Published On: 14/09/2015

The thing about being a policy maker and an elected representative is that people expect you to lead first by example. As a minimum, we would also expect that one would practice what one preaches.

While I’m reading the draft Councillor’s Expense Policy document what struck me was the Lord Mayoral Car and Driver.

It’s seems very quaint and completely at odds with the Lord Mayor’s “progressive” agenda that where possible residents should go about their business by walking, cycling and catching public transport.

Certainly what is good for the goose ought to be good for the gander.

There are definitely times when taking your own car makes sense. If the Lord Mayor took her own car to events she would learn first hand the result of her anti parking policies. You have to factor in up to thirty minutes to find a park and to walk to a venue.

While it must be awfully convenient to pull up, Double-park and make a grand entrance to theatre opening nights, it’s just not very 2015 and just not very global city.

The local government area is also not very large, it only goes from the Harbour to Rosebery, and everyone else seems to get along fine without a car and driver.

You may also want to empathise with those who pay for us to be here. When they drive to the city, they are paying fringe benefits tax and high costs to rent a car space because we have built so few of them. That’s hardly a problem for you.

With 24 Mayoral staff, perhaps one would be kind enough to drive you in your own car or you could catch a taxi like everyone else does. Or maybe it’s time for you to get Uber on your Council smartphone.

Lord Mayor we’ve burdened the Taxpayer with so many of your boondoggles in this term, it’s probably time you demonstrated that on one occasion at least, you have a sense of respect for the Taxpayer.