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Collapse Issue 542:<br />19 Apr 2022<br />_____________Issue 542:
19 Apr 2022
_____________
Collapse  NEWS NEWS
Sandstone block unveiled at Anderson Park
Oyster farmers need government support
Wicks promotes Woy Woy commuter carpark
Residents call for public plans for bushland restoration
Chamber opposes water rate rise
Students in Woy Woy Anzac march
Case numbers return to level three months ago
Rotary clubs hold joint meeting
Overseas trip after lottery win
Mingaletta has visit from Linda Burney
Mobile broadband may be disrupted
Clean4Shore continues to secure floating logs
Field day events postponed
Labor launch at Ocean Beach
Tony Winch profiled in council exhibition
Chamber renews call for railway crossing traffic lights
Chamber opposes the extension of special rate variation
Tesch disappointed with Mangrove tip decision
Third highest daily rainfall in 18 years
Collapse  PLANNING PLANNING
Council urges Paton St approval despite 64 objections
Chamber foreshadows Ettalong 'resurgence'
Collapse  FORUM FORUM
Breaking the rules about advertising material
When the bands all cease to play
No kerbside collection excuse does not wash
Not one vacant parking spot in South St in the rain
There should be single-councillor electorates
Collapse  HEALTH HEALTH
Reid promises improved aged care
Hospital named finalist in clinical excellence awards
New staff members
Collapse  ARTS ARTS
Auditions this week
Ephemeral art closing date extended
Closing date for ephemeral art trail extended
Tutor holds exhibition in Gosford
Patchwork achievements
Collapse  EDUCATION EDUCATION
School raises $35,000 in colour day
Students help Clean4Shore in Riley Bay
Stations of the Cross for Good Friday
Easter presents for Hammond Care
Baby Harper Mabel is born
Night under Stars held at Woy Woy campus
Open day for next year's kindergarten
Collapse  SPORT SPORT
State outrigger titles held at Patonga
Ettalong Major Singles champion
May is a big month for boardriders
Brett Harrod officially inducted as SLSA life member
Flood relief charity bridge day
Redevelopment starts with tennis facility
Extra dollar idea for Umina lucky bowler draw
Tributes for Lyle Besley
Water police lead outrigger rescue
Shane wins through to quarter finals
Riley wins five gold medals in Australian championships
Sports hall closed
Swiss pairs championship at bridge club
Busy month for Umina bowling club
Rex Hunt wins Veteran Singles final
Ninth in men's open flags
Women's fours championships played at Umina

EXTRA!!!

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There should be single-councillor electorates

May I endorse Bryan Ellis's comments on the ward system for Council elections ("Neither Crouch nor Tesch talks about ward system", PN 541).

Of course, neither Crouch nor Tesch wants to talk about the ward system, because it is the large, organized parties that benefit from it.

It has always been my contention that there should be single-councillor electorates and that it should be a requirement that the councillor live in the electorate for which he/she stands.

If single-member electorates are appropriate for federal and state elections, what is the logic of a ward system for local-government elections?

With a single-councillor district, everyone in the district will know exactly who the local representative is and whom to go to for advice.

As it is, every ward councillor is responsible, which means that nobody is responsible, so it is easy to see why so many are dissatisfied with the responsiveness of our council officers.

However, of even more concern than the ward system is the pernicious above-the-line voting option.

This is a monument to the lazy-mindedness and apathy of the average voter, and it virtually guarantees that the two large parties will receive one third of the seats each, regardless, because of the donkey vote.

I'd be prepared to bet that a majority of above-the-line voters don't even know the name of the candidate they're voting for, let alone his policies.

As a corollary to this, there should be no indication of party affiliation allowed on the ballot paper: let voters assess each candidate on his/her merits and choose accordingly.

This is how local-government elections were meant to be, before they were perverted by party politics.

We have just heard the regrettable decision of one Federal candidate to withdraw from the campaign, because she simply cannot afford the costs.

It is obvious that many possible candidates do not stand in local elections for the same reason.

If we had a small, single-member ward, campaigning would be enormously simplified: an independent candidate could probably visit most constituents personally on foot, and the financial advantage of the party candidate would be greatly reduced.

This would be a small step towards returning democracy to the people; perhaps, Central Coast Friends of Democracy could give up harping uselessly on the amalgamation and focus on improving some democratic fundamentals.





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