Perth Voice Interactive

Sutherland puts South Africa trip ahead of Stay in Stirling rally

The fur is flying over Mt Lawley Liberal MP Michael Sutherland missing a Stay in Stirling rally last week that attracted 400 locals opposed to being merged with Bayswater.

The MP had flown to South Africa for a conference the day before the rally was held at the Astor Theatre, just metres from his office.

Rally organiser Paul Collins—a Liberal Party member and former Stirling city councillor—says Mr Sutherland should have delayed his travel plans.

“It is not for Paul Collins, who has a tendency to be overbearing when he thinks he is correct or he is not getting his way, to tell me what to do,” the MP retorted.

“There is a lot of advice he should take! My research officer was at the meeting, others also report back to me on what went on.”

Mr Sutherland says he’s lobbied hard for Mt Lawley to stay in Stirling, meeting with the premier’s office, local government minister Tony Simpson, the MLS and Stirling city council.

He says he asked the Mt Lawley Society if his wife could read out a statement on his behalf at the rally. But because Ms Sutherland is seeking election to Bayswater council the MLS deemed it to be a conflict of interest and denied the request. The statement was instead read out by a member of the MLS.

Former Stirling mayor Terry Tyzack is urging Mr Sutherland to refuse to take the speaker’s chair when amalgamation legislation comes before state parliament.

Mr Sutherland dismisses that as a “thought bubble”, noting there are five designated deputies.

“Can you imagine the chaos if we all decided if and when we wanted to be in the chair,” he says. “Being speaker, deputy speaker or acting speaker is not a position to be used like a toy. Proceedings in the house is not a game!”

Mr Sutherland says he’ll continue to work with the MLS, “despite one or two loose cannons in the ranks”.

“I deal with the president directly and do not need a go-between,” he quipped.

by STEPHEN POLLOCK