Last night on ABC’s PM program, the Minister showed his complete disregard for the local community, saying “The Cabinet's made a decision and we're implementing it...”

 

Worse still the Minister last night refused to consider a Parliamentary enquiry describing it as a “political organisation”.  If Chris Bowen believes Parliamentary committees are merely “political organisations”, you would have to wonder what is the purpose of the climate change committee and the committee looking at the Murray Darling Basin plan? 

 

It is not good enough to simply duck shove this to the public service; this Labor Minister must front this community and explain. 

 

The community deserves better than this.  They deserve to have an opportunity to raise their concerns directly with the Minister before a final decision is made. 

 

The suggestions by senior Labor Ministers that the Woodside community is engaging in hysteria underline the point that they have completely lost control of the issue.  Rather than taking pot shots from Canberra, Labor Ministers should have the guts to front the community and ask them what they think. 

 

It is not good enough for the Prime Minister to simply use the Adelaide hills for photo opportunities; she must return and listen to their concerns.  At the very least demand her Minister attend a public forum and answer the questions. 

 

If they think that Inverbrackie is the best place to house 400 asylum seekers, then they should front up and tell the local residents the reasons why.