Katherine (Letters, 3 August) asked ‘can the power of the people compete…’?
The answer is in the recent federal election: YES!
But the real power re: development of Byron, resides with the State government, so, next State election, can we PLEASE do the same?
Keeping the community together and the community voice loud and clear is what The Echo is about. More than ever we need your help to keep this voice alive and thriving in the community.
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Have you not noticed the same main agenda is going forward?
You are getting token gestures that have no effect. If I got One Nation in every position we would only get token gestures.
Remember when we voted Labor out so that we wouldn’t get a GST, then Liberal put it in, that’s how it works.
No I don’t recall that. I don’t recall Labor ever taking a GST proposal to an election. John Hewson was the first to do that and consequently snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.
So Paul Keating proposed it in the mid-80s and was told to shut up by Bob Hawke. When Hewson took the idea for his campaign and the public didn’t like it, it was pointed out that Keating had actually started it. By the 1996 election, both Keating and Howard said they wouldn’t bring it in, and everyone pointed out again that Keating start it, so in QLD at least, we voted for Howard to not get a GST. It was the first time I voted so I remember it. Then in the 1998 Election he said he was going to put it in so we voted Labor. Since a bunch of state taxes had been ruled illegal, I wonder what Labor would have done to make up the difference. Possible what their last PM was telling them to do?
Soon as I turned 18 and could buy an AK, Liberals band them, then put in the GST. I’ve put them at the bottom of my ballot ever since.
Christian, what you ‘remember ‘ never happened.
The ALP never took a GST to an election.
Keating’s proposal ( that’s all it was ) for a consumption tax in 1985 didn’t get the Cabinet approval – No Consumption Tax or GST.
“Then in the 1998 Election he said he was going to put it in so we voted Labor.” – the 1998 election, The LNP won the election. Not, Labor.
So in 1996 you voted for Howard so as not to get a GST – a regressive neo-liberal cornerstone, – opposed to Keating who, despite briefly floating it, pulled off the unwinnable election with a major scare campaign against it? I doubt that even Placido would have the effrontery.
But this was “in Qld at least” you say? Say no more!
Liz, 100%.