AN EXASPERATED Wagga City Councillor has sensationally stood down as chair of the city’s flood risk advisory committee, infuriated at council’s reluctance to listen.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Cr Paul Funnell, who’s chaired the committee for almost two of his three years on the body, has grown disillusioned that staff continue to demand reports and studies, rather than listening to recommendations and making decisions.
“We keep going over and over and over the same things,” he said.
“Like so many things in this organisation, they don’t listen. It’s time for action, so therefore I am not going to waste any more of my time.”
Cr Funnell listed floodplain vegetation and council’s dumping of fill on the North Wagga floodplain as examples where staff have failed to act on the committee’s suggestions.
“It (the committee) plays a very important role in my eyes, (but) it’s a toothless tiger,” Cr Funnell said. “They aren’t listening and there’s no action. The bureaucracy of the organisation, they just do what they want.”
Cr Funnell, an irrigator with three kilometres of river frontage, has been heavily involved in the water industry, including heading a Murray Darling Basin Authority committee.
“Water is my life,” he said. “I’m pleased with my time on there.”
Cr Funnell commended the work of those on the committee and vowed to continue fighting for what he believes is right.
The committee – comprising representatives from the State Emergency Service, Office of Environment and Heritage, council staff, elected councillors and the community – is a means of communicating and consulting with members of the community about floodplain risk management.
Council will now elect a new council representative to the committee and a chair will be elected from within the committee at its next meeting.
A council spokesman denied the organisation refused to listen, stating all committee recommendations were referred to council for consideration.
Council also hit back at allegations of dumping on the North Wagga floodplain, adding matters were dealt with individually when reported to council.
“Council also manages land on the North Wagga floodplain which is used as both a “borrow pit” (for civil construction works) and also the temporary storage of material on an as needs basis,” the spokesman said. “The use of the borrow pits to source clay and stock pile material is not illegal dumping.”
