Mayor's Column | September 2020
Published on 15 September 2020
There is an old proverb that says, If the bugle gives forth an uncertain sound who will get ready for battle? In other words if there is not a clear direction from civic and government leaders, how will the population know who to trust? They will act according to the direction they are getting, which may be confusing.
With Council elections coming around very quickly in October 2020, it is no good candidates saying one thing to get elected and doing the opposite later.
People need to know what you stand for, and will you represent community needs, or your own special likes and dislikes? Can you be persuaded to keep quiet because of fear of a government grant not going your way, if you don't tow the right political line?
With the current COVID-19 regulations, people are crying out for certainty so they can keep their businesses afloat, or get back to work. There will come a point when the commercial sector cannot be rescued. All the uncertainty is not helping to encourage, or give people hope.
Rules seem to have no consistency. Local government areas that have no recorded cases of Covid are treated the same as those with numerous cases.
In Melbourne, Council workers can mow lawns anywhere they like, yet private enterprise is banned from doing their usual rounds even when they make no contact with customers. It looks like animals will be able to get their nails cut, groomed and hair trimmed, but humans have far fewer rights.
Who makes the decision to make the rights of animals a major concern, while individual people living on their own in our communities may only have one designated visitor in their house, and nobody else?
Too many politicians are blaming everybody else, claiming to be the victims and passing the buck. Come out and clearly tell us who hired the firm that provided the hotel security guards. Show some compassion to let family members attend funerals of their loved ones, especially when they live in areas that have no recorded Covid cases.
If you are standing for one of the Wimmera Councils, make sure you can justify your decisions. Stick to the things you can control within Council responsibilities, and do them well.
Be honest and work for the good of everybody you represent.