YOUTH PARLIAMENT A GREAT WAY TO REPRESENT FREO

 

 

Freo does not only have the best community in the world, but also the best youth in the whole wide universe, so I’d like to see some of them on the Youth Parliament! ; >)

Applications are now open for the 2020 Youth Parliament!

Youth Parliament is a fantastic opportunity for passionate young people to have their voices heard.

The program teaches Western Australians between the ages of 15 and 25 about the political process while making their voices heard about the issues important to them.

You can find more info at: www.ymcawa.org.au/what-we-do/youth-services/western-australian-youth-parliament

 

Roel Loopers

MEMBER FOR FREMANTLE ABSEILS FOR CHILDREN’S CHARITY

 

 

We all know that Freo people are very special, even our maligned politicians, and the WA state member for Fremantle Simone McGurk proved that by abseiling the huge Central Park building in Perth to raise money for CAHOOTS.

CAHOOTS runs programs for children and youth with a disability and our Minister for Child Protection went above-well above!- and beyond to support them.

Well done Simone!

Roel Loopers

I can’t post a photo credit unfortunately as it was not supplied on the Facebook post of Simone McGurk.

FREMANTLE MP JOSH WILSON RESIGNS

 

 

Fremantle Federal MP Josh Wilson is one of three Labor members who have resigned from parliament this morning after the High Court ruling about dual citizenship.

I am devastated for Josh as he is a highly intelligent and dedicated politician who has worked very hard in Canberra and in his electorate since he got elected.

Josh Wilson was one of my favourite Fremantle Councillors because he is a very genuine and likeable person and I have been impressed with the many speeches he has given in Federal Parliament.

Josh said in a media release this morning that he will fight the by-election that now needs to be held, short before the Prime Minister will call a general federal election.

I have no doubt the Fremantle people are a bit tired of yet another election campaign, but Josh Wilson deserves a second chance as he has been a tireless worker for Fremantle for many years. He will have my support!

Roel Loopers

From Josh Wilson’s media release:

The new interpretation of the law means the question of whether a person took all ‘reasonable steps’ to renounce foreign citizenship simply doesn’t exist for dual Australian-British citizens, irrespective of the administrative delay in the process (which is generally 2-4 months). Under the new interpretation any prospective candidate must have their British citizenship deregistered before the close of nominations. In my case that was effectively impossible.

I was endorsed as a late replacement Labor candidate in Fremantle on 12 May 2016 and completed the requisite UK Home Office paperwork to renounce my British citizenship on that day. I mailed the renunciation form and attached documents on Friday, 13 May, using express registered post. I received confirmation that the documents has been received by the UK Home Office on Monday, 16 May. The processing fee for renunciation was withdrawn from my bank on 6 June. I nominated the following day, two days before the close of nominations. I received a letter from the UK Home Office dated 24 June saying that my British citizenship had been deregistered, with a copy of the renunciation form stamped 29 June 2016.

I was elected on 2 July 2016. I have not served a single day as anything other than an Australian citizen.

I was born in London when my parents were on a working holiday. My mum was expecting me when they travelled to the UK, and I returned home with them at the age of one after we’d travelled in Europe for 6 months in a Kombi van. Both my parents were born in Australia. My great-great-grandfather came to Fremantle as a convict in the 1860s. I have never lived in the UK, and have only visited there twice, in 1998 and 2012, for a few weeks each time.

In any case, the High Court’s interpretation of the law has changed and I respect that ruling. That means I must resign as the Member for Fremantle and contest the forthcoming by-election.

As I said in my first speech, I can’t imagine a more meaningful kind of work than to represent the community where I’ve lived virtually all my life. Every opportunity I am given to ask the people of Fremantle to trust me with the responsibility of being their representative in the national parliament is an opportunity I will relish.

I am looking forward to once again seeking that trust and responsibility in the weeks to come, and I am happy to be considered by voters in the Fremantle electorate on the basis of my character, principles, work-ethic, and record.

NALDER ONLY GOT 15 VOTES

Colin Barnett remains the leader of the WA Liberal Party and Premier of the state after a spill motion was defeated and Barnett received 31 votes and challenger Dean Nalder only got 15 votes.

I hope Nalder will now try to reduce his ego and drastically improve his skills at being a politician.

Roel Loopers

INDECENT MONEY WASTING BY POLITICIANS

There is something seriously indecent about politicians generously wasting taxpayers’ money on travel, accommodation claims and many other things that are presumably within the rules, because it sets standards that are well below those the community expects of our leaders.

Our governments should be full of role models we should look up to, with people who show what Australia’s values are, but far too often they rort the system for their own egos.

When the independent speaker of Federal Parliament spends $ 300,000 on travel expenses in her first year in that role then there is something very wrong with the parliamentary system we have created for our society.

Politicians of all parties abuse the system when in government and spend far too much money on so called fact finding missions, that their staff could research on the internet at no costs.

If a member of parliament or their spouse own a second home in the city of parliament they should not be able to claim accommodation expenses and get reimbursed for not living at their residency while parliament sits. It is a rort and nothing else!

For reasons I have never understood society expects sports people to be role models, but why should they be? Why should someone who can kick a football or hit a cricket ball be of exceptional moral values, when the moral standards of many of our elected members are so low? Why don’t we demand from our politicians to show restraint and decency when spending our money and why don’t we tell them that their greed and arrogance in the way they spend our money is not acceptable and in fact indecent.

When footy players take drugs there is public outrage, but when politicians misuse our money for their own inflated ego we say little. That makes me wonder what the Australian values are and what is means when people say that something is un-Australian. Wasting taxpayers’ money should be on the top of the list of un-Australian behaviour.

Roel Loopers

FREO’S SIMONE MCGURK JOINS SHADOW MINISTRY

Congratulations to Simone McGurk, the Member for Fremantle and Peter Tinley, Member for Willagee for having been appointed by Labor leader Mark McGowan to the front bench of the shadow ministry of the Western Australian Parliament.

I have great respect for both members who work very hard for their electorate and our state.

Simone McGurk has been in parliament since 2013. She was the secretary of Unions WA before that and also a radio producer and consultant to the Yamatji Land and Sea Council.

Peter Tinley has been in Parliament since 2010 and is a decorated former SAS soldier, who had a distinguished 25 tear military career.

It is pretty impressive for the southern suburbs to have two members in the shadow ministry, so well done Simone and Peter! Drinks are on you! ; >)

Roel Loopers