Dave Groves A citizen’s view: West Tamar Council meeting last night (Tuesday 14/08/07) was a buzz, but another sham.
Only five hundred allowed inside and of those 350 were where the action was, the rest were squirreled away in a back room.
Initially around 200 were reportedly outside, a crowd that dwindled to 30 after 3 hours of enduring the cold.
Three security guards and three police officers (including an acting three star (not sure of the rank)) were on the doors which were eventually locked.
Three council staff were also inside and remained silent during proceedings.
Why there was so much security remains a mystery.
41 speakers were allowed 2 minute speeches except for Mayor Easther, GM Ian Pearce who presented reports on behalf of council and TAP representative Bob McMahon was given 10 minutes (including cheering and clapping and a standing ovation).
When the speeches concluded and motions were put forward, most of the back room left because their votes were not counted, same for those locked outside in the cold.
Easther copped a pounding from the masses, a relentless barrage of articulate speeches many ad lib, all cheered and several standing ovations including one for the Mayor of Flinders Island who came with unanimous support for the anti mill lobby from all those of the Furneaux Group.
Another highlight was a lady who turns 92 next week. Her two minute speech was articulate, to the point and solid in content.
Political representatives reportedly attending were Kerry Finch, Kim Booth, Ben Quinn; there may have been others.
I left the main room early so as to see what was happening elsewhere on the site, so how the motions fared will be left to others to describe.
Win, ABC and at least one freelance photographer were present so tonight will have some degree of media coverage no doubt.
