Ugly side of politics

ANGELIQUE Eccelston, the local bush lawyer, has presented a convoluted case (Gazette, 9 November).
How she was alarmed by a whisper (by someone who would not be named). Why not? Why the secrecy?
Paranoia, or something similar comes to mind.
During her lengthy rambling presentation she dissected words and meanings and found ambiguity in everything, displaying a high degree of distrust in our elected representatives.
Assuring the meeting she found in the eleventh hour the existence of a plot to do in the Maryknollers.
Therefore she had only 24 hours to save the day for them. And she did! Spreading a sense of insecurity over the meeting.
Half-a-dozen information sheets were handed to listeners in a semi-dark hall to help them toward understanding the convoluted process.
Rambling on about a Municipal Strategic Statement versus the Maryknoll Township Policy 22.07 as if these things together, or separate, or in any other combination would lead to the demise of Maryknoll. She is highly critical towards what turned out to be draft documents only, and suggesting by innuendo that councillors have an evil under-handed agenda and are plotting the destruction of our community. Quite absurd!
Her presentation was angst-ridden paranoia, suspecting enemies and destruction behind every piece of paper that emanates from Cardinia Council.
To my surprise she was preaching to the converted. She took issue repeatedly with matters of little consequence. Maryknoll was mentioned only twice in some draft document against Gembrook being mentioned 10 times.
When Cr Helen Ward (uninvited, showing civil courage) was given the opportunity to speak, Angelique had to concede to some errors.
The sticky point of the evening was the fact that Cr Ward was deliberately deleted from the list of Bunyip Ward nominees. Malice and vitriol were ingredients in the questions directed toward Cr Ward, creating a corrosive ambiance.
At the end, when half the audience had already left, the only real issue of the evening was raised… a question of some subdivision application.
Overall, a long disappointing evening with lots of poisonous barbs and an indication of a siege mentality.
An insular community fighting a phantom enemy; a blister on the heel of progress; the ugly side of local politics.
Stefan Mendi,
Nar Nar Goon North.
Editor’s note: Mr Mendi is the father of Bunyip Ward candidate Helen Ward.