Paying the price

Many people advised me against having a say on how our Shire is being run, and putting forward my views.

‘Look out,’ they said. ‘They will find a way to stitch you up.’

‘Keep your head down, or it will get kicked,’ others warned.

I decided instead to go ahead and exercise my right to free speech, to run the risk of retribution, because I don’t want to live in a society like that (I didn’t think ours was a society like that), and I strongly believe a diversity of views is the essence of good government.

That didn’t make it any easier when the kick in the guts arrived this week.

The road pictured above is the road I live on, Blackwood Park Road. It is one of the oldest, and worst, roads in the district. It has two blind bends and one blind crest. It is narrow, parts are tree-lined with no shoulders, and is slippery and pot-holed in winter, corrugated and dusty in summer.

It is so notoriously bad the local taxi driver will not take the fare if the pick-up or destination is Blackwood Park Road.
But it is the road my wife and children must travel on at least twice a day, usually more.

In 2009 this 100 year-old road finally made it on to the tail end of the Council’s five year “Strategic Plan” to be sealed (in stages.)

In 2010 it was still on the plan, with the work due to begin in 2012/13 – this financial year.

In 2011, it was still on the plan, with the work due to commence this year, with stages 2 and 3 listed for the following two years.

My neighbours and I were looking forward to the workmen and machinery appearing any week now.

But behind closed doors Council recently decided there are now other priorities and Blackwood Park Road has been removed from the list of roads to be fixed this year.