A recent enquiry from a Naracoorte Lucindale councillor has shed light on the cost of council-funded meals, raising questions about the ongoing expenses tied to post-meeting dinners.

Via questions on notice, Cr Craig McGuire asked the council administration to provide cost details for ratepayer-funded meals post-monthly council meetings and estimated costs for paid consultants and public consultations.

Cr McGuire asked:

1. How much was the bill for Tuesday night’s dinner (27 May 2025) for the council after the meeting (monthly)?
2. Can we have a breakdown on the total amount spent on meals in this council term?
3. Can I please have the estimated costs for paid consultants and public consultation that the council has spent on projects such as the Naracoorte Sports Centre, Naracoorte town plan, Francis and Lucindale master plans, North Parklands, Loechel Park, and the Naracoorte Swimming Lake?

Council chief executive officer Kelly Westell provided written responses to the first two questions and said a response to the third question would be provided at the council’s July meeting. According to the CEO’s response, a dinner held on May 27, 2025, following the council meeting cost a total of $518, catering to 13 attendees.

This equates to an average of nearly $40 per person.

On the broader overview of meal expenditures throughout the current council term, the data provided reveals a consistent practice of providing meals after meetings—a tradition that spans several council terms. The reported costs for meals during the current council term are as follows:

• 2024/25 to date: $6,300
• 2023/24: $4,559
• 2022/23 (from November to June 30): $3,941

Additionally, the four-month period from July to October—considered part of the previous term—saw an expenditure of approximately $2,160.

For comparative context, annual meal spending in the four years prior ranged between $3,709 and $5,091.

While the practice is longstanding, the current figures have sparked discussions on the council’s spending.

Cr McGuire’s enquiry into the council’s spending on sustenance began in May, where he voiced strong criticism over the council’s decision to keep $8,600 in its budget for post-meeting “meals and drinks” but reject a proposal to waive burial fees for children under the age of 10.

Speaking to [The Naracoorte News] in May, he expressed disappointment that his motion to waive all cemetery charges for children up to 10 years old—excluding plaque expenses—was voted down.

Providing some statistics, Cr McGuire claimed that there have been seven children in the district since 2010 that would fit into the policy.

“That works out to approximately $350 a year,” he had said.

“I would estimate the bill for Tuesday’s (May 27) dinner would be approximately $600 paid for by the ratepayers.

“In fact, we have an $8600 budget for meals and drinks after council meetings,” he said in May.

This article appeared in The Naracoorte News, 2 July 2025.
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