Masquerading as a labor man

Kim Macdonald (west Australian news 25/4/09) wrote: Senior unionist are leading plans for a hostile campaign opposing the ALP’s new candidate for Fremantle, Peter Tagliaferri, amid claims he is only “masquerading” as a Labor man.

Mr Tagliaferri defended his Labor credentials with claims that even though he had only joined the party a few weeks ago, he had lived his whole life with Labor’s values of fairness and equal opportunity.

I can’t imagine what ‘Fairness and equal opportunity’ could possibly mean to Mr Tagliaferri. Just last week Deputy Mayor Dowson queried the mayors push to give the Italian Club a 99 year lease on its prime location next to the Esplanade. He pointed out that in 1994 it was on a $6800 a year lease and supposedly tied to a 10% annual increase. In 15 years it has been increased to $7200. That’s only $400 in 15 years or about $26 per year increase. Cr Dowson also pointed out that the current rental value should be around $100,000 per year.

Meanwhile Dowson and the other councillors are madly trying to make sense of Tagliaferri’s market agreement with the Murdoch brothers. Fremantle markets have had 3 rent increases of 10% in the past 3 years and now a massive 80% increase or more.

I don’t begrudge the Italian community being supported or honoured. If they are gaining favours in respect for their valuable contribution to Freo, then that’s great too. My issue with the Mayor is that many groups and individuals have contributed to Fremantle. If we are going to isolate minorities then let’s at least consider the ratepayers as worthy beneficiaries.

I also call attention to the abundance of members only parking down there at the Italian club. You might notice that the unauthorised parking notice threatens a $5000 penalty; elsewhere in Fremantle unauthorised parking has a penalty of $500.
Mr Tagliaferri, is the son of Italian migrants. His father was a founding member of the club, which opened in 1974. It seems pretty obvious to me that this is personal sentimentality not fairness and equal opportunity.