The content on this webpage contains paid/affiliate links. When you click on any of our affiliate link, we/I may get a small compensation at no cost to you. See our affiliate disclosure for more info -----------------------
Last updated on June 15th, 2017 at 01:15 pm
Just as a follow-up to the post below about John Howard’s anti-federalism plans, I should note that former National’s Senator, John Stone, has a piece in The Australian today condemning Howard’s plans. He gets stuck in too. So good for him
- I have to agree with Noir on this one. Here’s a great example of over-regulation (not to mention that it’s incredibly bad regulation)
Homeowners would need council approval before installing air-conditioners
If a motion passes Waverley Council tomorrow night, residents living between the Macquarie Lighthouse in Vaucluse and Bronte, and west to Bondi Junction, would be unable to install an air-conditioner without development approval. The development application fee is $110.
Posted by ArtVandelay on 04/17 at 11:59 PM • #
- Waverly council have always been dominated by power-mad control-freaks. You need a hunting license to swat blowflies.Posted by underscore on 04/18 at 12:24 AM • #
- Local govt appears to be an enormous waste of resource to satisfy any residual feelings held by the community that they ‘have no say’
Newcastle council is typically such a bunch of pinko reactionaries, you cant put up a letter box without some councillor protesting.
The State govt wants to remove the railway that bisects the city, its no no no.
Even the Greens are against removal of the railway – they are still rooting for the age of steam
They want to improve the foreshore its no no no
“We want parks not buildings people can live somewhere else.”
So they rode over them and used the powers of the Crown to push reform.
Now the foreshore is vibrant.
The parochialism of the states also needs to be (at least) deregulated and reformed, maybe even ridden over.
- I’d be interested to know how T/Dunlop voted in the last Aussie election. I bet timmy voted for Labore’s thug psych case ‘Iron Mark Latent’. You did didnt you ‘lil tim?Posted by Deo Vindice on 04/18 at 03:27 AM • #
- Rog2, you should start a blog. I lived in and around Newcastle for five years (moved to Melbourne almost entirely by accident!) and I can vouch for every word you say. God knows Newcastle needs some more outspoken folks like you.
On the Howard/centralisation issue: it’s a canny choice of subject by TimD. It could be read both ways, because Howard has been in some ways a consistent supporter of deregulation. But he’s also a politician who has consistently sought more power for himself and the Coalition Government.
So far, the emphasis of the Howard Government has been on lowering the Government debt and making Australian taxes more logical (GST). I’m not so sure that he has done much to decrease Government power. Sure, he sold Telstra – but he only sold HALF of Telstra, and it’s looking increasingly unlikely that he’ll get the other half sold.
If Howard has done anything to decrease the size of Government in terms of other public services, then I’m not aware of it. The only other example that I can think of (out of grim personal experience) is his introduction/enforcing of mutual obligation on job-seeking candidates. Now, I may have been a lazy job-seeker at times, but that to me seems to be an excellent example of a Government trying to increase its power and influence.
I’d stress that, in some ways, Howard has been very strongly in favour of deregulation, but in practical terms, I’m not sure that it has amounted to very much.
- this whole argument is a typical left wing straw man style scam worthy of Margot. Any one with even a basic knowledge of Howard knows he is a pragmatist not an idealogue. He will choose the path that he believes will benefit the people (and or course his party) regardless of ideology. This is standard strategy. Hold the middle ground, reject extremeism from left and right, make people feel happy/comfortable and keep getting re-elected.Posted by Astonished on 04/18 at 04:36 AM • #
- local government must be destroyed. it’s corrupt & largely unaccountable. here in glen eira (caulfield to real people) i’m paying rates higher than toorak for crap services. the council decided it didn’t like european trees, so it pulled them out of a major park & planted spindly gum saplings, instantly snapped by vandals. it refused a restaurant in a major shopping strip planning approval, even though it was not expanding & the business previously in that spot was, guess what, a restaurant. it built a japanese garden in honour of some sister city wank. it has an art collection no ratepayer ever sees because it sold its arts centre (there’s a lame virtual gallery on the council website). it tried to bring in differential rating so working stiffs would pay a higher rate than dole bludgers. and this is no ALP council. up against the wall with the lot of them.
- crap crap & more crap – they outsource most services to companies providing similar services for groups of councils these days, they ignore the ratepayers, they engage in wealth redistribution & they ponce about like little gods – death to the scumsucking SWINE
& if you think state MPs are godawful specimens who can’t cut it federally, take a look at the antics Fiona Snedden on the Melbourne City Council – a typical failed federal candidate
A second’s thought should tell you that John Howard is not seeking centralisation of power but deregulation. He is saying Australian’s are over governed. Hard to argue with that and consistent with his entire career.