Perth / Western Australia

Yeah there's certainly some very poorly run, and even corrupt local councils in the south west. Loads of councillors that just don't have the skills for good governance.

A month or so ago I posted in this community concerned about all the nutty candidates standing for election. We had 24 standing for 4 seats. About a third were mask-off MAGA authoritarians, another third were just idiots with no idea how council works, but the remaining third at least didn't fall into either of those categories and contained a couple I regard highly.

In Albany in recent years there has been elements of the community conducting a campaign against what I would call contemporary values. They tried to manufacture a shit-storm about books available from the library. They went looking for sex-ed books and tried borrowing them with kids library cards, et cetera.

The next thing was something to do with transgender usage of the change rooms or toilets at the swimming pool. I don't know the details.

Keen observers will notice their Trump style public relations - anything to generate division, hatred, and vitriol.

They use local council as a platform from which to stoke foment.

So far in Albany they've done a really great job of managing this vocal minority. Everyone gets heard but ultimately the response is balanced against community values. It would only take a few nutters on the council to change that attitude, and without compulsory voting there's a risk that the nutters could install at least one nutter.

I'm sorry to berate you with this, and that's not my intention - just something I feel strongly about.