However it occurred to me that the vast majority of councillors standing for office are councillors who are already in office.
And that is helpful really. Because we don’t need to hear what they promise to do or not do upon re-election, we need only look at what they’ve done so far – good bad or indifferent.
The rest is just spin and rhetoric.
Looking at the Huon Valley Council, my local council, for example it is interesting to see just who is standing again. And take a moment to examine their record.
Some candidates have been true to themselves, some have just done what they’ve always done, some have perhaps shown their true colours, and some now stand independently.
I don’t wish to buy into any political discussion, there’s more than enough of that flying around. But I would ask voters to look at their prospective candidates and ask these questions: Were they there for me and for this valley? Did they respect our views as ratepayers and residents?
Did they consult us on the things that mattered to us?
Or did they steam roll us from time to time, or keep us in the dark, creating an air of mistrust between residents and council?
For me, I need only look at the tragedy that was the demolition of the Franklin Football Club building, an act that brought tears and outrage to so many residents. As I always maintained, it wasn’t the demolition that was the crime so much as it was the process – or the lack of it.
Were we consulted? Were we given a chance to voice our opinion on such a beloved icon? Were we heard and were we heeded?
Ask yourself this: Who voted to give the building a stay of execution while we had a chance to investigate its future and speak our minds – and who voted to arbitrarily flatten it with incredible haste early one morning before we could voice our feelings. To flatten it and bury all trace of it by 4pm that afternoon?
Did you feel informed and consulted, your views respected?
Did you feel represented?
Ask your candidate how they voted the night this decision was taken.
The hurt and controversy – not to mention the publicity this demolition generated is well documented. There are DVD’s, newspaper articles, letters and emails floating about chronicling the story, I don’t need to discuss it here.
But I do suggest we all take a good look at how each councillor acted during that time in February 2009, remembering that the manner in which that decision was taken is more than likely the manner in which most decisions are taken.
Take a good look, ask a few questions – and let it influence your decision.
Death in the morning: Here
