tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7878592054777492431.post7064079494179832508..comments2024-01-20T10:32:53.309+10:00Comments on CairnsBlog.net: Cairns Mayor welcomes further False Cape suspensionMichael P Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02890121680113642715noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7878592054777492431.post-45672978813469955152009-09-07T17:29:28.647+10:002009-09-07T17:29:28.647+10:00Max (hope you don't mind the familiarity of me...Max (hope you don't mind the familiarity of me using an abbreviation)<br />I am VERY happy to discuss all these issues, but it seems we are getting way off topic here.<br />I think I should get my own site going again. What say you Michael?Wendy Richardsonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7878592054777492431.post-15084012374986929942009-09-07T13:32:01.380+10:002009-09-07T13:32:01.380+10:00Thank you Wendy for your extensive reply and your ...Thank you Wendy for your extensive reply and your follow up.<br /><br />I have no doubt that you could be a 'successful' politician once elected.<br /><br />The electorate is quite cynical and sees right through phoney and glib politician/candidates.<br />Incumbency has its advantages, one of which is the recognition factor. <br /><br />Furthermore, there is prospect that the electorate of Barron River will be represented by a Minister come election time.<br /><br />As an aspiring politician, the election campaign for the next election starts the day you are elected/defeated.<br /> <br />To acquire the respect of electors you have to be out there, listening, presenting alternative views and solutions. Stall in shopping centres, public meetings, door knocking, attending Ratepayers meetings and many other community gatherings.<br /><br />The issues in Barron River are numerous through years of neglect and inertia. To mention a couple that need intervention by yourself are the Smithfield Town Centre, the overall developmental threat to the Freshwater/Barron River Delta, a light rail network for the Marlin Coast, extension of the four lane Cpt. Cook Highway to Buchan Point, Smithfield Bypass and the expansion of the University precinct to include a Medical Faculty and the Cairns Regional Hospital. <br /><br />The political courting of the Greens and Indigenous people is essential due to the optional preferential voting system. <br /><br />I look forward to your contribution to the debate on the above mentioned and other issues.Maximinus the 3rd.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7878592054777492431.post-78830591965766192052009-09-07T08:15:30.642+10:002009-09-07T08:15:30.642+10:00PS Maximinus 3rd (Max),
I imagine your interest in...PS Maximinus 3rd (Max),<br />I imagine your interest in my views extends far beyond my rationale above for continuing to seek to represent the people of Cairns and Queensland in their quest for better government.<br /><br />Stay tuned. I shall endeavour to give feedback on issues raised here and in other media.Wendy Richardsonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7878592054777492431.post-82162229408934147182009-09-06T22:28:38.848+10:002009-09-06T22:28:38.848+10:00Glad you think I'm a nice person, Max. I like ...Glad you think I'm a nice person, Max. I like to think I have vision and tenacity too. Some people would call it 'guts'. And I think lots of people did warm to me, and the number is still rising. If anyone was rejected, surely it was the two other candidates who polled less of the primary votes than I did?<br />Having run twice for State (and actually once for Tablelands Council, where I missed out by only 18 votes)and having tried to save the old Yacht Club building, one might certainly think 'time to give it a miss' and I did consider that.<br />However, that does not seem to be the opinion of many voters in the Barron River electorate.<br />I have had a number of emails and phone calls, as well as comments when I'm out and about, asking me to 'please hang in there', and I will. <br />To be honest, I only have to get out amongst people and see what is happening, to be willing to fight for them.<br />Also, when I stood for Cairns in 2006, I polled as well as many of the better Liberal candidates across the state - 32% of people had given me their primary vote.<br />Then, after I moved to my farm on the Tablelands, with no political plan at all, a few locals who wanted a person with integrity and drive to represent them, asked me to stand for Council. I reckon 20 people in that Division knew me before I nominated, yet by the final count nearly 800 had voted for me. I even got 50% of the total vote in Millaa Millaa where two of the five candiates lived. Not too shabby a result, even if I do say so myself, given I was an independent and ran the whole campaign on my own. <br /><br />A few months later I was approached again by a group of people I had worked with in 2006 to try to save the old Cairns Yacht Club building. Many people still don't understand the extensive history of that place, the conspiracies that had dogged it or the potential it held for heritage tourism. To me it had the spirit of early Cairns embedded in it and I was willing to lead others who felt the same way in a last ditched effort to have common sense prevail.<br />Despite a petition of 11,000 signatures in 8 weeks, the Cairns Port Authority and the Bligh government refused to explain their actions or halt the destruction, so eventually they had it dismantled and remnants sent to JCU.<br />At that time I became increasingly concerned with the dogmatic attitude of Bligh and her government. <br />Apart from a 'bloody minded' attitude to the heritage of Cairns, there was enforced fluoridation, forced amalgamations, lack of REAL consultation on the 2031 Regional Plan, inaction on breaches of the Integrated Planning Act by rogue developers, workers at the coal face leaving in droves due to mismanagement, bullying, stress and bureaucracy .... the list goes on, all evidence of a government that has forgotten they are our representatives, not our masters. <br /><br />They were also well out of control re debt before any sign of the Global Finacial crisis and they had made it legal to lie to Parliament. Did you know that Max? Bligh passed legislation to be allowed to lie!<br />So, like I said previously, I could shut up and put up, or stand up and speak up! I chose to stand up again when asked to vie for Barron River. <br />And it seems 44% of people at the last election wanted me to represent them. Out of the three candidates, I got the highest number of the primary votes. Only a last minute deal between Labor and the Greens in Brisbane caused me to lose the election. <br />(In return for Labor giving Ronan Lee their 2nd preferences in just one seat, the Greens promised Labor their 2nd preferences in the 14 most-marginal seats across Queensland i.e. the ones Labor was most likely to lose. Barron River was one of them. It had nothing to do with policy and everything to do with power.) <br />Since the election, I have been encouraged by many people and have continued to work hard every day for the electorate. <br />At the next State election Max, voters won't be able to say to me 'Where were you for the last three years?" They will know I've been here listening, learning more and advocating for them.<br /><br /><br />WendyWendy Richardsonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7878592054777492431.post-47660759200054116942009-09-06T19:41:46.850+10:002009-09-06T19:41:46.850+10:00Wendy your a nice person, but I am unsure whether ...Wendy your a nice person, but I am unsure whether the electorate treats you with respect. You have run twice in different electorate. Sadly you were rejected twice by different electorates.<br />Do you consider it wise to run again?<br />Perhaps the electorate does not warm to you.<br />Would like to hear/read your views.Maximinus the 3rdnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7878592054777492431.post-15802954088117946892009-09-06T18:19:33.955+10:002009-09-06T18:19:33.955+10:00I agree with Lillian about the Death by Bureaucrac...I agree with Lillian about the Death by Bureaucracy. Seems its been going on for a long time though. <br />Lewis Carroll no doubt had a model in mind when he wrote about Wonderland; crazy responses and out-of-control characters.<br /><br />People wonder why I bother to stand for Parliament. Well I can either sit back and cop it or try to change it. I chose/choose the latter.Wendy Richardsonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7878592054777492431.post-6817233633019002672009-09-06T09:25:34.340+10:002009-09-06T09:25:34.340+10:00Apart from the usual Fat Kev aspect to this sad s...Apart from the usual Fat Kev aspect to this sad story, this is yet another indictment of the Evil Planning Department at Council, which was headed by no other than our current Acting CEO, Peter Tabulo. Apart from the Planning crew, who at Council were responsible for seeing that the $650,000 guarantee (not paid) was held by Council? The whole thing is a huge cock-up. <br /> Who is ultimately responsible? Why on earth do we have these recurring themes of such ineptitude with those government bodies 'administering' our land, society & culture? <br /> I believe today we have an epidemic of Death by Bureaucracy - there are thousands of them out there, all making ridiculous decisions, & then when these prove untenable, NO-ONE IS HELD ACCOUNTABLE. No-one (or very few) are dismissed, or fined, or put on leave without pay, or even sent to the Naughty Corner. Yet, ordinary citizens as myself are held accountable for every mistake or wrong move we make. <br /> What has happened to us all? And worse, there seems no end to it.<br /> Or, has this always been the way humankind tends to run all this stuff. Maybe we should all go back to studying Machiavelli, & just make the best of it?Lillian at Yorkeysnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7878592054777492431.post-23296862107779645922009-09-03T17:56:20.950+10:002009-09-03T17:56:20.950+10:00So Kevin Byrne (yes, we know you regularly log on ...So Kevin Byrne (yes, we know you regularly log on to this site) another damning indictment of you and your pro-development (at any cost) administration. Do yourself a big favour, don't ever consider standing for mayoral office again, we will remember.Alhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00473473335577649591noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7878592054777492431.post-13319114993012114612009-09-03T06:55:28.435+10:002009-09-03T06:55:28.435+10:00The previous Council are at fault with regard to t...The previous Council are at fault with regard to the $650k Bank guarantee. No one bothered to follow up that when the land was on sold that a new bank guarantee had been put in place. When the matter reared its ugly head over the remediation works needed, it was revealed that the "guarantee" was in fact a previous overseas owner's one, which would've ceased the moment the land was sold. With the "development at all costs and who cares about the consequences" attitude that prevailed under the ex Mayor Byrnes reign, details like this were overlooked.Jude Johnstonnoreply@blogger.com