September 16, 2015 — He wanted to be mayor in the City of Blacktown but for the second time in a row, Blacktown City Councillor Jess Diaz lost to Labor Party Councillor Stephen Bali.
Blacktown City Council is composed of 7 Liberal Party members while there are also 7 Labor Party councillors. It would have been a hung parliament were it not for Russ Dickens, an independent member who voted in favour of Stephen Bali last year, causing the loss of Diaz.
But during last Wednesday’s election, Cr. Jaqui Donaldson who was originally a member of the Liberal Party resigned her party membership, became an independent and voted in favour of Bali.
Her move angered the Filipino councillor who lost his temper and shouted at Donaldson, calling her “Judas.”
A report from a very reliable eyewitness stated that Diaz was asked to leave the Chamber because of his unruly behaviour.
The mayor-elect then called for a recess of the proceedings.
See Cr. Diaz’s outburst in youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-E9KNx8iZBA
Councillor Diaz was repeatedly asked by Mayor Stephen Bali to apologise to Cr. Donaldson but he repeatedly said: “I will not apologise.” He then left the room.
In a bid to prevent party switching and to “level the playing field” among political parties, s politician need to sponsor a bill seeking to strengthen the political party system and penalise political turncoats.
The bill should be aimed at promoting “party loyalty, discipline and adherence to ideological principles, platforms and programs.
Passing this bill will institutionalise and strengthen political parties as pillars of the country’s democratic system. It is imperative that the country’s political party system should be strengthened in order to achieve genuine political development.
Most political aspirants change or resign from political parties for convenience, rather than because of conviction. This only shows the lack of ideological commitment of the members of party because they choose parties based on the rise and fall of the tide of opportunity.
The bill will primarily penalize political turncoats by barring them to run under any party or switch to independent for any elective position in the succeeding election after changing or resigning party affiliations.
Turncoats should be also obliged to refund all amounts they received from their political party including a 25 percent surcharge.
Political parties are normally used as political vehicles to win an election. Political party system is centered on personalities rather than ideology and political platform. Political turncoatism should never be encouraged nor tolerated.