"In 2008 I helped a local consortium of schools gain $13m in funding for a Trades Training Centre through the preparation of a compelling, broad community based application - without any support from our local MPs & despite significant interference from regional & state bureaucracies."
That's the sort of thing we need happening , not only here in Alb/Wod. but elsewhere, and I agree, our local representaives have done nothing, have not been vocal/active/smart enough to deliver what our population needs. You might be able to follow the likes of Simon Crean with his , "join the dots", etc, but to me they are all full of , ... inaction.
Look at our basic Melbourne to Albury and beyond rail system, a new one that is not operative for various reasons.
Also, we have Border/State anomolies. Wouldn't you think some politician would fix that up ?
. "Gough Whitlam's efforts to create Albury-Wodonga as a regional growth centre has had a greater positive impact on the Region than all other plans & initiatives combined!"
That may partly be true but when the Albury Wodonga Development Corporation arrived here in the 70's, they bought up a huge amount of land, made rich people out of some, made house and land prices escalate, took away opportunities for the ordinary bloke on an ordinary wage because there was not the real estate available at country prices, etc. The AWDC just made a terrific lifestyle for their own ilk and employees and hastened the onset of Urbanisation, potentially changing the reason for living in this area to what it is to live in the cities from where Gordon Craig, Ron Dennis and their employees came from.
Albury is often referred to as the city of (traffic) lights now.
My family and I were lucky to have bought our first home just prior otherwise, even though I had a reasonable wage in the Army, we probably would not have been able to afford a more expensive property. As it was we even had to borrow the deposit of $850 from the in laws at the time.
At least if we had more QandA scenarios, I think we could begin to make the politicians more accountable, (as Crean tonight committing $65m, ... wonder if Julia knows ? ), and start doing some work for their pay and benefits.
