Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Local Government: A hisaway for Criminals

Relevance is dependent upon who controls the relationship. In the matter of Local Councils, relevance is determined by they who have control. The law itself is irrelevant. Local Councillors are a law unto themselves. They are far removed from Macquarie Street. Hence, they are not scrutinised as thoroughly as they should be.
Another aspect of this situation that screws with justice is that local law means exactly that: it's local. Everyone knows everyone else and, being local, personalities play heavily upon justice. There is a law for every situation, and each situation is governed by they who have control.
Kyogle Council is a prime example. Up here in the north of the state, we are far removed from Sydney. We have our own culture and our own politics and if someone is not 'in with the boys of the council' then they have not a hope in Hades of securing influence in local affairs. In fact, they can become targets for the bully boys of Council.
A paedophile ran for Council in our last elections.
A local person was fined for sleeping in his house.
There are umpteen number of dogs in this Shire yet the Ranger selects those dogs that the ranger considers to be acting contrary to local and state laws. This selection can be arbitrary, to say the least.
Yet when the matter of the paedophile and the dogs are brought to the attention of the ranger, guess what takes precedence?
No, local government is a curse and the sooner it is relegated to history, the better.


Daily Telegraph
13 Jan 10

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