We certainly do not want or need Councillor Shepheard or Larry Goldsworthy to propose that Indigo Shire supports marriage equality.

This is a national issue and the federal Government has received permission from the High Court to proceed with a postal survey that will allow every person in Australia, who is registered with the Electoral Commission, to cast their vote.

The residents of the Indigo Shire along with many other Australians will individually determine the position to be taken on this issue and the federal government will provide the process by which it can be decided.  

Left unchallenged, these councillors, with their misguided interpretation of “leadership”, could seek to use their influence with a small group of consenting councillors to put forward a recommendation that Indigo Shire Council support the election of their preferred political party at the next federal election.

There is much that requires attention in the Indigo Shire, and our councillors should be seen providing leadership at the community level instead of wasting ours and their time seeking to influence the way we should vote.

In recent weeks we have had the Minister for Finance and the Prime Minister speak about the “politics of envy”. We have another three-word slogan instead of a proper debate about our dysfunctional taxation system. It is not envy that makes us concerned that people, some on $1 million plus incomes, can minimise or avoid paying income tax through the use of family and discretionary trusts, negative gearing and probably other holes in our tax system that we haven’t heard of yet.

It is not envy that makes us very angry that we are paying more to use our own natural gas than people overseas importing our gas. Insult is added to injury when we know that the multi-national oil and gas companies pay nothing for the gas and under the present arrangements may never pay anything. It is a great deal for them, where else in business can you get away with not paying anything for your raw materials and then charge the owners top dollar for it? Australia is $20 billion-plus annually poorer for this rort. It’s not envy we are concerned when we hear of business not paying an estimated $2.5 billion annually in superannuation guarantee payments for employees.

It is not envy when we show concern that ex husbands, wives, partners owe some $1.5 billion in child support payments to their former wives, husbands, partners. All the above does show is that it is not fair. Individuals and corporations are making good money in Australia because of the legal, working and investment conditions we provide. However, they are not prepared to support those conditions by paying their fair share of taxation. The good old Australian ideal of “a fair go”, seems to be a myth.

Congratulations to Albury City Council for the period fencing currently being completed around the city’s Botanic Gardens – an appropriate finishing touch for the most idyllic place within the city boundaries.