Response to “Word in the Streets” column
I feel compelled to respond to last week’s opinion piece by John Snelling regarding suitable candidates for the September local government elections.
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John’s take on it is that we need ‘positive thinkers adopting entirely’ the concept of Hilltops Council.
In other words, John, in your view we should have ‘Yes’ men and women who are happy to make themselves ‘tools’ of the State Government.
If that is the case, why do we need a Council at all?
What we really need, John, are people who are prepared to put their ratepayers and communities FIRST, and get the best deal for the people they represent, NOT simply toe the line and nod their heads in unison.
Since when has it been ‘negative’ to oppose something with which you don’t agree?
If that were so, the people who campaigned to deliver votes for women and to outlaw slavery were ‘negative.’
Thank God there are people who are prepared to question accepted views.
Therefore, we need councillors who are prepared to challenge convention if they think such an action is necessary.
In any event, the debate is somewhat academic as regards Boorowa and Harden.
Neither community will probably have the numbers to get any of their favoured representatives elected.
So we will be faced with the situation where decisions which affect us will be made by people with allegiances far different to our own.
Lack of representation is the antithesis of democracy, but this obviously doesn’t worry the amalgamation proponents, who haven’t been very troubled by democratic issues in the past.
The Baird government’s council amalgamation initiative proved to be an utter disaster, but most areas have now been let off the hook.
Unfortunately, due to all those ‘positive’ people, those of us who live in Hilltops Council area will have to make the best of a bad job.
Derrick Mason
84 Brial Street
Boorowa
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