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Soccer fever FANS of the ‘beautiful game’ backed local World Cup celebrations on Saturday. The Korumburra City Soccer Club and Inverloch’s South Coast Stars hosted Socceroos breakfasts to coincide with the Australian team’s first World Cup game. Taking on Chile, Australia lost the match 3 - 1. Around 40 people turned out to the Korumburra Recreation Reserve to watch the much anticipated match on three televisions. The roar of the crowd when Tim Cahill put one in the net was audible from the car park. Among the Korumburra fans were, from left, Michael Smith from Korumburra, Simon Brady from Kardella, Kristie Smith and Phil Miller from Korumburra, with youngsters Quinn and Zane Brady. The Socceroos now take on The Netherlands at 2am EST Thursday.
OUTRAGE Ratepayers rebel against budget pain
By Brad Lester
Acid leak
Page 3
Page 49
USA opens eyes
RATEPAYERS have unleashed a fiery attack on South Gippsland Shire Council, claiming they are being charged excessive rates while council refuses to slash costs. They say council is spending too much money on staff, Coal Creek Community Park and Museum, and caravan parks while demanding ratepayers foot the rising bill. Those anxieties were raised during council’s budget submission process. Some ratepayers addressed council in Leongatha last Wednesday and said council was not listening to their woes. Despite the submissions, council officers largely recommended council not change the budget. Council will consider adopting the budget at the June 25 council meeting, after receiving 33 submissions. That budget proposes to increase general rates by 5.5 per cent and introduce a new rat-
ing strategy based on charging some farmers less, and some businesses, industries and vacant landowners more. Leongatha Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Bair Street property owner Tony Westaway, both believed commercial rate rises were too high and would hurt businesses. Chamber president Peter Watchorn said, “We feel that in the current retail environment that we are enduring now, (with) retailers and businesses struggling to keep their doors open, not only (in) Leongatha but neighbouring towns, to have any rate rise will only impact on their business.” Mr Westaway said Bair Street was “slowly dying with some 13 shops currently vacant”. “The proposal to increase the commercial differential to 105 per cent is very short sighted, when in fact council should be looking at ways to promote retail tenants in the town,” he said. Robert Gayner of Venus Bay said the town’s ratepayers received few services for their money, and urged council to stop using the town as a “cash cow”. “To increase rates by 132 per cent over
END OF FINANCIAL YEAR DEALS - DON’T MISS OUT
10 years is monstrous and unsustainable. The council’s empire building and lavish salaries cannot continue,” he said. John McKay of Foster suggested council merge with Bass Coast Shire to save money. Michael McDonnell of Korumburra labelled council’s new rating strategy as “illegal”, claiming it was inequitable. “It is highly likely that legal proceedings will be initiated against the council if the matter proceeds,” his submission stated. Meg Knight of Foster said ratepayers could face a rate increase of more than 25 per cent over the next five years. She demanded council rein in rate rises by reducing expenditure, refusing cost shifting by other levels of government, outsourcing services, and addressing employee costs of $23.145 million. Ms Knight called on council to freeze management salaries and new hiring, and reduce full time employees to 250 from 261 next financial year. Continued on page 4.
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