Iluka Road and the Mysterious Case of the Shrinking Petition

This was the Nationals MP for Clarence during his successful 2011 by-election campaign:

Now Mr Gulaptis said he has a 1500-signature petition signed by local residents calling for the speed limit to be raised to 100km/h….

Mr Gulaptis could not answer whether the petition was a recent one, or one launched six years ago in opposition to the speed limit reduction, as he said he hadn't seen it, despite claiming he had it on radio yesterday morning.

This was another Nationals MP for Clarence six years ago in 2006:

The Minister did not answer my urgent letters of months ago and last week. That is why I now raise the matter directly in the people's forum, Australia's first Parliament, along with 800 signatures taken in three days, to show the real community interest there. Labor was quick to slash the speed limit to 80 kilometres an hour on Iluka Road in a misguided attempt to protect emus…..

What do these two quotes tell us about ‘Steve’ Gulaptis’ request to the NSW Roads and Maritime Service for a review of the speed limit on Iluka Road in the Lower Clarence Valley?

Well, they tell us that the petition he was touting was unlikely to have ever contained 1,500 signatures – in fact it probably had a 700 signature shortfall.

They also suggest that he is attempting to use this petition a second time, as the former Member for Clarence had brought the petition to the attention of the NSW Legislative Assembly years ago.