■Leigh Ivin is a born-andbred Tamworth bloke. A school teacher and professional musician, he can also fly, with the benefit of wings above his wheels.
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Unashamedly a left-wing thinker, he’s not extreme, although not what you’d call a swinging voter, and has voted for a number of different parties and pollies over the years.
He’s one of the more considered NDL letter writers. He believes some of the ‘really important stuff has been glossed over’ in this election and there’s been too little attention paid to the things that really matter in Australia.
I WAS proud to have Tony Windsor at the helm of my electorate.
He wasn’t afraid to make important, somewhat misunderstood choices and, as highlighted by his last term, not afraid to stake his political career on issues he considered important for this electorate.
While many decried his alleged betrayal of the conservative wishes of the seat of New England, there are others who applauded his actions.
The passing of an ETS/carbon tax was a joint stipulation of Mr Windsor and his independent colleagues.
It was long overdue.
And for Julia Gillard, it was a key demand in the formation of the last government.
While so much mileage was made of Gillard’s carbon tax “lie”, Windsor was not able
to negotiate successfully with Tony Abbot in 2010, no matter how much (of whatever it was) Mr Abbott was willing to sell or not sell.
While Mr Windsor’s achievements for this region are numerous and outstanding, the knives have been out.
From Mr Windsor being offered a “diplomatic posting” a decade ago to the death threats that followed the last election, he has weathered his opponents’ desire to reclaim the trophy seat of New England. Even Richard Torbay had a shot – and fell.
However, with Mr Windsor’s resignation and prodigal son Barnaby Joyce whistlestopping it across the electorate, the Coalition may well take that prize.
Time will tell of the outcome, but no one could dispute that Mr Windsor acted independently and in the interests of this electorate he was so undeniably a part of.
And nationally, through the turmoil and woeful mediocrity of both sides of Parliament, his voice will be missed.
In April this year, Mr Abbott made a speech at the Institute of Public Affairs, where, among other things, he obsequiously praised the continuing efforts of magnates Gina Rinehart and Rupert Murdoch – both of whom were guests at the event – in their quest for media domination.
Also in the room was Cardinal George Pell and freedomof-speech champion Andrew Bolt.
Being a guest speaker for a conservative think tank is one thing, but rolling out a red carpet to the richest and most abusive of our media rights is another.
Where was the cringeworthy Lord Monckton in all of this?
While it becomes more and more apparent the Murdochcontrolled press is virtually running an election promo for the LNP, you really do have to wonder what’s in it for these people.
As Mr Abbott tries to tear down larger ALP initiatives such as the NBN, I wonder, in the future, will I need to sign up for “FoxBroadband” or “RinehartCom”?
Will Mr Bolt still be bleating about freedom of speech then?
When all is said and done, will Mr Abbott’s lexicon of three-syllable slogans still resonate with a public now further bereft of nationally owned infrastructure?
Further on, will Mr Abbott or his successor still be trying to convince us it’s OK to send 90 per cent of our coal offshore and barely collect a shred of profit?
How long will the multinational magnates be dictating the future of our power generation and our rights to clean air, water and fertile agricultural land? Mr Windsor thought of these things.
What Mr Abbott thinks, I really cannot say. But I certainly fear.