Who's 'dysfunctional' now?

'Council called dysfunctional' is this week's Promoter front page story on the recently released 2009 Corporate Review Report. Nine years ago, in the 2000 Corporate Review Report, a similar finding was found. I still remember the media and Irwinites at the time snickering at the mayor's comment that we did not have a dysfunctional council, but rather a 'dysfunctional councillor'. I remember how that hurt... and still hurts when I think of it today.

What hurt more was knowing I stood up against the mayor and the conservative establishment fighting for the greater good and what I believed in, and even though with this latest report I feel I have been vindicated and proven right, there is little consolation today in knowing I was right and that the wave of the world at the time was wrong, yet the wave crashed upon me.

Since that time I have had to suffer financially, endured deprivation, shunning, lack of opportunity, been ostracised, prevented from participating fully in my community, and held back from job, business and career opportunities... and from my rightful place on council. But I and my wife stood tall, and some how managed not to starve and/or be forced out of our home and community (although, the way things are going that still might happen?...).

I say all this because I want those who thought so much of this mayor that they turned a blind eye to the harm and damage done to me and my family, and to this community, to know that because a man has titles, position and privilege does not make him right. And those of us who come from the other side of the tracks are not necessarily wrong, evil or mean people either. In other words, do not judge a book by its cover.


Character is what you have left when you've lost everything you can lose.

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