Hello and welcome to the blog...and a quick semi-correction...yesterday I referred to 2 resignations from Mt Gambier City Council, and it's more accurately one resignation and one retirement...Councillor Byron Harfield has tendered his resignation over the Christmas break and Cr Jim Maher does not intend to run at the November 2014 Local Government elections....(pre-emptive apologies for average post...went out early, got back late).
But First: Strewth! and stone the flamin' crows it was hot yesterday...(yeah, just a casual 42C thanks very much-Ed)...much cooler today but back up to mid 30C by the weekend...and the usual calls from authorities to keep at eye on the elderly, unwell, etc, and reports that the recent heatwave will have effects for several months with hundreds of deaths directly attributable...it is unfortunately the exact situation that disproves the saying 'that which doesn't kill you only makes you stronger'.
It is the reality that some people take a massive hit from the stress and physical impost of extended high temperatures, and that this has a critical impact on their health from which they don't recover...people may survive the actual heatwave but rapidly deteriorate...be cool, and keep an eye on those who need it.
First World Problems: don't come much more definitive than the person heard complaining about how their automated travel ticket was charged when they went to the One Day cricket at Adelaide Oval on the free public transport provided by the state government on Australia Day (a Sunday), 'why was I charged when the buses were free, it's a sham'...(deadset, even I don't know where to start with this one-Ed)...allow me...we don't even have public transport on weekends or public holidays and Labor sold the SE Forestry Estate to pay for that frickin' oval...
And supposedly South Australia has the lowest return to prison rates and highest police per capita...(does that include all the paedophiles getting suspended sentences, etc?-Ed)...or those being released into the community after ludicrous 'rehabilitation' because our gaols are overflowing despite the recent massive expansions of prisons?...I just don't know Ed...just another situation where you just can't believe a word of it because of who's saying it, the Labor state government...(ah, that report comes from the Productivity Commission not the government-Ed)...true, but even if you believe that the PC is genuinely independent, they are working with figures provided by the government...
What The...?: The ABC Local Radio morning news just ran (at 0630hrs, I missed the 0600 news) the election of Cr Penny Richardson to position of Deputy Mayor...(but how would they know that? nobody from the ABC was at Council last night-Ed)...I know, I was there, as was Anelia Blackie from The Border Watch, but no ABC...(perhaps they read it in TBW-Ed)...well I haven't seen TBW today but I wouldn't think so because it was already 'at print' last night when that vote was taken.
How the shrek does the ABC know at 0600hrs what happened in Council at 1930hrs the night before if they weren't there?...(you did blog it last night-Ed)...true, but that's not it...the vested interests network made sure that their man Stuart Stansfield knew about it...no offense Cr Richardson, but the whole thing has a smell about it that just doesn't sit right...(and how should a smell sit exactly?-Ed)...well it certainly shouldn't sit in Council Chambers and as far as this Council is concerned it actually seems to reside there.
Why would a Liberal controlled Council elect a card-carrying Labor person? It's beyond bizarre.
A Load Of Laundry Later: at 0730hrs Mayor Steve Perryman being interviewed about it (ABC Radio) and some bollocks about how Cr Richardson has been great and that this is 'a new role and new dimension' for her...(there is something very, very odd about this whole process/appointment-Ed)...you're telling me...from the moment Cr Des Mutton nominated her last night I was suspicious as to what they're up to now.
As Cr Ian Von Stanke was the only other nominee...(you're joking-Ed)...wish I was...(what happened to our man Swervin' Merv White?-Ed)...nothing, not one word...can't shut his moronic, opinionated yap on every other day on every other subject but not one word...(well I actually meant why wasn't he made Deputy Dawg as predicted reward for his stoic efforts as a recurrent barnacle on the cities finances, but I take your point that he's quite convinced that everyone needs to know his opinion on every subject, and he regularly tells Council what to do-Ed)...you don't like him much either do you?...(well I've met him-Ed)...nice.
When Cr Mutton nominated Cr Richardson I thought she was just being set up as a 'faux nominee' to make it look like there was a democratic process appropriately followed, before Von Stanke was 'elected'...(I can see how you might think that-Ed)...particularly when Swervin' wasn't even nominated.
And now at 0830hrs the Deputy Mayor herself talking about how this shows that the average person can make it to Council and how she works for a living, etc...and there it is, the 'common touch'...Council's so in touch with the peeps, down with the homies, chillin' in the 'hood...it's an absolute and highly orchestrated con and I don't buy any of it...(I concur...as bizarre as Cr Des Mutton nominating her was, it was her response, or rather lack of, that was really odd...Cr Richardson didn't bat an eyelid, didn't even look up, not one note of surprise-Ed)...well that's because it's all been organised beforehand...(that's exactly what I'm saying-Ed).
I don't know, yet, what deal's been done, or how much of this is affirmative action, or whatever stunt these clowns are pulling now, but it absolutely reeks...one astute observer believes this is the deal done to silence the sort of criticism Cr Richardson has previously raised, eg, it was her who raised the $350,000 unlawfully misappropriated from the Main Corner Project by then CEO Greg Muller...(sorry, we're not calling it "stole" anymore?-Ed)...no, no, please feel free, it is what it is and it is theft...
Councillors Leaving: I have not spoken recently with either, but understand that these are decisions based on personal desire to be nearer to family in Adelaide, which to a degree is quite reasonable...it's why I moved to Mt Gambier in the late 1990s...I also consider the possibility that there may be other very practical and genuine issues, eg, access to reasonable health services, etc.
It's a fraught position on Council or in any political position because no matter how good your decision making or conduct, you're always going to piss somebody off, eg, Mr Harfield was quite vocal in his opposition to the Lady Nelson Bus Shelter and it has already been cited repeatedly as an example of his independent nature, including at Council's meeting last night...however there are those who saw it simply as posturing to get public support for a tilt at the Mayorship...I don't really care because the Shelter happened and the Mayorship ain't.
Apols but I'm going to stop here...I know I haven't finished but it's now really late again and it's been a very long day...went to Liberal candidate Troy Bell's soiree at the Main Corner and had a little tete a tete avec mon ami that gutless prick Liberal MLC Rob Lucas...(mate, I'd normally be pullin' ya' up on ya' language right about now, but having also sat through that 10 minutes of pathetic, evasive, ultimately pro-paedophile denial, well, gutless prick is a polite and reserved commentary-Ed)...and so...
Tomorrow: Liberal Party Restates Commitment to St Martins Cover-up
A perfect opportunity to review just how complicit the Liberals have been in supporting the cover-up of Child Abuse at St Martins...what a joy is South Australia.
I am Nick Fletcher and this is my blog...cheers and laters...
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