Support for Alternative Newspaper?

Several people have expressed interest in the establishment of an alternative newspaper to service the Fraser Coast area... a "good news" paper where the front page headlines are not scandal, crime, violence or Nancy's pet promotion of the month.

Early suggestions for such a newspaper include...

• Bringing a genuinely independent viewpoint on major events happening within our community
• Providing a special focus on educational issues and employment creation
• Allowing all candidates in political contests to freely express their opinion on an equal basis
• Encouraging community groups and not-for-profit organisations to submit newsworthy items, meeting notes and date-claimers
• Actively pursuing positive, wholesome news items
• Being pro-family, pro-good values, rather than constantly promoting "alternative" lifestyles,
• And not competing with the existing printed media as a source for turf guides, horoscope and Dear Aunty trash, and adults-only dating and related advertising.

Any further ideas or thoughts?

Reaction to Previous Blog

Thank you to those who wrote or telephoned supporting the comments I made in my previous blog.

I certainly do not regret anything I wrote leading up to the election, however the bitterness and toxicity of the reactions of a few who felt aggrieved by my views did surprise me a little. I guess accountability and integrity are just irritating words to them. For the information of a few of their friends, I've pulled the knives out of my back and life will go on whether they approve or otherwise.

Turning to the outcome of the election, democracy is a strange invention at times, but democracy Beattie-style is a very curious thing indeed.

It is interesting to note that only one candidate elected to represent us on the Fraser Coast Regional Council achieved more than 50% of the eligible vote.

In fact, on the latest figures posted on the Queensland Electoral Commission website (7/04/2008) for the Mayoral contest, over 56% of eligible voters either said "No" to the successful candidate or were so disinterested that they either forgot to vote, refused to vote or deliberately wasted their vote. Hardly a mandate to get excited about.

For those interested in where all this is headed, the result in some ways mirrors the last State Election held on 9 September 2006, when the ALP managed to secure 59 of the 89 seats (or 66% of the seats), with only 46.92% of the vote.

Some of us are old enough to remember the journalists and Labor hacks who constantly proclaimed the evils of "The Gerrymander" when electoral weightage protected regional, rural and remote areas of the state from the excesses of city-centric government.

Anyone needing a hospital in Maryborough lately, or driving regularly between Hervey Bay and Brisbane, will confirm we simply are not getting our share of funding despite the protestations of Labor sympathisers or our completely ineffective Members of State Parliament. Labor is treating voters outside of the Noosa-Ipswich-Gold Coast triangle with contempt.

On this occasion the outcome was heavily influenced by a natural fear of isolation and disenfranchisement and certainly does not reflect the respective abilities of many of the candidates. Time will tell which ones will be re-elected and which ones will be flushed away when voters have had more time to think things through.


Successful Councillors - Declared Results Summary

Electors at Close of Roll: 61,959
Last Updated Date/Time: 26/03/2008 12:43:38 pm
Percentage of Roll Counted: 87.02%

HOVARD, Barbara 31,705
HAWES, Debbie 29,385
ARTHUR, Julie Ann 27,804
HARRIS, Linda 26,480
McNEVEN, Belinda 25,270
NIOA, Anne 24,431
MUCKAN, Les 24,017
BROOKS, Sue 23,930
O'CONNELL, Gerard Daniel 23,787
DALGLEISH, David 23,159