The long awaited ICAC findings have certainly dealt a blow to the local Labor Party with four former city councillors likely to be charged with various offences and another member also in the spotlight, but the latest suggestion that the court proceedings could be delayed for about a year might just save their bacon.

I suppose we shouldn’t be too shocked by the expected delay in having the charges go to court for this whole messy exercise has been allowed to take too long to get anywhere, but what can you expect from anything this current State Government has an involvement in?

Former councillors, the once deputy mayor Kiril Jonovski, Frank Gigliotti, Zeki Esen and Val Zanotto face between them some 18 possible charges, while behind the scenes man Joe Scimone is looking at maybe two charges.

And while Labor took a kick in the pants our former city council CEO Rod Oxley will apparently not face any charges involving the land deals that led to the ICAC inquiry.

Certainly his reputation has been sullied, but like our local State Member Noreen Hay he has managed not to have the noose tightened around his throat. Noreen, in fact, was found not be involved with the ‘ins and outs’ of the development fracas.

The findings and suggested charges haven’t come as any real surprise to the people I have been speaking with, all of whom say they had suspected some foul play at the council for years.

What the inquiry recommendations and the possible delay in having them heard do, however, is to lessen the likelihood of any new council elections being called in the short term as ratepayers would almost certainly vent their spleen on Labor.

What happens next?

The question that most concerns the locals is what will happen next to help restore the city’s image and take it into the future.

While there has been much talking about it for years a decision needs to be made as to where we see the city going. Are we going to be another Gold Coast, can steel still solve the day or are we going to spruce up the good things we still have going for us and hope normality returns to our way of life?

It’s obvious steel production here and the employment it provided will never match the old days, and I can’t see the NSW Government agreeing to a new council election in the short term.

Another Gold Coast we will not become and too much time has already been wasted on this avenue of attack. Our proximity to Sydney is a key factor in why this won’t happen, so let’s get a quick decision on the future shape of Belmore Basin and Flagstaff Hill and move on.

The future of the mall remains a concern and seems to be no closer to a workable solution. With more of our people now having improved shopping facilities in or immediately adjacent to their own suburbs the inner city with its poor parking is becoming less of a place to go shopping.

While people have continued to talk about what we should do the suburbs have taken off – you only have to visit the enlarged Dapto Mall – so maybe our opportunities for reform have passed us by.

It’s sad to think along these lines but the fault lies at our own feet.

Surprise, surprise

Went into my local newsagent yesterday morning to put the Lotto on and found to my surprise it was now going to cost me more.

Yes, that’s right, you are now paying more to play Lotto.

Just another government – the State on this occasion – impost on our lives, and what makes it more galling is that on their past record in financial matters we’ll never see any benefits from this latest tax.

Thank goodness for the cricket

I make no apologies for the fact I am a cricket “junkie” and what a fantastic few days and nights it’s been to sit back and watch us Aussies doing battle with India.

Wonderful individual performances, great down – the – order partnerships and some fine swing and spin bowling have made this first test a winner.

How could anyone ever truly believe that the stupid 20/20 game could ever replace test cricket?

All eyes skyward

Those opposed to the new electricity generation unit at the Tallawarra Power Station had their eyes in the skies at the weekend when the first ignition of the redevelopment took place and it was no surprise to them to see the dense white smoke that accompanied the turn on.

The battle over whether the new plant will be good or bad for the local environment is set to continue with nearby residents vowing to maintain their fight against the switch on and an approach being made to the Federal Minister for Environment Peter Garrett for a more detailed investigation into the state of play down that way.

I’m sure this is not the last we’ll here about this controversial site.

Flashback

In October 2006 I profiled Sharon Cousins and her “ready resumes” business, which she now advises has turned five years old.

Sharon also advises she is offering some worthwhile prizes for a competition she is running to celebrate the birthday, and if you want to find out what’s on offer simply go to her website and under the page “enter competition” you can get all the details.

Her website is www.freewebs.com/readyresumes/