Dear Editor,
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I am writing in regard to what have become the regular appearances of the Liberal Party candidate for Hume at official functions acting in the place of the elected Member for Hume.
I understand that the Liberal candidate spoke recently as an official guest at the main Australia Day functions held in both Goulburn and Picton.
To state the obvious, the Liberal candidate has not yet been elected to Parliament. This fact appears to have been forgotten by the Liberal Party. The Liberal candidate may never be elected to Parliament.
To act as though he is already the member for Hume indicates to me a complete disregard for the democratic process. It is the people, not the Liberal Party, not the Liberal candidate, who make that decision.
We have reached a low point in our political process when parties controlled by city interests far away believe that they can decide who is a Member of Parliament for an electorate rather than the people in the electorate.
The refrain from the Liberal candidate that any other candidate who raises issues to do with the needs of the electorate is “irrelevant” is another manifestation of this ‘we know best’ syndrome.
It indicates to me the lack of any real interest by the Liberal candidate in debating the detail of those issues which are most important to the people of Hume.
September 14 is when the people of Hume will determine who will be their new Member of Parliament. That decision will not be made by the Liberal Party or the Liberal candidate.
James Harker-Mortlock, Independent candidate for Hume