There is a major flaw in the democratic procedures that allow 102 candidates - almost all of them totally unknown - to nominate for the local council election to be held here in Campbelltown on 8th September - only four weeks prior to the election.
It is not possible, in such a short space of time for the ratepayers to review 102 candidates and make an informed decision on who to vote for. Unlike many other councils, we have no wards, so we are all choosing from 102 candidates to fill fifteen council positions.
They call it democracy but it is "flawed democracy" when so many unknown people are allowed to come out of the woodwork with only 3-4 weeks to go. Even more so when they are permitted to sign "Candidate Information Sheets" which contain no useful information about themselves that would attract a discerning voter.
I like to know what each candidate stands for and I will never blindly follow any party how to vote card. Sadly, the "system" makes that impossible and the election becomes a lottery.
If a survey was carried out beforehand, asking whether the major parties should stand in local government elections, I have little doubt that most people would say no. Despite that, I am also certain that on 8th September most voters will probably follow one or other of the major party "how to vote" directives, because last time the two major parties took eleven of the fifteen positions. A repeat of that would leave about eighty candidates scrabbling for the remaining four seats on council. Among that large number will probably be several highly talented and capable candidates - but which ones?