Sometimes better to just do it, instead of asking for report

Cynical people would argue that when a government of any level opts for a “report’’ option it often means it’s just filing issues under the old “too hard basket’’.

But it’s never that simple.

If you read the story on moves to cull some of the reports requested by councillors over the past few years you will know that plenty of them are worthwhile.

What’s more, there’s no doubt that some among the 44 pending reports should have just been implemented without the need to waste officers’ time to prepare a report.

If you don’t believe me visit the council website here and click open the May 23 agenda.

As for me, I have put together five I would have just implemented, even if it was as a pilot program, which would be even better than a report.

My Top 5 pending council reports are:

♦ Number 1. Recording of council meetings. This report is due next month but you’d think in this day and age you would just do it. It’s fair to say all levels of government in Australia encourage the rest of us to adopt new technology but they themselves get into it very, very slowly.

♦ Number 2. Drone with heat seeking cameras to track and monitor koala movement around the LGA. Another no brainer to establish quickly the real picture on local koala colonies. Hang in there, Cr Lake, it’s almost here, the report you asked for.

♦ Number 3. Vivid Lighting for Fisher’s Ghost Festival to boost night time economy locally. Since council wouldn’t have enough money to match the original in Sydney, why not just do it and play it by ear.

♦ Number 4. Commission a muralist to paint portraits of our historical figures, Indigenous and European, on the silos along Appin Road. Should have been done years ago, for goodness sake.

♦ Number 5. Rezone Campbelltown Golf Course (pictured below) land to make sure it’s preserved as open space for ever. We need a report to do this?