Pyrrhic Victory

Thanks to CanningAccountability for this.

The Premier has opened the door to the City of Perth swallowing up the whole of the City of Vincent, but there's a catch.

The catch is that the two local governments have to agree. The City of Perth doesn't really want the residential areas of Vincent, preferring to cherry-pick the valuable real estate of the southern part. The City of Perth knows that Vincent Council is desperate not to be split with the northern part going to the City of Stirling.

No prizes for identifying who holds the whip hand in any negotiations. If the City of Vincent disappears in this scenario, it will be on terms dictated by the City of Perth.

No doubt Vincent Council will trumpet this as a victory - but at what a cost.

Vincent will be no more.

Vincent will become the unwanted residential rump of the City of Perth, to be hidden away and neglected as it was prior to 1994.

And if Perth and Vincent can't agree, Colin Barnett can claim that his original proposal has been justified.

How to get your way and blame everyone else.

Good one, Col!