On Tuesday I travelled north to meet privately with a very sharp, intelligent and politically savvy group of people who wanted to look me over. It was a good meeting and reinforced my expectation that there would be strong community support for good local government.
On Wednesday I attended the Council's second briefing session on its Draft Management Plan for the next three years, this time in Ulladulla. There are clearly local issues of great substance, aggravated by a sense of us versus them between Ulladulla and the Nowra based council.
Some of the misunderstandings and misdirections in relation to projects could be readily dealt with with more constructive and open processes of involving community with development of plans and projects.
I was warmed and delighted to listen to this very articulate community - people from different perspectives, different interests - present very intelligent and constructive ideas about consultation as well as concrete plans. I hope that there can be swift quality consultations between community and senior council officers. I have indicated that I am more than happy to come and look more carefully at things of concern but that [a] the urgent need is to achieve constructive outcomes with the existing council and staff and I have no desire to politicise that and [b] my concern in general is not to become someone with solutions in his pockets but to work to get systems of community engagement with decision making that work. Ulladulla would seem to have potential, both in community strengths and in urgent projects, to model such new processes ... if council can tolerate moves to new, transparent and constructive process.
Councillor john Willmott took the prize for unparliamentary language at the Ulladulla meeting. Having given a big speech railing against Nowra-centric government, he later shouted out in response to comments of the mayor. I confirmed with John later that he had intended to say something like "codswallop".. but in fact he shouted "trollop!" I note for the record that Councillor Willmott was not asked to withdraw this remark.
Thursday I went to the State Electoral Commission's briefing for potential candidates at the September elections. A modest turnout from the Shoalhaven. We cannot achieve change if people do not stand up for it. There is no point in my standing if there is not an array of good candidates who want real change. It is not too late to consider being a candidate... to sit in a council which works in an orderly and cooperative manner.
I am building a domain which will be www.shoalhaven.net (don't try that yet) where I will place platform material, retaining this as a news column.
Last Sunday I wrote an open letter to the Member for Gilmore, Mrs Gash, regarding the need for the conservative side to repudiate or be seen to identify with the present council majority. I also said to Mrs Gash that if she were to be a candidate for mayor, I would support her. I sent copies of this letter to the South Coast Register and the Milton Ulladulla Times, not to be difficult but to be open. I know that the second issue, of candidacy, is not one on which I am owed a reply, and is complex. However, advice to the community on the first - repudiation or complicity with shoddy local government - is urgent.
cheers
Dennis
