We can watch rugby league Neanderthals playing in motel rooms; no problem at all.
Perfect video, perfect sound.
We can see the Prime Minister at work shovelling pork in Eden for all its worth. Perfect transmission from someone’s transistor radio.
We get to view Boris Johnson’s latest attempt to destroy the hairdressing industry.
We can watch live as Police kick the crap out of defenceless civilians with impunity.
We can get 10 calls a day asking us who we will vote for in the Eden-Monaro by-election. No problem.
But can we view & hear the proceedings of a meeting of our local council?
No folks. Way beyond the technical capabilities of local government.
Not content with having cancelled local government elections, our Office of Local Government (OLG) had decided that our council doesn’t even need to actually meet anymore.
These days they can sit in their little hidey-holes & talk to each other remotely via “ZOOM”, the latest failed technology designed to frustrate & abuse the victims of our so-called democracy.
We get to watch a general manager paid more than $300,000 a year pick-up a 2.6% pay increase while the rest of the planet is supposed to survive on sucking air.
And to make matters worse, she gets to bitch & moan about how tough life is (we can hear that without any problem) while our dissatisfaction with council’s second rate performance is simply ignored.
So, yesterday we got to see most of what passes for council meetings these days, but were lucky if we heard half of what transpired. Not that that mattered that much anyhow, as there was little meaningful discussion/debate offered anyway.
If our country has managed to get its national Parliament back into action in spite of COVID 2019.
If NSW has been able to get the NSW Parliament back into action in spite of COVID 2019.
Then why can’t Bega Valley Shire Council return to its normal meeting arrangements?
If the Australian Electoral Commission can organise a federal by-election for the seat of Eden-Monaro, in spite of COVID 2019, then why can’t NSW Council Elections, originally scheduled for September, 2020 but cancelled without consultation, be reinstated?
Isn’t it time that those responsible for maintaining the machinery of government were reminded that their first responsibility is to respond to & cater to the needs of the electorate, rather than to the convenience of bureaucrats & politicians who are supposedly the servants of that electorate?
The association certainly believes that it is.
John Richardson
Secretary/Treasurer
Bega Valley Shire Residents & Ratepayers Association
Tel: 0264945669
Email: secretary@begavalleyshireratepayers.asn.au
Website: http://www.begavalleyshireratepayers.asn.au