Cock-eyed view of democracy

Our Shire President Brian Moore was on ABC radio the other day discussing the Special Meeting of Electors which called on Council to reverse its decision to demolish historic Zinnecker’s House.

As expected, he signalled the Council’s intention to disregard the motions passed at the well-attended Electors Meeting.

You may be asking; how could the elected representative of a local government be so dismissive of such solid community feedback?   Well, apparently he has become clairvoyant.

Mr Moore said on-air the recommendation of the Electors Meeting presented Council with a dilemma, as it now had to choose between the wishes of a “vocal minority” and that of “the silent majority.”

The President is notorious for his glib remarks and often intemperate approach to the job, but this takes the cake.

He now purports to know what every citizen who did not attend the Electors Meeting is thinking and claims most of them want him and his colleagues to tear down an old building in the “heritage precinct” of the main street.

Think of the money we could save on local government elections!  No voting required. We simply ask Mr Moore to use his “third eye” to tell us who the majority of residents want on Council.

But what about the dozens of people who care enough about their community that they took the time and trouble to attend a lawfully constituted public meeting, to have their say, and cast their votes…?  

The Shire President seems to think they’re just a noisy bunch of trouble-makers who will go away if ignored.