TigerHawk Blog

Live LG elections blog - Come and join me and The Advocate!

2011-10-24T13:03:00.002+11:00

I am the guest blogger for tomorrow night's election coverage of the NW local government elections. Click on the image above to join in. The last two elections (2009 and 2011) has seen a big jump in candidates. Looks like people are looking for a change. One interesting thing for me though is that there are no female candidates in Burnie. Hmmm! A few ponderings/speculations of the

New campaign vids for Chris Lynch in Burnie

2011-10-14T15:09:00.000+11:00

A guide to voting in Burnie and Waratah-Wynyard elections

2011-10-11T12:07:00.003+11:00

Hi all, Take a look at this quick two minute video. It should help you :) ...and why not this one? Cheers, C.

Time for new young-blood on councils

2011-10-05T12:30:00.000+11:00

I smell a change in the air... new blood coming to a Council near you. With no disrespect to sitting councillors or other candidates (all's fair in love and war!), in Waratah-Wynyard and Burnie City I strongly urge you to consider Wessley Koop and Chris Lynch respectively for your number one vote, or, at least, your number two or three (preferences really do make a difference). Both have a

Party Politics in Local Government

2011-08-08T16:10:00.005+10:00

Hi all, Does a party-endorsed candidate in local government stand as a representative of the party and it's members or as a representative of the local community with the freedom to vote for their constituents' needs and wants? I'm sure that they'd say both but surely it is very difficult to be both when your community wants something different to the party's policy stance. On the

RIP Stephen Hite - Rock on mate!

2011-08-08T10:04:00.003+10:00

Very very saddened by the news of the passing of an old mate in Stephen Hite. A close work colleague when I was at Burnie City Council and an awesome music friend until his passing. With no disrespect to my former employer in the slightest, in my first week at Burnie City Council (in 2001) Stephen pulled me aside and said "Watch your back...". I never understood what he meant initially

Song for today!

2011-08-04T10:19:00.001+10:00

Compulsory Voting in Local Government?

2011-07-21T10:34:00.003+10:00

Hi all, Compulsory voting in local government elections has been a hot topic, yet again, that the annual Local Government Association of Tasmania (LGAT)'s Conference currently being held in Hobart ...and now at the Tasmanian Young Labor 2011 Conference where it appear that they are calling for compulsory voting. Dr Kevin Bonham from the Tasmanian Times wrote a provative piece in 2009

Guest blogger for The Advocate

2011-07-14T09:22:00.000+10:00

Hi all, I am this week's guest blogger for The Advocate Newspaper. I was asked to write on the council amalgamantion debate. I had to cut my ramblings from 1,700 words to under 1,000 but the main essence of the post is there. Yeah I know... I can dribble sometimes. I thank Julian O'Brien, the new Editor for the opportunity to do this. Find the link here - www.theadvocate.com.au/blogs/

Councillor Allowances and Councillor Representation

2011-07-05T14:10:00.003+10:00

Hello all, This post is of my own opinion and is purely a reflection I've read with keen interest the debate around councillor allowances that are paid. Although I have not seen any official documentation to state this is the case (other than reports in The Advocate Newspaper), I am of the understanding that Alderman Steve Martin from Devonport City Council sought to have passed a motion by

Is feeling the wave of change in local government

2011-06-21T10:09:00.001+10:00

Song for the Day: The Bangles - Manic Monday

2011-05-23T13:13:00.001+10:00

View this blog on your mobile phone

2011-05-03T21:46:00.001+10:00

Hi all... You can now view this blog on your mobile phone, iPad etc in mobile mode. Blogger has now come out with a beta version of a mobile format to make it easier to read on your ubiquitous device. For those of you with an iPhone... open http://claytonjhawkins.blogspot.com in your safari browser and click on the 'action button' (the box with an arrow in it at the bottom of the screen). It

Looking after the nature strip

2011-05-02T11:29:00.001+10:00

Hi all, I had an interesting chat with a ratepayer on the weekend about the expectation by councils on ratepayers to 'look after' the nature strip outside of their property. This ratepayer argued that they should not have to do this - or they should receive compensation for it. (a copy of the Waratah-Wynyard Nature Strip Mowing policy can be found here - www.warwyn.tas.gov.au/webdata/

Maybe I'm naive but I'm not a criminal

2011-04-20T11:37:00.000+10:00

Hello all, Thank you, sincerely, to those who have rung, texted and 'Facebooked' me this morning regarding the article in The Advocate Newspaper. The online version can be found at www.theadvocate.com.au/news/local/news/general/councillor-may-face-dismissal-over-wharf-discussion/2139002.aspx which is a touch different to the one published. Firstly, I actually feel very much sorry for the

It's Friday - Hopefully this dodgy song cheers you up!

2011-04-15T10:19:00.000+10:00

Tasmanian Times

2011-03-30T11:52:00.000+11:00

Hi all Warwynites,Alderman Philip Cockerfrom Hobart City Council is urging all Councillors statewide to push the peak oil agenda. What do you think?See article here: http://tasmaniantimes.com/index.php?/article/peak-oil-call-for-tasmanian-councillors-to-engage.Cheers,Cr C.

Questioning the future of Waratah-Wynyard Council

2011-03-21T09:51:00.003+11:00

Hello all, Below is list of questions and motions that I have on tonight's Council agenda. ---------------------------------------- Cr Robby Walsh Mayor Waratah-Wynyard Council PO Box 168 WYNYARD TAS 7325 Dear Robby, I write to request that these questions on notice and notices of motions, listed below, be put to the March 2011 Council meeting. The amount of questions on notice relate to the

Well.... should I continue this blog?

2011-01-16T20:38:00.000+11:00

Hi all, I haven't posted to this blog for a while as not many people seemed to be reading it in its current form (upon reading visit stats). I took a break from it to see if anyone commented on why I hadn't posted. Not one comment! Should I continue it? If so, should I be a bit commentary rather than formal? Would that make it more pallatable? What format should it be? What do you want to

April, May and June 2010 Council meetings

2010-07-09T21:52:00.007+10:00

Hi all, Firstly, let me apologise for not posting for a while. Below is my wrap of the April, May and June Council meetings. As usual... I'll only comment on the stuff that you might be interested in and stuff that is not in the 'closed session' (the confidential part of a council meeting). 19th April 2010 Agenda Item 9.2 The Boat Harbour Surf Life Saving Club packed the gallery in support

Flight Of The Conchords - Jenny

2010-05-15T19:28:00.000+10:00

Karve is in the studio

2010-04-09T23:49:00.000+10:00

www.myspace.com/karvetheband-- Post From My iPhone

VOTING IS A PRIVILEGE NOT A RIGHT

2010-04-07T11:34:00.000+10:00

I sent this Letter to the Editor to The Advocate Newspaper today. --------------- VOTING IS A PRIVILEGE NOT A RIGHT Voters in some countries will walk for days and camp outside of polling booths to simply have their say. In many countries there is no possibility of having a vote and they simply have to put up with whatever dictatorship is in place. Democracy is a privilege that we have in

Ordinary Meeting of Council - 15th March 2010

2010-03-31T11:25:00.002+11:00

Hi all, Sorry for the delay in posting this up... I have never been so busy in my life - not a bad thing I guess. The March meeting was fairly straight forward really. T'was over quite quick and nothing of massive debate (except for in Closed Session which I can't talk about unfortunately). As usual, I'll only comment on the items of note. I won't bore you with the mundane stuff (nb. when

PINK FLOYD REACT TO URBAN LEGEND OF DARK SIDE OF OZ

2010-03-29T13:26:00.001+11:00

Hmmm... still doesn't answer the question though

The Office, David Brent's Charity Dance

2010-03-26T10:15:00.001+11:00

I've been told that this looks like me!!!

Ordinary Meeting of Council - 15th February 2010

2010-02-22T14:47:00.020+11:00

Hello all, Here's my overview of the Waratah-Wynyard Council Ordinary Meeting held on 15th February 2010. There was some 'point scoring' between a few Councillors (myself included) and some interesting public policy 'heatedness' - I will comment on it as I get to it. As a person whose research is primarily in the public policy area... I've had to stand by public policy principles - I did say in

Facing Up To Facebook - CJH Published in National LG Magazine

2010-02-22T10:39:00.000+11:00

Hello all, I've been published in a national magazine publication called Local Government Manager (a publication by Local Government Managers Australia). The article is called 'Facing Up to Facebook' and is about the potential use of Online Social Media in Local Government in Australia. Click on this link to get there Cheers,C.

Apology for January Council Meeting

2010-01-05T10:27:00.000+11:00

Hello all, Unfortunately, I will be unable to attend the January Waratah-Wynyard Council meeting on 19th January 2010. I have extended my trip to QLD as I have some work commitments up there at a couple of unis. I understand that it'll be a fairly light Council agenda so I shouldn't be missing any 'big ticket' items. My apologies all. I do not plan to miss any more in 2010. Cheers, C.

NYE Burnie - Retrosexuals, The Sheyana Band & Nine Lives

2009-12-23T10:57:00.001+11:00

Hi all, Just announced... Retrosexuals will be joined by The Sheyana Band and Nine Lives Rock 'n' Soul Revue on NYE in Burnie in 2009. Times: Retrosexuals - 7.30pm to 9pm The Sheyana Band - 9.30pm-11.30pm Nine Lives - 11.30pm-12am and 12.05am-1.30am Fireworks at 9.30pm and midnight Check out the FaceBook event and the Burnie City Council's NYE website by clicking on the links

Ordinary Meeting of Council - 21st December 2009

2009-12-22T11:34:00.006+11:00