Written by Joe Shlegeris, Greens candidate
The 2015 state election revealed the sorry state of civic institutions and basic democracy in Noosa.
There was not a single debate among candidates. Where were the Lions Club, Rotary, Zonta, and all the others? These groups all have the standing and respect to host a debate, but none bothered.
What about the Chamber of Commerce, whose small business members had so much at stake? Nothing.
Campbell Newman set the date to make to make it easy for people to ignore the campaign. We might not have liked that approach, but he was entitled to do it. The sad thing is that almost everyone who should have stood up for the democratic process decided to do nothing.
Even the Noosa Parks Association – whose agenda I was often accused of running – wanted nothing to do with it. Back in September I was scheduled to speak at a Friday NPA meeting. On the Wednesday prior I received a call from the organiser who told me that “the committee” had decided that the NPA didn’t want to hear from any politicians.
And the newspapers? The main reporters for both the Noosa News and Noosa Today were on holiday for most of the campaign. No debate, no discussion, no inquisitive reporting. The democratic process lost this election by a big margin, whether you like the result or not.
