Upshot, short version yes I think he is good for WA on a number of levels & may well go down on the list of highly under rated elected public servants. I say that because he seems from my perspective at least very conversant with the fact that whilst he has a platform to stand on during electioneering he is a an elected, paid public servant who serves his electorate and the state.
Now, some might laugh and some might think that's as it should be, but its not altogether as common as it actually is.
Here's how, what and where...
If you want to stand for parliament via the Labor, Liberal or Nationals there's some commonalities and some differences but some people believe the commonalities and differences don't matter because they're all perverse or subtle twistings of how things should be.
One notable rising MP in one of the 3 major WA parties (yes who shall remain nameless) went and took out a large loan to renovate his house & it was a pretty good reno by all accounts. This then raised his house's market appraisal and despite the dip in equity from the reno loan the appraisal bumped it up a lot, allowing him to get a bigger mortgage to help fund his pre-selection for a better seat within the party.
Now how does it sit with you, he's far from alone in this pathway so he's maybe a good smart operator who saw how the system within the party works and developed a plan to best place him in the best seat available.
Does that make him determined, crafty or just innocently switched on?
Not sure but it put him at a distinct advantage at other players thinking about pre-selection.
- Who of them was most likely to be the best legislator?
- Who of them was most skilled at getting across an issue or portfolio?
- Who of them was a good parliamentary performer but also a good public servant serving the greater good for the state?
Well dear reader...we'll never know. We won't because that's one flaw in the problem that whilst the pre-selection process will vet the applicants and you'd hope weed out the less well equipped it can mean an excellent prospect won't make it onto the ticket.
Now the parties vary a little but in essence, what faction you belong to can make a huge difference. Who you side with in a particular branch can push you forward or see you pushed back. And then we get the introduction of the "ruling class" for want of a better term. Its the politicians or aspirants who are a 2nd generation politicians or had a long time serving as political staffers. These people know how the machine that spring boards you onto the ticket really works, they're all over it and a good legislator waiting in the wings may not. He or she is going to have to play the pre-selection game to get any ground under their feet.
It is odd, but its good that if 6 people throw their hat in the ring for pre-selection only one is picked...but how do you prevent a poor candidate with good mates, connections and money beating a damn good bloke or sheila?
You don't, you can't. you just have to hope its not common & if you're party of the party machine you just hope no one notices.
You see on the ticket, you see personage but you're not voting for a person, you're voting for a party's choice to be the face that collects votes and hopefully a seat for them.
Now the parties vary a little but in essence, what faction you belong to can make a huge difference. Who you side with in a particular branch can push you forward or see you pushed back. And then we get the introduction of the "ruling class" for want of a better term. Its the politicians or aspirants who are a 2nd generation politicians or had a long time serving as political staffers. These people know how the machine that spring boards you onto the ticket really works, they're all over it and a good legislator waiting in the wings may not. He or she is going to have to play the pre-selection game to get any ground under their feet.
It is odd, but its good that if 6 people throw their hat in the ring for pre-selection only one is picked...but how do you prevent a poor candidate with good mates, connections and money beating a damn good bloke or sheila?
You don't, you can't. you just have to hope its not common & if you're party of the party machine you just hope no one notices.
You see on the ticket, you see personage but you're not voting for a person, you're voting for a party's choice to be the face that collects votes and hopefully a seat for them.
You're really not voting for Dick or Dora. You're voting for the party and the pre-selection is a great training tool to craft the aspiring candidates into becoming party servants, not elected public servants nor electorate representatives.
So how does Rick Mazza depart from this cock up of s system?
He's the sole elected SF&P member of parliament. Both He and the Shooters & Fishers Party are THE brand on polling day and every sitting day and every time a microphone and/or camera jumps in front of him.
He has no party to hide behind.
Unlike Labor he's from a party where every vote is a conscience vote.
Unlike Liberal he can't rely on rusted on supporters who'll pour big bucks and influence behind him if things get troublesome
Unlike the Nationals he can't say in coalition "Well its a Liberal decision, we didn't have the numbers in cabinet but we fought really hard" when perhaps they didn't because they don't want to lose the extra $130,000 that being in cabinet brings.
Rick is pro 4WD-ing. Pro camping. Pro-fishing. Pro-shooting.
He's also pro Live Export and is the only WA MP who went down to the big anti Live Export rally to see and learn and ask questions, still walking away Pro Live Export.
So how does Rick Mazza depart from this cock up of s system?
He's the sole elected SF&P member of parliament. Both He and the Shooters & Fishers Party are THE brand on polling day and every sitting day and every time a microphone and/or camera jumps in front of him.
He has no party to hide behind.
Unlike Labor he's from a party where every vote is a conscience vote.
Unlike Liberal he can't rely on rusted on supporters who'll pour big bucks and influence behind him if things get troublesome
Unlike the Nationals he can't say in coalition "Well its a Liberal decision, we didn't have the numbers in cabinet but we fought really hard" when perhaps they didn't because they don't want to lose the extra $130,000 that being in cabinet brings.
Rick is pro 4WD-ing. Pro camping. Pro-fishing. Pro-shooting.
He's also pro Live Export and is the only WA MP who went down to the big anti Live Export rally to see and learn and ask questions, still walking away Pro Live Export.
Like his eastern states counterparts he's also pro-farming with the eastern states S&FP changing their name to the Shooters, Fishers & Farmers Party because Labor never helped them, Liberal a disinclined to leave the leafy suburbs and the Nationals over there have abandoned rural and regional Australian so bad there are now rival parties starting up in 3 states.
You don't have to be a shooter or anything else to consider the S&FP in WA but you should look at their efforts here. Look at the Upper House committee meetings. Go onto YouTube and type in "Rick Mazza" and see he does actually ask the hard questions as a legislator should, not as a party servant who serves the party's interest and pretends to be a representative of the electorate.
Having been a rusted on Nationals voter all my life and voting no other way ever, its an uncomfortable time for me as I have to consider carefully who to vote for because the Nationals have lost so much of its traditional country party values and culture.
So what's the plan come next election? I'm going to encourage others to do as I am and its in the best interests of the state. I'm going to do what to some might be counter intuitive but of late seems to be very effective. I'm going to rely on the House of Review to actually look after this state. And I'm also going to back a small group that has to get it right or they'll be in the wasteland. The small group that won't always do exactly as I want but they will explain properly in detail their reasons for their positions. They have no cabinet seats to sell the rear for, they have no ugly faction wars to worry about, they have no deep pocketed political benefactors in the shadows watching their every move with a hand on a trap door lever. The S&FP are actually encircled with a ring of fire called integrity and if they blow it, the lose everything. They have to be accountable for every decision, every stance or they're toast. Whether you shoot or fish or not, these unlikely elected public servants are your best hope yet. Even if you hate shooting, fishing and 4WD-ing, this one member party lives and dies by its every move, they're fully accountable. Something NO OTHER PARTY IS NOR WANTS.
You don't have to be a shooter or anything else to consider the S&FP in WA but you should look at their efforts here. Look at the Upper House committee meetings. Go onto YouTube and type in "Rick Mazza" and see he does actually ask the hard questions as a legislator should, not as a party servant who serves the party's interest and pretends to be a representative of the electorate.
Having been a rusted on Nationals voter all my life and voting no other way ever, its an uncomfortable time for me as I have to consider carefully who to vote for because the Nationals have lost so much of its traditional country party values and culture.
So what's the plan come next election? I'm going to encourage others to do as I am and its in the best interests of the state. I'm going to do what to some might be counter intuitive but of late seems to be very effective. I'm going to rely on the House of Review to actually look after this state. And I'm also going to back a small group that has to get it right or they'll be in the wasteland. The small group that won't always do exactly as I want but they will explain properly in detail their reasons for their positions. They have no cabinet seats to sell the rear for, they have no ugly faction wars to worry about, they have no deep pocketed political benefactors in the shadows watching their every move with a hand on a trap door lever. The S&FP are actually encircled with a ring of fire called integrity and if they blow it, the lose everything. They have to be accountable for every decision, every stance or they're toast. Whether you shoot or fish or not, these unlikely elected public servants are your best hope yet. Even if you hate shooting, fishing and 4WD-ing, this one member party lives and dies by its every move, they're fully accountable. Something NO OTHER PARTY IS NOR WANTS.
THE UPPERHOUSE WILL BE THE SAVING GRACE OF THIS STATE & AS SUCH I'M NOT VOTING LABOR, LIBERAL, NATIONALS, GREENS IN THE UPPER HOUSE. Last thing we need is a rubber stamp upper house.
IN THE LOWER HOUSE VOTE FOR WHOMEVER YOU LIKE OR WANT
BUT IN THE UPPER HOUSE VOTE FOR SHOOTERS & FISHERS PARTY
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