2y ago

Anti-vaxxers are winning local elections across Western Australia

www.crikey.com.au

17 comments

I noticed one of the recently elected councillors in my area had some concerning points in there BIO about climate change denialism. Checked their social media and it's filled with people crying about 15 minute cities.
The depth of their ignorance knows no bounds, as we already can be classed as a 15 minute city.
- I have not researched them at all. I heard a guy on the bus the other day chatting. Saying that in them, you should have everything you need within 15 minutes (good), but if you want to use a resource outside of your zone, you're going to have to pay a tax or similar (bad).
  Sounded too extreme to be true. Shrugged and moved on.
  
  What you overheard about leaving the zone and paying a tax is a bit of an exaggeration.
  The intent is to discourage car usage within the zones, and one possible method is a levy on vehicles entering them. A better method is improved street design.
  There hasn't been a proposal I'm aware of that actually prevents people moving around by any means of transport other than private motor vehicles.
If this continues WA will not be a good place to be in the next pandemic.
One of the new councillors who won in Joondalup I caught on security camera dropping anti-vaxxer propaganda in our letterbox.
It’s a major concern when stupid wins.
A bit worrisome. Hopefully contact with real governance will shake a few of these people out of their attitudes.
The concealment of political affiliation at this level sits uncomfortably with the sense of openness and accountability democracy is supposed to instill. A clear way to decrease the threat of what is an attempted hostile takeover of Local Councils is to start requiring the political affiliations of candidates be publicly disclosed.
I mean, my local couciller won on a platform of wanting to arrange after school care for kids at the local primary school. It doesn't take a lot at the local level. Nor can anyone at that level do all that much harm.
Best case, these people get genuinely into their roles and find out what issues face local governments (Hint: It isn't vaccines).
Worst case, they are completely nuts and vote against everything because it isn't about vaccines. But there are usually 8 councillers on the council and they can reign that sort of thing in.
- You should read the article.
  
  You say this like I haven't. I have.
  I basically said three things:
  The bar to getting elected as a local councillor in WA is not high. But you probably didn't know that given that you aren't in Australia, let alone WA.
  I hoped that these people would have their eyes opened to what issues exist at local council and get into their new roles. I won't apologise for hoping the best in people.
  If they are crazy, there are existing checks and balances against a rogue councillor. Something I know, because I've actually briefly worked at a local council in Perth.

17 comments