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​Say that again?

28/3/2023

5 Comments

 
By Rob Parsons

IN HIS Mayor’s Message of February 14, Bass Coast Mayor Cr Michael Whelan writes: “Modern Councils are charged with responsibilities that go beyond the traditional three Rs: Roads, Rates and Rubbish”.

He wrote that last year he joined 38 mayors from across Australia to sign a joint statement in support of the Indigenous Voice to Parliament. There are 537 councils in Australia so this represents around 7% of all Australian councils. Obviously the other 93% have seen the sense in staying out of it.
The Voice has nothing to do with our council. It is a Federal Government issue and Cr Whelan should keep his own political views to himself.

He goes on to write: “Local government must play an important role in holding civic forums, promoting dialogue, and providing a platform for all voices to be heard.”

Okay, Cr Whelan. What platform are you providing for my voice to be heard? When did the council provide a platform for the residents of Bass Coast to be heard on this matter? In the Sentinel Times of February 2, 2023, the question was asked: “How did Bass Coast support the Voice?”? How did Council make this decision? 

A lot of people want to know the answer. According to the Sentinel Times, it was a captain’s call - in other words Cr Whelan deemed it appropriate that this council support his political views.

The Sentinel Times records that Cr Whelan also noted local support for the Voice at the recent citizenship ceremony. He is wrong. There is little or no support for the Voice in the rural communities of Bass Coast. And how dare he put his own political views over during a ceremony like Australia Day!

Why vote No? Here are a few reasons:
  • If our democratically elected government makes a decision without “listening to the Voice”, they will wind up in court. Our Australian parliamentary system will get bogged down.
  • The dangerous and divisive Voice will exert a political – and legal – power unlike anything ever seen before in our nation.
  • Do you really think extremists like Lidia Thorpe will be satisfied by Anthony Albanese’s Voice? No, this is only the start of the slippery slope. Non-indigenous will be forced to pay rent taxes, reparations, and more national park lockouts will just be the tip of the iceberg! So 97% of the rest of us will have to cough up - up goes the cost of living again!

Can we, the people, have a voice as well? If you in council support a voice, maybe we ratepayers can have a voice in the Shire decisions. Perhaps our selected delegates (unelected) can have a voice to every council decision that is made. Does that sound fair? And if you don’t agree with this, does that make us ratepayers second class citizens because you would disagree with our thoughts and opinions?

What is needed are practical measures, not an ideal that lacks detail and divides us along the lines of race. Personally I support immediate frontline action to address issues facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, recognising and addressing the immense challenges affecting many Indigenous communities, including family violence, poor health care, substance abuse, risks to child safety, poor education outcomes, poor housing and unemployment. Similar confronting issues are happening here in Bass Coast.

Every time I hear Cr Whelan talk about the Voice, I will strongly advocate for the “No” vote. I believe that as the Mayor of this Shire he has no right to force his opinions on the residents who live here. It is not a council issue. We should not be divided by race, greed or the empty politics of tokenism.
5 Comments
Catherine Watson
29/3/2023 03:49:49 pm

Rob, you make some good points but I feel you are looking at this through a narrow lens. Straight, white, middle-class men like you form less than 25 per cent of the population but probably control 75 per cent of the wealth and power. Naturally you feel things are going quite well.
There are precedents for our council speaking up on federal matters. Back in 2017, it formally supported the call for marriage equality.
Cr Michael Whelan said then the council had a moral duty to speak up for the most vulnerable of its citizens.
Cr Geoff Ellis acknowledged the Marriage Act was a federal matter, but said the council could add weight to the movement for equality. "That's important for kids, especially in rural areas like Bass Coast. They need to know that ordinary people, with some prominence in the community, believe LGBTI lives have equal worth.”
As a member of that community, I was heartened by this gesture.
All the statistics show that Australia’s First Nations people have endured decades, if not centuries, of hardship and discrimination that continues to this day for many. The Voice isn’t going to solve everything but it’s a start, and it’s time for allies to speak up.
As Jesus said to his disciples: “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”

Reply
Rob Parsons
22/4/2023 06:10:45 pm

Hello Catherine, perhaps I can remind you of your email dated 6th March where you stated: I set up the Post to provide a forum for discussion without the personal abuse, ie. debate the idea, not the person. Now have another look at your second somewhat contentious line.
Actually I don't think that things are going quite well. We have a Federal Government that is determined to divide this country without solving any issues and we have a State Government that has been deemed to be corrupt, and we have Sand Mines continuing in our local Grantville and The Gurdies Forrests without any form of abatement.
You state that back in 2017 the Council supported marriage equality. I am sorry but I don't recollect Pamela Rothfield using her position as Mayor to write about this in the Sentinel Times, which was my point in question. Perhaps you can prove me wrong.
This Voice will not do anything to solve the problems that currently continue for the aboriginal community. We actually need some real action from this Federal Government, not this pretence virtue signalling, that will only line the pockets of the privileged as it has done for generations (have a look at ATSIC and NIAA), and not do anything for those children and families in real need. What indeed is the $1 million a day currently spent on aboriginal affairs and numerous aboriginal boards actually achieving?
The Voice will waste even more billions of dollars on bureaucracy and not achieve any meaningful outcomes for the indigenous kids and the disadvantaged and will not combat the real issues in the aboriginal communities. How will it improve education and restore law and order? How will it prevent the rape of children and the abuse of women? How can the Voice change how people behave, alter unruly behaviour, have respect for the law, curb the use of drugs and alcohol, eliminate tribal feuds? It won’t. My message is simple. You CAN believe passionately in human rights, equality and the importance of reconciliation, and then decide - based on your belief in the importance of these principals - to vote NO.

Reply
Catherine Watson, editor
23/4/2023 07:14:38 pm

Rob, you're right. I'm feeling a little embarrassed. I could delete it but it's probably better to leave it up there as an example of an INAPPROPRIATE comment. "Debate the idea not the person."

Pamela Jacka
16/4/2023 10:30:54 am

This is a very difficult subject to find a balance in. Do we want a, potentially, divided country where some are given more, unelected, power than the others? Some would say this is happening already but that's not correct when you see that there are quite a few aboriginal politicians, elected by the people both aboriginal and non-aboriginal.
If we suggest that perhaps the Voice process is not equal, we run the risk of being called racist. When actually, it is just that some believe in democracy. Also, are we hearing from those aboriginals who actually need assistance like those in remote locations or just the city mob? Totally different needs. One lot shouts abuse and the other lot just ask for help.
Thankfully we've got more time and more discussion before the referendum. In that time, I'm sure more information will become available to ensure we all make the right decision. And remember, we can't change individuals attitudes and in same cases, we may just need to wait until those people fall off the perch. This is a democracy and "we are one".

Reply
Rob Parsons
22/4/2023 05:44:33 pm

Hello Pamela, thank you for your opinion.
I agree that this is a democracy and "we are one".... and we should remain as one and not divided. I believe that ALL Australians should be EQUAL. We should have One together not Two divided.
"The voice isn't recognition, it's not reconciliation. It's the Voice of Division." Saying “No” is not saying you don’t care …. It’s simply saying that segregating Australians on colour, and cementing it in constitutionally, is a bad retrograde step.
This proposed VOICE will further DIVIDE Australians based on their Skin Colour, Heritage or Creed.
♥ it IS OK to Vote NO❗️There is a better way.

Reply



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