Amadd
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Yeah he's been a disppointment alright.  Most people who really believed in his passion from the old "Oils" days probably would've been trying pretty hard to keep the faith. ..."Maybe he's sooo creative that he's highlighting to the people that even iconic environmentalist musicians have no sway in the decisions that are made for us." I know I posted this statement by the late Don Chipp before, but I need a reminder: The late Don Chipp made the following revealing statement in an interview on Radio 5AA on the 10th June 1992. "When you are elected to Parliament, the Party Whip calls you into his office (this is Labor & Liberal) & says, 'Congratulations, ladies & gentlemen, on winning a seat in Parliament & welcome to Canberra. I have just got one thing to say to you on this, your first day in Parliament: While you are here, you will think & act & speak & vote according to how we, the Party, tell you to. Forget all that rubbish you talked about during your election campaign, about serving your fellow human beings & your constituency. While you are here, you will do as we, the Party, tells you". Now, the first time they vote, probably on the first day in parliament, the chances are they will be voting against their conscience, against the wishes of their constituents, but in accordance with the Party.
Now for the first time you do this it is pretty hard to do; it is a hell of a shock to the system, because you have nurtured this grand vision all your life that when you get up there you are going to serve the people. You are not. You are serving the Party. Now, why I say your listeners & the general public are to blame for it, is because they condone the party system . If you vote against the Party once, in the Labor Party, you are expelled automatically. The Liberals say they have a system where you can use your conscience, but you can't. You cross the floor a couple of times in one year & your Electorate Chairman will receive a nice letter from the Prime Minister saying, "We don't think this chap should get pre selection next time'. So, it is a bad system".
Ray Fewings : "What can the public do about it though?".
Don : "Huh! They can rise up & at least let their voice be heard instead of the stupid sort of Letters-to-the-Editor that are normally published. They can say, 'Look! We have had this! We want members of parliament! And I think that is possibly one of the reasons Phil Cleary, an independent, won in Wills here a few months ago".
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