From the desk of Roland Rocchiccioli – 29 January

Greece’s last king, Constantine II, died in Athens aged 82.

I CAME to know His late Majesty only slightly, but I did relish our association.

I recall being at the London home of King Constantine and Queen Anne-Marie, when he showed me a gallery of family portraits. For me they represented important historical figures; for him they were his relatives. Talking with The King was tantamount to talking with living history.

His Majesty will be buried in Greece, the country he loved, most deeply.

There are those moments in life when one wonders if you are marching to the beat of your own drum; that you are out-of-step with the rest of society. Then something happens to restore your fragile confidence.

I have argued – more so since I came to live in regional Victoria – local council is a tier of government without which country towns and regional cities might be better served.

Reassuringly, a recent survey, conducted by polling company, RedBridge, revealed that ‘most Victorians want local councils abolished’.

Nearly 60 per cent of those surveyed are in favour of mergers and larger councils to end the duplication of resources and jobs, and which, ultimately, would save rate and taxpayer dollars. It is sound logic and a most reasonable argument.

Member for Western Victoria, Bev McArthur, said it was no shock to read that a third of ratepayers also think councils have got their ‘priorities wrong’.

There is nothing to be achieved by demonising local councils; for the most part they serve in good faith – however jaundiced their view of the world. It could be argued, with good cause, councils in their current form are no longer fit-for-purpose. In times past, when regional towns and cities were large, peaceful communities, and the world turned at a snail’s pace, the city fathers served well their communities. Certainly, councillors were less politicised. Town hall factions were futuristic. Incumbents did not see their role as a stepping-stone to a more glittering prize.

In more recent times, I have met several descendants of former councillors and mayors whose time of service was in a less combatant period. Their modus operandi and raison d’être were dictated by a more selfless zeitgeist and circumstances. Largely, they were motivated by a resolve to serve rather than satiating an over-blown ego. Talk of a legacy was non-existent.

The Richmond council posted a sign, ‘Richmond is nuclear free’. It begs the question: Has that decision been made known to the enemy? It is so preposterous it hardly warrants a mention, except time and money would have been spent arriving at the decision.

Unquestionably, some councillors see themselves as a quasi-parliament, expending time and money debating issues which are strictly the purview of State and Federal government. There is a propensity by some for believing their ‘yes’ carries more weight than a community ‘no’. Councils have become less representative, and more inclined to benign autocracy.

“The survey ultimately confirms what many people have been saying for a long time: local councils waste time and money on the unnecessary, while not adequately completing the jobs expected of them,” Ms McArthur said. “It’s that simple.”

The dilemma reminds one of the man attending a town hall rally. Frustrated, he shouted at the late Robert Menzies, “Eh Bob, whatcha gonna do about the ‘ousing?” Without missing a beat, Bob replied, “Put ‘H’ back into it!”

Maybe we could replace ‘ousing with potholes and footpaths, which are in dire need of attention!

Roland can be contacted via [email protected].