The wrong person was elected

as our mayor.

No, it is not simply because I voted for the other person. It is because I genuinely believe he was the better candidate and so did many others. Unfortunately just a few more voted for self-interest. 

That is what it amounts to...people voted according to what was or might be in it for them. They did not vote according to what might be best for the community.

I had a sneaking suspicion mid last week that this was going to happen. People I know were avoiding the question of the election and the likely result. One person said, "I haven't got my solar panels yet and if..."

Oh yes, those solar panels. Those "free" solar panels the mayor offered, the "free" this and the "free" that. I tried pointing out that our rates were paying for these things. The response was, "well I might get something back from my rates then". No thought was given to everyone needing their rubbish collected.

Yesterday we had a massive storm in this state. The wind was so strong the rain was coming horizontally at the windows. We had lightning strikes and then more lightning strikes. Anything loose was flying at speed through the air. It was very dangerous to be out. I did not put a paw outside all day. Somehow the power remained on in this area - there is something to be said for being on the same section of the grid as a hospital. It flickered frequently but it remained on and for that I was thankful because I was watching our emergency services website. 

I stood in the centre of the house and made a couple of calls from the mobile to check that people who cannot get out alone had people with them. They all had people but one of those people was outside using a chain saw to clear enough of a tree to get their wheelchair access van on to the road that leads into the township. It was just one of many trees flattened by the storm.

I thought of this and the mess that will need to be cleared away by council workers and others. The cost is going to be huge. It isn't catered for in the budget. How will the mayor who has just been voted in again weigh the clean up against the solar panels? Will the solar panels win because she "promised" them? It's a financial impossibility to provide everyone who wants them with these. This has been said over and over again but people still believe they will be among the lucky ones who, not having put their own in earlier, will now get the "free" panels. 

This is the person who also wants to change the date of our national holiday and who believes that indigenous and rainbow flags are of greater importance than the national or state flags.  The Christmas carol concert (attended by people from all religious groupings not just Christianity) will be held "for the last time" this year under her reign. I am reliably told she only agreed to have it because it could have affected her chances of re-election. She also made her political leanings (far left) very obvious  when she ran for state parliament. Apparently she intends to try again for that - using her position as mayor to help.

For me local government should be about local issues. It should be concerned with the state of the local roads and footpaths, with the maintenance of the parks, with the collection of rubbish and with the library and other community services. It should not be about politics or which flags are flown. 

The wrong person was elected - and we will be a poorer and less cohesive community because of it.