📢 Is Kwinana Paying for a “Hidden” Council?
The City of Kwinana often brags that they are the only council in WA to have a group like the Boola Maara Aboriginal Consultative Committee.
But as ratepayers, we have to ask: If no other council in the state is doing this, is there a reason why?
The Problem: No Vote, No Say, and Higher Rates
This committee was formed by your current Councillors without any community survey. While they were building this extra bureaucracy, your rates have skyrocketed. Over the past five years, Kwinana rates have risen 8% higher than our neighbors in Rockingham and Cockburn.
Wasted Money on Monthly Meetings
Currently, this committee meets every single month, costing ratepayers money for sitting fees, staff time, and catering every time they sit down.
- A Better Way: Why not simply consult with Indigenous Elders every 6 months? This would respect local culture and address concerns without the heavy price tag of a permanent monthly bureaucracy.
- Who Actually Benefits? How much “new” cultural advice can really be gained every 30 days? It raises the question: Does this monthly schedule benefit the Kwinana community, or does it only benefit the consultants collecting their attendance fees?
🧐 Ask Your Councillors These Questions:
Demand a straight answer from the people who spend your money:
- The 8% Rate Gap: “Why are our rates 8% higher than Rockingham and Cockburn while we fund ‘unique’ monthly committees that other councils choose to avoid?”
- 6-Month Alternative: “Instead of wasting money on monthly meetings, why won’t the Council switch to a common-sense 6-month consultation with Elders to save ratepayer funds?”
- Consultant Fees: “Does the community actually benefit from monthly meetings, or is this schedule designed to keep consultant fees flowing?”
- The Hidden Ledger: “Why are the costs for this committee hidden under ‘General Salaries’ in the Annual Report instead of being shown clearly to the public?”
- The Double-Up: “What does this committee do every month that our nine elected Councillors can’t already do in their regular public meetings?”
✉️ DON’T LET THEM STAY SILENT
It takes less than 60 seconds to demand accountability. Click the link below, add your name, and send these questions to the entire Council at once.
1. Click the button below to find your Councillor’s email:
[CLICK HERE TO FIND YOUR COUNCILLOR] (Link this button to the Kwinana Council “Our Councillors” webpage)
2. Copy and Paste the letter below:
Subject: Resident Concern: Transparency and the Boola Maara Committee
Dear Councillor,
As a resident and ratepayer of the City of Kwinana, I am writing to express my concern regarding the ongoing funding and existence of the Boola Maara Advisory Committee.
I believe that the current structure—including monthly fees, catering, and dedicated staff—is an unnecessary duplication of the roles you were elected to perform. Community consultation should be inclusive and transparent, occurring within the public Council Chambers rather than in separate, paid bureaucracies.
I am calling for a review of this committee’s costs and a return to a single, unified forum where all residents are heard on the same record. I look forward to your response on how the City intends to address this duplication and ensure my rate dollars are spent effectively.
Sincerely,
[Your Name] [Your Suburb]