Ed,
Recently our state Member of Parliament Chris Gulaptis announced his upcoming retirement. At the NSW election, in a mere 4 months’ time, the people of Clarence will be asked to elect a new member of parliament to represent us for the next 4 years.
We currently have three candidates announced, with more perhaps to be announced in the coming weeks. Some candidates seem to be very busy meeting as many people as possible in various settings, and we are already hearing about their positions on important matters including the floodplain developments in West Yamba, the incinerator plans for Casino, and the funding for infrastructure and services in our electorate. This is very helpful for our community to get information about candidates and engage in the democratic process.
Among this hive of activity and exchange of ideas, the new candidate for the Liberal National Party is remaining suspiciously quiet. Perhaps he doesn’t want to make himself too big a target, given that people may inevitably recall his former stint on Clarence Vally Council with mixed feeling. We do see him silently popping up like ‘Where’s Wally’ in numerous photo opportunities where he generally stands just behind the current member, as if proximity to his predecessor will transfer the magic that has kept Chris in office. Sadly, that magic may have run out for Chris, and it may be fast expiring for the Liberal Nationals in NSW.
Unfortunately for the candidate then, it may not be enough for the people of Clarence to be randomly confronted by his smiling face in print or online, lest it reminds us of some of the unfortunate moments of his past career. Any aspiring candidate needs to have the courage to defend their legacy and present their vision for the future. If the Nationals candidate wishes to represent the people of Clarence for the next four years, potentially from the opposition backbenches, we need to have the confidence that he can be effective in that role and not merely get his photo taken and draw a salary.
Christine Robertson, Woombah