Bad Week for Marmion and McGowan

Three letters in the Subiaco Post of 5th December ('Independent MP for Nedlands?', 'Opposition has changed its tune on Dadour poll' and ' Who will keep the bastards honest?') raised, in the context of the City of Perth Bill, the issue of integrity in politics.

Now there are some who would say that say that the very phrase 'integrity in politics' is an oxymoron, but that need not be the case - witness the principled and consistent stands taken by the Nationals and by Liberal MLA, Rob Johnson, in opposing the City of Perth Bill.

As Jeremy Mowe points out, Nedlands MLA, Bill Marmion, has been consistent - but only in being unwilling to represent the interests of a substantial proportion of his electors. Marmion's only apparent principle appears to have been to elevate his status and salary as Cabinet Minister over the values of representative democracy.

Nedlands electors may be used to this, but many would have had more (if misplaced) faith in the ALP keeping its word.

True, the ALP might have removed some of the more egregious aspects of the City of Perth Bill, but it remains one of the poorest pieces of legislation I have seen after a career of 45 years in public policy. 

The Bill still forces 3000 residents of Subiaco into the City of Perth with no say in what happens. No matter how Mark McGowan might grandstand about 'saving Burswood', the fact remains that he has totally ignored the western land and revenue grab and the effect it will have on the rest of Subiaco.

The Bill still gives additional powers to the unelected Executive Director, Public Health, that, despite the denials of Local Government Minister, Tony Simpson, threaten Kings Park, especially through expansion of hospital and medical-related facilities from QEII and Perth Children's Hospital.

The Bill would create a City of Perth Committee, with poorly-specified role and function, that, according to Tony Simpson wouldn't even have to keep minutes of meetings, let alone be accountable to either Parliament or the Perth City Council.

It is all the more distressing for residents of Subiaco and those who care about Kings Park that the Opposition would almost certainly have had the numbers to defeat the Bill at an early stage in the Legislative Assembly. With the Nationals and Rob Johnson voting against, it would only have required one more Liberal to cross the floor for the Bill to be defeated. I am reliably informed that there was at least one more willing to do so had the ALP not signalled its capitulation to Barnett.