Labor Shafts The Subiaco 3000

In the previous local government so-called reform process, Labor was left at the post and only started to make up some ground when it became clear that community opposition was gathering such momentum that it might, against all the odds, actually succeed.

With the City of Perth Bill, after appearing to promise so much, Labor went to water and abandoned the residents of Subiaco's south ward when the numbers were there to defeat the Bill outright.

And as for Labor's agreeing to broaden the scope of the Bill to allow for transparency and accountability requirements for all local governments, the best that can be said for that is that it was a misuse of parliamentary process to do it so late, without consultation and via a Bill that otherwise did not directly affect other local governments except Subiaco and Nedlands.

Thanks to the Nationals and to Rob Johnson for having, and sticking to, principles. And thanks to Chris Tallentire (ALP, Gosnells), who at least spoke up for the Subiaco 3000 even if he couldn't find it in himself to vote against the party line. See how your local member voted (foot of this post - two Nationals, Terry Redman and Brendan Grylls were absent but we know they would have voted against the Bill) and let them know if you are disgusted by the way the Subiaco residents have been treated simply to make life a little easier for the University of WA (see Mark McGowan's comment in the first part (columns 4 and 5) of the Post article below).

I must admit, though, that I did like Ben Wyatt's characterisation of the Bill's passing the Legislative Assembly as "The Premier has snatched a committee from the jaws of defeat", for there is very little else of substance in the Bill apart from the forced relocation of the Subiaco 3000. Even with little substance, however, it would still be bad law if passed by the Legislative Council.

Needless to say, the mainstream media (ABC and the West Australian) homed in on the accountability aspect and almost entirely ignored the fundamental issues in the City of Perth Bill. As too often has been the case over the past couple of years, notwithstanding some important contributions from the ABC, it was left to the Post to provide a more rounded coverage.