NOW that some of the dust has settled on last weekend’s City of Greater Bendigo council elections, it’s worth a few timely observations.
In the seven wards where an incumbent stood, the candidate who topped the primary vote went on to be elected - with the exception of Eaglehawk Ward councillor Peter Cox, who finished just two votes behind Elaine Harrington in the battle for the borough.
Crs Gibbins, Reynard, Ruffell, Sandner, Lyons and Campbell all topped the poll, prompting many commentators on The Advertiser website this week to say that democracy had prevailed.
At Wednesday night’s special meeting of the council to elect the mayor, the proudest person in the room was undoubtedly Mayor Kevin Gibbins’ mother, Josephine Miller.
Thursday’s front page photo tells the story better than words ever could.
The speech by outgoing Epsom Ward representative Trudi McClure was probably the best she had delivered in the past four years. Rarely has Trudi spoken with such passion and belief.
Perhaps not surprisingly, the applause at the end of her final address was the longest of any on the night.
The decision by newly elected Epsom Ward councillor Lisa Ruffell to not renew her Liberal Party membership when it runs out at the end of February is also to be applauded. Undoubtedly, some critics will say it makes no difference, but Cr Ruffell’s early determination to be a representative for all the people, and build bridges across the community, was a positive step that negates the argument some may have sought to use against her.
Many of the incoming councillors are not so well known outside their wards.
However, it is fair to say this was most probably the case in 2004 and in previous council elections, so the journey towards rectifying the situation begins.
This week the website has had many hits that turned up some amazing outcomes. The opening of the Howard Street, Epsom, supermarket attracted close to 20 comments from readers.
No big deal, except that about 90 per cent of them were positive in their endorsement of the complex, and of the former council’s commitment to the controversial project.
Seemingly, it took completion of the multi-million dollar supermarket and the chance for locals to push a trolley down the aisles for people to feel confident enough to speak up in support - compared with the many months of opposition the project (and the former council) had to endure during the planning and construction stages.
Finally this week, it’s almost four years to the London 2012 Olympics and already sporting officials are predicting a disaster unless we throw hundreds of millions of dollars at our elite athletes.
For what, you may well ask.
Don’t get me wrong, I love the Olympics as much as anyone, especially for the surprises that are unearthed during competition in one of the biggest theatrical events of them all.
But at a time when government surpluses are deteriorating at a more rapid pace than Usain Bolt’s world record 9.68 seconds in the 100m dash, it’s difficult to accept that we should be throwing loads more cash at the Olympics when we have so many issues spiralling out of control.
Think about the challenges of managing water in the Murray-Darling Basin, the introduction of an emissions trading scheme, the reduction in carbon emissions we must face up to in the next few years, and the burgeoning problems associated with a shortfall in funding for our health system.
Then there’s affordable housing, mental health, indigenous affairs and many other areas in which our nation needs to do so much more, but cannot without additional funding.
From a nation-building perspective, instead of throwing untold millions into the achievements of elite athletes, we would be far better off directing more money into health awareness programs for young people in the hope of reversing the alarming increase in diabetes and obesity that we read so much about. So what if Britain spends about $570 million over the next four years in a bid to boost its medal tally?
Australia has allocated just over $210 million to the quest for gold, silver and bronze in 2012.
There are more than 60 million citizens in the UK, and about 21 million people are lucky enough to call the land down under home.
On a per capita basis, we are actually outspending the Poms already.
Perhaps we need to pause for a few minutes and remind ourselves what the Olympics are all about. The Games motto says it all - “Citius, Altius, Fortius”, or faster, higher, stronger.
The Olympic Games have changed a lot since that phrase was coined, but their intent and purpose - and those of Baron Pierre de Cubertain - should always be central.
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