Well as i have been out and about , I have found what I believe to be expected from a political representative is very far from what we get.
We get arogance,we get treated as gullible idiots.
When sending a letter or any corrospondance to a Polititian should we get a reply especially if one is needed.
Should we just be ignored.

These are questions that require to be answered.
Stuart Ulrich
Independent

Well it seems that those here expect to recieve nothing from their political representatives.
But
The people i have spoken too have found that it a disgrace and extremely rude when a political representative informs them that anymore corrospondance from them will be ignored.
We pay these people to be in government , so they work for us.
When these people disregard and have complete contempt for the people they are supposed to represent then they do not deserve the job.
These people expect replies no matter what and that is what they deserve, not contempt.

For give me Stuart but only a very few do not get answers and even fewer get the ones you complain about.

dear tapp,

Thank you for your letter regarding the expectations of political representatives. Your interest in the political process is important to us. Rest assured we will be taking into account your views when we are next formulating our policies.

We are always happy to receive correspondence from our constituents and we hope you will continue to be a valued supporter of our party. We look forward to serving you in the future

Kind Regards,

Invisible Bureaucrat

[Blue Handwriting font]

That made me laugh,
Yes as I have talked to many they do not like the ,
Your letters will no longer be replied to.
Well Greg Combet must just be rude to those he wishes, like many in the seat of Charlton.
To me and those I have spoken to this is unexceptable.

They take the time to write our pollies should reply.

Yes the standard form is a load of crap.
Party this, party that.
People just spin and treated as stupid and gullible.

Stuart if you posted your steam of letters to Greg it would be apparent why he answered you that way.
Running this year?
Greg has been an outstanding member and will win in a trot.

Belly it is quite obvious that you did not read what i wrote.
People i have been talking to have been telling me that either they do not recieve replies or when they do ,
It states
That they will no longer be recieving any replies.
Not me.
I already know Combet will not reply to any of my letters.
I do not care who writes the letters, the fact is these people work for us.
Not the labor party,
not the liberal party
not the greens
and so forth.
When letters are written they should be replied to, no excuse.

Dear Mr Tapp,

May I respectively suggest a few points as to how
people can attract a politician's attention
when writing letters:

1) Include your name and address, introduce
yourself as a constituent.
2) Keep your letter brief (no longer than
one page) - and it should be
about one issue only.
3) Long letters are likely to be put aside
and read on a less busy day (and that day
may never come).
4) Be specific in what concrete action you'd
like the politician to take.
5) Be polite and courteous avoid accusing and
criticizing - that won't get you very far.
6) Add a personal touch - how their action will
help you, your family, and others.
7) Always send a Thank You letter - when
they let you know what they have tried to do on
your behalf.

Remember politicians are busy people - and following
some guidelines in letter writing - will help get
you positive results. Doing a bit of research on
the issues that you're concerned about,
adds a more professional touch to your letters.

thank you foxy

now busy people what with.
Nodding to party guidelines
Cleaning the boots of their leader.

No matter what if somebody writes a letter they should get a reply.

These people are there due to being elected so they work for the people of the electorate, and whether it is a nice sucking up to you and a party letter, or one which has complete contempt for them and their party they should reply to all.

Respect is earned not just given for being a representative.
Like we said in the army,
Even though you have to salute an officer you do not have to respect them.
Those that get respect make the effort, whilst those who do not, did not.

Dear Mr Tapp,

Again, respectively, it's very easy to
criticize anything. Anybody can do that.
However, it is more
difficult to offer constructive suggestions,
and ideas,
to constituents to try to resolve certain
issues. Blaming opponents for what they don't
do, doesn't achieve much.

Of course constituents
should receive replies from their elected Reps.
However, Is that the only issue
you've got to deal with? It certainly sounds like
it from your posts as that's all you've dealt with
on this thread of yours. What else have you got to
offer?

Or is this thread of yours merely a cover for an
attack on your opponents? In that case it sounds
like you've not got much ammunition. All you're
doing is singing the same song, repeatedly.

No it was not an attack just facts.
What do you expect,
as my post was also a question but i will reply to your post.

These are some of the points raised by people or i will put it this way, ex labor voters.

It was belly's first post that made me point out Combet.
As it is he who is ignoring the people.

So i had asked the question

OUR REPRESENTATIVES, WHAT DO WE EXPECT

So this is what you should be answering,
or do you expect nothing.

Dear Mr Tapp,

You're the one running for office, Sir.

I don't have to tell you what I expect,
you have to tell me - why anyone should
vote for you.

So, what are you offering?

Why should anyone vote for you ?

Let's start with that, shall we?

Foxy if you are to gullible to expect anything then do not ask for an answer to a dumb question.

This is from the people in the electorate and what do they expect.

It is quite obvious that you expect nothing in return for your obedience.

I have had people tell me it is rude not to reply to the people who write to their members,
if you wish to play stupid that is ok.
You will get what you ask for, and that is my wrath.
One would have to also ask, is this the standard approach from political party's.
Instead of discussion to see what you actually think of this situation you prefer argument.

Since you expect nothing, you have nothing to complain about here or anywhere else on this site.

Tapp, are you really running as an independent in the coming election?
If so, you seem a bit naive.

Why should Greg Combet, a member for the Labor party, answer letters from you, an independent, if he didn't want to?

Obviously, he or his staff did not feel the need to answer you.
Maybe it was something you said in the letter(s), or the way you said it?

In any case, there is no need to be rude to Foxy for asking a very reasonable question about what you stand for as an independent in the coming election.

Or is that your usual subtle method of communication with others?
My way or the highway maybe?

Stewart, he no longer has the rights to the Australian Peoples Party has not stated he is running.
He however is not talking about Joe average here.
He indeed has been told his letters will no longer be read,but we all have Friends and some ones are sending off letters in the style of? you guess.
Greg however has been a top notch member available at all hours to all, until he sees some are unable to put a case that has merit.
Some haunt politicians, not asking for help or advice but trying to direct policy's that voters did not share during the election campaign.
I value Greg's input in to this government he is a rising star, his electorate Wil return him as long as he wants it to.

I expect them to represent the interests of the electorate they represent and accept that which ever party they belong to will require certain levels of loyalty on the floor.
I do not expect them to pander to individuals that just want to consume their time with political rubbish. If you have a real problem the electoral office of your local member will chase it up for you and get what answer they can. If they don't change your vote.

Is that Greg Hunt Belly?

The following letter was sent to all the candidates a week ago - so far no answers at all
We are a group of Senior Citizens who are very concerned by the failure of every attempt so far at providing satisfactory “End of Life” laws for Australia. We all share a belief that we have the right to be able to determine for ourselves when and how our lives should draw to a close.
Are you aware that there are at least four countries and four U.S. states that have managed to approve laws which appear to work very satisfactorily. These laws have proved to be both operationally successful and popular with the electorates and should provide a very good basic framework for those elected to govern the country to work on.
They are operationally successful in that they do exactly what they set out to do without causing extraneous problems. The argument that “this is the first step on the slippery slope” would seem to be an illusion for those countries. There is one unfortunate anomaly, the responsibility of (and directed by) religious extremism, which manifests itself in “suicide bombers”. But the presence (or absence) of proper “End of Life” laws has no bearing at all on this aspect.
We know that, in principal, these laws are very popular as it is well established that around 75-80% of voters have expressed appreciation and support. There is a small, but noisy group mainly religious, that are antagonistic. However it is also something that should receive your support financially, as if anything it saves money as opposed to requiring any expenditure.
We would be grateful if you would confirm that, if elected, your will vote FOR any “End of Life” legislation that is put forward in the next parliament. Please confirm that you will do this for a Private Members Bill, even if it is your party may not allow a “free” vote as it should be. Regrettably in the past some party leaders have exhibited tendencies to allow religious prejudices to obscure political realities. .

Dickybird
This is my email address:swulrich@bigpond.net.au
And i will be running as an independent for Charlton.

Since thursday is end for nminations mine will be in, so it is hoped i do also recieve a letter.

Now yesterday as i was talking to some elderly people they had informed me that greg combet had replied and stated that they will no longer reply or deal with any comments from this person.

This also goes for the young people i have spoken to that they had not recieved any replies regarding issues.

This is not about me, but since those who wish to attack me, that is ok, I am a big boy.

And as you have noticed still reply.
If our pollies think they can disregard or ignore people because it is not party policy then they are wrong.

Dear Mr Tapp,

I asked you a reasonable question and your
response to me was an entire set of insults.

I must say I am surprised. Because as a person
wanting to get into Parliament you must be able
to deal with the daily rough-and-tumble of
parliamentary questions.

You say that you're a "big boy," but your behaviour
in your last post to me was more of that of a petulant
child.

In order to be able to succeed in a parliamentary setting
you must be quick witted enough or able to deflect
any perceived criticisms.

I wasn't trying to be contentious, I was merely wanting
to know more about what you stand for. You took
that as an attack - which I find rather disturbing
from someone running for public office. At the moment
all we know about you is that you will reply to people's
letters.

If I was to run for office in my electorate and that was
the reason I gave as to why people should vote for me -
I doubt very much whether I would get many votes, or
if anyone would take me seriously.

Please tell us what else you stand for - apart from replying
to people's letters, and attacking people that ask you
questions.

Several years ago I worked as a volunteer in a Party Office opening mail and presenting it to the appropiate person to deal with the correspondence. There were several people who wrote continuiously agressive letters on certain subjects; after the first or second polite reply all further correspondence was ignored as it stated no further information, or the proposals were irrational and would never get into legislation. When politicians receive in excess of 100 letters daily as well as to attend sessons and answer legitimate correspondence secondary mail is discarded as not important.

I recently wrote to my local house of reps member (against whom I several years ago contested the seat) on the placement of a speed camera in a High school zone that has both red light predestrian crossing and a fenced barrier along the street to the pedestrian crossing. I had both the member research my request and the RTA correspond with me: a total of five letters resultant from my one.

I believe the current topic is merely a winge from one disgruntled self opinionated person.

Dear Tapp,

There is the famous Western Wall in Jersualem, also known as the "Wailing Wall", where people constantly place slips of paper between the cracks, on which they write their requests to God. Presently a fax-service was introduced, so one doesn't even need to physically go there in order to place a slip.

Once every 6 months, the notes are collected and buried.

I wouldn't expect more from a politician - this way I can't be disappointed.

foxy it was irrelavant what my policy is , but what do we expect from them and this you have not bothered to address.

well if we do not make them accountable as they are their to represent the community, if they do not follow up on letters that are agressive or not within party guidelines then that would then be commiting fraud on the people of the electorate.

They work for us so they should deal with it.

To respond that they will no longer accept corrospondace from a person is not on.

For me i have never recieved a reply from any of my corrospondance, even though asking why the men at the beaconsfield mine where still working in the mine.When they knew there was a serious safety issue.

Now this is not abusive, but making them accountable, and to date has not been answered by any pollie or union.

"They work for us" ??
"represent the community" ??

Whatever stories they are telling innocent young souls nowadays...
At least in the olden days boundaries were clear and everyone knew that a lord or a monarch acts "at His/Her pleasure".
Tapp, I'd be interested to get acquainted with your kindy-teacher.

Dear Mr Tapp,

It was relevant to me to find out a little
bit more about you, and what you represented,
because you are not just another poster on
this Forum, but someone with political ambitions.
At present nothing is known about you. So I
thought it was a fair question to ask. It was
not meant as an attack - which is the way you took
it, unfortunately.

However you asked me to answer your question
about what I expected from my political Representative?
Even though you chose not to reply to my question, I shall
attempt to reply to yours.

I would expect any Representative to meet the needs
and desires of his/her community, and residents.

I would rather have a Representative that would aim
high and fail, than do nothing, and succeed.

I would vote for a
Representative who would be focused on policies, vision, and
action, on delivering major goals for the good of the
community and its people.

They would include things like,
lobbying for
and receiving, massive State and Federal funding.
Setting in motion significant capital initiatives,
like creating infrastructure to meet the needs of a
growing community.
Investing in hospitals, schools,
transport, roads, libraries, aged-care facilities, a large
range of recreation infrastructure needs, and so on.
Fostering a strong and resilient shared vision of our
future, forging policies from sincere but frank conversations
with residents.

All in all, a Representative who would focus
their policies, vision, and action, on what is good, over
what feels good, so that the Community can look to the
future with confidence.

Foxy, politicians are not our representatives and they never listen to us anyway, so whatever we do here is just a hypothetical-theoretical pastime.

But just for the record, SUPPOSE they listened, I would have asked them quite the opposite of what you did. I would have asked them to get off our back, to do less, not more, to save us from their visions, which they should keep to themselves and interfere only in those few cases where it is absolutely necessary.

It is OUR life that they play with, perhaps the only one we will ever get.

Dear Yuyutsu,

They get paid quite considerably more than
I suspect either you or I, and therefore
I believe that they should be held accountable.
I want decent schools, libraries, hospitals,
roads, transport, et cetera, in the community in which I
live. And I feel that our elected Representatives
owe it to us to work towards trying to meet the
needs and desires of their communities and residents.
That is afterall why we elected them in the first
place.

Dickybird please think about what advice you ask for and from who.
Even in the best of times letters to ministers take much more than a week to answer.
Mid election? your box will soon be full of stuff that makes no commitment on you subject.
No one will get dirty hands on issues that may bloom into trouble.
Get out and get signatures on petitions, thousands of them.
Ask media to look at them and report as you hand them in.
Steward you got the donkey vote last time, number one on the slip.
Your chances are the same as me riding my old bike around Australia, it has no wheels and I have no intention of trying.
Sorry TBC its Combett even you would like him I think did well in the workchoices fight.
A good deal of TAPPS anti union Labor stuff is aimed at me.
We have history another poster found out a bit too much about me and miss used it not tapp but.
No way around this Stewart your letters ramble make little or no points and have been unwelcome for years.
By the way tapp once had a web page earlier posts had a link however unable to get enough members some one else registered the name so the web page may not be around.
Worth a read seems tapp only likes independents.
Who gets your preferences tapp?

foxy good answer

belly
who gets my preference,
oh hang on i do not dictate who to vote for.
I had not realised that you read greg combets mail as he is the federal member.
does he pay you a wage belly or do you just read the mail from the people of charlton.

As i said to this gentleman the other day when he asked who i prerence, I said, and quote
That is your choice
not mine,not a party's
but your's and your's alone.
And that made his day, as i was not telling him how to vote,who to vote for.
He and his family have made a choice.

Donkey vote
well belly as i have said before, you can stick the donkey vote where it fits, as you seem disapointed that you lost a couple of dollars.
I dont want the donkey vote, and again belly just in case you didnt get it, as like before but you do enjoy bring it up.
We could also talk about family values belly and the affair combet was having behind his wife and childrens back.
Or we could talk about the heiner affair and the cover up of child sexual abuse, and child physical abuse.

But no belly combet might just need the donkey this time.
I believe by comments of many people that there could be a shortage of eggs in charlton,yes belly just for you mate.

Dear Foxy,

Thank you - your wishes are valid, even if they are different than mine.

How much politicians are being paid is irrelevant here because it is not you or I who hired them: we had no say in the matter. If it was up to me, I would have paid them this and more, for staying home.

"That is afterall why we elected them in the first place"

Perhaps that was your reason. I just elected this or that politician because otherwise, another politician would have been be elected that in my best estimate was liable to do even more harm.

Bellys Quote

No way around this Stewart your letters ramble make little or no points and have been unwelcome for years.

Since these letters refer to those sent to Greg Combet the Federal Member for Charlton.

My extreme concern is now, how many letters did Belly from the Labor party and Union did he read from Greg Combets Office.
How many peoples private information did he gather
How much did he take notes on and about who.
Who did he give this too
What are they doing with this information.

tapp you grasp a grain of sand and desperately try to turn it into mountain.
I truly AM TRYING NOT TO HURT YOU.
I have not read one such letter, but as a trade unionist and activist within the party have spoken to many, you are legendary, not however for a other than rants.
Can you bloke say in print eggs may be thrown at your opponent?
Then infer I am in some way acting outside the law.
Mate you have worked hard to gain your reputation, earned it, it is to say the least unflattering.
You here in this thread display no understanding of politics Greg will breeze this election in, you can not,surely think other wise.
Take my challenge tell us of your policy's as I asked in your senate thread but TAPP please be aware, think before you answer, you will bring further ridicule to yourself unless you deal in facts.
Your letters did nothing for your reputation tapp,think I Have been a bit hard?
No mate even now I am trying not to hurt you your reputation is not for balanced consideration of issues.

Belly,
Obviously tapp has too much self agenda to represent a community of diverse views and needs. He only sees his own needs.

Dear Mr Tapp,

Apart from letter writing, are there any
other issues that concern you Sir?

Come Stewart be honest.
My challenge that you post your policy's got this answer.
Sorry Belly the thread is not about that.
In your senate thread.
From your first post here to now you undermine the union movement the ALP and never hold back.
You write those letters, notice how you said it was other peoples letters? re read your posts here.
It took just a little fishing for you to then reveal it was your letters mate.
You not me are standing for Parliament are you standing on policy's or just on picking on every other member?
I tapp expect our members or those that want to be to tell us what they stand for.

Still waiting tapp, surely you are not drafting your policy's still?
Come now you have an endless supplies of stones to throw show me your answers.

Sorry tapp but it must be said.
Having been on the end of your barbed insults against me,Newcastle, refer to your posts here, union, ALP, I highlight it is you who give evidence why your letters are rejected.
Haveing sought to give birth to your own party, standing for the last federal election now so you say this one why no policy's?
At your finger tips surely are your reasons for standing for office?
Can it be you are just away drawing them up?
You have put your self out there in the front line condemning but is that all there is?
I have no intention of forgetting my question and the timing of any answer is interesting to me.

Humor is a big part of my life, I like a grin even a full on giggle.
But I am trying not to be cruel here.
A good look at TAPPS posts, all of them, will confirm it once stood for a party.
Well named it was The Australian Peoples Party.
Early posts pointed to links to a web page and some policy's could be found.
Information tapp posted includes that his father was a trade unionist, I think he said official.
But constantly unions/ALP/me/Newcastle got verbal floggings.
If we asked just about any of us to put policy's on the table that we supported most would be able to.
Having once ran a party or promoted the birth of one tapp appears unable to put his on the table.
But very able to throw stones at others.
Every time Stewart you post I think you should remember policy's surely drove you in to politics?

Belly... I think he's gawn, fled the scene, scarpered, flown the coup, vanished, disappeared, evaporated, given up.... stop kicking the poor man when he's down.

On yers.

Yes I know he has packed his bags and left.
Without answering questions.
I however have learned much, our history gos back some time.
I once champed at the bit to let the Alpha male run free, found I lost more augments than I won that way.
And gave joy to the opponent.
In every post from any poster we can if we wish see bias.
But I try not to let it rule my posts.
I Have great concerns over the direction of my party ,federal party.
Questions that need answers.
But as it looks increasingly true that media will impose Abbott on us, inflict great wounds to our country's unity Abbott frightens me more, and it is charges without substance, without believable answers that may change this government.
Bill Shorten run free mate this country needs you.

It may be I am talking in to a hollow drum.
The thread has run its course but yet it needs this ending.
TAPP Stuart, has signed of his posts with independent for Charlton.
Yet he did not run, in any seat in Newcastle or any place.
Greg Combet the target of much wrath from Stewart was the only Hunter valley, [home of the ALP] Member to increase his majority.
Free speech, I value it as a must for Democracy, honesty , accountability, we must defend every ones freedom to speak.
And in my view that freedom is threatened by unproven slanders.
By letting our need to be heard blind us to the big picture .
Stuart I wish you well , know you are Happy with Labors problems at least it gives you some joy.

Belly... I'm still here mate.

I do hope that the entire ALP machine and parliamentary plonkers alike, learn something from this very shoddy episode in the life of the labour movement.

Your national secretary should be taken out and shot (metaphorically of course)and Arbibb should have his appendages cut off (literally, preferably) and thrown from the Senate at the next opportunity.

I've just listened to a fantastic tirade from Iemma, on Fran Kelly. He is absolutely spot-on.

I have yet another letter from a Gillard minister. It is total crap, and full of 'fibs' if not outright lies.

I am about to write back, since this minister is still in place, and ask her if she might have learned something from the weekend.

One hopes so, because throughout the Rudd era, ministerial letters were complete and total rubbish.

Not just that I did not agree with the response, but they were patently wrong, and contained bare-faced lies.

I do hope the new Windsor team bring some genuine reforms to that hopeless place.

It is, of course, no different when the Coalition is snorting from the ATO trough, and failing the nation.

Your faith in Shorten is totally unfounded Belly. The AWU created much of the problem by thrusting Rudd forward, allowing him to operate like another Adolf within caucus, and then foisting that useless Gillard onto the nation.

Gillard is arguably as bad a minister as you could wish onto your opponents.

She is as bad as Julie Bishop, but in a different way...she certainly sounds more intelligent, but her output was a disaster in education, and within IR.

Only someone blown away with having a 'female PM' would overlook Gillards multi-failures.

TBC it was not till I got half way down your post I found I was not reading another tapp post.
The old AWU is bad rubbish is running free I see.
Are you aware of your old stamping ground the thugs and mugs doing state wide agreements before the IR laws changed.
To thieve from casual Laborers morning tea break, travel, tool box payment for time taken?
WHY brown paper bags maybe, forced memberships? you know the system join the idiot union, learn to chant rude insulting things on demand or we will not start you.
You will be pleased to know they now work for another supplier and get $180 a week more.
Bill Shorten is a leader Rudd was a dictator .
After this mess is over the truth about an ego bigger than the moon will come out and leaks? yes and you know who from be happy with conservative gains, and refugee boats from the ALP to greens but mainstream Aussies will never think like you,if you think at all.

Oh Belly, you surely didn't disagree with anything before I mentioned Shortens name?

The AWU did help Rudd to power, and they did, clearly, allow him to go bonkers in the job, and they did elevate Gilard from her failures in IR and education.

All that is on the public record Belly.

Where we do not agree on Shorten's skills/ability is another matter.

I honestly do not understand what you mean here "Are you aware of your old stamping ground the thugs and mugs doing state wide agreements before the IR laws changed", so you'll have to translate that first.

I am aware that in the world of unions, there is no honesty. That is, if one union can do over another to get a deal or members, then they will.

Unions are just like small businesses in that respect.

And many unions sell out their members to keep 'in' with the boss.

I've seen it in the TWU, SDA, CFMEU, MEWU, LHMU, ASU.... at different times and in different situations, and between the ASU and QPSU, in all their different shades over some years.

Maybe, given the lack of talent and ability in the ALP, Shorten does stand out above the dross.

What I know, is that the AWU delivered Rudd and Gillard, and that really is a 'thanks for nothing' situation, as far as I am concerned.

I could not ever say every union employee is worth the air he/she breaths.
I would not ever support a grub, just because he came from my union.
You mentioned the grubs who sold out their membership, doing a deal for members just weeks before the laws changed.
Bill Shorten ,he IS THE MAN WE ME TOO thought Rudd was.
My party MUST tell us of the real Rudd.
I remember his RAAF outburst, never knew it was word perfect.
the interview about ETS that saw the real Rudd pear out from under his ego.
I thought from your post history you must be an ex official of the boring yesterdays thugs and mugs Union.
Sure you do not have a black balaclava in your boot?
Cheers just pulling your leg, how about goggling the speech's of Shorten?