Petition for Full Disclosure and Responsible Spending by Mildura Council on Social Issues

Here is the revised petition with your amendments:

Petition to the Mildura Council Regarding the Use of Ratepayers’ Funds

We, the undersigned, express our deep concern regarding the use of ratepayers’ money by the Mildura Council to promote transgender information and other controversial social issues to children. We believe it is not the role of local government to engage in promoting such issues, particularly when they do not reflect the views or priorities of the majority of the community.

Concerns and Requests:

1. Use of Public Funds: We oppose the use of ratepayers’ money to promote transgender concepts to young children. Such initiatives may be inappropriate and risk causing confusion or distress among some children and their families.

2. Cessation of Spending on Minority Group Promotion: We request that any and all spending, including on social media advertising, for minority groups such as LGBTQ+ events cease immediately, as they do not represent the majority view or the majority’s preference for public funding allocation.

3. Transparency and Disclosure: We urge the Mildura Council to ensure full disclosure when promoting any minority events or causes, such as LGBTQ+/rainbow events. The entire community should be informed and given the opportunity to provide feedback on such initiatives, rather than such efforts being directed towards select groups.

4. Focus on Core Responsibilities: We call on the Mildura Council to redirect its focus to its core responsibilities, including the provision of essential services to the community, and to avoid engaging in divisive or controversial social issues that do not serve the majority of ratepayers.

Legal Basis and Precedents:
The use of public funds must align with principles of financial accountability, transparency, and equity as outlined in Section 8 of the Local Government Act 2020 (VIC), which mandates that councils act in the best interests of their communities. Furthermore, councils must not exceed their statutory remit by engaging in activities that do not directly contribute to their primary functions of service delivery and infrastructure management.

We ask that the Council adhere strictly to these legal obligations and principles, ensuring that ratepayers' funds are spent responsibly and equitably.

Our Position:
Local government must represent the interests of all its constituents fairly and impartially. By promoting certain minority groups or controversial issues, the Council risks alienating significant portions of the community and misusing public funds.

We respectfully request the Mildura Council take immediate action to cease funding for the promotion of transgender information to children and any minority group activities that do not represent the majority community interest.