But there is one opinion I just cannot get on board with – the idea that each person is what they are and will never change.

That notion bubbled to the surface this week in relation to the story about Sharon Wurm collecting rubbish in the streets around her home. 

Lots of people expressed their views on littering, with the general consensus that tossers are an abomination the rest of us can do without, and where possible they should be punished for their actions.

I can certainly agree with that. But there was disagreement on whether there was hope for these pariahs. Could their behaviour ever change?

I was frankly quite taken aback by the strength of the opinion of some people that once a tosser always so, and education cannot change them.

Having a strong experience of how people can and do change in their lifetime, I cannot agree with the notion that people’s behaviour cannot change.

If education and new information cannot bring change, what would be the point of any community education at all? We would be always stuck in a time warp, like Groundhog Day, doing the same thing over and over.

Experience tells otherwise.

On the flip side I’ve seen the change that has been wrought in people’s behaviour by awareness campaigns. 

Think about anti-drink-drive safety campaigns, which halved the road toll in 20 years.

Regarding littering, I recall how bad it was decades ago and the dramatic reduction after the Clean Up Australia Day movement started.

Reducing litter is a cultural community thing, each playing our part by not littering, by picking up around ourselves and discouraging tosser behaviour.

We can do better if we want to.

These are Cr Intemann’s opinions and not necessarily those of council.