We Are Not Second-Class Citizens

There can be legitimate and sincerely-held differences of view on the relationship between Vincent and Perth - but there should be no dissent from the democratic principle of equal representation. I congratulate Vincent Mayor, John Carey, on his strong stand on this principle. I hope that Tony Simpson is able to stand up to Bully Barnett and deliver on his "guarantee of no vote-weighting in the new City of Perth".

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-10-22/wa-government-announces-local-government-reform/5832900

The real question is that, if Vincent residents are such a problem, why merge Vincent and Perth at all. Even the part of Vincent that the City of Perth really wanted (for its key assets), still included a substantial number of residents.

Barnett, Scaffidi and the City of Perth need to understand that cities are nothing without people and that decisions of the City of Perth have a major impact on the residents of Vincent.

A large proportion of the car commuters to the City pound through Vincent twice a day, polluting the air and severing our town centres - and when Perth puts up the price of parking some of those commuters park for nothing in Vincent, clogging up our streets, and walk or get the bus into the city.