The Politician

I feel that this Type of Councillor is the one we’re all most are familiar with.

The Politician

(Porcus-Barrellus)

There is an epidemic of this Councillor Type across Australia. They have zero interest in the actual role of Councillor. Often, they don’t even attend Council meetings before running for office, feeling that their raw political talent is all they need for a role that is basically beneath them. And unfortunately, voter apathy and their party connections mean that local government is now littered them.

The Politician sees joining the Council as a mere a stepping stone on their way up to (or perhaps back to) higher office. Like Tinkerbell, they spend ratepayers’ money on grandstanding projects - though their projects tend to be more grandiose. They will insist it’s for the good of the district, but really these overpriced, ill-conceived white elephants don’t serve our communities, just their egos. Never mind about the rate rises, just so long as they can slap their name upon something!  

As part of this The Politicians will ingratiate themselves with bigger groups, clubs and associations, pulling political strings and securing unfair and unnecessary expenditure on their behalf, which takes away opportunities from smaller clubs who patently don’t have enough of a voter base to aid their ascendancy. If you want to know if you have yourself a Politician, just check how many clubs they are patrons of. These clubs know a golden goose when they see one.

Rather than fulfilling their oversight role, The Politician prefers to form alliances with the CEO and admin, who can help them build their castles in the air in return for some empire building of their own. They have nothing to gain from bringing order and accountability, so don’t look to them for good governance. Ask not what you can do for your district, but what your district can do for you.

Skill rating:

Read reports: 2/10

Effective oversight: 0/10

Waste ratepayer money: 10/10

Performance manage CEO: 1/10

Don't be fooled into thinking that politician wannabes are good for local government. They are the last thing our communities need. #wakeupjoondalup