The full text of the Letter to the Editor of the Comment News, sent on 18 July 2007, is below.
............................................. I refer to the Letter from Ray Tame of the Armadale City Council, published 17 July. I have no idea who is responsible for assessing wayward councils so highly, but their processes are obviously defective. It is clear that they, as with Ray Tame and the city councillors, seldom venture past the city council buildings, into either the commercial area of Armadale, or into the residential areas, where the real people live, and the real conditions exist. The unsanitary and unsafe nature of the "cafe strip" on Jull Street, the problems with which have been repeatedly unsuccessfully brought to the attention of the city council health department, mean that it is a dangerous place to shop, with public health at risk. In the residential areas, where dogs roam freely, and where the city council maintains unsafe conditions, and maintaining neglect appears to be the priority, the city councillors appear to maintain their being oblivious to the problems, with the "out of sight, out of mind" policy of the council and its senior staff. Sure, the council "has advertised its financial strategy and budgets", and "is about to publish our blueprint for the next 15 years". But, with the lack of accountability of local government in this state, the people, the victims of the council's policies, including unjustifiably ever-increasing rates, have no real say in what the council does, as the council is not required to abide by the will of the people, as it similarly is not required to take action to properly provide a safe or healthy environment for its residents. The contempt for residents, and for the will of the people, has been shown in many instances, with one example being the public meeting regarding the destruction in the name of woolworths, where a Special General Meeting of Electors, was unable to obtain from the mayor, any reason as to why the "development" could not be done in such a way that preserved Minnawarra House, and, in defiance of the will of the people, Minnawarra House was gratuitously destroyed. Maybe, one day, a state government will appear, that will make local governments accountable. But, that reminds me of pigs flying.
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