Driver charged for COVID breach Rate cap set

tored in the 7.5 per cent CPI that it seems to be running at, at the moment. The model is based on assumptions which are roughly in around where this cap has come in,” Mr Madden said.

Cr Paul Tatchell suggested Council should undertake some long-term planning regarding the repercussions on Councils who set their rates below CPI.

By Lachlan Ellis

A man has been put on a diversion plan and ordered to be of good behaviour until April, after trying to pass through the ‘Ring of Steel’ without a valid reason in 2020.

John Milonas appeared in-person at the Bacchus Marsh Magistrates’ Court on Friday 3 February, charged with breaching COVID lockdown protocols in July of 2020.

Police Prosecutor Leading Senior Constable Clare Kane said Mr Milonas claimed to be on his way to work, but supplied no proof of his place of work and refused to show police the tools he claimed to have in his car.

“On 19 March 2020, the Minister for Health declared a state of emergency due to the COVID pandemic. On the 19th of July, there was the direction that included the restriction of travel with the four reasons why people could leave,” LSC Kane said.

“On the 23rd of July 2020 at 5.57 pm, the accused was seen by police entering the vehicle checkpoint located on the Western Freeway at Bacchus Marsh. He was asked his reason for travel, and stated he was trav- elling for work but was unable to provide any paperwork or an address to say that he’d been working at Daylesford.

“He made a call to a female friend who said he was doing some work for her, but refused to state what he was doing, and refused to provide any details to police to confirm this.

Police observed a sleeping bag, clothes, and other items placed on the back seat of his vehicle.”

Mr Milonas was issued with a penalty notice, and refused to answer police questions, saying “I don’t have to tell you anything mate. Is this a communist country? I don’t have to show you anything, am I under arrest, or am I free to go?”

The original penalty notice issued to Mr Milonas was $1,652. He was also charged for a breach of bail after failing to attend an earlier scheduled court date.

“Can you stay out of trouble for three months?” Magistrate Hugh Radford asked.

“No problem. Easy,” Mr Milonas said.

Mr Milonas was put on a diversion plan adjourned to 7 April 2023, meaning if he avoids committing jailable offences until that date, the proceedings will be dismissed.

By Lachlan Ellis

Moorabool Shire Council has voted not to seek a rate cap variation, keeping the rate cap at the State Government’s 3.5 per cent recommendation.

Under the Fair Go Rates system, the State Government sets a yearly rate cap – a maximum amount local government can increase rates – with any further increase requiring approval from the State Government.

Last December, the State Government set the rate cap for the 2023/24 financial year at 3.5 per cent, half the Consumer Price Index (CPI) of 7 per cent at the time.

Cr David Edwards asked at last weeks Ordinary Meeting of Council, if there would be a need for Council to spend less on services for the community to account for the cap being below inflation, but Council CEO Derek Madden said that wouldn’t be necessary.

“No, our financial modelling hadn’t fac-

“Do we need to do some modelling over the next 10 years? One thing we have noticed since the Fair Go Rates system has come into place, is that what you did yesterday will have a dramatic effect in a compounding way, over a 10-year period,” he said.

“Have we done modelling that would reflect that, with an understanding of what detriment that would have on the Shire’s finances over probably the 5, 6, 7, 8, 9th year?”

Mr Madden said Council does do quite a lot of modelling and tend to go out 10 to 15 years.

“Cr Tatchell is exactly correct, you can deal with these issues for one or two years, but it’s actually the compounding issue that really comes home to roost,” he replied.

“We do do a lot of sensitivity analysis and testing, and we’ll hopefully be taking the Councillors through that as part of this year’s budget process, because one of the big factors is interest rate rises, and what they’re doing to future modelling going forward. That is something we do a number of different scenarios on.”