So it's begun, the worst kept secret in Albany is now official. Local Labor folk selected Rebecca Stephens as their candidate some months ago & it anger some Labor members. Its been simmering for ages and today (19/02/2020) it was finally announced. Well the other night at a Labor do.
Rebecca sits as a councillor on the City of Albany. She had an interview on the radio this morning.
Someone is going to mention she says "um" a lot so we might as well get this out of the way...she sure does, in under 8 minutes she said "um" no less than 63 times.
She said she knows "our community" because she's born & bred here. But when pressed what she'd add she said she's connected & embedded in the community saying she's interesting in everyone getting a fair go.
When asked has she always been a Labor follower she said "Not overly" she said her family didn't grow up with politics. Which might explain the suggestion that just after getting the nod to run for Labor she didn't know there were 2 houses of Parliament in WA. If true, bit concerning.
She's been on Council and is connected, embedded to the community & yet couldn't add one thing on tricky subjects like stating a position on 7 Day Trading. Peter Watson said it's a City of Albany thing. She wouldn't commit.
Rebecca Stephens - "Yep I'm not going to comment on that"
Tyne Logan - "Why not?"
Rebecca Stephens - "Because I'm not in a position to comment"
She hasn't been instructed what Labor position wants her to stick to.
She claimed to be on board for mere 48 hours and was looking forward to getting out into the community to see what the community wants.
Ahhh did she not do this as a City of Albany Councillor. She was asked for a vision but could give anything specific but people had opportunity to get involved.
She wasn't sure she'd support a wave energy project.
When asked "Would you like to see that programme continue to be funded by the McGowan Government?"
She said she wasn't aware of the ins & outs of that programme, but was aware there is a meth problem in WA, that the government has an action plan but something needs to be done whether its in the form of that programme or not.
She possibly is also unaware that in the first McGowan Government they budgeted more money in one year on basketball courts in the Premier's electorate than TWO YEARS funding to help the Albany meth rehab programme called Ice Breakers.
There remains more Labor problems.
Peter Watson has spent the last 3 years as Speaker of the House so effectively he has had no part in Government Business for 3 years as he's the umpire in Parliament. He cannot vote unless there's a tie and as a result has had no input of vote on Albany's behalf for THREE WHOLE YEARS.
So we've gone from no representation or vote in Parliament for 3 years so Peter Watson retires on a much higher salary to pick up higher superannuation contributions upon leaving Parliament & we got nothing for it.
An ineffective Member of Parliament to be replaced but one who'll try to do more without having any idea what to do or how to do it.
Don't blame me, I didn't vote Labor.
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