Vocal councillor Ric Halse says he will continue to ask questions despite hurdles in first six months

The top-polling councillor at last year’s Kalgoorlie-Boulder council election has not been shy in speaking up during in his first six months around the table, and he says he has no intentions of stopping. Ric Halse was elected to a four-year term at the October election and has been making sure his voice, questions, concerns and praise are heard as much as possible during meetings. While Cr Halse often admits he still has plenty to learn around the table, he appears to be sticking to his guns about being a councillor unafraid of asking questions and challenging information being provided to council. But at last month’s ordinary council meeting, after unsuccessfully raising several concerns, Cr Halse told his fellow councillors it was “disheartening” to not have support around the table. “Whatever I say — even if it has a million-dollar cheque on it — I’m quite sure it would get knocked back,” he said. However, Cr Halse last week told the Kalgoorlie Miner he was not feeling deflated, and his direction would not be changing. “If anything, feeling disheartened tells me I’m doing something right,” he said. “Because here’s the thing: that feeling isn’t a weakness, it’s a signal. It means I care. “I don’t have any other vested interest in the outcomes around that table — no business deals, no agendas. “My kids live in this town. That’s it. That’s my why. “And coming from my background in town planning, making sure this is a good place for them to grow up — and hopefully one day raise their own kids — that matters to me. “I’d actually be more worried if I wasn’t disheartened, because if something you believed in gets ignored and you just shrug it off — you probably didn’t believe in it to begin with, you were just going through the motions. “I’m not going through the motions.” Cr Halse said his main focus since getting on council had been understanding the projects already on the table, and whether they were achievable and affordable. “I think council has come to recognise that we bit off more than we can chew — but you shouldn’t get knocked for trying,” he said. “What I’ve learned is what kills projects isn’t cost — it’s how the community feels. “If people don’t trust the process, nothing gets built regardless of the budget. “So the smartest thing we can do right now is stop focusing on topping up the budget and start topping up the bucket of trust. “And the good news? That doesn’t cost much. You get out there, you listen to the punters, and you bring them with you. “That’s where my focus has been — and that’s where I think council’s focus needs to stay.” While Cr Halse has been vocal in recent meetings, he admitted that was not the case from the get-go. “I did have an issue standing up in my first meeting, and I know some people noticed,” he said. “And I get why people were concerned — it didn’t look great on the surface.” He went on to explain that during the meeting, he was surprised to see “rules change” mid-meeting regarding whether councillors could sit or had to stand to speak. “I had two problems with that — first, the mayor runs the meeting — if he permits someone to sit, that’s his call,” he said. “Second, and more importantly, I only stand when the people tell me to stand, not to comply with a rule enforced by admin mid-meeting. “That moment said a lot about where the real power was sitting — and it wasn’t with the elected members.” But the biggest surprise Cr Halse says he has faced during his time on council has been the cost of the city’s insurance. “I was shocked — we’re paying exorbitant premiums, and for what? Because what really got me was this: an 80-year-old woman in our community tripped on one of our public paths and suffered serious injuries,” he said. “She made a claim, and we denied it. “We’re paying through the nose, and when one of our own — an elderly resident who just needed a few thousand dollars to cover her injuries — came to us, we turned her away. “That didn’t just confound me. It embarrassed me. It let me down. And it should let all of us down. “Insurance is supposed to be the safety net for moments exactly like that. “If it’s not catching an injured 80-year-old on a council path, I have to ask — what are we actually paying for?” And while his passion to seek the best for the community continues to drive him in his role, his determination seems to walk a fine line with mayor Glenn Wilson. At last month’s meeting, Cr Halse and Mr Wilson got into a few tense disagreements — and not for the first time around the table. At one point, Mr Wilson drew Cr Halse’s attention to the standing orders requiring councillors not to use offensive or objectionable expressions in reference to any employee or member of council. He said he believed Cr Halse had become “very close” to using conduct of “adverse reflection” when responding to answers provided by acting chief executive Mal Osborne in response to questions from Cr Halse about asset management and workforce plans. Speaking to the Kalgoorlie Miner after the meeting, Mr Wilson said he would always encourage councillors to air any questions they have. “However, if I feel that councillors have received the information that they require, I’ll continue on with the meeting,” he said. When asked about reminding Cr Halse of the standing orders, Mr Wilson said the role of the presiding member was to “keep order” of the meeting, and he would continue to do so.