Scott, How can the little people ever hope to have input into the government and its decisions? FOI law makes it virtually impossible to gather the information to make an assessment of a situation. For instance: The Community Gambling Fund [CGF]promotes itself as open and transparent, and yet you try and find out exactly what the money is being spent on or whether there is, indeed, community support or benefit for some of the funding, which in a lot of cases is just public funding for peoples' hobbies or building infrastructure for private commercial organisations. (Recently, a grant was given to a sports club to buy pushbikes. Wealthy private schools get a large portion of the funding and I know one instance where they refused to consult or acknowledge the valid objections of neighbours of a big corporation that were directly affected by the funding. The organisation did not (as required) inform the CGF of our complaints. I have the documents, I have told my local MP (who it turned out sponsored the funding and knew of the objections), I have asked that the public have an objection process in place and publically accessible documents that show exactly where the money was spent and how it benefitted the wider community. But "public consultation" really means the networkers who are not controversal or create any flack for the government.

I had to pay a small fortune to gather specific information on whether [CGF) spending was truly of benefit to the community. Despite public assurances of transparency I know that it adversely affected members of the wider community. These peolpe had, and still don't,have any way of objecting to where the funding is spent. They are not controversial, wealthy or articulate people and cannot access the system.

On other issues my local councillor often simply will not answer my questions. For instance: I once asked (for confirmation) where the money came from for a road into a private school which she has close ties with. I couldn't uiderstand why that council State Governemnt money was being spent on a private road when the public roads adjacent to the school were downright dangerous. She said she did not know. I found out later that she must (A council officer told me) have known or is very sloppy in her work. It would have taken her two minutes to tell me how much and where the money came from. Our local paper is just a media outlet for the current government and criticism is just not printed. In my opinion the local paper is a Labor/Catholic speak easy. Most people don't have the time or resource of desire to try and work through the system. And, if you do, the dirty tricks these people play is just disgusting. (Honesty)

56 Snouts in the Snowy trough - Labor and Liberal - Facilitating policy development?

Australian's could almost believe Bob Brown's call from the sidelines after the final vote for the sale of the Snowy River and it Hydro power facilities.

In future point scoring, Bob Brown who has been a very quiet objector to the Sale of this "Australian identity" and "Australian Icon" has pointed out that the 56 votes for its sale and the 7 against in the Senate, was not only represented by Liberal party Senators but also Labor.

Absent also amongst the seven that voted against the sale was the Family First party who have media blitzed their endearment and committment to Australian families.

Bob Brown's Greens party preferences and campaigns off the skirt tails of the Labor Party.

The Labor party have fed off the Greens first preference.

The Greens party have let down the Australian people that it suppose to represent, all in the name of getting a better foot in the door to parliament and staying hushed in the corridors of parliament.

What the Greens haven't grasp is that the "preference system" will never see their party in any true force, so their brown nosing have let Australian's down even further.

What has the Greens party done since they have taken up space in Government?

Bob Brown said that Labor got into bed with Liberals over the decision to sell the Snowy River and its utilities.

This leaves Bob and the Greens party as their pillow plumpers.

The Greens party and its leaders comments from Tasmania are a bit like the mysterious cancerous growth that is plagueing the Tasmanian devil and eventually killing them.