HAS MORE COUNCILLORS MEANT BETTER REPRESENTATION?
In Monday's Area News we learnt that our veteran mayor is retiring at this election.
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Mr Mayor why not take the opportunity to seek the residents' view as to whether or not we should also reduce the number of councillors?
Councillor Curran, the man most suited to fill the mayoral role, by "Notice of Motion" way back on 22nd January 2019 pleaded with council to give voters the chance to have a say, but the notion was firmly rejected by a majority of councillors.
Arguments against the motion were " a referendum costs too much" and "Residents don't want it, the last referendum showed that."
We haven't been asked since 2006, in fact we were first asked in the referendum in 2004 with the question: "Do you favour the number of Councillors on Griffith City Council being reduced from twelve (12) to nine (9) including the mayor"
The majority of voters voted "Yes".
The council, didn't accept that and so then held another referendum two years later in 2006 (no worries about the cost that time). But the question was different the question put at the second referendum was: "Given the city's current growth do you agree that twelve councillors should be elected to give better representation to the community?"
The majority of voters voted "yes" again. Its not clear to me whether they voted "yes we want 12 councillors or yes we want better representation." But the result was 12 councillors kept their positions, but did Griffith get better representation?
The question remains "Will it cost too much to hold another referendum now, 16 years later. Well look at how much it has cost us to pay the extra councillors since 2006, both fees and expenses it adds up to nearly one million dollars ($1,000,000). Many times the cost of the referendum.
But does having more number at the table mean more views? No, it is rare indeed for council to vote other than unanimously. Over 90 per cent of the time all the councillors vote the same and rarely debate any issue. In fact only twice in the last six meetings have councillors voted differently to the rest on any issue.
Bill Lancaster, Griffith
CRISIS REMINDS US ABOUT WHAT IS IMPORTANT
When an inch is given it's only logical that the expectation for further progression is going to want, demand and 'force' the mile.
Now isn't this what we are witnessing in our society today?
No longer is it trendy to be satisfied with a little with content rather than a whole lot with contention.
This virus at present has a tendency to bring this point into proper focus as we rediscover what does and doesn't really count.
The once little considered insignificant things suddenly take on real meaning in an otherwise would where just anything goes.
It sure becomes more preferable to notice what does and doesn't really matter once the freedom to do whatever has been taken away out of what is considered to be a necessity for the benefit of the whole.
Nevertheless survival, when it comes to push and shove, becomes the motivation when the cause in question requires the sacrifice to do whatever.
The 'Calvary sacrifice' is a classic example led the way having suffered persecution yet rose above it triumphantly.
No complaints there, just a knowing that all things work for good for those who run the gauntlet trusting in this ever present unseen "someone" bigger than ourselves "who" knows everything where as we only know in part - this the dilemma.
Yvonne Rance, Griffith
GOT SOMETHING TO SAY?
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