Willagee by-election: November 28

Tuesday, November 24

Comments thread troublemaker Frank Calabrese has caught the attention of The West Australian’s Inside Cover.

Saturday, November 14

The Fremantle Herald reports Gerry Georgatos is forming a new party he proposes to call the “Real Greens”. Such a name would certainly not be permissible under the Commonwealth Electoral Act, but the state’s Electoral Act does not contain a provision equivalent to that prohibiting a name which “a reasonable person would think suggests that a connection or relationship exists between the party and a registered party if that connection or relationship does not in fact exist” (which was designed to disqualify Liberals for Forests and others like it). Georgatos also disputes Lynn MacLaren’s denial last week that she had been behind the preselection of Hsien Harper, saying she had previously admitted this to him.

UPDATE: I’ve been provided with a more in-depth version of the same article, presumably from the Melville or Cockburn version of the Herald.

Sunday, November 8

The Sunday Times reports Georgatos will be directing preferences to Labor:

Labor candidate Peter Tinley’s chances of winning the Willagee state by-election have been boosted, with independent Gerry Georgatos giving preferences to Labor at the November 28 poll. Mr Georgatos, who unsuccessfully sought pre-selection for Willagee for the Greens, said apart from himself, he believed Mr Tinley was the best candidate. He said Greens candidate Hsien Harper was a “good person”, but he believed Mr Tinley was a better candidate. Mr Georgatos denied giving Labor his preferences as payback for not being pre-selected.

Friday, November 6

fremherald051109maclarenThis week’s Fremantle Herald features a letter from Greens MLC Lynn MacLaren (right) in which she rejects claims the branch meeting that preselected Hsien Harper was stacked, saying the party’s “consensus decision-making” means “branch stacking isn’t possible”. One who begs to differ is Steve Walker, who has told the paper he quit because of “the appalling dishonesty and branch-stacking within the party”. Notwithstanding that he is no longer involved with the party, Walker claims the Willagee preselection was “all the handiwork of Lynn”, whom he labels “the Brian Burke of the Greens”. The paper also corrects its assertion last week that Walker’s gripe had been that he was overlooked for preselection in Fremantle at the expense of Adele Carles – his aspirations had in fact been for the South Metropolitan seat currently occupied by MacLaren. Walker then proceeded to run as an independent, and lodged an above-the-line preference ticket which was punitive with respect to MacLaren personally: while her Greens running mate Scott Ryan was put second, MacLaren was placed behind all major party candidates (since MacLaren was elected anyway, the real impact of his votes was to help elect the Liberals’ Phil Edman ahead of Labor’s Fiona Henderson).

The Herald page linked to above also profiles Christian Democratic Party candidate Henri Chew, and informs us a candidates’ forum will be held at 7:30pm on Wednesday, November 25 (three days before the by-election) at Melville Senior High School’s performing arts hall. There are ads in the paper for Hsien Harper on page one and Peter Tinley on page three, scans of which appear below.

fremherald061109harperad

fremherald061109tinleyad

Friday, October 30

fremherald301009The hugely eventful comments thread for this post has made headlines, providing source material for the front page lead story in this weekend’s Fremantle Herald (the Georgatos letter referred to at the end of the scanned article is an edited version of this comment). At issue is the manner in which Hsien Harper was installed as Greens candidate at the expense of Gerry Georgatos, who was preselected earlier in the year when it was felt Alan Carpenter might join Jim McGinty in allowing for a by-election on the same day as the daylight saving referendum in May. Georgatos indicated he was in favour of nominations being reopened when Carpenter did eventually pull the plug, but “party insiders” cited by the Herald say he was “pushed into the decision”. Hsien Harper’s backers got the better of the ensuing preselection meeting, prompting opponents to complain it had been stacked. Georgatos subsequently nominated as an independent, and was promptly forced out of the party.

The sidelining of Georgatos is believed to have occurred largely at the instigation of Lynn MacLaren, member for the corresponding upper house region of South Metropolitan. As the Herald puts it: “About 20 unhappy supporters have since been venting spleens on the Poll Bludger website, with one saying ‘okay, like the others I am a Green – [Lynn] MacLaren and [a] few others knifed him’.” It has been said that Georgatos was felt not to have paid his (metaphorical) party dues; that the campaign might suffer from what one aggrieved comments thread contributor describes as his “outspoken qualities”; and that a candidate with Harper’s union background would in any case be a better bet in a traditional Labor electorate like Willagee.

fremherald301009tinleyadThe dispute also appears to have opened old wounds relating to Adele Carles’s recruitment as candidate for Fremantle at the 2008 election, with some in the party said to have unhappy memories of her as an independent rival to erstwhile upper house MP Jim Scott when he ran in Fremantle in 2005. The nomination of Carles came at the expense of Steve Walker (UPDATE: Or so the Herald reported, but it appears not – see below), described by the Herald as a “founding member” and “loyal warrior for the Greens in various campaigns”. Here too tactical motivations were thought to have been in play, with Carles’s professional background, conservative presentation and young family greatly assisting the party when it sought to win over the Liberal voters who ultimately decided the by-election in her favour (UPDATE 2: The Fremantle Herald confirms it erred in linking Walker to the Fremantle preselection in the next week’s edition – see the entry above).

The ABC’s Peter Kennedy writes about the by-election here, and discusses it here. I’ve also scanned in a full-page Labor ad from the Fremantle Herald – click on the thumbnail to the left for a full view.

UPDATE: Minutes later, Greens convenor Scott Ryan responds:

There are substantial errors of fact in the Herald article that are repeated on your site. Steve Walker did not attempt to pre-select for the State seat of Fremantle in 2008. Adele Carles was preselected unopposed. Steve had already left the party after unsuccessfully nominating for South Metropolitan, choosing to contest that as an independent. Any suggestion that Walker was dumped for Carles is entirely fictitious.

I am not aware of any discomfort over Adele running as an independent in the same election as Jim Scott. She ran on coastal issues and to the best of my memory swapped preferences 2-2. If there are some members who have “unhappy memories” of this, I can of course not rule it out – though it’s nothing I’ve ever heard expressed in years of service to the Fremantle Greens.

As for the remainder of the story, The Greens have not attempted to officially respond to the comments on the site and will not be drawn into debate on that level. Allegations contained within are simply preposterous and delusional.

I have personally maintained communication with Gerry and he maintains that the process was fair and appropriate, and that he was not pushed into re-opening nominations.

I realise that what is said can never be unsaid and perhaps the original posters simply had no idea how damaging their comments would be to Gerry’s campaign and to ours. I am disappointed that the Herald has resorted to cut-and-paste journalism without the fact-checking step in between.

Thursday, October 22

Nominations have closed and the ballot paper order has been drawn, with a modest field of four candidates. Intriguingly, one of the four is Gerry Georgatos, who earlier gave every indication of being relaxed about the re-opening of Greens nominations which ultimately saw him make way for Hsien Harper. The ballot paper order runs Henri Chew (Christian Democratic Party); Peter Tinley (Labor); Hsien Harper (Greens); Gerry Georgatos (Independent).

Wednesday, October 21

The Greens have preselected Hsien Harper, an organiser for the Community and Public Sector Union who ran in Willagee at the 2005 election. Harper was also the party’s candidate for Maylands at last year’s state election, and at the Murdoch by-election earlier in the year.

Sunday, October 18

The Liberals confirmed on Friday they would not be fielding a candidate. The Greens have issued a statement to clarify their reopening of preselection:

The Fremantle-Tangney regional group of The Greens met on Tuesday the 6th of October to discuss opening of nominations for Willagee, selecting a 2-week process for nomination and selection. This process will conclude at a meeting on Tuesday the 20th of October with the selection and announcement of a candidate. Prior to the Fremantle by-election, the Greens chose to not only pre-select a candidate for Fremantle but also for Willagee, expecting a small chance that Alan Carpenter may resign at the same time as Jim McGinty. As this did not occur we elected not to announce the candidate publicly, thinking that it may be seen as an arrogant, provocative or disrespectful move. The candidate selected at the time was Gerry Georgatos. Seven months have passed since the original process, and while there is no question of validity in the previous process, the political landscape has changed somewhat after the victory in Fremantle. Many new members joined in the surge of enthusiasm and the overall chemistry of the party feels a little different. With these issues in mind a proposal was put to the Fremantle-Tangney group to consider re-opening nominations. Gerry himself was joint author of this proposal, stating to the Fremantle Herald (Oct 3) “I feel that I should not hold [the branch] to a decision made seven months ago and would rather ask the members if they want more input. The Greens and I do business differently to the [other] political brands – it’s got to be participatory democracy or there isn’t democracy”. Gerry intends to nominate again as part of the new process.

Tuesday, October 13

Chalpat Sonti of WAtoday reports November 28 has been set by Speaker Grant Woodhams as the date for the by-election (hat tip: Frank Calabrese).

Monday, October 12

The ABC TV news reports, from sources unnamed, that the by-election is believed likely to be held on November 28.

Saturday, October 10

The Fremantle Herald reports Greens state convenor Scott Ryan saying the party will “open up the preselection process again”, despite having preselected “university guild manager Gerry Georgatos” in February when it was thought Carpenter might head for the exit to allow for a by-election on the same day as the daylight saving referendum.

Wednesday, October 7

LATE: Paul Lampathakis of the Sunday Times reports Peter Tinley has been unanimously preselected by Labor’s 16-member administration committee.

EARLY: The ABC reports there are five candidates for Labor preselection: the aforementioned Tinley and Hume, “Labor branch officials” Tony Toledo and Greg Wilton, and Stephen Dawson, former chief-of-staff to Carpenter government Environment Minister David Templeman. Rewi Lyall in comments hears the latter has been endorsed by the party’s Left caucus. Contra the Fremantle Herald, David McEwan is not on the list.

Friday, October 2

The Fremantle Herald reports two further candidates for Labor preselection: Dave Hume, who made a quixotic run against Peter Tagliaferri for the Fremantle preselection and is currently a candidate for Hilton ward in the Fremantle council elections, and David McEwan, an “environmental lawyer involved in the campaign to stop the extension of Roe Highway through the Beeliar wetlands”.

Monday, September 28

Robert Taylor of The West Australian reports Dave Kelly has confirmed he will not be a candidate for preselection. That gives pole position to Peter Tinley, who it so happens lives in Beaconsfield – not in the electorate, but very close to it. Taylor further reports the Greens candidate is expected to be “lawyer and environmental campaigner Graeme McEwan”. CORRECTION: Had the wrong end of the handle here. McEwan is not a Green; Taylor does not say exactly what he is, but I’m presuming he’s a Liberal (although I would have thought it unlikely they would field a candidate).

Sunday, September 27

A report by Paul Lampathakis of the Sunday Times suggests I may have spoken too soon in anointing Dave Kelly as the likely Labor candidate: Peter Tinley, the former SAS officer and Iraq war veteran who unsuccessfully contested Stirling at the 2007 federal election, has confirmed he will nominate, and is the only potential candidate listed in the article. Labor state secretary Simon Mead is quoted saying the preselection will be conducted “within ten days”. The Lampathakis article quotes unnamed Labor figures lambasting Carpenter for not timing his departure to allow for the poll to be held concurrently with the Fremantle by-election and daylight saving referendum on May 16; relatedly, Rebecca Carmody writes in the Sunday Times that Alannah MacTiernan should “do the right thing” and go now so that the Willagee by-election can coincide with one for Armadale.

Friday, September 25

Former WA Premier Alan Carpenter has just announced on the ABC’s Stateline program that he will resign from parliament next Friday. This will initiate a by-election in his safe Labor seat of Willagee, located just down the road from the Poll Bludger’s humble abode in Fremantle. Likely Labor candidate: Dave Kelly, state secretary of the Liquor Hospitality and Miscellaneous Union.

For non-local observers excited by the prospect of a by-election in the seat neighbouring Fremantle, I have assembled a few stats for cold shower purposes. Unfortunately, the census figures are based on boundaries from before the one-vote one-value redistribution – Fremantle’s would still be pretty accurate, but Willagee would have gotten a bit wealthier. “MFY” stands for median family income.

  WILLAGEE FREMANTLE
ALP 2008 51.7% 38.7%
LIB 2008 30.9% 30.2%
GRN 2008 17.4% 27.6%
ALP 2005 47.9% 43.8%
LIB 2005 25.1% 26.8%
GRN 2005 9.0% 17.1%
Professionals 17.7% 29.2%
MFY $1,137 $1,313
Mortgages 35.0% 26.9%
Family households 65.5% 56.9%
Public housing 33.6% 19.6%

Author: William Bowe

William Bowe is a Perth-based election analyst and occasional teacher of political science. His blog, The Poll Bludger, has existed in one form or another since 2004, and is one of the most heavily trafficked websites on Australian politics.

885 comments on “Willagee by-election: November 28”

Comments Page 12 of 18
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  1. [And we both know that political parties simply wouldn’t work if everyone had to agree on everything.]

    But Frank told me that everyone in the ALP strictly adheres to ALP policy.

    There is no room for dissent!

  2. [Yeah, that whole nuclear thing is really helping to make the world a better place.

    Good onya Kevin, keep it up!]

    I happen to think it will. Disagree with me if you want, but it’s no evidence of any ideological hypocrisy on my part.

  3. I was hoping to acquire some nuclear waste for the backyard and some atomic bombs for the living room as well.

    Sounds peachy dontcha reckon?

  4. [I was hoping to acquire some nuclear waste for the backyard and some atomic bombs for the living room as well.

    Sounds peachy dontcha reckon?]

    Do you really want all my reasoning for why I support nuclear power, or can we just agree to disagree?

  5. Just agree to disagree. I for one appreciate Ben’s honesty. He supports the ALP. The ALP supports uranium mining. Ben supports nuclear power.
    Greens don’t support uranium mining or nuclear power.
    Both perfectly consistent, if not with each other, at least within themselves.
    Let’s move on.

  6. Methinks you’re all crazies. Talk about Gerry devotees and lovers and then see this for what it is. You are all Green party hacks, except for the few real danes and those who are on the ball.

    Heath, Luke, Kargotich, and others you are all praising your party like it is the gospel. There is no turning you away from your blindness. You have a nice person as Gerry describes your candidate Hsien but piss weak candidate. Few of you methinks are looking at what matters.

    I am here with 12 people, all Gerry ‘devotees’. They’ve suckered me into planting trees this morning. Some are going to jump on board having read this hack garbage and if they wanted could give you methinks a dose of loyalty. Maybe some of you should start figuring why Gerry has this large devoted crowd. How does one achieve this? Except for the jealous of Gerry small minded Bird of Paradox and his just as jealous of Gerry flatmate the mythical DMIX, who attack a great man because he is just that, the rest of you Green hacks are just acting like anyone else in any other party arguing the divinity of the party at all costs.

    Look at the facts, you have an inferior candidate to both Georgatos and Tinley. You have Maclaren you pulled out her bag of tricks to destroy the best candidate in this election, the rock and roll Gerry methinks. You have the Greens in disarray because Gerry is a heart on the sleeve speaks his mind and truth type and Maclaren and the Greens are paying for it. Who did they think they were playing with, this fruity loop pretend petal throwers? Of all people.

    Gerry is out planting saplings this morning, his hands already in the earth, then he is leaflet dropping, doing it all himself then who knows.

    Tinley is an average careerist, sounds good to right wing Labor, middle classes, to the patriots on all sides, to the Liberals for sure, don’t underestimate his Liberal vote pulling power, and to Christians. Like Hsien he isn’t that experienced. Gerry is, and it is shown by the fact that he can still swing a show wherever he goes, Peter needs Labor, Hsien needs the Greens, lets not worry about Henri and his mob. BUT the Gerry man doesn’t need anyone to make a mark. He is without a party and yet he can get some votes, he can be heard and he is so dangerous that everyone needs his preferences. Why is it so methinks? Why methinks? Methinks because he is a known quantity, he does stuff, he is loved by those that he has helped, he has helped so many it is ridiculous. This is why I am fascinated by the devotion to him by others. These types are the real types and unfortunately also the types that polarise some people like BOP and DMIX and Maclaren and others.

    I find you all hilarious. Maybe Frank C. is more on the mark than the rest of you hacks.

    By the way Gerry is the greatest Unionist of all time, and even sorts shit out for them and improves stuff. So add that to your kettle of fish.

    I hope you Green hacks open your eyes, and like some of you on this site methinks you are on the mark the rest of you realise this too.

    I hope I don’t have to hear Luke’s and Rossco’s puerile attacks and blind faith, and Heath’s well constructed party faithful loyalty diatribes where he tries to act but isn’t, independent.

    Away with hackism, and let the thread realise its power and elect the MP for Willagee. Now lets consider who should this be and then YES WE CAN.

    Frank

  7. Sorry good blog readers but my earthy friends are too lazy to create Poll accounts so I have honored them with the right to write on mine.

    Frank A.

    Gerry Rocks. There is no other.

    Trisha

    It is really shit that Gerry isn’t the Greens dude because this dude is the real McCoy, he is as good as the best gold and he is out there already planting trees, never lets anyone down.

    Speak for the Trees

    Okay, I was at the Greens pre-selection, don’t want to stir the hornet’s nest again, but yes he was stabbed in the back. there were the party room stackers there and Hsien supporters and Maclaren made sure he didn’t get up. He did rock during the statements and questions and left Hsien way behind. I think he has taken it pretty well considering he has been well and truly stabbed and stabbed and stabbed and for no good reason.

    The big guy

    Wow, I can’t believe anyone would talk down Gerry. This is so wrong. Gerry is a beautiful, lovely, decent and kind hearted person. He is just so lovely and good. How sad this all is.

    Serena

    When I needed help only Gerry helped me. Everyone I know respects the man and everyone who has been part of some campaign has been helped in some way by Gerry. When in trouble everyone flocks to Gerry.

    Shona

    What a load of hacks and party shit bullshit you all are. Who is the best candidate, Peter with his military background and rich man’s world, he is moving people out of his camping village? Is it Hsien with her union job and little else? Where has she been all this time? Is it Henry and the never heardness of this person before and the fact he believes in no abortions, no climate change, and who knows what else? or is it GERRY GEORGATOS, the long, long, long time human rights activist, the maker of meanings, the builder of Students Without Borders, the creator of the 8Ball computer recycling program that has reached all over the world, the maker of numerous education programs, the man who puts food hamper drives, food banks, soup kitchens, poverty breakfasts together, who made the Murdoch Guild the most well known in Australia, a leader to other Guilds, the man who fought university politics, they are not student politics, but university, fought with the machine again and again for justice, truth and the Australian way, who as a University Senator is the only Senator in history to be censured for dissenting and refusing to accept the machine’s crap, who stood up for university staff pays long before the unions cottoned on, who has made a difference to so many in so little time, who fought the Chiropractic School in a massive spat to ensure justice for students and got them through, he won it, and he also made sure Australia got its first Aboriginal Chiropractor, who argues with government all the time till he gets the outcomes that matter, who never gives up. I’ve seen Gerry in tears when fighting government, the machine, whomever because he hates the fighting, he hates the injustice of it all but he sticks it out so the weak do not become weaker. He is a modern day super hero, and I think he should not only be the MP for Willagee he should go on to be the Prime Minister. GERRY GEORGATOS ROCKS AND ROCKS AND ROCKS.

    Alicia

    You should read all the letters to the university student magazines, the METIOR, over the years from grateful students and staff about Gerry. He is so loved. You can’t just get this love, you achieve it, it is about respect. I know that he has sat with people for hours and gone everywhere for them. Importantly, this man knows what to do, how and when and does.

    In my few years at Murdoch, a couple of years back Gerry shook Murdoch to the hilt, and I have never forgotten this. His achievements are wonderful and he is capable of shaking Parliament to the bone. So throw him some justice.

    Don’t you love his openness, his realness, and his toughness, and that he speaks like one of us, no bulldust. By the way, Gerry never lies. He is the most honest person I have ever met in his dealings with people.

    He is also likes the odd joint, that makes him cool.

    Love, Shirley, Sam, Craig

    I’ve no time, so Vote Gerry, he cares and he does what he says he’ll do. It is a shame he isn’t Greens because I would have liked to have voted for them but I can’t not vote for Gerry, it is a must do vote. Vote Gerry, at least we will have a great MP, and secretly I think most Greens will be cool with Gerry because he’ll vote their way on most things and speak about them more loudly and in better language than they’re capable of. (No offence Green compadres), Bye, Lou

    Methinks this Gerry support is better meaning than the Greens hackism and the Greens puerility on Frank C who now too has lost the plot, and better than the silly Bird can do and lets what and see what you all come up with.

    One last question for all on this thread. I know more about preferences than most of you and you have made one massive mistake, and it is to do with Gerry, about preferences but I am not allowed to say! though I am busting to… anyway, you’ll find out and have egg on your faces but not your fault… I ask each of you how are you going to vote on the day, 1,2,3,4

    For me it’s 1, Gerry, 2, Hsien, 3, Peter, 4, Henri
    Lou will vote 1, Gerry, 2, Hsien, 3, Peter, 4, Henri
    Shirley will vote 1, Gerry, 2, Peter, 3, Hsien, 4, Henri
    Craig will vote 1, Gerry, 2, Hsien, 3, Peter, 4, Henri
    Speak for the Trees will vote 1, Gerry, 2, Hsien and wants to scribble on Peter and Henri which I’ve told her makes the vote invalid, my strange earthy mates.

    What about all of you that can vote?

    I better go. Frank A.

  8. aaaaahh Gerry, the Sun Myung Moon of Willagee. Your supporters are all completely mad. I would like to keep the personalities out of this, but you just won’t let anyone.
    The Greens-you are a political party, stop trying to make out you are anything else and just stick to promoting your policies. Preselections are competitions-you have winners and you have losers.
    ALP-your policies shift with the wind depending on whether you are in or out of Govt, whether you are state or federal. Ben was the only one who stuck to his guns and focussed on the issue. Learn something Frank.
    CDP-I hope you lot remain small and sidelined. Glad to hear no-one is hearing from you.

  9. I agree with Ben on his honesty in supporting the 250,000 year nuclear cycle. I think he’s wrong for all the reasons Hsien stated in her interview, and more. The ALP have been fudging this issue for decades, new mines, new waste dumps on aboriginal land.

    He called a suicidal election with an unprepared ill-led secretariat and broader party, lost, tried to buy friends in the Nats, resigned the leadership, sat in the back benches shouting at Rob Johnson on Points of Order.

    Resigned after a year, gifted a safe seat to the factions with a probable loss in turnout and primary vote, by-elections are such a drag. And he’s now spruiking brown coal and Coles Bunnings because he convinced absolutely no-one (including newly elected ALP parliamentarians) to join him on his grand march to retirement and superannuation penury.
    His personal stance on uranium is pretty meaningless now, for him it means dirty coal for the next decade.

    The ALP chose to run with Tinley. A man with the responsibility for sending men into the shit, a tough job because he’s been there. He bears the scars. I have no doubt he can coordinate a team to service the needs of the battlers of Willagee, I don’t think someone with his background can quickly learn empathy, not the sympathy he expressed in a media interview when evicting his tenants.

    Maybe he will get the males in the ALP to congregate in a sweat tent after doing the confidence course at Campbell Barracks, might even cause a few by-elections, have you seen the size of them?

    The Greens ran their consensus based process, Gerry didn’t organise, sat back and awaited the plaudits, got rolled, spits the dummy, throws his toys out of the cot and flails on the floor. Anything else he says (lots) after this is largely moot, petulance smells Gerry.

    Hsien Harper – local knowledge, strong background advocating for workers rights, hamstrung by Gerry’s dummy spit, struggles for coverage, uses media training to get sound bites, top and tailed interview original is ‘found’ by the ALP dirt machine. Franniepoos crows a win, ends up frothing at the mouth and gasping. Hsien continues her campaign despite accusations of drum circles, mung beans, admission to a nunnery, tree hugging (Frank A!!) and (shock) being a union boss.

    Henry the quiet ultra fascist hopes to get out the vote of Seventh Day Adventists, but unfortunately the 28th is a Saturday.

    I miss the Liberals.

  10. Hello everyone,

    I notice that some of you have missed me. I am flat out at the moment.

    William, could you please consider adding my political advertisement next to Peter’s and Hsien’s on this site. It is on page 4 of the current edition of the Heralds. This way some of the readers and contributors to this site can read something about what I am about.

    People, it is the last week and although pragmatism suggests that I should agree with the very commonsensical Rebecca that Labor is home and hosed I cannot think like this.

    I’ve been doing the door knocking and the many walks around the beautiful suburbs of the Willagee electorate, and there is some genuine buzz building up. Therefore I shall continue in the great hopes associated with optimism. I’ve even got this luminous epiphany like scenario in my head, contingent on as many of us working together, to enable it.

    I don’t envisage much pulling power from the CDP, especially as they have been ‘quiet’. They may achieve up to 8% and their preferences may be crucial however it would be an incredible by-election scenario if Labor dropped back to 30% – is this impossible? I have been described by one or to of you as living in a Glass House! What if all of sudden, if some of this buzz and sample polls are to be counted on, if the Greens (Hsien) and myself are the two left slugging it out? What if we’re capturing the people’s imagination? This would be sensational and the contribution to a cultural wave of great change. With Labor preferences it would be sensational for Willagee, for you, for WA if I get across the line as Willagee’s MP.

    As MP I’ll go about ensuring the voice, dissemination and necessary persistence in keeping the big issues alive and genuinely heard till the policies are secured.

    Both Hsien and I fit well with the ethos and apothegms of the ‘Willagers’ – we are both heavily Union backgrounded, we both believe in infrastructure funding and positive social planning, we both believe in human rights and the best working conditions, we both believe in an expediency towards renewable energies, we both have long histories with Willagee, Hsien 10 years in Coolbellup and I have 10 years in Kardinya. We are both pacifists. We both believe that uranium should stay in the ground. With a little more support why wouldn’t we be slowly, and in this week, especially with the Meet the Candidates Forum, increasingly capturing the empathy and trust of the Willagee electorate?

    Peter’s greatest strengths are built in his statements towards youth, at risk youth, and mental health. I did like his admissions of his own youth and what he wants to do to assist youth. I don’t know the details. However I have the history of contribution with this this vital humanity of our society.

    With a week to go you can all contribute to this possible scenario. You can write emails, facebook and twitter and talk to your neighbours about VOTING ONE for myself. You can encourage as many of the electorate’s constituents to attend the Meet the Candidates Forum. This is democracy. Aside the personal attacks and loyalties described on this Citizen Media Forum, the Poll Bludger, we have actually actuated participatory democracy, grassroots stuff. It’s time some of you, if not all of you get right behind me and we move forward.

    I like Frank’s comment about YES WE CAN. Well WE CAN.

    Rebecca, aside the beauty of our differences and arguments, I believe we truly respect each other, I would love to take up your original offer of assistance. I would love your help in my campaign. If you would like to help please call me on 9360 6288.

    My mobile phone, 0422 638 324, fell in tap water the other week and is stuffed for now. You can try me on 0402 699 028 or email me on gerry_georgatos@yahoo.com.au

    Adam, maybe you can assist me with literature drops around your neighbourhood in the heart of the of the Willagee constituency. All you who live in Willagee can assist me, feel free to do so. I love you all.

    It is all about timing and with your good and kind help maybe we can exact what we can from the opportunity that is ‘timing’.

    I need assistance in ensuring for you the best candidate, ME, and helping me on my way to changing the face of ‘politicians’ and the political landscape, how Parliament does its business, and in how we can become more transparent and accountable and efficient. I need your help this week in any number of ways including Polling Booths on the Saturday.

    Margaret Mead perfectly described that it only takes a small group of people to change the world.

    Martin Luther King Jnr declared that a right delayed is a right denied.

    I am reminded of a 1993 Conference I attended where I spoke to a large audience, “I have seen places in this world where one cannot rise out of abject poverty. I have seen the despair of fathers and mothers who cannot provide for their children let alone one another and their own self. I have seen the trauma etched in their faces, in their eyes in the fact that they cannot adequately care for their families. We take too much for granted. We disregard that we have the capacity to assist others. IF WE DO NOT CHANGE OUR WAYS, THEN THE WAYS DO NOT CHANGE.”

    Help me help us change our ways.

    YES, I’ll take you up on offers to assist, and work towards history, and in the process achieve that better society that we’re all striving for.

    Kindly, Gerry

    PS… I will be off line for quite a while this weekend. I am door knocking today and dropping leaflets. Tomorrow, although I needed to attend the Willagee Picnic in the Park I am taking my daughter to Byford for Scouts (Cubs in her case). It isn’t right to deny ones childhood in anyway. Example is our only certain immortality. During the week I will be flat out and even on the Meet the Candidates Forum Wednesday I’ll be driving in, within the speed limit, from Rockingham to hopefully be on time after giving a speak on Domestic Violence and Child Sexual Abuse to a Young Women’s Speak for White Ribbon Day. Please don’t expect too much of me this week with William’s Citizen Media Poll Bludger.

    (Written and Authorised by Gerry Georgatos, Independent Candidate for Willagee, 9 Arion Avenue, Harrisdale, 6112)

  11. kargotichroad, perhaps once you’ve accomplished half as much with your life as Tinley has you’ll be qualified to criticise him.

    You really have no idea about his military career, and I suggest you do some research before you slander him any further.

  12. To briefly break my curfew, I note that the unedited hsien file has been deleted from the server.

    Is someone afraid of the truth ??

  13. Not really. Outside this website and Gerry’s mind, it’s largely a non-event – barring a boilover, Labor will win, just with a reduced margin. Barnett’s had bigger fish to fry, like extending shopping hours and turning Perth into a police state.

    That multi-post at 559 is one of the most absurd things I’ve ever read in my life. Are we supposed to believe there was a dozen people crowded around a computer to type that? There’s your flippin’ kumbaya circle, eh.

  14. I can assure you Frank A, I’m not “mythical”, and I’m not a ‘green hack’, or even a member, and this has been confirmed with one of the mods and that should be good enough for you.

    This threads kinda gotten a bit batshit, frankly.

  15. A Few things:

    1. It seems that the Greens haven’t got a political hide, crying foul whenever someone quite rightly questions their candidates and policies, yet take great delight to personally slander and vkilify their detractors.

    2. re the unedited Hsien interview – I was only aware of the official version posted on Tony Serve’s blog, I was made aware of the other version by others who found it via google – I thus posted that version as an example of how the media message is manipulated – it happens on all sides – deal with it.

    This by-election has proven one thing – it has taken both myself and Gerry G’s posts to prove that the Greens can no longer hide behind their holier than thou mantra – they are a political party like the rest, and if they are prepared to dish out the dirt at their opponents, expect some of it to come right back

    Here endeth the lesson.

  16. …it’s really taken you *this* many years to work out that the Greens are a political party?

    …you know, Frank, for someone who spends so much time on political blogs, you’re a little bit slow in picking up the obvious.

  17. I think what he’s referring to is the Green’s assertion that they are somehow “above” politics, evidenced in McLaren’s statement that “branch stacking isn’t possible in the Greens”, among others.

  18. [I think what he’s referring to is the Green’s assertion that they are somehow “above” politics, evidenced in McLaren’s statement that “branch stacking isn’t possible in the Greens”, among others.]

    That is indeed correct. Pity some cannot take off their Green Coloured Glasses to realise that.

  19. …well, it should be pretty clear from reading this thread, which, y’know, he supposedly has, that the idea that the Greens are “above politics” is hardly unanimous. The notion of “consensus” in a contested preselection is preposterous, as the entire debacle of this by-election illustrates nicely.

  20. […well, it should be pretty clear from reading this thread, which, y’know, he supposedly has, that the idea that the Greens are “above politics” is hardly unanimous. The notion of “consensus” in a contested preselection is preposterous, as the entire debacle of this by-election illustrates nicely.]

    Gimme a break, it’s also happened in Higgins with Clive Hamilton.

    http://insidethemindoftim.wordpress.com/2009/11/17/exclusive-corrupt-anti-democratic-behaviour-in-the-victorian-greens/

  21. …whose preselection, y’know, I didn’t agree with either.

    I do love how you convince yourself that every Green must believe something because you imagine it, and then whip yourself into total fervour over it.

  22. […whose preselection, y’know, I didn’t agree with either.

    I do love how you convince yourself that every Green must believe something because you imagine it, and then whip yourself into total fervour over it.]

    I don’t have to convince myself – the posyts in black and white prove it beyond doubt.

  23. The Greens have a limited number of seats available to them. No doubt they have a larger number of people fancing themselves as the next Green in Parliament. Not everyone can be that person. rebecca is absolutely right, consensus in that environment is ridiculous, if people fancy themselves as the best and only possible candiadate then they will never accept losing.
    Greens preselections then will be the same as everwhere else. get over it.
    Policies anyone?

  24. The Herald’s hardly mainstream media. Anyway, I was down in Freo yesterday and picked up a copy… there’s a bloody big Gerry ad up and down the side of page 4, near the letters – all colour and everything. (Across from a Greens ad, I think the same as the one scanned in up the top.) I’m guessing he paid for it with his own funds and not the guild’s, because the king amongst men that we’re told is Gerry would never misappropriate money… ain’t that right? The guild gives him plenty enough of a wage, anyway.

  25. Hello BOP,

    Your senseless immaturity never ceases to amaze me. That coffee and chat is still on offer if you want to get to know the ‘person’. Remember, you’re the one who claims “don’t play the ‘person’ rather the ball…” (though I have never wholeheartedly agreed with this, as people are the processes, policies, structures – there are boundaries and taboos though… it’s about commonsense)…

    Yes, of course I paid for my advertisement. I have accepted NO funding from any source, and I have been offered from a couple of sources. It’s all out of my family savings. My wage from the Guild has been equivalent to an average General Manager’s wage for as long as I have been there. It is inappropriate for you to make such comments, and let us not forget BOP I inherited a Guild near financial ruin with a massive pending deficit and I have pulled them out of the crap each and every year they have been in VSU – I am the only Murdoch Guild General Manager, in their history to leave them cash positive at all times and preserve all staff entitlements and this while I improved the remuneration, severance and working conditions (through the EBA) for all my colleagues, and naturally for purposes of propriety and transparency I achieved these through all the appropriate mechanisms which included the NTEU.

    Everything spent on my campaign as an Independent has been out of my pocket, on my own time, and pretty much my legwork. How many others do this, especially when the odds are so hugely stacked against me in terms of actually having a real chance at ‘winning’?

    You have a problem, obviously one going back ‘years’, and we don’t really know each other, however in the first instance find me and speak to me about it.

    To everyone, if you want to help with my campaign and get the best candidate in, a different type of politician to what we’re all used to then contact me on 9360 6288, 0402699028, 0422638324 or preferably gerry_georgatos@yahoo.com.au

    I do need your assistance and help during the remainder of the week and on polling day.

    “Change is only an effort afar…” G.G. (1993)

    Peace, Gerry

    (Written and Authorised by Gerry Georgatos, Independent Candidate for Willagee, 9 Arion Avenue, Harrisdale, 6112)

  26. BOP,

    Any chance of an apology to Gerry for your unsubstantiated innuendo or are you going to rejoice in your inner sleazebag?

  27. ben @566

    kargotichroad, perhaps once you’ve accomplished half as much with your life as Tinley has you’ll be qualified to criticise him.

    You really have no idea about his military career, and I suggest you do some research before you slander him any further.

    Commissioned Officers in ADF and especially tactical planners send men into ‘the shit’-into live enemy fire. As I said he’s been there and knows the risks and responsibilities.

    But when renters get in the way of his superannuation…

    Ben I suggest you pull your head in, I never slandered him over his military career. He is the very model of a modern Major candidate.

    Frank Calabrese is out of Coventry?

  28. Ben,

    No-one is saying that Tinley has not achieved highly in his previous career nor acquired an impressive CV and skillset. The point is that the particular skillset you allude to such as “leadership” and “courage under fire” are not skills that are particularly relevant to State Parliament. The skills which I believe are more relevant for the State context are “empathy” and “compassion” which encourage things like consensus building and a sense community.

    The skills Tinley has are far more relevant for the Federal context. The ALP ought to have held onto him and stuck him into Swan where he would no doubt have knocked off Steve Irons instead of selecting a right wing lawyer for the seat.

    More to the point, in Federal Parliament he would be more likley to be a Minister or Parliamentary Secretary within a few years where he could actually apply his skills. Instead, he will be sitting around on the Opposition backbench in State Parliament for the next 7 or so years until the ALP are a realistic chance of getting back into Government. How old will he be then?

    Sounds like a waste to me.

  29. [More to the point, in Federal Parliament he would be more likley to be a Minister or Parliamentary Secretary within a few years where he could actually apply his skills.]

    Perhaps Foreign Affairs or Trade?

  30. [The skills Tinley has are far more relevant for the Federal context. The ALP ought to have held onto him and stuck him into Swan where he would no doubt have knocked off Steve Irons instead of selecting a right wing lawyer for the seat.]

    So you think Paul Papalia is also wasted because of his military record ??

    You’re just angry cos someone who has fought for his country is prepared to give something back to the community by running for public officde.

    Would you be saying the same things if a former soldier was pre-selected for your beloved Greens ?

    Methinks you won’t.

    Hypocrites.

  31. [So you think Paul Papalia is also wasted because of his military record ??]

    I was talking about Tinley not Papalia. But perhaps yes, maybe he is wasted in State Parliament and should be the Member for Brand. He would be much better than the tool the ALP has there at the moment.

    [You’re just angry cos someone who has fought for his country is prepared to give something back to the community by running for public officde.]

    You’re just confused cos you’re not very smart. I advocated him being a Federal Minister, not wasting away in opposition in State Parliament dealing with complaints about hoons and graffiti.

    [Would you be saying the same things if a former soldier was pre-selected for your beloved Greens ?]

    If they were the architect of Australia’s intervention in Iraq and now opposed the war then yes, I would be advocating internally that they run for Federal Parliament not State where there experiences would be more relevant. Much like Andrew Wilkie ran for Bennelong.

  32. [I know exactly who Tim Hammond is. What was wrong about what I said?]

    “right wing lawyer” – have you actually met him? or heard any of his views?

  33. [“right wing lawyer” – have you actually met him? or heard any of his views?]

    Which faction of the ALP is spruiking his candidacy?

    I’ll give you a hint, not the Left.

  34. “I am the only Murdoch Guild General Manager, in their history to leave them cash positive at all times”

    Stop lying Gerry. Greg Mahneys guild was cashflow positive at the end of his tenure, As where previous.

    You’ve made a mark of reinventing history (Like the way you ran your pres campaign by claiming you invented Mat Menzels computer recycling scheme, much to Mattys deep annoyance) , but some of us have long memories and might call you out on that.

  35. Also regarding BOPs comments. Yes a bit out of order (In the lads defense he was out on the tiles last night). But this raises a bit of a question for us old timers.

    Gerry when did the rest of the countrys guild managers get paycuts.

    Because you fired the lowest paid guild manager in the country for earning too much, then after you appointed yourself guild manager you say you are now on the ‘average wage’.

    Since I assume this means you earn less than $70K, because it would be immoral for you to fire a man for $70K and then appoint yourself for more than that, precisely when did aproximately half of australias guild managers get demoted to sub $70K wages?

  36. [Which faction of the ALP is spruiking his candidacy?

    I’ll give you a hint, not the Left.]

    I’d say right faction – otherwise you’ll have to start calling Whitlam ‘right wing’

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