The anti-Baillieu blog www.hewhostandsfornothing.blogspot.com refers to us in a recent posting.
We are not able to comment on the factional squabbles in the Victorian Liberal Party, but there appears to be quite strong friction within the Liberal Party in Boroondara. We do not endorse the anti-Baillieu blog, and suspect it could be an ALP trick to de-stabilise the Liberal Party. Nevertheless we are honoured to be cited in that blog. Read on:
An intriguing comment appears on the blog www.boroondaravotereform.blogspot.com
Boroondara is the local council whose area includes all of Red Ted's Hawthorn state electorate. The comment suggests the Kroger faction of the Liberal Party is behind the Boroondara Council supporting single councillor wards in the current Victorian Electoral Commission representation review. Presumably so all of Red Ted's supporters can be annihilated at this years November Council elections. The comment, in reference to an earlier comment that blue rinse set ladies were behind the Kroger Costello faction, said:
My dictionary tells me the blue rinse set are well-groomed older women. In Boroondara they are well off and went to the best schools, like Melbourne Girls Grammar. They tend to be Krogerites in the Liberal Party factional squabble. They want single councillor wards in Boroondara because it will keep out the supporters of Red Ted.
The comment must be read between the lines. It suggests the power brokers in the Kroger-Costello faction do not think much of Red Ted's supporters on the Boroondara Council, and that the continuance of single councillor wards will ensure the defeat of all of Red Ted's supporters on the Boroondara Council.
One councillor, who opposed Red Ted in his original preselection contest, is the Boroondara Councillor who most strongly favours single councillor wards. No doubt this councillor wants to knife Red Ted.
The alternative to single councillor wards is multi councillor wards elected by proportional representation (PR). That would ensure that at least some of Red Ted's supporters get back.
Some supporters of the status quo of ten single councillor wards in Boroondara claim that PR is a Labor plot. Here they are in league with the ALP themselves, for Labor in Port Phillip, Banyule, Maribyrnong, Darebin, Hobsons Bay and Latrobe was the strongest supporter of single councillor wards.
That argument is false. The Kennett government, not the ALP, was the first government to pass legislation providing for proportional representation in Victorian local government.
Where does Red Ted stand? His opponents are all in league with the ALP on this issue.
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3 comments:
Which present Councillors in Boroondara support Baillieu? Does anyone know? Me thinks most of them are fence sitters.
Most are fence sitters. Some are not members of the Liberal Party (for example Phil Meggs) and got there with support from clearly some Liberal members as well as non-political supporters in the Cotham ward by election. Katherine Walsh works for Helen Shardey, the MLA for Caulfield, and she almost made it. Her defeat by now Cr Meggs was narrow. Katherine's strongest supporter was Jaci Hang, a Young Liberal member who provided her with just not enough preferences.
Today's Progress Leader, the local Murdoch giveaway in Boroondara, has two letters to the editor relating to the VEC Representation Review.
Neither letter supports any particular voting system, but both are critical of the Boroondara Council.
The Council, according to the letter writers, has spent large sums of money supporting its preferred option, has not recognises any alternatives, is one sided in its propaganda, and is lobbying residents and ratepayers to make a submission for single councillor wards and even provides a template and tells them how to write it.
It seems Boroondara Council doesn't think highly about the intelligence of Boroondara residents. They clearly, in the Council's view, lack the ability to make up their own mind on this issue.
Sound reasons to support a change to proportional represntation.
Interestingly the Council doesn't think proportional representation is a consideration in the current review process. We clearly need more intelligent councillors, not party hacks for one or other of the Liberal Party factions, or in one case of a Labor Party faction. Seems all agree. Mutual self interest.
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