No-booze move leaves a nasty aftertaste

By Rebecca Fraser
A CASEY councillor’s push for a council with no beer has been dubbed hypocritical.
Four Oaks Ward councillor Paul Richardson moved at Tuesday night’s council meeting that officers remove alcohol from council premises and the councillors’ room.
Cr Richardson initially stated that light beer should still be available, but soon changed his stance to include all alcoholic beverages.
The move sparked a strong reaction from Casey mayor Kevin Bradford, who, with his fellow colleagues’ permission, showed a photo of Cr Richardson drinking wine at Casey’s budget weekend.
Cr Bradford said the notice of motion highlighted a case of pure hypocrisy and the move would also affect sports clubs and other organisations that used alcohol on council premises.
“We are a responsible organisation and this is a ludicrous notice of motion – for what purpose I do not know.
“All football clubs are on council premises. Do they then have to give up alcohol too?” he said.
Cr Bradford said the issue had been leaked to a commercial radio program this week and said his colleague was merely grabbing a “cheap headline” for himself.
He then withdrew this comment.
Cr Lorraine Wreford also spoke against the motion and asked Cr Richardson if he had ever seen an abuse of alcohol on council premises.
The Four Oaks Ward councillor said he had not.
“This (notice motion) suggests alcohol abuse. If councillors bring an issue to the table there has got to be a reason for it. To take something away suggests there is something wrong. I am disappointed with this notice of motion and it is a shame to even be here,” she said.
Cr Richardson said councillors had a responsibility to be accountable and act as role models to Casey residents.
He described Cr Bradford’s actions as a low shot.
Cr Richardson said removing alcohol from the councillors’ rooms would also help cut costs and he was disappointed that councillors had not supported the motion.
“As an accountable council, we should show the way and be a living example to people across Casey.
“We should lead the way and have no alcohol in this council.
“Councillors are obviously not prepared to lead the way, which is disappointing,” he said.
The motion was subsequently lost, with Cr Richardson the only councillor to support it.