POWER CORRUPTS, ABSOLUTE POWER CORRUPTS ABSOLUTELY – By John Purcell, Chairman PRA

30th July 2007 Congratulations to those gathered at Barcaldine yesterday for having the guts and drive to give Beattie and Frazer a welcome they thoroughly deserved.  More power to Queensland citizens.  We do live in a democratic society, don’t we? or at least we did! 

Property Rights Australia Chairman John Purcell said today, “For over three years PRA has been saying very publicly that Beattie is driven by power and control.”  This has been demonstrated with his jack-boot approach to private ownership of land, the Vegetation Management Act and the Water Act.  His ‘storm troopers’/compliance officers have harassed and vilified decent rural citizens who have been unjustly charged and innocent persons have been prosecuted.  The McKay Case being the classic example where seven court cases over six years, where the total cost to the individuals exceeded $500,000.  All this to result in the charge being dismissed.

 “This compulsory amalgamation is not about more efficient super regional shires, it is in fact about power and control in politics.  Reference to the map released clearly shows the proposed super shires are situated in the highly productive eastern shires, both farming and the continually expanding coal mining areas,” he said. 

Beattie knows where the growth areas are and seeks to have Labor domination of regional shires to support Labor from now to evermore. 

As to the western shires, some 36 remain untouched even though many fit the bill promoted by Beattie prior to the set-up of the Local Government Reform Commission.  Simply, these shires are considered as unimportant in Beattie’s big picture.

Mr. Purcell continued, “To the future, I believe, some 20-plus shires intend to hold a shire-by-shire referendum on the issue.  Congratulations to these councils.  Ignore the threatened sacking of mayors of these shires, bring it on, it will only demonstrate the absolute corruption of the Beattie Government.” 

“Another threat, and probably true, is the intention of our ‘democratic government’ to have the required legislation brought before Parliament in early August rather than September as indicated.” 

“In the meantime a march and protest rally must be held in the CBD of Brisbane as soon as possible.  This will require the issuing of permits, insurance cover and the like,” he said. 

Mr. Purcell concluded, “Queenslanders must rise up and fight this anti-democratic act if we want to see Queensland remain a free and democratic state.” 

DO NOT ALLOW BEATTIE TO GET AWAY WITH THIS EXTREME ACT.

MAINTAIN THE RAGE. 

For further information contact:

John Purcell

“Yatton”

Marlborough QLD 4705

Ph: 07 4938 9135

Email: purcell.family@bigpond.com