It’s hard to envisage someone appointed by the incumbent NSW State Government taking any action to remove any of our politicians from office, but our State constitution clearly says she can.
I am talking about our State Governor Dr Marie Bashir.
In fact, she can even overrule the State Executive Council and go it alone.
She has the necessary power to tell Premier Morris “Who” to move aside, and she can extend this privilege to any other minister or senior state official.
Unfortunately, I believe her powers don’t allow her to sack the government and call for a much needed early election, and that’s a shame.
But to throw out a couple of our current “susceptible” ministers, or even the Premier, might send the necessary warning to our pollies to shape up. I can’t understand what she’s waiting for.
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Off to Beijing
Mt Warragul archery enthusiast John Chaplin will be one of five people on the jury of appeal for this sport at the Beijing Olympics.
John has already officiated at the Athens and Sydney Olympics and has also been posted as a member of the International Archery Foundation where he is one of five people on the Court of Appeal.
We congratulate him and wish him well.
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John Button remembered
The passing last week of former Labor Federal Minister John Button brings back to mind the outstanding contribution he made to company–industrial relations and industry efficiency with his brainchild, the Steel Industry Plan.
Even at a time when his own government was in trouble John Button persevered with his blueprint and the outcome was welcomed by all concerned.
I was in BHP’s head office at the time and was asked to join a committee to develop a booklet that would simply explain to all and sundry in the company, particularly the steel industry, just what the plan would mean.
If my memory serves me correctly we even asked Button to give the final document an all clear, which he did.
The plan led to vastly improved efficiency in the workplace, greater security for workers and a toning down of the often fiery confrontations in those days between management and the trade union movement.
What a pity it is that today we don’t seem to have pollies of the same calibre and clear thinking that the late John Button exhibited.
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More talk?
According to some of our city’s leaders we are in danger of being left behind if we cannot identify viable infrastructure initiatives and start lobbying for them.
Wasn’t this what the city council’s Department of Economic Development was supposed to achieve?
And yet many of the same community leaders who warn about the future were on record as praising the work achieved by the recently retired head of economic development Bob Doyle!!
But wait for it. Now there’s talk of a new power body to set us on the right path which will be named Advantage Wollongong, and you can already pencil in most of the names of the people who will sit around the table.
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It might just backfire on him
Our Prime Minister’s announcement that our next Governor General will be a woman might just backfire on him.
There’s every chance this obviously well credentialed woman will capture the hearts and minds of the people, which could mean a Labor Government move for us to become a republic might just not work.
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Local media under scrutiny
One item that appeared on the ‘Sedition by the Sea’ public forum at Thirroul at the weekend was the lack of investigative journalism regarding local issues.
It was recognised on the agenda notice that there were some exceptions.
Naturally “Bottomline” fitted into this category!!!!!
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Electors demand council poll
It was pleasing to know there was a good roll up at the Town Hall for the public meeting regarding the ratepayer rights on democracy in Council.
Those 200 will take the word out to the 200,000 in the Illawarra. Remember, it once only took one man and his 12 followers to get the word around.
The people of the Illawarra are not a push over.
The Local Government Act has a section that deals with expressions of community opinion, that a council can take a poll of electors for information and guidance on any matter, with one main point being the change of method of ordinary election of councillors for an area divided into wards. Any question can be asked, therefore there is no reason that a poll cannot be called by council to ask all electors to determine, do you want council elections,
1. When due? (September 2008)
2. In 18 months time?
3. In 4.5 years time?
But would the Council call for this poll? They can’t refuse for the administrators, acting as councillors, elected to that position by the State Government with all the responsibilities under the LGA must represent the interests of the residents and ratepayers.
Therefore, the residents and ratepayers only have to demand to have the poll called.
Alan Bond
Tourist numbers
Precisely! How did they count them? Furthermore, how do they calculate those figures on tourists' spending habits? Follow them from the train?
Fergie
Saving embarrassing questions
The news for a possible squeezing together of South Coast councils comes as no surprise. There has been previous Mercury articles and letters dealing with this idea from developer lobby groups. If there was one super council with only a quarter of councillors than before, then the developers wouldn’t have to make so many donations. Donations, which of course they do out of the kindness of their own hearts since they also donate to charities, which are tax deductible.
This obviously is the fact Premier Iemma successfully hid to save embarrassment to developers etc on Stateline when interviewed recently about political donations which he wants to end, period. It’s just that nobody asked why developers donate money to political parties.
The opposition have stated they don’t see anything wrong with these donations for fundraising since they are not in power. Obviously they are never going to be in power with that reasoning.
This is all to do with streamlining, like notifications on DAs at your neighbour’s home. This removes red tape and your right to privacy. A right to privacy which also nobody asked the Premier. To save embarrassment to the interviewer, the Premier never bothered to mention that fact.
Alan Bond | 
