Spin City

MEDIA RELEASE

Spin City out of Control at Clover Moore's Town Hall

Liberal Sydney City Councillor Shayne Mallard has criticised the dramatic growth in expenditure under Clover Moore's administration for ‘Communications Consultants’ at the City of Sydney.

“Clover Moore’s generous spending on communications consultants is just another example of her shameless self promotion,” Shayne Mallard said.

Council is being asked to approve the appointment of a panel of communication consultants for an unspecified amount and with little information provided on their role or cost to the ratepayers. This is in addition to the $30,000 per month now being spent on “Spin City” in her Lord Mayor's office as well as the significant cost of a newly appointed communications director and his staff.

“City News”, a City of Sydney bi-monthly publication which is distributed to residents and ratepayers at enormous expense is already heavily biased in favour of the Lord Mayor and her group and against the other five Councillors”, mallard said.

“City News October edition has one reference to non-Moore Councillor Verity Firth and 19 pictures and references to Clover Moore and her village people.”

"If that's not proof that Moore and her staff can not be trusted to act responsibly with Council's communications budget, I'm not sure what is needed."

Residents could easily forget there are five other hard working City Councillors working for the interests of Sydney residents and ratepayers.

Much of City News, even its format, is indistinguishable from the cascade of self promotion the Member for Bligh and Lord Mayor unleashes on residents and ratepayers every other month at taxpayer and ratepayer's expense.

The cost of the Lord Mayor’s self promotion could go along way towards other more useful city services.

Councillor Mallard estimated that Communications expenditure at the Council had blown out from approximately $250,000 under Frank Sartor to potentially over a $1 million under Clover Moore.

Councillor Mallard's motion to establish an editorial balance oversight committee was defeated by Clover Moore's casting vote tonight as accountability and transparency was rejected.

RELEASE ENDS

27 February 2006

Shayne's Web: www.shaynemallard.com

Shayne's Blog: www.shaynemallard.blogspot.com

City of Sydney:www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au