Do those we elect to represent us always have the best interests of the community at heart? Is our democracy working as it should?
I once asked a member of the NSW Cabinet Office, ‘If the Premier wants something, does he get it?’
He replied in all seriousness, ‘He does have some influence’.
There used to be a joke in the NSW parliament that, after an election, the government doesn’t really change, as public servants in Cabinet Office remain in place. Unelected shadowy figures are the real decision-makers.
Even Ministers aren’t free to make decisions in their own portfolios.
Lobbyists hold a powerful sway over all levels of government.
We’ve seen that with the debate raging over gambling advertising. Greens and independents have been trying to persuade the government to implement the findings of its own review and ban gambling ads.
The report says, ‘Gambling advertising is grooming children and young people.’
Australians lose $25 billion each year on gambling, the largest per capita losses in the world. This addiction is causing untold misery to so many families. Grooming future generations just means this misery will continue.
The Albanese government knows TV stations are addicted to gambling advertising. Free-to-air channels are failing as advertising dries up and fewer people watch them. Taking away gambling revenue may be the death knell for one or more stations.
If the government were to do the right thing by Australian families, they would experience a severe backlash from the media, just prior to an election. Billionaire ‘freedom fighters’ would also jump on them about personal choice and Australia being a ‘nanny state’.
Occasionally, governments are on the right side of public opinion
Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek is happily trumpeting her approval of the largest renewable development project ever, the SunCable Australia-Asia Power Link. It’s expected to generate 6GW of renewable energy, enough to power 3 million homes. (That’s equivalent to six of Peter Dutton’s proposed nuclear power stations.)
Yet we know she will also be approving more fossil fuel developments, even though we are in a devastating climate emergency.
Major parties are hooked on corporate funding
As a result of corporate funding, the major parties make decisions that are not always in the public interest. Billionaires are backing far-right Advance Australia’s plan to spend millions at the upcoming federal election opposing Greens candidates, including Mandy Nolan.
Why? They know if the Greens and independents hold the balance in both houses, their power over government will greatly diminish.
Individual Labor MPs may protest privately about bad decisions but won’t go public with their concerns. They must maintain party solidarity or can get cancelled. When you are elected to represent the Labor Party you are no longer a free agent, even at local government level. You are not independent. You represent Labor policies and priorities, and these can be influenced by corporations.
Independents and Greens however can speak out and are free to vote in the interests of those who elected them.
The failure of the Liberal Party to nominate 140 candidates in next month’s local government elections has been called ‘bad for democracy’, but it may lead to the election of an interesting variety of non-aligned independents.
Local government is about representing the local community
Councils are no place for old-style party politics. Councillors generally try to do the right thing, but it’s getting harder and harder with pressure from the state government for more development as well as the growing power of the executive.
The majority of Byron Shire councillors felt obliged to permit the Wallum destruction to proceed, feeling they were powerless to stop it despite clear community opposition.
Others were brave enough to say no. They were outvoted.
Meanwhile, the federal court injunction to stop work on Wallum remains in place.
Community wishes on the future of Mullumbimby’s water supply were similarly disregarded.
There was an extensive public consultation process over the decision.
Should Council opt for a full connection to the regional water supply operated by Rous County Council or maintain the supply from Lavertys Gap Weir, supplementing it with a 200ML off-stream storage dam and a new treatment plant?
Byron Shire Council surveyed the community and 91 per cent wanted to retain an independent water supply.
The Greens tried to delay the decision for further examination of options, but it was bulldozed through in the dying days of this Council, based on the advice of council staff.
There are still unanswered questions about Rous’s ability to supply sufficient water in the future. That hasty decision may come back to bite us.
We must think carefully when voting in next month’s Council election.
We need to elect councillors who are committed above all to the best interests of our local community and our fragile environment, who are strong enough to resist outside pressure and who will prioritise actions to better prepare us for the impacts of the growing climate emergency.
♦ Richard Jones is a former NSW MLC and is now a ceramicist.
*The Echo has never accepted gambling advertising, in print or online, and you won’t see a form guide in The Echo. We do support local pubs and clubs, some of which have pokies.
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
