How do you sleep?

I have been away from this site too long... a statement proved by the fact that I had forgotten my password!!

But I am back, for better or for worse, and I have something to say.

I ran for election... I lost.

I can live with that. I know I can, because I just wrote over one hundred words about what happened, and then deleted them, so you will never know what really happened...because that is not important.

What is important is what comes next... what comes after..

Local Government, (or Local Council) elections do not loom large on the political radar. They are, by definition, local affairs about local issues.

They are also incredibly important. To You.

It is your local authority that decides whether High-Rise buildings, Night-Clubs, Brothels, Live-music, Public concerts, Street-parties, Road-maintenance, Disabled access, Parking fines, or even Public Libraries, are supported or opposed. It is Local Government that controls your garbage pick-up... but 90% of the public don't care.

And that led me to a very important discovery...

I ran for local council in Noosa Shire, where I have lived for over twenty years.
I knew I was an outside chance of winning, but I also knew that much of what I was saying was supported by decent working folks like me. I wanted to get out there and say the things that many people were thinking, but no-one was saying.

That was the first sign of my naivete'. Because if so many people thought it, then why wasn't there a representative on Council espousing these beliefs already??
Here is why...the decent working folks (like me), don't follow local politics. They are too busy making a living, and when work is over, they aren't going to political meetings at night. They are taking their kids to soccer/tennis/football/ ballet, and then they are asleep in front of the television because they are tired. They are too tired from making a living to care!

The second sign of my ignorance was the background of my fellow Candidates...everyone had a backer... either financial or ideological.... and those of us that didn't...well we can always write Blogs.

The bottom line is this... if you are on Council already, you will stay, because everyone knows your name. If you are running for a vacant seat, (and ten of us were chasing three vacant seats), then the prize goes to the biggest cheque-books in the race. If you can afford the money, and can take the time off work to simply campaign, then the seat is yours to grab.

So the winners didn't need to make a difference. They simply needed to reassure the right people that they would not rock the boat, and have enough money to ensure their face was well known, and tiredness, apathy, and a desire for the status-quo would ensure that the result would take care of itself.

I am not bitter, or resentful about this, (okay, maybe a little resentful..). but that is how the game is played, and has been for thousands of years...

Except...

Except... if A Candidate, An honest, fair-minded Candidate, sees things that are wrong, sees unfairness, and decides to speak up, then maybe something can be changed.

I was raised to be fair, and that the rules were there to make it so everyone had a chance to win, with the best person for the job becoming victor on the day.

I didn't see that, I saw unfairness, and I decided I would not let it pass. I do not think that the perpetrator intended to disadvantage a Candidate for Councillor, I just think they were so intent on winning the vote for Mayor, that they did not consider the repercussions of their actions. But I saw an injustice in what they did.

I know I will not be on Council, but I feel someone else may have (or may not have) missed their chance. So I spoke up on their behalf... and I pushed, and pushed some more, and I am still pushing now... but at least the State Electoral Commission has agreed to investigate my claims.

Nothing may come of it, I don't know. But I do know that at least I have not remained silent when I saw an injustice to another human being.

I can sleep easy...and I do...