UK local government old-timer Paul Vittles, who has moved to Sydney after 20 years working with councils in this country, gives his first impressions of Australian-style municipal life. After having spent the past 20 years working for and with UK local authorities, it has been interesting to survey the scene in Australia, since arriving to live and work here a month ago, based in Sydney. The very first mention of local government in the media was a story about the Mayor of Strathfield Council in New South Wales 'taking a bung' and being caught on video receiving the cash from a developer. Even sadder, all my new friends and colleagues chipped in with the old 'that's the way it is' narrative.
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