Are Clarence Valley ratepayers expected to pay for rehabilitating the reputation of the Nationals MP for Clarence?

A little history courtesy of Clarence Valley Council ordinary monthly meeting minutes of 20 May 2008:

Council has supported a Clarence Valley presence at Country Week NSW in 2005 (organised by the former Clarence Valley Business Enterprise Centre), and 2006 & 2007 (organised by the Grafton Chamber of Commerce & Industry). Council’s support has comprised a financial contribution of $2,000 each year, collateral, advertising in a locally produced feature (produced by the Clarence Valley Review) and Sydney based event marketing managed by Pallamedia. In 2007 Council extended its support to include a senior staff member who attended all days of the event. It is estimated that this total package is valued at $8,000.

In 2008 Council voted not to attend Country Week (now rebadged as The Country & Regional Living Expo) given significant budget constraints, difficulties associated with measuring return on investment from the activity and the complexity of the Sydney relocation market and decided not to financially support Clarence Valley groups who decided to attend.

It is my understanding that Cr. Richie Williamson attended this meeting and voted to abandon Council support of Country Week – agreeing that Clarence Valley’s community of interest is not with Sydney.

I have yet to hear that since becoming mayor he has changed his mind on this subject. Indeed it would appear to be his long-held view.

Such a view is supported by the fact that the Clarence Valley annual population growth rate over eleven years between 2001-2011 was only 0.5% - and although there was migration into the valley from Sydney it appears to have lost more residents permanently relocating into Queensland.

So one has to wonder if his attendance at the 2012 Expo is not simply an effort to help rehabilitate the battered reputation of fellow National Party member, Clarence MP Chris Gulaptis, who was reported in The Daily Examiner  on 31 July 2012:

The NSW Government agreed to provide $8000 to assist with costs associated with having a site at the expo.

"Both Richie and I sought support from the Government given the recent job losses in the area, and we are pleased they have listened and provided assistance," Mr Gulaptis said. "This is an opportune time to promote the Clarence Valley where we have a captive market."

Especially as one of the official state-wide exhibitors just happens to be the NSW National Party – the only political party with a site presence.

Apart from being listed as an exhibitor on the second to last page of the Expo’s promotional magazine, so far the Valley’s ‘promotion’ mostly comprises a sad list of business up for sale from the Clarence Coast up to Grafton City. With very few jobs on offer – some of which include Roads & Maritime Services contract positions which will disappear within two years.

Now mayoral travel to and from Sydney, accommodation and meals over two days will definitely cost over and above the $8,000 in government funding mentioned. Such funding is only part of the estimated $9,077 fee for Clarence Valley’s two adjoining 3x3m floor space sites which will be competing for attention with around sixty other groups at the Expo being held at Rosehill Racecourse.

So who is paying the mayor’s costs? I  imagine that ratepayers will be less than amused if Richie tries to bill Council after the event.

And who are the council representatives (plural) which The Daily Examiner editor writes about on 2 August? Are ratepayers expected to financially support multiple weekend trips south?

There is nothing wrong with promoting the Clarence Valley, especially in the face of O'Farrell Government regional cost-cutting. A well-planned strategy can potentially perform above expectations.

However, one cannot escape the feeling that this particular manifestation has not been thought through by local government. Clarence Valley Council should have been planning its expo participation a year out from the event and it obviously didn't do so.