Hello there,
well I am back at the blogface, recharged and excited to be once again swinging my own opinions around to anyone whom can be bothered to have a look out there in the internet ether!
So where have I been and what have I been doing since my last blog, way back in March 2011 (over half a year ago!) I hear you all desperately asking...well, here goes - and for those new here, please forgive the overly indulgent gasbag of my personal life, but after I get this out of my system I will stick to the more trashy political opinions I would really like to share with you instead! :)
So after my unsuccesfult tilt at the state elections (but a very healthy 4% of the primary vote!) I decided to take some time out and started the usual introspection and naval gazing, what could I do better/different/if at all next time etc and decided that before answering all those very important questions I needed to firstly reorganise my priorities between mortgage paying work and other things that I would like to be doing instead! Nothing unusual with that, almost like 95% of the rest of the world I would say....
So, yes, I am still lucky enough to be working for a great not for profit organisation, big tick there!
Have done a lot of work catching up on my owner/builder house extensions - about half way now, sort of! ?Another big tick!
But to do that I had to reduce my hours with my other activities (President of the local Merimbula Mens Shed, board member of a local charity the Mumbulla foundation, board member of the local Merimbula Chamber of Commerce) and refocus my attention on work (new job, same company!) and family...which has worked out well. All organisations amazingly managed to survive and prosper with out me being there!
I am now feeling much more relaxed and energetic, and looking forward to a tilt at the next local government elections in March 2012 - only 4 and bit months away!
Stay tuned!
Sunday, 23 October 2011
Friday, 1 April 2011
Last blog - for now!
Hello there,
Just quickly, as I know most of us hate long drawn out and teary farewells....this will probably be my last blog for a while (although probably not my last). At this moment in time I do intend to have a tilt at the local Bega Valley Shire Council election in 2012, so keep an ear out!
And as for this election, wow! what an exhilerating challenge and experience. Thanks to everyone who voted for me!
Obviously congratulations are due to the liberals but let's not forget all the other candidates whom stood up for democracy and what they believe in as well. I am proud to stand, albeit in just a very small way, beside them in this electorate.
And just over 5% of the Bega electorate liked what I had to say....unless pulling the first square on the ballot paper scored a lot of donkey votes! Even if I do say so myself I think this is quite an achievement considering that I did not have any advertising, not much profile or awareness of who I was in the community, no party philosophy or policy support or an army of volunteers to help out!
Thanks to everyone whom voted, as of Saturday 2nd April 2011 the ABC election website is saying that almost 92% of the votes for Bega have been counted and I am sitting on a whopping (from my perspective!) 5.3 % or 2,336 well wishes. I am very proud and excited to have had a go, despite the fait accomple cicumstances of this election...the sooner we realise the limitations of the two party system the better!
I also hope Andrew Constance realises the enormity of his responsibiltiy to represent the people of this electorate, especially now that there is no place to hide. After 8 years of 'oppostion member' excuses he will have to either put up and deliver what little he promised for us, or risk being exposed once and for all as just another career party politician. I sincerely hope that for all our sakes Mr constance does deliver, 4 years is a very long time to put up with under funded roads and hospitals, to name just two issues affecting all of us.
all the best,
cheers
Ivan McKay
Just quickly, as I know most of us hate long drawn out and teary farewells....this will probably be my last blog for a while (although probably not my last). At this moment in time I do intend to have a tilt at the local Bega Valley Shire Council election in 2012, so keep an ear out!
And as for this election, wow! what an exhilerating challenge and experience. Thanks to everyone who voted for me!
Obviously congratulations are due to the liberals but let's not forget all the other candidates whom stood up for democracy and what they believe in as well. I am proud to stand, albeit in just a very small way, beside them in this electorate.
And just over 5% of the Bega electorate liked what I had to say....unless pulling the first square on the ballot paper scored a lot of donkey votes! Even if I do say so myself I think this is quite an achievement considering that I did not have any advertising, not much profile or awareness of who I was in the community, no party philosophy or policy support or an army of volunteers to help out!
Thanks to everyone whom voted, as of Saturday 2nd April 2011 the ABC election website is saying that almost 92% of the votes for Bega have been counted and I am sitting on a whopping (from my perspective!) 5.3 % or 2,336 well wishes. I am very proud and excited to have had a go, despite the fait accomple cicumstances of this election...the sooner we realise the limitations of the two party system the better!
I also hope Andrew Constance realises the enormity of his responsibiltiy to represent the people of this electorate, especially now that there is no place to hide. After 8 years of 'oppostion member' excuses he will have to either put up and deliver what little he promised for us, or risk being exposed once and for all as just another career party politician. I sincerely hope that for all our sakes Mr constance does deliver, 4 years is a very long time to put up with under funded roads and hospitals, to name just two issues affecting all of us.
all the best,
cheers
Ivan McKay
Independent Candidate for Bega NSW 2011
Giving our community a real choice this election
No secrets, no spin, no party politics - just genuine representation
Make a difference this election, vote for a genuine, independent and local voice!
Vote 1 Ivan McKay, Independent.
working for you: real representation, real change, real honesty in politics
Pass this message on and Vote1 Ivan McKay for real representation.
Tell your friends, there is a genuine choice for change this election!
Visit my blog to find out more: vote1IvanMcKay.blogspot.com
Friday, 25 March 2011
Thank you to everyone's kind wishes and emails, good luck to us all this Saturday!
Hi there,
well the experience has been worth it, and I have learnt a lot. And I am a big believer in "its not over till its over", so I expect I will probably post a few more blogs through the day!
Thanks to everyone who has supported me and given advice over the last few weeks and in some cases months!
I have really appreciated your time and input, and couldn't have really considered nominating myself without your (usually) positive but always sincere feedback.
I also want to thank everyone for taking the time to just read my blog.
And finally, thank you to the other candidates, who have for the most part been professional, courteous and honest. We all know who hasn't been. But at least I did manage to get the liberals to recognise that they need to represent the actual constituents of this electorate, and made them at least come up with a "local plan"....even if it is pretty devoid of any detail (just another wish list unfortunately).
Remember, if we want to avoid making the same mistakes over and over then we need to do something different - vote for yourself this election, not a party, vote 1 Ivan McKay, Independent.
well the experience has been worth it, and I have learnt a lot. And I am a big believer in "its not over till its over", so I expect I will probably post a few more blogs through the day!
Thanks to everyone who has supported me and given advice over the last few weeks and in some cases months!
I have really appreciated your time and input, and couldn't have really considered nominating myself without your (usually) positive but always sincere feedback.
I also want to thank everyone for taking the time to just read my blog.
And finally, thank you to the other candidates, who have for the most part been professional, courteous and honest. We all know who hasn't been. But at least I did manage to get the liberals to recognise that they need to represent the actual constituents of this electorate, and made them at least come up with a "local plan"....even if it is pretty devoid of any detail (just another wish list unfortunately).
Remember, if we want to avoid making the same mistakes over and over then we need to do something different - vote for yourself this election, not a party, vote 1 Ivan McKay, Independent.
Tuesday, 22 March 2011
Andrew Constance - liberal with the truth again
Hi there,
Andrew Constasnce is refusing to acknowledge that he threatened to knock my block off, and wont apologise for his unacceptable behaviour.
I don't know what school yard Mr Constance thought he was in, but I am a grown man living in Australia in 2011. I wont tolerate bullies, especially from someone elected to represent us.
And he is now advertising on TV that he in fact does have a local plan! yay! Finally, some commitment.
What, no details? No promises? Ah, the plan is to actually not do much at all, see what the liberals can get away with for another 4 years. But it is still a local plan! Very clever.
See my media release about it here.
Don't forget this Saturday, March 26th - Vote 1 Ivan McKay, and stop the rot.
kind regards
Ivan McKay
Andrew Constasnce is refusing to acknowledge that he threatened to knock my block off, and wont apologise for his unacceptable behaviour.
I don't know what school yard Mr Constance thought he was in, but I am a grown man living in Australia in 2011. I wont tolerate bullies, especially from someone elected to represent us.
And he is now advertising on TV that he in fact does have a local plan! yay! Finally, some commitment.
What, no details? No promises? Ah, the plan is to actually not do much at all, see what the liberals can get away with for another 4 years. But it is still a local plan! Very clever.
See my media release about it here.
Don't forget this Saturday, March 26th - Vote 1 Ivan McKay, and stop the rot.
kind regards
Ivan McKay
Independent Candidate for Bega NSW 2011
Giving our community a real choice this election
No secrets, no spin, no party politics - just genuine representation
Make a difference this election, vote for a genuine, independent and local voice!
Vote 1 Ivan McKay, Independent.
working for you: real representation, real change, real honesty in politics
Pass this message on and Vote1 Ivan McKay for real representation.
Tell your friends, there is a genuine choice for change this election!
Visit my blog to find out more: vote1IvanMcKay.blogspot.com
Monday, 21 March 2011
Media Release concerning threats to "knock you block off" - released 20MArch2011
Hi there,
please find below a copy of the media release I sent out concerning the threats made by Andrew Constance, liberal candidate in this election, on 17 March.
It is hosted under Google docs here.
I sent this media release to the following outlets:
Merimbula News Weekly
Bega District News
Narooma News
Bay Post
Eden Magnet
Moruya Voice (newsletter)
ABC Local radio
2EC
Edge FM community radio
please find below a copy of the media release I sent out concerning the threats made by Andrew Constance, liberal candidate in this election, on 17 March.
It is hosted under Google docs here.
I sent this media release to the following outlets:
Merimbula News Weekly
Bega District News
Narooma News
Bay Post
Eden Magnet
Moruya Voice (newsletter)
ABC Local radio
2EC
Edge FM community radio
Saturday, 19 March 2011
Post mortem of Liberla candidates threat to "knock my head off"
Hi there,
I have had a few replies and feedback to my post about Andrew Constance threatening to knock my block off at the Eden fishermans Club.
Some have said that I should suck it up, that this is politics. Others have riased concenrs that I shouldn't be seen to be p'playing the man' insteadof the policies that are important.
Except my policy difference is that I will represent this electorate first, not a party. So my main eleciton policy is entirely and all about the work I will do in this electorate for this electorate, not work done for the party by taking our votes for granted.
But I am seriously thinking about sending out a media release about the behaviour, so that he is outed for behaving in such an unprofessional manner.
I mean, do we really want someone who makes threats like this and behaves like a school yard bully to represent us?
Is Andrew Constance so confident of being returned to power next week that he has forgotten how to behave in public?
This outburst actually follows hot on the heels of his rude and dismissive comments made to both me and the general public on Monday night in Merimbula, when he kept interrupting a member of the public who was trying to ask a question about $2 million in funding that AC apparently was able to find - and wrote about in the MNW and other papers (as AC is an oppostion member I find this difficult to believe), as part of the merger of two local public schools...but in fact has not materialised anywhere...
and then he also kept interrupting me when I was talking about the local health/hospital situation, again, quite rude and dismissive "you don't know what you are talking about", "why don't you shut up", and when pushed to advise exactly what he is prmising to deliver for this electorate ovethe next 4 years, not saying much at all.
Is it jsut me or does this behaviour illustrate just how out of touch Mr Constance and the liberals are with the local Bega electorate?
If any other candidate had made these remarks, either to Mr Constance or another candidate, of course they would not be tolerated and we would have been brought to taks over them. Why should we put up with this behaviour because Mr Constance is the sitting member?
Andrew Constance is so confident of being returned to power that he has already started stating so in his presentations to the general public, as he let slip during the Eden presentations.
There is such a thing as confidence and then there is arrogance. Unfortunately for us and the rest of the voters in this electorate, Mr Constance is so arrogant that he doesn’t think he even has to represent us to get out vote.
And now apparently Mr Constance even feels that he can openly threaten other candidates for daring to challenge him. How outrageous.
The liberal party has promised nothing for this electorate except more of the same inaction, despite claiming to have already won the election.
If the liberals are in Government and Andrew Constance wins the seat of Bega, then there is nothing to stop them from finally fixing our roads, hospitals and infrastructure.
But the problem is, for some reason they just seem to think that they can get away with doing nothing real for this electorate for another 4 years.
No wonder people are angry with all of the major parties, not just the labour party, with an attitude like this.
We have to ask outselves - do we want bullies and party yes men representing us or do we want real representation?
VOTE1 iVAN Mckay
cheers
Ivan McKay
Independent Candidate for Bega NSW 2011
Giving our community a real choice this election
No secrets, no spin, no party politics - just genuine representation
Make a difference this election, vote for a genuine, independent and local voice!
Vote 1 Ivan McKay, Independent.
working for you: real representation, real change, real honesty in politics
Pass this message on and Vote1 Ivan McKay for real representation.
Tell your friends, there is a genuine choice for change this election!
Visit my blog to find out more: vote1IvanMcKay.blogspot.com
1 minute closing address at the Eden "Meet the Candidates" forum 17 March
Hi there,
at the end of the Eden Chamber of Commerce's 'meet the candidates' forum on 17 March (held at the Eden Fishermans Club), all candidates were given 1 minute for a closing address.
I wrote mine whilst the others were talking - I had expected some sort of closing remarks, but not a full minute.
Here is what I said:
Hi everyone, thanks for taking the time to be here tonight. I want to close with a few points.
Firstly, don't be impressed by Andrew's grasp and display of policy detail and facts and figures - it is his full time job and he has been doing it for 8 years.
What we should be foscussing on is what is everyone going to do for this region over the next 4 years - and none of the parties are willing to commit to promising anything. Are you OK with this?
If the liberals get in, Andrew has already said he wont do anything, he wont make a difference.
So why not try how a genuine indpendent could represent you?
If another party gets government, then Andrew still can't do anything.
But if parliament is hung, and there is a balance of power situation, then no party representative will be able to achieve anything...
only an independent can.
The parties have lost touch.
We need community representation, which is why I am asking for your vote.
thanks
Ivan McKay
at the end of the Eden Chamber of Commerce's 'meet the candidates' forum on 17 March (held at the Eden Fishermans Club), all candidates were given 1 minute for a closing address.
I wrote mine whilst the others were talking - I had expected some sort of closing remarks, but not a full minute.
Here is what I said:
Hi everyone, thanks for taking the time to be here tonight. I want to close with a few points.
Firstly, don't be impressed by Andrew's grasp and display of policy detail and facts and figures - it is his full time job and he has been doing it for 8 years.
What we should be foscussing on is what is everyone going to do for this region over the next 4 years - and none of the parties are willing to commit to promising anything. Are you OK with this?
If the liberals get in, Andrew has already said he wont do anything, he wont make a difference.
So why not try how a genuine indpendent could represent you?
If another party gets government, then Andrew still can't do anything.
But if parliament is hung, and there is a balance of power situation, then no party representative will be able to achieve anything...
only an independent can.
The parties have lost touch.
We need community representation, which is why I am asking for your vote.
thanks
Ivan McKay
Independent Candidate for Bega NSW 2011
Giving our community a real choice this election
No secrets, no spin, no party politics - just genuine representation
Make a difference this election, vote for a genuine, independent and local voice!
Vote 1 Ivan McKay, Independent.
working for you: real representation, real change, real honesty in politics
Pass this message on and Vote1 Ivan McKay for real representation.
Tell your friends, there is a genuine choice for change this election!
Visit my blog to find out more: vote1IvanMcKay.blogspot.com
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