formal protocols' as some functionary or other will give you a disconnected response and speaking on behalf of ALL Councillors given that she/he/whoever thinks that they are just bunch of nobodies. See this for context
However, the question of questions for the Councillors should ever be asking is .... What type of 'place' am I contributing to the making of? But this is a question that most never entertain.
Sunday, 12 February 2023
LAUNCESTON'S LARGELY IGNORED HOUSING CRISIS
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FIRSTLY, this story has taken too long to be told and for the editorial space to be afforded it. Albeit that what has been published is significant, it is nowhere near enough. This story is in many ways a 'dead cat'!
Boris Johnson when he was London's mayor he wrote a column in The Telegraph which he described as the "dead cat" – a piece of Australian political strategy – used in a situation in which the argument is being lost and the facts are overwhelmingly against you.
Think about it, there is one thing that is absolutely certain about throwing a dead cat on the dining room table . Yes, people will be outraged, alarmed, disgusted and while that is true, it is totally irrelevant. The point being that everyone will shout, ‘Jeez, mate, there’s a dead cat on the table!’ Like they will be talking about the dead cat – the very thing that you want them to talk about. They will NOT be talking about the real issue that has been causing so much grief. What might that be?
Think about it, there is one thing that is absolutely certain about throwing a dead cat on the dining room table . Yes, people will be outraged, alarmed, disgusted and while that is true, it is totally irrelevant. The point being that everyone will shout, ‘Jeez, mate, there’s a dead cat on the table!’ Like they will be talking about the dead cat – the very thing that you want them to talk about. They will NOT be talking about the real issue that has been causing so much grief. What might that be?
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It has been said that the solution here is "POLITICAL" and that is only if 'the community' is disempowered. Mind you, that would be a bureaucraticIMPERATIVE come what may given all that these 'functionaries' have invested in the status quo.
Discrimination and multiple deprivations of human rights are so often a big part of the problem. In effect it sentences entire populations to poverty. It is surely a matter of outrage that over half a million women die annually from complications related to pregnancy and childbirth. Likewise, it is outrageous that internationally First Nations people are systematically discriminated against. Annual death tolls globally, arguably, are a direct reflection of the disempowerment of women, indigenous peoples et al in social, economic and political life.
Right now, and right here in Tasmania, the HOUSING CRISIS is attributable in large part to discriminative mindsets socially, culturally and politically. For example, right now in Launceston there is cluster 'heritage buildings' that have been deemed 'unusable'. The abandoned 'nurses accommodation' at LGH might well provide shelter for 'people suffering housing stress' but NO ... it looks for all the world like an opportunity-in-waiting for some politicalMATE or other!
Those euphemistically and collectively called 'the homeless' are seen as some kind of trouble maker or other who need to be "moved on"! Where to one might ask and let it not be my backyard ... the NIMBY factor.
Unless and until 'governance' and 'the community' engage, cooperate and collaborate there is no chance whatsoever for those in housing stress to fulfil their aspiration to avail themselves of the fundamental human right to make a 'place ... a home' for themselves. As the Dali Lama tells the world "home is where you feel at home and are treated well."
The City of Launceston formed a committee to address homelessness back in June 2022 and to date nothing has been achieved beyond appointing its members. As is the way with such committees, they meet until they determine that there is nothing that it can do. SO, bureaucratically ... JOB DONE!
Three quote to do with bureaucracy:
• ... Bureaucracy is like a fungus that contaminates everything. Jaime Lerner
• ...In any bureaucracy, there's a natural tendency to let the system become an excuse for inaction. Chris Fussell
• ...Bureaucracy defends the status quo long past the time when the quo has lost its status. Laurence J. Peter
• ...In any bureaucracy, there's a natural tendency to let the system become an excuse for inaction. Chris Fussell
• ...Bureaucracy defends the status quo long past the time when the quo has lost its status. Laurence J. Peter
Saturday, 11 February 2023
THE VALUE OF DELIBERATION
There comes when you might say, this is the truth and here I mark dot, a full stop, and go on to another thing. Judge have to put an end to a deliberation. But for historians, there is never an end to the past. It goes on and on and on as it must.
So, as Confucius says, "Study without reflection is a waste of time; reflection without study is dangerous." And as Immanuel Kant said "Intuition and concepts constitute the elements of all our knowledge, so that neither concepts without an intuition in some way corresponding to them, nor intuition without concepts, can yield knowledge."
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So, the loss of deliberation in local governance comes with alarming consequences. The governed lose engagement with their governors and the assumed trust invested in 'government' is put aside in the cause of 'managerial convenience'. When something is deemed, typically it for the sake of convenience.
However, it is almost understandable for trusted representatives to slink off into dark room to do their deliberating. When it's excesses get to be exposed the perpetrators of self-service just do not look all that shiny as needs be.
It is worth remembering that a magician is just a liar who has not been caught yet!
IT IS GETTING INTERESTINGER AND INTERESTINGER AT LAUNIE’S TOWN HALL
There are days when you just know that theBUDDHA was on the money when he said that there three thing that ust cannot be hidden ... THE SUN THE MOON AND THE TRUTH. 2023 is the year of the rabbit and theRABBIT is a sign of peace and prosperity. In 2023 in 'Launceston' there is every prospect of the year meaning a peaceful year, a gentler year, and for most of us it will hopefully be a smoother life after big changes in the year of tiger 2022. 
The year of theRABBIT is one where the sacrifices of the past are rewarded generously. All the seeds of effort we have sown shall finally bear fruit whose sweetness is determined by the purity of our heart’s intent so the teachings tell us.
Investors may well find an extra ounce of ‘good-luck’ this year.
The year of theRABBIT is a rewarding one for those willing to take risks. Owing to rabbits being a fertility symbol, this year is also a powerful year to not only start new business ventures, but also, it will be beneficial for artists to get inspired and move in new directions. All this Launceston needs given all that has gone before.SO, Nick Clark's contribution in The Examiner today may well be a sign of theRABBIT doing its thing. Now that Launceston seems to be emerging out of the darkness at Town Hall where everything was, by managerial convention, carried on in camera, hope springs eternal – especially in the year of theRABBIT.
Embedded in Nick Clark's contribution are questions upon questions about the actual goings on in camera at Town Hall. That littleBIRDIE who frequents the Brisbane Street Mall is squawking about the enlisted smartONE at STATE GROWTH – Tasmania's very own version of UTOPIA – and the idea that this whole 'Birchalls Debacle' originated right there as an off-the-shelf project for Launceston Town Hall to run with. Ever since there has been a looming cloud over the Birchalls carpark also known as Paterson Street Central Carpark.
It needs to be understood that ethically and morally Launceston was NEVER truly eligible for the $10Million Grant given that Launceston had not actually experienced a drought.
For whatever reason at Town Hall the MORALcompass was put in the drawer and the 'she'll-be-right' factor was given a 'full go'. Politically, this money was only ever 'Feel-good project for a marginal Liberal seat'. Now who can spot the UTOPIA model at work here?
Ever since the ink was still wet on the signature of the grant application this whole project has blighted the moral fibre of the city and its governance. It might be that at Town Hall Jim Elliff's words may have somehow subliminally influenced the judgements made. He has said "The blood of Jesus unfailingly cleanses the believer from his sin at all times. There could be no sin that the blood does not cover, confessed or not confessed. Though our sins were taken care of in the cross of Christ, and by His blood being spilled for us, it is applied immediately in time to every sin we commit the nano-second we commit it." it is an interesting reason to put a moral compass away.
However, in the world where another wisdom prevails Confucius tells us that "It is man that makes truth great, and not truth that makes man great." More recently Robert W. Fuller called out "rankism" and sadly that is something we find too much of in governance –at all levels.
Rankism is "abusive, discriminatory, and/or exploitative behavior towards people because of their rank in a particular hierarchy. Rank-based abuse underlies many other phenomena such as bullying, racism, hazing, ageism, sexism, ableism, mentalism, anti-semitism, homophobia and transphobia.
Fuller asks and says, "Who are the nobodies? Those with less power. At the moment."
"A somebody in one setting can be a nobody in another, and vice versa. A somebody now might be a nobody a moment later, and vice versa."
The abuse of power inherent in rank is rankism. When somebodies use the power of their position in one setting to exercise power in another, that's rankism. When somebodies use the power of their position to put a permanent hold on their power, that, too, is rankism. Be aware, be alert!
"A somebody in one setting can be a nobody in another, and vice versa. A somebody now might be a nobody a moment later, and vice versa."
The abuse of power inherent in rank is rankism. When somebodies use the power of their position in one setting to exercise power in another, that's rankism. When somebodies use the power of their position to put a permanent hold on their power, that, too, is rankism. Be aware, be alert!
OK, so this is all a bit preachy but looking back and looking forward and musing upon theRABBIT there is much to muse upon in Launceston. Nick Clark's contribution in The Examiner today is indeed a sign that change may well be in process. When truth is outed, in whatever form that turns out to be, the likelihood of diverse and inclusive placemaking taking hold somehow expands.
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Friday, 10 February 2023
SADLY WHAT IS BEING REVEALED AT TOWN HALL IS TROUBLING
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The most significant element of this story is that ultimately the Councillors got to deliberate on management's 'recommendations' rather than simply give them a BIGtick and send them off to the minister as it was apparently intended – and quite possibly it was what Minister Street would have liked too.
Launceston's aldermen from the pre-Van Zetten era, and before, will tell you if you ask that open discourse around the table was how things were done. That is those ex-aldermen who are still around and who muse upon their rememberings of how things were once upon na time. However, until recently nobody was asking or listening.
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Yes, it was a different time and yes, mistakes were made, and a lot of them, but they were out there pretty much in open and deliberated upon in open council around the table. This is not to suggest that we should aim to return to the 'good-old-days', certainly not. The State Govt., on the evidence, is feigning 'local governance reform' but in reality what seems to the case is that 'the operatives' are just tinkering with an Act installed in 1993 that even in its time was blighted by its obvious inadequacies and irrelevances. At that time the resistance to anything audacious or revolutionary was ruled out of order.
What is truly bewildering in one way is the status quoism that's on display. On the other hand it is entirely expectable as the 'civic functionaries' have thousands upon thousands of reasons for keeping things the way they are. Each and every reason has a dollar sign in front of it. And, who pays, the hapless ratepayer and taxpayer and via every means those who were once 'servants' and are now busily turning themselves into overlords in an expanding fiefdom can devise.
No wonder when the 21st C arrived, the Act was well past its use-by-date. It has been mouldering away and is becoming less and less relevant in a 21st C context each day. What is truly broken in local governance is the expectation that 'elected representatives' can actually 'represent' a diverse and diversifying constituency. In retrospect, it was only possible in Tasmania when the constituency imagined itself as Anglocentric cum Eurocentric and the rightful inheritors of a colonial past. In Tasmania that was before the terra nullius idea was debunked and before the full impact of a multi cultural reality revealed itself. For some, this is proving to be a bitter pill.So, when when the press offers up a critique that cuts to the bone and the current mayor fires a shot in defence of the past and indeed the status quo, it is crystal clear that a raw nerve has been hit and that an element of of the 'incumbency' feels threatened.
Then the rumours that two northern council's managements are are attempting broker a deal where others between them get divided up in some kind colonising amalgamation this is alarming inn so much that has everything to do with building power bases and nothing whatsoever to do with 'placemaking' let alone better, more transparent and more accountable governance. It has been attempted before and no doubt it will be again just so long as status quoism is the imperative.
To reiterate, the most significant element of this whole story is that ultimately the Councillors got to deliberate on management's 'recommendations' – arguably self-serving recommendations – rather than simply give them a BIGtick and then send them on their merry way to the Minister's desk to ensure that nothing really changes.
Every last element of the managerial recommendations for 'change', boiled down to their essentials, are cosmetic and delivered in a cloud of smoke with mirrors flashing and with trumpets heralding their importance.
What is needed in local governance is the model of democracy that is direct and deliberative – DDD ... Direct Deliberative Democracy [Link] - [Link]. It is achievable and indeed being achieved elsewhere.
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Wednesday, 8 February 2023
COMMUNICATION TO ALL CITY OF LAUNCESTON'S COUNCILLORS
FOR CONTEXT: The copy below is of the letter delivered by email and it is just the most recent exemplar of what I have been advised might well constitute discrimination. For myself I have more to do than spend time and to be feeding a layers' picnic'.
If ratepayers were to engage in a legal tussle of this kind and even WIN all ratepayers would lose BIGtime given that they would be paying Council's and/or its officers' legal expensed etc. etc.
So, there is no win-win to be had and many of us don't look to legal action in a win-win way. You have to give in a little bit; you have to take a little bit and then get on with it. Now is never a good time to adopt the fetal position and withdraw from the world.
After all in the end, everything has to be rinsed out and cleaned up in the aftermath of the engagement. Typically there is collateral damage all over the place.
As much as we can we should all take the advice of the likes of Mark Twain who said "it is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt."
THE eMAIL: Dear Councillors,
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If as the GM/CEO suggests I am jeopardising the health and safety, of Councillors’ and Council officers’, in any way I apologise without reservation. It certainly is not my intention to do anything of the kind.
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For context, for the most part, given that Launceston Town Hall is an ‘action research laboratory’ for my ongoing research into ‘place, placemaking placescaping and placemarking’ in the context of CULTURALgeography my emails are sent in the context of open discourse, transparency, and accountability. This 'Lab' after all is conveniently located at the bottom of the hill I live upon.
Except for ‘QUESTIONS ON NOTICE’ generally:
•...No action at all is required of a Councillor or Council officer; and
•... Therefore, they should not place any kind of administrative burden on anyone; unless
•...A Councillor or Council officer should choose take any action on their own initiative for their own purposes; albeit
•...That mostly, my correspondence is documented for all to see at various location on the internet like https://echo7250.blogspot.com/; and
•...That is done in order that researchers wherever they may be can make rhizomatic linkages in regard to their own independent research activity etc.
So, any claim that I am taking up valuable administrative time, I suggest is a ‘truth by assertion’ . The only time it might possibly take is the time to think something through, but that is not required at all.
Apart from emailing Councillors and/or Council officers I alert a wide network of people in order that I might:
•...Openly notify them of findings, observations and gleaned information; and
•...Test the veracity of such information in regard to further research on their and my own part.
In the context of ‘action research’ that is the professional and ethical thing to do.
My anticipated research outcome is, will be, a publication of some kind unless some LIFEevent intervenes. In the meantime, there are digital publications. Moreover, what is revealing itself in Local Governance in Launceston, Tasmania and indeed nationally is that local governance is ‘allergic’ to frank and fearless criticism and critique and sometimes to the extent of dysfunctionalism …. It is what it is!
There is no intent on my part to do anything other than share information and where appropriate share critical assessments. If a reasonable person finds this threatening in anyway, I am more than willing to address the issue. So, against this backgrounding I find the ‘Communications Protocol’ somewhat extraordinary, but it does not impact upon me in any significant way …. It is what it is!
My ego is not so big that I cannot deal with the consequences of all this such as they are. As I’ve said over and over there is nothing to be won or lost here except better understandings. If along the way mistakes are made so be it, but it can only happen if there is an attempt to challenge the status quo or there is an attempt to do something new and audacious.
Regards,
Ray
Norman
Tuesday, 7 February 2023
A FEEBLE CALL FOR CHANGE AND A CRY IN THE DARK
This month Councillors are yet again being asked to endorse a kind of self-serving cobbled together 'report' from 'management ' – Council's operational wing – to Councillors that is ultimately intended to go to the Minister for Local Govt. OH my goodness!
Clearly, this is an exemplar of the 'functionaries' blowing smoke and flashing mirrors – some movement and light in the absence anything substantial. Why? Well to an individual they have their futures invested in the status quo. So, a bandaid here, a stitch over there, a patch just there and a bandage there, that'll sort it for now ... fingers crossed.
And another thing, the higher up the functionary ladder one goes there are thousands upon thousands of reasons to resist meaningful change. Think about it, every last one has a 'dollar sign' in front of it. This is how 'executive salaries' got on those those malapropish 'stair rods' where the lost perspective became entrenched. So, the hapless ratepayer is left to carry the can.
Not to put too fine a point on it, down there in Town Hall on St. John Street the excesses are palpable and entrenched. And, for those on a SIDEgig, that too is as Arthur Daley said, "it is a nice little earner"!
So, no ifs, no buts, local governance in Tasmania, and elsewhere, it is broken along with the IERM approach governance per se. The last Council has left Launcestonians in all kinds of trouble and that may well take many years fix. For the most part it and some before saw the 'elected 12' virtually abdicate and allowed governance and management to become 'blanded and blended'. Oh what a legacy! It is not the kind of legacy that Shakespeare spoke of when he said "there is no legacy so rich as honesty."
In brief, it is a bloody mare's nest, pun intended!
NOTE TO THINKING COUNCILLORS
Don't do this, don't go there,
represent your constituency!
The tail waggeth the dog!
Monday, 6 February 2023
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