Obstacle challenge cancelled
The planned Rotary A4WH Relay Obstacle Challenge has, unfortunately, been cancelled. The cancellation was due to a lack of registrations.
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From the organising committee
Look to the future
The Port Macquarie-Hastings Local Government Election results are being finalised and I’d like to extend a big thank you to all volunteers that supported their candidates, for their active participation in our local democracy.
It’s not easy to put yourself in the direct line of political fire on behalf of someone else, yet the volunteers I encountered were mostly polite and friendly, alongside them being passionate. To all the volunteers who supported Group D and me personally, thank you for the wonderful effort over more than two weeks and for the ongoing support of our community.
Together we have achieved a great result and your belief, work and commitment have been very much appreciated.
It looks as though we will have a very competent, constructive group of Councillors elected and at the time of writing this, it also looks like we will have a good geographical representation of our community.
Thank you also to all candidates, whether elected or not, for your participation in what is a challenging process. I will keep fond memories of the conversations with you along the busy footpaths, the halls and schools of our local area.
I look forward to working with our new Council over the next four years to provide a productive, prosperous time for our community and to enhance the great life that we have in this beautiful part of the world.
Peter Besseling
Mayor Port Macquarie-Hastings Council
Where is the parking?
As the Timbertown Shopping Complex is nearing completion, I would like to know where customers are going to park.
I have been advised by council that all deliveries to the complex must be from the Oxley Highway and not from the rear of the premises. Also, as there is supposed to be a medical centre in the complex, where are doctor’s, staff and patients going to park?
Will they park at the Timbertown theme park or maybe on the side of the Oxley Highway and play dodgem with traffic on the highway?
Name and address supplied
Wauchope
FairGO for voters
Political corruption in the form of bribes disguised as “donations” has damaged the confidence of Australian voters in their elected representatives.
There is a view that many MPs are representing parties other than the people who elect and pay them.
Forced council mergers, bad planning, traffic gridlock, deaths and injury in hospitals, education failures and frauds signal incompetence and neglect.
Democracy Advocate FairGO has responded by launching a not-for-profit “voters.network” to rebuild voter confidence in their democratic governments, by helping voters rate the performance of their local MPs. “Voters share the blame for corruption with those who pay and accept bribes,” said FairGO National Director Greg Bloomfield, “ because we have tended to “elect and neglect” our MPs in the past.”
The voters.network will give voter three new initiatives.
Engaging with government: First, voters in every electorate will be invited to select the most important measures they would like government to adopt and put those suggestions to their local elected MPs. Voters will be encouraged and helped to actively support local MPs in getting government to do what the electorate wants.
Rating Representatives: Secondly, residents will be enabled to rate how well or badly those local federal, state or territory MPs actually do represent them in their electorates by monitoring how well they persuade the government to do what is wanted. Re-electing or replacing local MPs: Thirdly, that rating information will be available at the next election to assist those voters in deciding whether to re-elect or replace their current MPs at the next election.
The new network will build on FairGO’s Votergram service, community consultations and democracy workshops to make Australia’s national anthem “Advance Australia Fair” into more of a corruption-free reality. Volunteer Democracy Advocates will be trained and funded to assist their fellow voters.
Greg Bloomfield
National Director, FairGO
Voting backlash
Across NSW the recent council elections saw large swings against the Liberals and Nationals.
Local issues were important.
But the election was also a referendum on what people think about Premier Baird's bullying style of leadership.
People are angry at a Premier who refuses to listen to them, and just tells everyone what to do. Whether it’s the destruction of TAFE, local schools not being maintained, hospital crises or the shock decision to ban greyhounds, people are demanding that their voices be heard. Premier Baird only allowed half of the voters in NSW to cast a ballot in these council elections.
Most of the other 2.4 million voters are in forcibly merged councils, and will have to wait until September next year. Until then they will be ruled by Administrators handpicked by the Premier.
If Premier Baird keeps being dictatorial and refuses to listen to local communities, he does so at his peril.
Peter Primrose MLC
Shadow Minister for Local Government