Congratulations, and...

Unable to stand idly by in such an exciting time for Australia, I penned an email to my local member and (now) political power broker Independent Rob Oakeshott about this momentous moment, and who deserves to be granted supply.

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Rob Oakeshott,

Like so many others, I want to congratulate you on your phenomenal win this election, deservingly retaining our electorate; and particularly showing that independents are indeed a powerful force in Australian democracy.

I want to remind you that many like myself are inspired by your leadership, and are looking forward to seeing you represent us in a progressive way.

You know only too well the limitations of the telecommunications network in our area. It's a massive issue around the nation, especially in regional Australia. Around the Manning area, we still have people who can't access ADSL, let alone broadband. These people are still on dial-up, it shows clearly how regional Australia has been ignored and left behind. So many regional Australians have been told that wireless can meet their needs, been duped, and left out of pocket with wireless hardware that is just as slow as dial-up, at several times the price.

We know that the Liberal government's half baked approach to the digital economy will echo Telstra's approach: promising solutions, implementing technology that's doomed to fail, and ignoring the end users pleas and frustration when they are left with a hopeless connection. It is this sort of failed policy on the digital future which will continue to drain the youth out of the regions of Australia, weakening areas like the Manning.

Having been schooled in the area, and having a passion for public education, I am still involved with both of my old schools (Crowdy Head Public and Chatham High) and their students. My dad lives in Crowdy Head, and teaches at several primary schools around the region. He bemoans the lack of permanent facilities; and like so many he is elated at the Education Revolution's construction of permanent classroom facilities. I am naturally cynical toward initiatives that involve the Dept. of Educ and Training, but I can honestly say I was overwhelmingly impressed by the implementation of the laptop per child program. These initiatives have made me all the more excited about becoming a rural/regional public school teacher, in the hope that I will be teaching in a system that is properly funded, and respects the role of the internet in the future of education; made possible my a traditionally egalitarian Rudd/Gillard government.

On the other side of politics, we have a sexist, homophobic racist. An international embarrassment.

The next few years promise to be a fascinating ride, we all look forward to watching on as you and your fellow independents exercise a powerful voice in Australian democracy on behalf of regional Australia and the country at large. I strongly hope that you will vote for the less shameful side of government on supply, such that we needn't be ashamed of our PM, our digital future, or our education system. Equally, I look forward to seeing the government held accountable for every decision they make from here on, by a truly independent balance of power in the House of Representatives.

Regards,
Michael Kelly

Lyne Constituent

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Oakshott's website and email.

Images from Focus Mag and Oakeshott's website respectively.