Policy : Graffiti - Car Hoons - Dirty Streets

The most common annoyance to us all is graffiti and car hoon behaviour. They both really irritate, like a mossie in the room at night. Unlike a can of fly spray or a good swat to kill a mossie, graffiti and road hoons are more difficult to stop.

Mayoral candidates who claim to have the solution will soon be wealthy men because this is a global problem experienced in all towns and cities in the western world who are looking for answers.

In the short term we need a sizeable budget item allocated to chase our tail with these people. Over what other council activity this takes priority is to be determined by the new Council.


In the longer term we begin in the kindergarten and with adult education. I understand graffiti artists and car hoons to be the modern vandals - they are individuals detached from social values of respect for the other - a value generally eroded through the 1960's social revolutions. They see public roads, public and private property as a personal possession for them to express themselves in ego-centric behaviour that annoys the hell out of the rest of us.

We need civic leadership to promote our traditional social values - respect for the other - love of neighbour - without having to necessarily like them. That is a bonus of life.

As far as dirty streets go, it is the result of a Council not doing its job.

To fix, you change the people running it.

Media : I pop up on Channel 10 news

Last Tuesday ( Aug 26th) I received a call from Frank Colletta of Channel 10 News. Frank was once a reporter at the Liverpool Champion local paper in the 90's. He said Channel 10 were doing a piece on Thursday about Wendy Waller standing for election after being sacked as a Councillor due to Oasis.

I popped into the Mall this morning and gave a grab for the item. It went well.

Do have a look - it is about 40 seconds into the video.



How attentive are you? What was the error in Ned's grab? Leave your answer in Comments..

Diary : My first pamphlet - here we go....

I received my first printed pamphlet ready for distribution. Now it is on with the show and time to marshal my supporters for distribution across Liverpool.

I have taken a different approach with this pamphlet. I am hoping people are ready for a different approach as they are fed up with the old machine type politics that treats us electors as idiots.

I am offering open leadership with that openess flowing through all channels of influence of that leadership. Strong leadership that is caring in striving to have people raise their expectations and assertive in bringing better government and services for our neglected City.

Backpack, water, apple and mandarin - I am off for my first drop.

CYA

Diary - Candidates Forum

Tonight local citizens, Ian Bailey and Michael Ross, organised a Candidates Forum where Council candidates gave a five minute address and took questions from the audience. It went well and congratulations to Ian and Michael.

I was first name out of the hat and got the night going. I received a good response even though my address was interrupted early through a faulty microphone and then being cut off before the end of my address. I expected the bell to be a one minute warning. Instead it was rung to end the address. It shows you the need to check and confirm all things and assume nothing, even long held conventions.

An extraordinary error was made by Wendy Waller. She is obviously self deluded concerning her role as the then Chairman of the Finance Committee throughout the Oasis debacle overseeing the loss of$30 million. She explained it away. When asked by myself in the Q&A as to when she would apologise to the people of Liverpool she responded with an emphatic

"I will not apologise".

I expect this to be a prominent news item in the local papers who had journalists in attendance.

Look who I met today?

Click to enlarge the photo. Jennifer Hawkins with myself and Natalie Burgett. Photo by Rob Storum of inthazoneimages.com.au


I am the President of Garie Surf Life Saving Club (click to have a look at...) in the Royal National Park only 42 kilometres from Liverpool. Our club hosted a recent episode of Channel 7's Make me a Super Model which is hosted by Jennifer Hawkins our Aussie beauty and former Miss Universe.

It really was a beauty meets beauty occasion, having Jennifer at our beach and clubhouse. She is a wonderful person and so down to earth. She is a real role model for the young aspirants to fame and fortune. Jennifer has been to the top yet is firmly grounded and able to relate to ordinary people.

Diary : Nomination day

Its Nomination day - August 13th 2008. At high noon nominations close for the September 13th local council elections across New South Wales.
The City of Liverpool has been under Administration due the last Council being sacked due the Oasis debacle ( ratepayer funds of $30 million lost). This is the first election since 1999.

Well I've done it! Please excuse the writing..

I have nominated to stand as Mayor of Liverpool.

Why 1? Since being engaged with Liverpool local affairs from 1980 I was mystified why the people in 1977 re-elected Councillors who caused the Council to be sacked in 1976. It revealed to me a small town mentality that people did not respond to such shame of their City Council being sacked. And now in 2008 we have a similar situation with the Labor Party nominating for Mayor a sacked Councillor who was Chairman of the Finance Committee that oversaw the loss of our $30 million in 2004.

Why 2? I do have a lot to offer with a broad record and experience of civic involvement, business experience and a solid basis for servant leadership in my faith. The politics of the future must be focussed on persuasion using fact and argument leaving behind the machine model of control and manipulation devoid of a moral code.

Why 3? I am 58 years old. My family are now adults and I have the experience of having raised a family, run a business and the wisdom all this delivers. So direct political engagement is very much about time, place and circumstance. September 2008, Liverpool and life bring me here.

News Flash!

At 2.30pm today I attended the draw for positions on the Ballot Paper. I drew number 1 .. a good omen.

I am now in the race.