Saturday 21 January 2012

Are the Nationals creating a bizarre and corrupt political culture on the NSW North Coast?


Click on invitation to enlarge

In 2011 then NSW Nationals MP for Cowper, Steve Cansdell, was forced to resign when it became public knowledge that he had falsified a statutory declaration in order to avoid having his driver’s licence cancelled.

Subsequently the electorate found out that he was being investigated by the Independent Commission Against Corruption and NSW Police. Both these investigations appear to be on-going.

In the local media this disgraced former state parliamentarian admitted that he would have never confessed to wrongdoing if a former staffer hadn’t blown the whistle.

Despite this, the new NSW MP for Cowper, Chris Gulaptis, embraced Cansdell’s support during the by-election campaign and afterwards – and now I'm reliably informed the Clarence Nationals are to give this admitted lawbreaker a $50-a-head two course tribute dinner next month in the Kensei Bar and the Event Centre at Grafton Racecourse, with RSVPs being handled by Nationals staffer Deb Newton.

The invitation shows that Clarence Nationals are also using the Cansdell name to fund raise for the political party itself.

Which begs the question: When a political party does not appear to recognise an acknowledged criminal act, how long before it condones widespread corrupt activity by its members?

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thank goodness for people prepared to question this publicly. I don't know that they've created the culture recently - the only change appears to be the fact that they're now flaunting that corruption in public view. Makes me sick.

Anonymous said...

Why do we accept this and do nothing?

Ursula Tunks said...

I've set up an event on Facebook for a peaceful protest outside the dinner.

I've left a message at Grafton Police Station for Insp. Reed to call me in relation to obtaining and submitting a Form 1 - Application to Hold a Public Assembly. This needs to be submitted at least a week prior to the planned assembly date. I will have this submitted by Friday this week.

THIS IS A PEACEFUL PROTEST ...

we mightn't be able to change what's happening, or should I say NOT happening, but we certainly have the right to voice our disapproval and feeling of betrayal and to do so in a peaceful and articulate manner.