Shame on the West Australian

The West Australian, 7th June 2014

Just three short paragraphs, buried at the fold on an inside page, is all the West Australian could manage to write about what is probably the most significant local council decision made for a long time. I couldn't even find it on their website!

Subiaco Council, after long and careful deliberation, took the historic decision to resort to legal action to counter the bullying and intimidation of Barnett and Simpson over their local government so-called reform.

Congratulations to Mayor and Councillors at Subiaco, and also to their CEO, all of whom deserve much more credit than the West Australian gives them for having the courage to stand up against the bully-boys masquerading as the Premier and Local Government Minister of WA.

I know of several other Councils that are considering legal action.

Talking and appeasement have not achieved anything other than setting council against council, while the bully-boys look on gleefully. I have written, through my lawyers, to the Local Government Advisory Board and to the Minister seeking some reasonable discussion of what even the Minister has admitted has been a flawed process - only to receive dismissive and patronising responses.

The time for talking is past. It's time for action