Toby Warnes, Suffolk Park
Don Page, the state member for Ballina, spent a long time on the opposition benches of Macquarie Street. Fast forward to March 2011, when he was flung with overwhelming force into the power of government. In my living memory, people have always seen Mr Page as a community man, a man that people can trust. The past few months have demonstrated that this facade is an illusion. His government has openly attacked the people of this state, and our local community. It has slashed spending on health and education and it has taken the axe to workers’ rights by making the biggest changes to workers compensation laws in a century.
The state government has targeted the foundations of our community in such a vicious manner; surely a response from Mr Page is warranted. But what have we heard from him? Nothing – not a peep! It’s about time for Mr Page to stand up for the people of the electorate of Ballina and oppose the vicious attacks of his government – to tell Macquarie Street that the people of the northern rivers won’t stand for his government’s blatant disregard for the interests of his constituents. Otherwise it may just be time for old Don to finally hang up his boots and hand the reigns to somebody who will.
I can not more agree on that,
Don Page has lost his face im my opinion.
this government is wrong for us
Indeed. The ‘majority’, yes MAJORITY of this area says no to Coal Seam Gas and he turns his back on all of us and says we are running out of gas so its going ahead. Don, have you heard of a big bright thing called the sun? Solar panel stations are doing a fabulous job in other countries. And this alternative has been put forward and you mate have done absolutely nothing to promote it. Yep time to hang up your boots and sod off!!
Don Page has always been helpful in any and all issues I have been concerned about in the past, approachable and rational indeed. I have sung his praise for his good works about our shire for years and even apologized to him that i have not been able to vote for him because I do not agree with the ideology of his party in general… now I have to withdraw that apology to ask him why would he not be a brave voice again (as he was against the war in Iraq ) and stand for what the majority of people in this region rationally see as a very wrong direction: coal seam gas mining.
There is no doubt that Don Page is a “good man”. However, to quote Edmund Burke – “All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing”.
It’s time or Don to do something and support the community against this government’s attacks on the community in the shape of green light for CSG, attacks on the public service, allowing shooting in National Parks etc.
Time to prove your mettle, Don.
Unfortunately Don has a track record of publicly supporting everything but doing bugger all. We who tried to halt the Yelgun Festival Site monstrosity can attest to that.