cacofonix says "I attempt[ed] to post the following, but have, so far, experienced no luck getting anything posted onto [Margo Kingston's] site. (I would have to assume that it is a technical problem rather than intentional censorship.)". cacofonix then cites daggett on OLO as the author of views to which he/she was attempting to make reference in the content of the attempted post to Margo's page on what is perhaps someone else's site.

Don't be so sure its not intentional censorship, cacofonix. It may, however, be a self-imposed censorship by those having hegemony over Margo's site, claimed (perhaps conveniently) as arising from legalities surrounding copyright. Such may be the implications of the Full Legal Notices of OLO that it is OLO that owns what daggett said, not daggett, and the controller (a fat one?) of Margo's site may, by common consent, be backing up OLO's claimed proprietary interest in the words that have so far flowed from daggett's digital pen onto OLO's digital page. This link may assist: http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?discussion=874#15260

The above may provide background to the following little allegory. (Humour Warning! With apologies to Comedy Inc, on what is, for the moment, OUR abc.)

The Big Engine That Could - A Tale of the Days of Steam

"Gordy sat quietly fuming in the big engine roundhouse at Wally Heights. Every so often a big cloud of steam would come out of the little ear-like vents on the sides of his cylinder heads, indicating the extent of the seething inner rage that coursed up and down the water tubes of his boiler, but apart from that, things were pretty quiet. Gordy wasn't saying much, at least not for now. A pool of leaked oil lay on the floor beside the rails just below his leading wheels on the right-hand side, just near where, if he were a person, his right foot would be. But he wasn't. He was a locomotive. But, hey, he had feelings too!

TBC

Belly Said.
Mark vailes 40 times cant remember at the AWB Enquiry.
Good I am glad you noticed that.
Which is why we sent all that information and MORE the your hero- The Milky Bar Kid Kevin Rudd.

He was the Shadow Mininster for Trade- and Vaile was the Mininster for trade. So you agree you dont trust Vaile but at least hes smart. I still can not believe the shadow Mininster for trade wasnt all over the info we sent him.
A far more clever poly would have made a mile with that info over Vaile and the Howard Government.
We sent them the answer to their political prayers for the AWB Enquiry and Rudd was too stupid to use it.
Now if it had been Beattie I have NO doubt he would have.
Apart from that He had a duty of care to the public to share the information. It was what he was paid to do.

I live in QLD and that would be the same Kevin who voted years ago against establishing more dams and water projects.
I tend to agree with the poster who said - I get a bit sus when people bag Latham but also refuse to discuss what was in his notes.
If Beattie were running as oposition leader Australia would be in much better hands.
Its even possible Beattie is concerned about the Australian People if the polls are for Rudd.
The bottom line is Beattie will do whats best for QLD and I personally belive ALL Australian People.
Hes an Ok guy.

Council Amalgamations is the best thing Peter Beattie has come up with since he came into power in Queensland. Hopefully we will have Mayors & councillors who take their position seriously, and work for the people full time, not dilly dallying & doing favours for the mates.

Ma eda,

Do you know what the word 'democracy' means?

Just who do you believe that Peter Beattie is representing when he is forcing local communities to accept rule over so many important aspects of their lives from distant remote councils?

Have a look at the make of the map of the new greater Cairns council area including the abolished Douglas Shire council at http://www.strongercouncils.qld.gov.au/Portals/0/ReformDocuments/Cairns_map.pdf and tell me what possible sense that makes.

Consider what the residents of the town of Maleny situated atop the Blackall Ranges are already enduring at the hands of its 'local' council situated way down on the coast in Caloundra:

"It seems the Woolworths development site on the bank of Obi Obi Creek (opposed by 80% of Maleny residents) was but a precursor to the main development battle looming on Maleny's horizon. Several years ago a group of concerned local citizens managed to convince the local council to purchase a large tract of land on the eastern side of the town for future use as a cultural and recreational precinct with land to be set aside for forest restoration.

"A few years down the track and surprise, surprise, the local council in a closed door session decided to build an 18-hole golf course with heaps of condominium houses. It seems they are hell bent on development at all costs, even in their dying days as a local authority. ...

"Despite a protracted public consultation process which clearly showed what the majority of local people wished to see happen on this site, they are sticking with their coastal perceptions of what Maleny should be." (http://www.malenyvoice.com)

The residents of Maleny oppose amalgamation because they know that this will make an already bad situation even worse. Before long it will be the residents of Noosa who will also be made to endure such secretive unnaccountable decision-making by remote 'representatives'. If anything, reforms are needed in the other direction and quite a number of larger councils should be broken up.

Forrest Gump and funguy: thanks for your encouraging words. Please feel welcome to contact me through http://candobetter.org/user/3/contact .

--

TurnRightThenLeft: thanks for the link. Have posted to their forum at: http://www.noamalgamation.stanthorpe.net/forums.php

Ma Edda
Here Here and very well said.
I just wish he would sack the lazy corrupt Gold Coast council andput it in the hands of a public comittee.
The enormous cost to QLD rate payers for all these different councils to sit on their bums doing little for their people and areas- Except as you say favour for mates must stop.
It certainly is the best thing he has done. Unlike Rudd hes a leader.
Pity he is not interested in running against Howard.
Thanks Ma Edda