Who speaks for me?
I HEARD in the news the other day that certain politicians will not allow a plebiscite on same sex marriage to go through.
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Instead, they want to take it out of the people’s hands and make the decision themselves by a vote in parliament.
Politicians are supposed to represent their electorate, so wouldn’t it be good to find out what their constituents think on such an important issue?
I voted for my member to represent me, or at least the majority of my electorate.
And if they don’t agree with the electorate then they should not represent them.
In a similar vein, people say that Malcolm Turnbull is weak because he is swayed by his party.
The last time I looked, this isn’t a dictatorship; he is not the party, he is part of a party.
A democracy is all about cooperation and discussion to find the best way forward with the collective wisdom at hand.
So we consult and get advice.
In the end, he needs to support his party and they need his skills of leadership.
Those who have been part of great organisations know that the best leaders are the ones who listen and serve, not the ones who dictate and bully.
Nicolaas Van Honk
Wagga
Number crunching facts
ACCORDING to the sister city history on council’s website, a sister city affiliation between Wagga and Nördlingen in Germany was established in December 1967.
How can they celebrate the 50th anniversary of the “twinning of our two cities” in 2016?
Helmut Kater
Estella
Premier on self-destruct
HAS Mike Baird got a death wish for himself and his government?
If public outrage over the banning of greyhound racing and the forced council mergers is any indication then, after the next state election, I doubt very much if many of the Coalition will be left standing.
The question that must be asked is why is Baird going ahead with his ban when surely he must realise that he is committing political suicide?
Just like the lemmings, he is leading his party over the cliff into political oblivion.
Then I did hear a rumour that he won’t be throwing his hat in the ring come the next state elections.
However, there must be some underlying impulse that is driving him to enforce this ridiculous ban?
You can imagine what the value of Wentworth Park would be – it would be worth a squillion.
Maybe the government’s chance to make a motza out of selling the joint is the hidden motivation behind the decision.
Geoff Field
Gundagai
Dogged by misinformation
I COMPLETELY understand the love Roger Gregory has for the adorable little dog he purchased from a pet shop as a companion for his sick wife (DA, August 24, "Sales ban a pet peeve").
Sadly, Roger misses the whole point of the ban on pet shops selling animals.
The point is they support the many cruel puppy farms, where females are forced to produce litter after litter, in squalid, unregulated conditions.
On the same day Dean Morriss in his letter states: "Nobody likes cruelty to animals, and people come first in this world."
Dean assumes animal advocates don't care about human suffering.
He too missed the point that animals have no voice, and animal advocates care passionately enough to want an end to suffering of all earthlings, including greyhounds and animals caught up in the vile live animal export trade.