Return of the " Disinfranchised " !

The city of Sydney is the business heart of Australia and many people are bemused that Clover Moore - an avowed " Greenie " - seems to have an iron grip on the job as the Lord Mayor.   As a result, anti-business policies that reduce kerbside parking and restrict the traffic flow by mandating bicycle lanes encroaching on city streets  continues to flourish - despite being virtually unused by cyclists.

It seems that this anomaly is a simple gerrymander.   The business community have been locked out of their right to vote in Sydney council elections.   It is estimated that 50,000  business owners are eligible to cast a vote and yet less than 2,000 dropped their vote in the ballot box at the 2012 election.   These are the very same people who contribute seventy percent of the city rate revenue, and yet they are disenfranchised when it comes to having a say on council policies.

All this came about years ago when it was determined that the electoral roll was in need of an upgrade.   It was decided to call a rescission of the non residential roll and make those eligible  reapply - and few business people bothered to do so.   In most cases, our business leaders do not live in the city of Sydney and reside in leafy suburbs of other municipalities.    There is no absentee voting in council elections, hence such people were forced to make an unwelcome trip into the city on a weekend Saturday to cast their vote, and that was a positive disincentive to apply for entry on the roll.

Change is in the air.  The Shooters Party will introduce a private members bill in August to compile a new electoral roll of eligible business people and they will be subjected to the same obligations that apply to resident citizens.   By law, they will be required to cast a vote of face a fine, and that is likely to completely recast the framework of Sydney city council - including the position of Lord Mayor.

No longer will the inner city vote be dictated by the " Greenie " element living in heritage housing in Paddington.   A wider vote will certainly mean a broader outlook and it is expected that many of the niggling bylaws that delay project approval will be swept away.   With the shackles removed, Australia's biggest city should be reinvigorated to retain it's title of " the gateway to Australia ".