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On the Campaign Trail - Howard Emanuel

Our campaign for McMillan began on October 10th last year in Korumburra’s main street. I have always had a strong view that any political candidate should as much as is possible spend plenty of time in the community meeting with people. Read More...

By Howard Emanuel - 26th August 2004 - Back to News

HOWARD EMANUEL CAMPAIGN DIARY AS OF - 28 JUL 2004.

Our campaign for McMillan began on October 10^th last year in Korumburra’s main street. I have always had a strong view that any political candidate should as much as is possible spend plenty of time in the community meeting with people. It has become I am afraid to common for political policy to be formulated in the offices of major parties and organisations, shielded form the realities the people face.

Of course I have my own views on the world and all that circulates within that sphere, but it has been shown to me time and again that the more I interact with the community the more in essence I learn, the more I understand about the social tensions that exist among us. About the wonderful opportunity this country, this nation of peoples has to progress our society to create as much as is humanely possible a fair and equitable place for all of us. Of course there are manifest differences between us all, but their are also many common needs.

It is my intention to continue to work toward a better commentary of those needs and at the same time conduct an honest and truthful dialogue on what I see in the many communities that make up the Federal electorate of McMillan.

I must say I consider it a great privilege to work in politics, to be given a window into the lives of others, to share with them the triumphs and the many travails that our social system conceives. To work with individuals to confront the difficulties but also to meet and celebrate each other’s company.

Most weeks since October of last year I have spent an average of 2 to 3 days a week in the electorate, visiting one of the many communities, both large and small, both growing and tragically also declining. There are many reasons why communities grow and just as many why the positive effects of government policy that promote that growth in some communities, essentially spell the death knell for others. Such are the complexities of our social system., No one is saying these are easy matters to understand, but you will not in all honesty learn about what confronts and effects communities and peoples lives by sitting in an office and dredging out policy that is always delivered within the bounds of a central or dominant ideology.

Anyway without further ado I'll give you a commentary on where I have been in the past 3 to 4 weeks or so.

Wednesday 16^th June, I was in Pakenham all day. I introduced myself to the owners of all businesses in the CBD area (for the 2^nd time) as an opportunity for the business proprietors to discuss issues of importance to them. Time and again I hear form small rural business how tough it is. The weight of the current tax structures, Superannuation, Workcover premiums and the like. We need to have all these things in place to ensure that employees are treated in a dignified way, but I am afraid that the employment opportunities wont come if businesses cannot realise a sufficient profit margin.

Overnight I stayed in Beautiful Rawson, up in the Erica/ Walhalla district above the Latrobe Valley. On the way up the Princes Highway I deposited fliers into the letterboxes in the town of Nilma. So far I have distributed approx 12,000 fliers throughout the McMillan electorate, mostly on my own. But now thankfully some friends and colleagues are helping me with this task. I am about to order another 10,000 fliers all to be hand delivered. We can’t afford the cost of using the postal system as our local Labor member and Liberal candidate can. Anyway as I walk the streets letterboxing I have further opportunities to meet with community members and learn more about their lives. I wouldn’t be in the office for quids.

Thursday 17^th June. I had a 10.00am meeting with the manager of the Migrant Resource Centre in Morwell. This centres funding is being cut by the Federal Government and I have concerns that migrants into our region will not be given sufficient support to assist them in becoming comfortable within the Gippsland community.

(See our media release regarding the Migrant resource Centre.)

At 11.00am I had a meeting in Morwell with Kris Johnson, my Senior Political Adviser, IT manager, confidant and essentially a young man I have been privileged to work with. Kris and I touch base almost daily and discuss the many issues. Latest media releases, meetings, what the government and ALP are doing and saying, where the opportunities exist for us to share our policies with the community.

From about 1pm through to dark I letterboxed some of the neighbourhoods of Moe. At 7pm I attended a meeting in Leongatha of the newly formed Leongatha Area Action Group. A worthy initiative designed to promote a cohesive approach to community progress. Home about 10.30pm.

Much of the time that I am not out in the electorate I am in my office drafting media releases and doing the myriad tasks that I hope one day will be done partly for me so as I can spend more time in the community.

Wednesday 23 June. I spent all day in Drouin meeting with business owners and shopkeepers. In the afternoon I walked the streets letterboxing. Probably distributed about 600/700 fliers, these fliers now of course including our new website address. Not a lot of chance I’ll put on much weight during this campaign, all this walking the streets, but I’ve got soaking wet on no more that 3 or 4 occasions. This night I stayed with some friends on their lovely property at Ripplebrook, south of Drouin.

Thursday 24^th June. Popped into Radio 3GG to let Ron Locke know how my campaign is going. Ron has taken an active interest in my work during this campaign. At 10.00am I have another meeting at the Morwell Migrant Resource Centre (MMRC) and on the way I stopped in Darnum and spoke with the new Post office licensee, left some fliers in the other business and motored onto Yarragon, where I met with shopkeepers and business owners and discussed local matters. Letterboxed a fair portion of the town before moving on to Morwell.

Kris and I both attended the meeting at the MMRC and gave a commitment that we would both put out a media release on the matter and get whatever coverage we could, and develop an official policy position. This Media release did gain some coverage and we are keen to continue to address this issue. Kris and I retired to a coffee shop for a chat about our activities, past and importantly, what was coming up.

For the rest of the day I letterboxed about 600 homes in Moe.

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of the following week were spent in the office doing what I can to keep up with the ever-increasing pace of this campaign. The Prime Minister and the Opposition leader are upping the ante now as we start to see media speculation that an election is imminent, which means the issues being discussed are more and more and we have to be on top of all those matters, if not to have an opinion then to understand just what it is our political opponents are focusing their energies on.

During the next week or so I conducted media interviews and met with people in South Gippsland to discuss the poignant issue of Windfarm developments on the Gippsland coast. I also took the opportunity to take a break from campaigning and spend some time with my family, Madalen and my 3 children. I think they have been very patient with me in the past 10 to 12 years as I gradually have become more and more involved in politics, which has meant less time with them. But I know they share my vision for an equitable Australia, for an Australia that does not shun the issues that are there to be addressed.

On the 12^th of July I was in the South Gippsland towns of Venus Bay, Tarwin Lower and Inverloch, the first two smallish coastal communities similar to Sandy Point where I live, the latter Inverloch, a burgeoning coastal enclave with a range of development issues on its doorstep, as does Venus Bay I might add. It is important we address these development issues to ensure that progress evolves in an appropriate direction, that the natural assets of the coast remain accessible to all.

In the afternoon I spent time with my eldest daughter Ruby, letterboxing Wonthaggi.

Wednesday 14^th July. At the inviation of the organisers I attended a "Christmas in July" function at Greenhill’s Aged Care Hostel In Loch in South Gippsland. It is testament I think to the cohesive and progressive nature of the Loch community to see such a high quality facility in an essentially small community. Guest speaker on the day was recently installed Liberal Senator for Victoria The Hon Mitch Fifield, in his previous life a senior adviser to the treasurer Peter Costello and a man who also held roles within the Kennett administration in Victoria and the Griener Liberal government in NSW.

Senator Fifield is the only Victorian Senator to have his office in rural Victoria, that being in Warragul. An interesting and enjoyable day with plenty of opportunities to discuss management issues with the committee at the facility and to better understand the issues of importance to this particular sector, namely, you guessed it folks, money, dollars. That is not to sound to fundamentalist, but the fact remains that if the elderly members of our society are to be cared for in a dignified way, then financial resources need to be committed. The aged care issue is one of the more poignant facing this nation at present I think and it needs plenty of dialogue and I would if I could suggest that all of us have some input into that dialogue. This matter in one form or another will at some time effect us all, either directly or indirectly.

Thursday 15^th July. Back on the road. Today I visited the towns of Nar Nar Goon, Garfield, Tynong and Longwarry. (Bunyip, I will be in, in a few weeks time. I have a couple of meetings arranged) This is the third time I have visited these communities and I am getting to know some members of the community who I am pleased to say generally always make the time to chat and tell me about the issues facing these communities. All of these towns are beginning to feel the pressures of development, not always in a negative way I might add. The overflow if you like from the enormous growth that is occurring in the Pakenham corridor is inevitably spilling over into these smaller communities situated only a few minutes really from Pakenham and not too distant from Warragul.

There is some optimism that new people into these communities will bring a sense of growth and progress into the future, There are of course many challenges that come with population growth and these matters need to be handled sensitively.

I also letterboxed fliers in Garfield and Longwarry during the day. Stayed in Ripplebrook overnight.

Friday 16^th. Today I spent all day in Trafalgar meeting with shopkeepers and business owners in the CBD. I have been to Trafalgar a few times now and as is the case elsewhere I go, I am getting to know local community members. In the afternoon I letterboxed almost the entire town and finished late. Stayed overnight in Rawson.

Saturday 17^th. Up early in the crisp (freezing) mountain air and down the road into Moe for the morning. On average every second Saturday morning I spend 4 to 5 hours in the main street of one particular town in the McMillan electorate as a way of meeting people. I have had a sandwich board made up that has my details on it and this helps the community know what my purpose for being in their town is. Of course not all of us are at all interested in politics and my sandwich board also I guess gives ample warning to those who may be inclined to walk on by. I offer people a flier as they approach and I have been surprised at how community members take the time to interact. Once again this is an invaluable way of finding out just exactly what the issues are in peoples lives.

Kris and I spent a couple of hours over a coffee discussing how the campaign was going and further developing our strategies. Sometimes we engage in a little social discussion in a broader sense, sharing I think a common interest in social development and a vision of how we would like to see this country evolve.

Wednesday 21^st July. For the next 2 days I am on the road and my 10-year-old son Sebastian is with me. I am away from home a lot now and have been all year really so it is an ideal opportunity for myself and Seb to spend some time together.

Today we spent the entire time in Moe. We walked the streets together and I think at a guess we letterboxed about 800 hoses in the Moe Heights area. In the afternoon we met business owners in the Industrial estate down Lloyd Street. Up to Erica and a chat with the new owners of both the pub and the petrol station/Garage. Both these businesses paly a major part in providing service and recreational opportunities to the community and both managers were very generous with their time. Overnight in Rawson

Thursday 22^nd July. Left Rawson at 8.00am and took the turn off to Tanjil South. Letterboxed the roadside into Willow Grove where I had an appointment at 9.30 with a community member to discuss matters of interest.

A welcome cuppa on a very cold but beautiful July morning. The road form here to Noojee is very lovely country, high quality farming land and great views to the snow capped Mt Baw Baw plateau. Quite a few farmlets through here and I can see why people are attracted to the region. And only 15/20 mins form the town of Moe. Onto Hill End with a chat with the principle at the Primary School. Letterboxing the roadside into Noojee. Just before Noojee I pulled up at a timber mill and had a lengthy chat to youngish fellow working in the timber industry. Of course we all know this industry is under threat and if that is what the community feels is appropriate I guess that is what will happen, but we must in all fairness adequately ensure that those who leave the industry have proper opportunities to start again elsewhere in another industry.

Into Noojee and I love coming here. The air is cool and fresh. I came here one really hot day in summer and down by the river was a haven form what had been a long hot day on the road. I met with the teachers at the Noojee Primary School situated down by the river. Generally we are made very welcome and this was no exception. We called in at lunchtime and the 3 staff were very generous with their time and commitment to our conversation.

The other businesses in Noojee are generally welcoming places and today was no exception.

Onto Neerim South to drop off some more fliers at a particular venue where we have them displayed, a quick chat and on the road again. Letterboxing into Jindivick with an enjoyable catch-up at the general store. Letterboxed the roadside right down to the Princes highway then home through Trafalgar, Thorpdale and Mirboo North. 450km clocked up in the 2 days

Monday 26^th, an invitation to the "Christmas in July" function for the Trafalgar Chamber of Commerce and Industry. A great opportunity to meet with members of the community and discuss not only business matters abut community and personal matters as well. Great attendance and an enjoyable night with a quality guest speaker. Promising to see the business community working together as one in such a cohesive way. Sure they’d have their differences but at least this way you can talk about them out in the open.

Overnight stay up at Rawson. To bed about 11.00pm

Tuesday 27^th, I letterboxed Moe Heights and Moe South all morning then headed into Mirboo North and continued to letterbox fliers until the end of the day. Home to loads of e-mails and messages. The nearer the election gets the more contacts we are getting which is a combination I think of the profile we are building in the community through being IN the community and the valuable work Kris is doing with our website, which seems pretty popular and its still evolving, so check it all out.

Wednesday28th and Thursday 29^th, in the office answering e-mails, I did

an interview with Ron Lock on 3GG in regards to the media release we put out concerning issues of Bastardisation, Bullying and Suicide in the Austarlian Defence Forces. I was very gratefull of the opportunity to discuss this most important matter in the public realm. I very much want to be on the public record saying nowhere near enough is being done to address this essentially shameful issue. The rest of Thursday I am in the office answering phone calls, ordering more fliers, writing letters, preparing stuff for work, doing the draft for a new media release and the like.

(Estimated kilometres travelled so far directly related to this campaign, approx 22,000km.)

Stay tuned as I will keep you all informed of my activities pertaining to our Campaign as I pledge to:

"Bring the People back into Policy!" 

www.HowardEmanuel.com

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: kris@howardemanuel.com

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