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All over the world artists and performers are being asked to volunteer their time and skills to some good cause or another. It is a kind of slavery! Now in Launceston its councillors get paid what seems to be a reasonably generous allowance for their time doing their civil service but they expect artists not only give up their time, and give away the benefits of their hard won expertise, but bear all the costs of doing so. 

Among the quirky vernacular 'ockerisms' I've come across is the one that goes "do not come the raw prawn with me" and it seems to fit like a glove here if that is not too many cliche's in one sentence. It is about time that councillors, took a few lessons in empathy and checked their their moral compass in to be serviced. That is so especially for the ones who sit in meetings saying nothing, who reputedly do not take calls from their constituents but nonetheless turn up to get their attendance money.

It is legend that bad taste creates many more millionaires than good taste – well mostly. The story goes that a little bad taste is like a nice dash of whisky and cream in your coffee. It's bad taste to be wise all the time, like being at every idiot's funeral dressed to the nines. What is really exhilarating in bad taste is the aristocratic pleasure of giving offence and getting away with it.

At the meeting that council took the decision to yet again rip off artists – there is no other way to put it – the city's ratepayers made a submission to The City's Good Burgers basically asking them to consider paying these 'advisers' a sitting fee and expenses. Click here to read the ratepayers response and see below for the submission.

Culturally this council does seem to be overly endowed with dilettantes and philistines unable to deliver on the expectations of a culturally aware community and what seems to be an increasingly diverse, and increasingly sensitive, community. But what would I know – blow in and interloper that I am.

To borrow heavily from Dr Vale's words and digging about ... "Manfred Rommel prominent German and influential municipal politician speaking of Adolf Hitler said "of course, Hitler was a dilettante, but he was a completely amoral person. Yes, he had no morals at all" In his words, these words, there is something to ponder upon even the 21st Century  – even in Launceston."

The rift between the thinking people that one generally finds oneself among when you blow in from village life into Tasmania and discover the 'political class', well it is edifying. With a dusty rucksack looking to hide from COVID well away from American disfunction, Tasmania looked like a good and safe option. Now I'm learning that the Internet is a necessity.

My guess is that this council will find people to fill its committee. The willing will do their best and when they find that they are frustrated and misunderstood they will have to wonder where all this is going and why they imagined they could make a difference. You see, we tend not to value what we do not pay for.

It's interesting when you 'blow in' and learn about someone you should have known about but didn't – well maybe I might have but it just didn't register. Right here, and right now knowing about Joseph Beuys somehow makes sense. However, spending time with his legacy might tell us a great deal and cause us to rethink a few things.

Every day an elephant doesn’t step on your head, it is your lucky day. Your days do not have to be perfect but they do need be lucky ones. However, you do not need to know if it’s good or bad until you have some perspective. We can try to perceive everything as a good luck, then our lives will change for the better ... possibly.

Luther Blissett 2021

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TASMANIAN RATEPAYERS' SUBMISSION CoL MAY 2021

The 'City of Launceston has announced yet another 'committee' ostensibly to provide the council, presumably the elected representatives, with advice on cultural matters. At face value this appears to be a very positive move on council's behalf. 

Nonetheless, if it is to be as other council committees are, it will be yet another committee that appears as if it is achieving something but not by necessity. They may provide council with advice but somehow they appear to be stifled in their ability to do so. 

Typically such committees are set up to:

• Primarily, to provide 'council and councillors' with advice; and

• Secondarily, to provide 'council management' with auxiliary 'information provided by an expert/s' in order that a GM can satisfy SECTION 65 of the Local Govt Act 1993 .

The base 'assumption' being that neither 'councillors nor management' have automatic access to appropriate advice in their decision making.

This being the case it seems that with the establishment of 'this committee' it is timely to address the administrative processes that currently impact negatively upon: 

•  The relevance of such committees' contribution to 'better governance'; and 

 •  The delivery of better outcomes for ratepayers.

It has been stated in the press that the council is seeking to 

" attract practising artists or industry professionals who have a thorough understanding of the issues and challenges experienced by community-based arts and cultural groups and organisations". 

The underlying implication here is that these people – cultural experts, cultural producers, heritage experts, et al – are being called upon to provide 'professional advice'. If not, why call upon them to offer council the benefit of their professional experience and expertise.  

Despite being typically the least able members community to 'freely' volunteer their time, experience and expertise these people are apparently being called upon to yet again to 'volunteer' their time, and their expertise, and their hard won experience 'without a reward of any kind'. 

If that is not what is on offer here, then what is? Is this committee to be populated with dilettantes able to give freely of their time for that euphemistic "warm and fuzzy feeling"? If it is why bother?

Interestingly, those with established networks in the community are being called upon yet again to volunteer their experience and expertise on the assumption that they and/or their employers and communities,  are well enough endowed to be able to give freely of their time and hard won experience. And, all that at the expense of income opportunities quite often.

Interestingly, council is unlikely to set up a committee of engineers, trades people, whatever, without offering some kind of 'reward'. In reality, it would be contentious if they did, given that few would take up the 'flattering offer' without some kind of remuneration – sometimes euphemistically called a 'backhand kick back' or 'first bite of the cherry' arrangement.

Typically the people who offer their free advice are those who have no use for that advice themselves anyway. As the proverbs say "free advice is worth exactly what you have just paid for it". None of us are likely to accept free specialist medical advice from a enthusiastic health dilettante and trust it implicitly. So why should we – council or ratepayers – expect to trust free advice on cultural matters – if it actually matters at all.

Against this background, now might well be the time to 'seriously reconsider' the circumstance under which 'expert council committees' are established. 

Ratepayers are all too aware of the fees paid to 'independent experts' for advice to satisfy SECTION 65 of the Act. If these 'committees' are offering 'expert advice' their membership needs to be treated with the kind of respect other experts are given and deserve.

On the other hand, if council is 'not seeking independent advice' – frank and free advice – why go through the pointless charade of inconsequential 'window dressing' while using up the resources of people with 'cultural expertise'? 

Why not reward the delivery of free and frank advice, if it is in fact 'expert advice'?  Why expose professionals to the distain of non-experts making adverse decisions and determinations about their expertise?

If the answer is 'let's flatter them' and do what we want to whatever, that would be totally cynical exercise not worthy of a representative and accountable 'council'.

Against this background it is recommended that:

1.  In setting up any committee of the kind indicated in the press, ratepayers and other interested people be invited to nominate candidates setting out their relevant expertise and experience. Also, it is recommended that candidates from locations beyond the Municipality of Launceston be sought in order that the most appropriate candidates be available for eventual appointment.

2.  In setting up any committee of the kind indicated,  it is recommended that nominations be sought for an independent person to take up the position of Chairperson; and

• That she/he be provided with an unambiguous Charter for the committee that; 
• Clearly sets out the committee's purpose; and
• Clearly articulates the committee's objectives; and
• Clearly within the objectives provide an item that addresses Aboriginal, natural and built heritage; and
• Clearly informs the committee members of Council's rationale for establishing the committee; and that
• Sets out the scope of the Chairperson's authority and tenure; and
• Provides for an appropriate Chairpersons' Allowance.

 3.  Any committee of the kind indicated, all councillors and council staff serve on the committee ex-officio without the benefit of any additional payment. Moreover, a council officer be assigned to provide appropriate secretarial services in support of the Chairperson.

 4.  Any committee of the kind indicated, all non-councillors serving on the committee will be 'directly accountable' to council's elected representatives and remunerated for their services via:

• An appropriate  sitting fee; 
• An appropriate Chairpersons allowance;
• Approved travel expenses when and where required; and 
• All other approved out-of-pocket expenses. ... See this link

 5.  Any committee of the kind indicated, the Chairperson will be the committee's 'designated spokesperson' and all communications from the committee will be channeled directly through the Chairperson to Council and other bodies when and where appropriate. Moreover, all councillors may attend meeting as 'observers' in order that they may gain better understandings' of the committee's advice and work.

 6.  Any committee of the kind indicated, will report openly, and on the record, to council at its regular meetings, following its own meetings, and in regard to advice it is offering to council – and by extension council staff, ratepayers and the wider community.