Interview - Edward Shepherd - The Dardanup Observer

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Welcome to Forrest.Chat,
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where we talk about individual endeavor in Western Australia, what it takes, what it means, and how you do it.
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I'm your host, Paul van der Mey, and in today's episode we're talking with Edward Shepherd about The Dardanup Observer.
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Edward started The Dardanup Observer in February, 2025 and has been.
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Writing consistently for The Dardanup Observer about things in the area that we live in.
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Welcome to Forrest.Chat
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Edward.
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Thank you very much, Paul.
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It's great to be here.
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Great to have you here.
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Edward.
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Edward, The Dardanup Observer..
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Mm-hmm.
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What is that? It's a concept I've come up with that is a platform for.
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Exposing issues to the community that I think the community should be more aware of, usually to do with local government and what they're up to.
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So the local communities are super important.
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Everybody lives in one.
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Mm-hmm.
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And you are looking at how that community is being run or operated? communities don't realize that they have so much.
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Power in being able to, make things better for themselves.
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The community can get together and help itself quite a lot At the moment, it's as if it doesn't realize that it can do that, and it's just, well, it's busy working at the moment, isn't it? Making ends meet at the moment seems to be pretty difficult for most people, so that's all it's concerned with doing at the moment, working, eating, sleeping, and repeating.
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Right, and The Dardanup Observer steps into that gap of between, of what, what the local government is up to in, in trying to improve your community and what it isn't up to also, and the transparency of it, of what it's doing local governments are interesting.
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my brother said, oh, they're gonna start charging us for new bins and.
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All this sort of stuff, and they never asked us, but what probably happened was there was no listening going on.
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Well, there was no involvement going on.
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I mean, most people don't realize they can go to any council meeting and sit in and watch proceedings and read the agenda and read the minutes afterwards and be involved with, with what your council's actually up to, and anybody can submit questions to the council for them to answer.
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Uh, anybody can get involved.
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That is an elector in their shire.
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Yeah, that's right.
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You stick within your own shire.
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Yes.
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And uh, life's all good from that perspective, that it gets easier.
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Yeah.
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Right.
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And how does The Dardanup Observer get out there? We, well, I talk to people.
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I, I, at the moment, I'm working my way through people in the community that, work in the community that, try and do things in the community.
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I'm hoping to speak to places like Milligan House soon.
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I've been told by certain people to go and talk to the principal of the Bunbury Community College, for instance, he, he's a person I need to speak to about the community and what he's trying to achieve, and that's all I'm doing is talking to people in the commuting and trying to find out what they're doing and bringing it to The Dardanup Observer and writing an article and building awareness.
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Because the apathy in, in the community as far as politics is concerned is debilitating at the moment.
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They just had enough and they don't want much to do with them, and they just wanna live their lives, and that's not great.
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If you want to improve things such as housing, you need to get the community in and involved.
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Yeah, I've heard that in the, Dardanup Shire.
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Mm-hmm.
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That there's a incredibly large development that's been planned.
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Yes.
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And incredibly large, and very few people actually know what it's gonna be.
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Mm-hmm.
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It's a, well, some people in Perth are calling it a mega city, Wanju.
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A mega mega city.
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A mega city.
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Um, it's got apparently when built about 20,000 dwellings, mostly medium to high intensity.
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So we are talking townhouses and cottage blocks.
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It's gonna be really crammed in there on in Waterloo.
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there's a lot of schools prepared to be built.
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some of them private, most of them public.
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High schools, primary schools, both, hubs and things like that.
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And yeah.
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Yeah.
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Uh, about 60 to 80,000 people will live there when it's built and finished.
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60 to 80,000 people.
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And how many people are in Dardanup at the moment? 16,000.
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One six.
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Yes.
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So it's gonna be, it's gonna blow away What? Dardanup Shire is now, it's gonna completely change over the next few decades, and I don't think Dardanup residents really understand that.
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Now I'm gonna miss it.
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I came here for that, that, that quietness.
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You're gonna miss what Dardanup has now.
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Yes.
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In the quietness.
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Yes.
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Right.
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So what's the footprint of this? Like 60 to 80,000 people? It's a large area, um, just south of, uh, the, the Collie River in a, in an area we, we call Waterloo at the moment.
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And it's just open paddock with, paper bark trees Yeah, I remember, uh, the Waterloo turnoff used to be the way to get to the Southwest.
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You'd cut off a little corner of coming into Bunbury.
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Yeah.
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Yeah.
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And you drop into the, there's a little servo on the Yeah.
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And you have a Wally Burger.
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A Waterloo Burger, which was ridiculous.
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Yeah.
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But they all made burgers like that.
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But it's still there as well.
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Yeah, it's still operating.
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Got atoning great.
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Uh, Wilman with Dandy Highway going straight past it, the fly over a bit.
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It, but it's there still.
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Yeah.
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Yeah.
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So that's gonna be a massive Oh yeah.
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You won't recognize it.
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Development in 20 years.
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You'd be like, what? What happened here? Wow.
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This came outta nothing.
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But it's a huge residential area, and to the south of it, it's a huge industrial area.
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That they're, they're right.
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'cause if there's 60, 80,000 people, it's gotta be work for them as well.
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Yes.
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Yeah.
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And the port expansion's coming into the conversation as well.
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The, so yeah, it's, this whole area's gonna become acidified.
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It's gonna become very similar to Perth.
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And it's like, oh, no, gotta keep moving, I suppose.
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Yeah.
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One of the beauties of living, uh, down this way is that it is, uh, relatively quiet.
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It's not a tight, not totally quiet.
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No.
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But it is relatively quiet and especially compared to Perth traffic levels.
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Oh.
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All that sort of thing.
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No one likes driving up to per from here anymore.
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It's no fun at all.
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Alright.
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And, uh, what platforms are you using for The Dardanup Observer? Substack for the full articles, I, I, I do written articles.
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I try and make them as simple, simply and plainly worded as possible.
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I realized that people don't really, respond very well to nuance.
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in my writing.
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So I've like turned that down and, and try to speak to the common man, about what's going on in the community they're living in.
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Right.
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So your, your style is now more direct.
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Yes, yes.
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Very direct.
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It can be taken as rude, but I, I, I, I, I see it as truth speaking the truth, the situation as it is, it needs to be talked about.
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Absolutely.
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And not hidden from, So I'll lean on that, uh, need to be talked about perspective and, and ask the next question, which is what does it take you to be The Dardanup Observer? Wow.
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Um.
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Well, I try to be diligent.
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I try to find out from people talking to them by going down rabbit holes in the area, and dragging out the truth of the situation and who's behind what and why this situation is the way it is at the moment.
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What's the backstory? How did we get here? You know, for instance, uh, talking about PFAS, you know, forever chemical.
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In, Cleanaway facility in Dardanup.
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That's a joint council owned facility, isn't it? Mm.
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Yeah.
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the community doesn't like it.
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It happened anyway.
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there's a, a large community group that were put in place to fight it.
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They were completely ignored.
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There were about 1500 people.
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Really? Mm.
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A lot of, well, the followers of that community group on Facebook.
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So that's some indicator of how popular they were.
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And maybe not all of them were in Dardanup, but they were all against having that kind of thing stored at that facility.
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Mm-hmm.
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cause the, the forever word they didn't like probably, uh, understandably, but the pfas actually comes from.
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The things people have thrown away, like the pfas is in the things that have been discarded from people's homes.
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That's right.
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And, uh, this is actually a green waste facility, or is it Yeah.
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Yeah, it's a, yeah, some of it is, there is a green waste and there's the, the, the, the pools of, you can see them from the satellite imagery just south of Dardanup.
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There's these, um, evaporation pools, that they're using too.
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Process, uh, waste in some way.
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yes.
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And yeah.
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I mean the, the testing that of the groundwater also is a bit, They were talking about doing proper public indicated, testing of the groundwater regularly so that the, the local residents wanted to know how it's going to affect the, the, the properties they owned.
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Because obviously the, if there was a, a leakage of PFAS.
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the groundwater, the, the shallow groundwater that people were using, their own bores, their private bores would be pulling up that, that water that had been, Contaminated by the, nasty things that, uh, have seeped through.
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But, uh, yeah, the testing doesn't seem to be very, um.
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Uh, prompt or forthcoming, it seems to be you gonna do testing yet, or can we know? Right.
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Uh, it's, it's costly testing too.
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That's why it's not really happening.
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Yeah.
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but also with a lack of transparency by the sound of things.
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Yeah.
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And it's that lack of transparency that The Dardanup Observer looks at, is that right? Yes.
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Yes.
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Just brings it to the fore.
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cuts through all the, like, I'll dig through all the PDFs that they release, scan through them, try and find things that are of interest and cut through the jargon that they like to talk in.
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The, the, the, uh, if there is any discussion, which usually there isn't in, in any kind of minutes in the chamber, most of the discussion takes place in workshops that aren't open to the public.
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Which I'm a bit, so the, the, you've already had the discussion when you sit down in the chamber and you vote on it or, great.
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We, we'd like to know what the discussion was.
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Each of the councils seems to be doing a market survey once every couple of years or something like that.
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And the community engagement element.
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Across all of the market surveys that are done mm-hmm.
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Is set at a fail level.
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Mm-hmm.
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Like, it's a, I think the industry standard or average is something like, 47% or something like that.
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And, very few of the councils actually even achieve that around here.
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Mm-hmm.
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So that talks about the, there are two elements.
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There's one.
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do the people think that the council is taking their needs into consideration? Mm-hmm.
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And, the other one is do they think the council knows what they need and they don't get very high responses? No.
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00:13:12,234.99072356 --> 00:13:12,564.99072356
No.
181
00:13:13,421.65739023 --> 00:13:20,426.65739023
1 of the biggest things I did, first off, I think with The Dardanup Observer was they, they put a pamphlet out.
182
00:13:20,486.65739023 --> 00:13:27,499.99072356
The, the local Shire council put it out that, and said, what they'd achieved in the last year.
183
00:13:27,739.99072356 --> 00:13:29,869.99072356
This is prior to the, the election.
184
00:13:30,859.99072356 --> 00:13:39,499.99072356
And so I looked at it and I wrote an article and picks apart the pamphlet they put out.
185
00:13:40,999.99072356 --> 00:13:42,979.99072356
that, that was when they first noticed me.
186
00:13:42,979.99072356 --> 00:13:47,899.99072356
I think you made our pamphlet look bad.
187
00:13:47,899.99072356 --> 00:13:54,169.99072356
You know, because I just picked apart the, the, the actual, the article's still up.
188
00:13:54,169.99072356 --> 00:13:55,369.99072356
You can still go and read it.
189
00:13:55,639.99072356 --> 00:14:02,659.99072356
There's a picture of the pamphlet on my, on my breakfast bench and my article.
190
00:14:04,609.99072356 --> 00:14:06,229.99072356
Yeah.
191
00:14:06,229.99072356 --> 00:14:08,809.99072356
Uh, it was just.
192
00:14:10,719.99072356 --> 00:14:14,74.99072356
They were, they, they were pushing out this pamphlet and I'm looking at the pamphlet.
193
00:14:14,74.99072356 --> 00:14:24,244.99072356
I'm thinking, how much should that cost? They would've had to make, you know, it was a nice, glossy, you know, how much, okay, so my rates have been spent on this.
194
00:14:24,244.99072356 --> 00:14:25,234.99072356
Fine, fine.
195
00:14:25,264.99072356 --> 00:14:30,904.99072356
What does it say? Um, and when I looked into it, it was pretty.
196
00:14:31,384.99072356 --> 00:15:00,364.99072356
Um, superficial things that they weren't really delving into the issues and when, when you did start to delve into it, it didn't look good, for instance, that, and then people within Dub up Shire anonymously started giving me information about, for instance, the $25 million adjustment over five years is, I'm not saying they've lost 25.
197
00:15:00,754.99072356 --> 00:15:01,414.99072356
Million dollars.
198
00:15:01,684.99072356 --> 00:15:08,259.99072356
They'd just gone back to their previous financials reports and adjusted them because they were wrong.
199
00:15:09,799.99072356 --> 00:15:13,384.99072356
Oh, because they were wrong, incorrect, not quite right.
200
00:15:14,74.99072356 --> 00:15:14,884.99072356
And that was fine.
201
00:15:14,944.99072356 --> 00:15:18,964.99072356
I mean, and I was just drawing attention that they did that.
202
00:15:19,414.99072356 --> 00:15:21,814.99072356
They didn't want people to know that obviously.
203
00:15:22,769.99072356 --> 00:15:24,784.99072356
And I'm like, oh, okay, I'm sorry.
204
00:15:28,804.99072356 --> 00:15:31,714.99072356
The attitude was gatekeeper, gatekeeper, gatekeeper.
205
00:15:31,849.99072356 --> 00:15:48,544.99072356
Why? Why? Why are you asking me questions? And on two occasions, I gave sets of questions each month, sent them in an email, you know, 48 hours beforehand to the CEO, and then turned up for the answers and.
206
00:15:49,399.99072356 --> 00:15:50,689.99072356
Asked the questions.
207
00:15:51,169.99072356 --> 00:15:54,379.99072356
So the question was recorded in the minutes at least.
208
00:15:55,219.99072356 --> 00:16:00,169.99072356
And their answers, I think out of, I think I asked 'em about eight questions.
209
00:16:01,339.99072356 --> 00:16:07,489.99072356
All of them fairly curly, and I think they answered, on average, about two and a half of them.
210
00:16:07,579.99072356 --> 00:16:07,729.99072356
And Wow.
211
00:16:08,814.99072356 --> 00:16:14,689.99072356
And, and completely just whiffed and read me the, the regulation booklet on the rest.
212
00:16:15,79.99072356 --> 00:16:16,969.99072356
And obviously I've read the regulation.
213
00:16:16,969.99072356 --> 00:16:17,194.99072356
I know.
214
00:16:18,319.99072356 --> 00:16:19,759.99072356
That's what I'm comparing it to.
215
00:16:20,929.99072356 --> 00:16:22,489.99072356
And that's what you are not doing.
216
00:16:22,939.99072356 --> 00:16:24,979.99072356
That's why I'm asking you the question.
217
00:16:25,189.99072356 --> 00:16:28,39.99072356
And they didn't seem to grasp that and didn't want to either.
218
00:16:28,969.99072356 --> 00:16:34,999.99072356
So hopefully this new bunch of people have been elected might be a bit more receptive.
219
00:16:35,299.99072356 --> 00:16:39,599.99072356
Yeah, we are talking just after the, local government elections across Western Australia.
220
00:16:40,769.9907236 --> 00:16:40,949.9907236
Yes.
221
00:16:41,9.9907236 --> 00:16:42,509.9907236
Those people are now.
222
00:16:42,944.9907236 --> 00:16:44,234.9907236
Are now in Yes.
223
00:16:44,234.9907236 --> 00:16:45,314.9907236
They've had their first meeting.
224
00:16:45,314.9907236 --> 00:16:48,314.9907236
They've all selected their places, they've all got their seats.
225
00:16:48,674.9907236 --> 00:16:48,824.9907236
Yep.
226
00:16:49,124.9907236 --> 00:16:53,24.9907236
Um, and they're sitting next to who they're gonna be sitting next to for the next term now.
227
00:16:53,504.9907236 --> 00:16:53,774.9907236
Right.
228
00:16:54,404.9907236 --> 00:16:54,614.9907236
Okay.
229
00:16:56,894.9907236 --> 00:16:57,314.9907236
That's good.
230
00:16:57,314.9907236 --> 00:17:04,634.9907236
So, so on on your part, what I'm seeing is that, uh, you've got a little bit of investigation.
231
00:17:04,724.9907236 --> 00:17:04,844.9907236
Mm-hmm.
232
00:17:05,84.9907236 --> 00:17:09,404.9907236
So that's chasing down documents if required, finding things and that sort of thing.
233
00:17:10,184.9907236 --> 00:17:16,548.3240569
Uh, getting out, you've, got some, bravery there from the perspective of asking the questions.
234
00:17:16,698.3240569 --> 00:17:19,548.3240569
It's, to me, it's pretty simple.
235
00:17:20,118.3240569 --> 00:17:20,538.3240569
Yeah.
236
00:17:20,538.3240569 --> 00:17:32,943.3240569
It requires bravery to ask, Hey, do you want to have a sit down coffee with me and just have a rapport builder meeting? I'm not gonna record anything because they're terrified of me recording anything for some reason.
237
00:17:33,663.3240569 --> 00:17:36,213.3240569
Mainly it's for my memory because it's a sieve.
238
00:17:38,13.3240569 --> 00:17:39,213.3240569
That's why I record it.
239
00:17:39,993.3240569 --> 00:17:51,308.3240569
I just transfer it to, there's a nice, do you use Otter? Otter Otter ai? It, it's a for transcribing recordings, and it doesn't Oh, audio into text.
240
00:17:51,308.3240569 --> 00:17:52,233.3240569
It does it just like that.
241
00:17:52,233.3240569 --> 00:17:52,803.3240569
It's so nice.
242
00:17:53,553.3240569 --> 00:17:54,123.3240569
And easy.
243
00:17:54,423.3240569 --> 00:17:56,433.3240569
Anyway, I digress.
244
00:17:56,523.3240569 --> 00:18:01,773.3240569
Um, what was I talking about? Well, you talked about, uh, having meetings.
245
00:18:01,893.3240569 --> 00:18:03,693.3240569
Yes, get to know the people.
246
00:18:04,203.3240569 --> 00:18:10,413.3240569
It is tremendously easy and people are receptive to being asked for meetings and sit down talks.
247
00:18:10,413.3240569 --> 00:18:16,413.3240569
It turns out, and when you do sit down to the right people in the community, you find out some amazing things.
248
00:18:16,443.3240569 --> 00:18:18,873.3240569
Like, for instance, most of 'em agree with each other.
249
00:18:18,933.3240569 --> 00:18:22,773.3240569
80% of the time they agree with each other.
250
00:18:23,943.3240569 --> 00:18:29,193.3240569
And the thing that pushes them apart is allegiances.
251
00:18:30,723.3240569 --> 00:18:37,958.3240569
When they come into the conversation, they start to push apart from each other because, oh, you are the wrong color, you are blue and I'm red.
252
00:18:38,868.3240569 --> 00:18:46,431.6573902
You are green, aren't, you know? And, and then that gets in the way of actually sorting anything out.
253
00:18:46,491.6573902 --> 00:18:50,121.6573902
Oh, no, my party line is this, so I can't deal with you.
254
00:18:50,121.6573902 --> 00:18:55,251.6573902
And it, it just muddies the water and it, it goes.
255
00:18:55,256.6573902 --> 00:19:06,21.6573902
But the initial conversation when you're just talking about who they are, what they want to do, what they've done, what they want to accomplish.
256
00:19:06,396.6573902 --> 00:19:07,446.6573902
Very similar.
257
00:19:07,506.6573902 --> 00:19:11,916.6573902
Doesn't matter who, what party they're affiliated to.
258
00:19:12,906.6573902 --> 00:19:13,836.6573902
And that's what I've noticed.
259
00:19:14,226.6573902 --> 00:19:15,906.6573902
That's the most powerful thing I've noticed.
260
00:19:16,386.6573902 --> 00:19:17,286.6573902
And yeah.
261
00:19:17,436.6573902 --> 00:19:22,386.6573902
Uh, that's gonna make me carry on because there's hope there.
262
00:19:22,386.6573902 --> 00:19:24,246.6573902
Hmm, absolutely.
263
00:19:24,246.6573902 --> 00:19:24,666.6573902
There's hope.
264
00:19:24,781.6573902 --> 00:19:26,946.6573902
We, we are reasonable human beings.
265
00:19:26,946.6573902 --> 00:19:27,426.6573902
We are.
266
00:19:27,486.6573902 --> 00:19:28,146.6573902
All of us.
267
00:19:29,221.6573902 --> 00:19:31,201.6573902
We are, believe it or not.
268
00:19:34,401.6573902 --> 00:19:39,321.6573902
People have things in preconceptions and they live by those preconceptions about people.
269
00:19:39,321.6573902 --> 00:19:48,261.6573902
Because my preconceptions of people are, like, for instance, I told Marina when I met her at, uh, cafe Bean on Victoria Street in Bunbury.
270
00:19:49,851.6573902 --> 00:19:54,203.3240569
You are nothing like your Facebook persona.
271
00:19:55,928.3240569 --> 00:19:57,403.3240569
You were so much more.
272
00:19:58,688.3240569 --> 00:19:59,108.3240569
I don't know.
273
00:19:59,108.3240569 --> 00:20:03,908.3240569
Dignified you, you're quite good to talk to because you really care.
274
00:20:03,908.3240569 --> 00:20:05,708.3240569
That comes across Gabby.
275
00:20:05,708.3240569 --> 00:20:08,618.3240569
It came across that he really cares.
276
00:20:08,708.3240569 --> 00:20:08,828.3240569
Mm-hmm.
277
00:20:09,128.3240569 --> 00:20:09,968.3240569
These people care.
278
00:20:10,628.3240569 --> 00:20:11,858.3240569
Sue Chapman came across.
279
00:20:11,858.3240569 --> 00:20:12,788.3240569
She really cares.
280
00:20:12,788.3240569 --> 00:20:18,818.3240569
She's been banging that drum for the community for a long time, so, so yeah.
281
00:20:18,903.3240569 --> 00:20:24,158.3240569
I, I want to make connection between these people and say, look, you know, they party your party.
282
00:20:24,398.3240569 --> 00:20:24,823.3240569
Can you just.
283
00:20:25,733.3240569 --> 00:20:29,993.3240569
Put that aside for the moment and let's actually see what actually can be done.
284
00:20:31,133.3240569 --> 00:20:34,373.3240569
For instance, for mothers with children living in cars.
285
00:20:35,843.3240569 --> 00:20:36,173.3240569
Yes.
286
00:20:36,173.3240569 --> 00:20:40,973.3240569
You mentioned before we started recording, there's been a massive number of those.
287
00:20:41,33.3240569 --> 00:20:52,883.3240569
Oh, a horrible report from the southwest time telling how bad the, the homeless situation is, particularly for mothers with children that have run away from.
288
00:20:53,318.3240569 --> 00:20:58,508.3240569
Domestic violence or there's 1,000,001 reasons why people become homeless.
289
00:20:59,738.3240569 --> 00:21:03,68.3240569
1,000,001 and, um, yeah, it's terrible.
290
00:21:03,68.3240569 --> 00:21:03,878.3240569
You shouldn't be allowed.
291
00:21:05,408.3240569 --> 00:21:06,728.3240569
Yeah, definitely.
292
00:21:07,238.3240569 --> 00:21:11,768.3240569
It's a complex scenario that puts people into that position.
293
00:21:11,773.3240569 --> 00:21:12,43.3240569
Mm-hmm.
294
00:21:12,263.3240569 --> 00:21:12,763.3240569
And there's.
295
00:21:13,643.3240569 --> 00:21:18,803.3240569
Different answers for different parts of those people, depending on where the drivers are for them.
296
00:21:18,803.3240569 --> 00:21:18,893.3240569
Mm-hmm.
297
00:21:19,523.3240569 --> 00:21:33,53.3240569
Yeah, it's very complicated and, um, yeah, it just requires some political conviction to actually look at the situation and trying to put them in a, a room with a bed at least.
298
00:21:33,218.3240569 --> 00:21:33,638.3240569
Mm-hmm.
299
00:21:33,718.3240569 --> 00:21:33,728.3240569
Mm-hmm.
300
00:21:34,493.3240569 --> 00:21:38,153.3240569
You know, there's some safety and a, and a door you can lock on from the inside.
301
00:21:38,453.3240569 --> 00:21:38,813.3240569
Yeah.
302
00:21:39,803.3240569 --> 00:21:42,233.3240569
You know? Um, terrible.
303
00:21:42,668.3240569 --> 00:21:43,298.3240569
That's it.
304
00:21:43,508.3240569 --> 00:21:48,998.3240569
But there's no conviction from a political side to actually make it happen, which is sad.
305
00:21:49,448.3240569 --> 00:21:50,108.3240569
It is.
306
00:21:50,198.3240569 --> 00:21:54,728.3240569
Um, especially when you can see conviction for other projects that are moving forward.
307
00:21:55,28.3240569 --> 00:21:56,618.3240569
No problem whatsoever.
308
00:21:57,428.3240569 --> 00:22:03,608.3240569
And uh, I'm not gonna name any projects, but you can imagine which projects are moving forward No problem whatsoever.
309
00:22:03,608.3240569 --> 00:22:07,238.3240569
And we have things like this happening in the southwest.
310
00:22:07,243.3240569 --> 00:22:07,353.3240569
Mm-hmm.
311
00:22:08,573.3240569 --> 00:22:14,873.3240569
Um, I, I saw a guy with high vis get out of a caravan and start his shift.
312
00:22:16,163.3240569 --> 00:22:17,903.3240569
He had his caravan parked up.
313
00:22:17,963.3240569 --> 00:22:19,493.3240569
Uh, that's where he was living.
314
00:22:19,763.3240569 --> 00:22:20,123.3240569
Yep.
315
00:22:21,443.3240569 --> 00:22:21,623.3240569
Yeah.
316
00:22:21,623.3240569 --> 00:22:25,403.3240569
The caravan parks, uh, here are quite full all the time.
317
00:22:25,408.3240569 --> 00:22:25,658.3240569
Yeah.
318
00:22:26,333.3240569 --> 00:22:26,483.3240569
Yeah.
319
00:22:26,483.3240569 --> 00:22:28,373.3240569
It's, um, it's mad I think.
320
00:22:28,373.3240569 --> 00:22:33,143.3240569
No, this, this was a caravan parked at, on the, on the courts, uh, the back beach.
321
00:22:34,478.3240569 --> 00:22:39,428.3240569
You know, it was just, uh, I think the, the, the Bunbury city allows it somewhat there.
322
00:22:40,298.3240569 --> 00:22:40,838.3240569
Oh.
323
00:22:40,838.3240569 --> 00:22:43,748.3240569
Uh, this is, uh, across from the Back Beach Cafe.
324
00:22:43,868.3240569 --> 00:22:43,898.3240569
Mm.
325
00:22:43,898.3240569 --> 00:22:45,8.3240569
Buildings that are there.
326
00:22:45,8.3240569 --> 00:22:46,778.3240569
That's literally the car park.
327
00:22:47,78.3240569 --> 00:22:47,768.3240569
Yes.
328
00:22:47,858.3240569 --> 00:22:48,898.3240569
Really? It's a car park.
329
00:22:48,898.3240569 --> 00:22:50,708.3240569
It's not a formal caravan park.
330
00:22:50,708.3240569 --> 00:22:50,768.3240569
No.
331
00:22:51,398.3240569 --> 00:22:52,58.3240569
Interesting.
332
00:22:52,63.3240569 --> 00:22:52,273.3240569
Yeah.
333
00:22:53,708.3240569 --> 00:22:54,158.3240569
Yeah.
334
00:22:54,878.3240569 --> 00:22:55,238.3240569
Yes.
335
00:22:55,293.3240569 --> 00:23:00,38.3240569
So there's also, from the perspective of what it takes you, your.
336
00:23:00,713.3240569 --> 00:23:05,633.3240569
You are seeing things, you're called The Dardanup Observer or you're producing The Dardanup Observer.
337
00:23:05,723.3240569 --> 00:23:05,933.3240569
Mm-hmm.
338
00:23:06,353.3240569 --> 00:23:10,463.3240569
Uh, but that observation is also a big part of what you do.
339
00:23:10,618.3240569 --> 00:23:11,813.3240569
Yes, yes.
340
00:23:11,843.3240569 --> 00:23:18,233.3240569
Uh, I go out and look at the situation and, and, and draw it to the attention of as many people as possible.
341
00:23:18,233.3240569 --> 00:23:27,743.3240569
And in the hope that somebody says this isn't good enough, and get the, get the community interested in fixing it, that's the goal.
342
00:23:28,738.3240569 --> 00:23:29,88.3240569
Right.
343
00:23:29,423.3240569 --> 00:23:32,693.3240569
Uh, buy hook or bike crook or however way we can do it.
344
00:23:34,163.3240569 --> 00:23:37,43.3240569
You don't always need politicians to fix things.
345
00:23:37,313.3240569 --> 00:23:43,43.3240569
You can always get the community just to, in fact, sometimes it's better if the community does it.
346
00:23:43,343.3240569 --> 00:23:43,703.3240569
Yeah.
347
00:23:45,53.3240569 --> 00:23:51,886.6573902
But they need, uh, the, I won't call it permission, but they need the belief that they can do it.
348
00:23:51,886.6573902 --> 00:23:52,126.6573902
Yeah.
349
00:23:52,126.6573902 --> 00:23:53,411.6573902
And they need for others.
350
00:23:54,406.6573902 --> 00:23:56,746.6573902
Maybe the politics to not get in the way.
351
00:23:56,896.6573902 --> 00:23:58,216.6573902
Yeah, yeah.
352
00:23:58,336.6573902 --> 00:24:04,996.6573902
Uh, for the politicians to understand that they're trying to help themselves mm-hmm.
353
00:24:05,236.6573902 --> 00:24:06,346.6573902
They are trying to help themselves.
354
00:24:07,6.6573902 --> 00:24:08,566.6573902
I think that would be quite easy to do.
355
00:24:09,296.6573902 --> 00:24:19,826.6573902
Well move on to the next question now, Edward, but before we do that, we'll have a, a quick break and after the break we'll have a talk about what it means.
356
00:24:25,975.3988868 --> 00:24:29,575.3988868
We've heard what it takes, Edward, to be The Dardanup Observer.
357
00:24:30,85.3988868 --> 00:24:32,545.3988868
Now let's have a look at what it means.
358
00:24:33,85.3988868 --> 00:24:45,825.3988868
Edward, what does it mean to you, your family or the community that you are The Dardanup Observer? it means that hopefully the community is getting better and becoming aware of itself.
359
00:24:47,340.3988868 --> 00:24:49,650.3988868
Aware of it's what it's capable of doing.
360
00:24:49,650.3988868 --> 00:24:59,730.3988868
And all we need to do is have good ideas and, uh, to include everybody in these good, good ideas to do.
361
00:24:59,730.3988868 --> 00:25:10,30.3988868
I mean, one, one of my ideas was a youth hub to be included in one of the things I'm talking.
362
00:25:10,840.3988868 --> 00:25:19,110.3988868
To, with all these people I talk to is an idea of a youth hub to be, placed in Wanju.
363
00:25:20,30.3988868 --> 00:25:24,770.3988868
Hopefully the government can pay for it, and it's based on an idea.
364
00:25:24,800.3988868 --> 00:25:32,210.3988868
Well, based on my experience as a child in London growing up, I went to a boarding school in London.
365
00:25:33,620.3988868 --> 00:25:37,160.3988868
and it was tough for me because I was from the, the Welsh Valleys.
366
00:25:37,160.3988868 --> 00:25:42,140.3988868
I, I was, had a, a very thick Welsh accent.
367
00:25:42,380.3988868 --> 00:25:50,150.3988868
'cause I had all my primary school years were in South Wales and now I've been put in this boarding school in London.
368
00:25:50,360.3988868 --> 00:25:56,360.3988868
Anyway, when school wasn't on, I could go to this youth center.
369
00:25:56,360.3988868 --> 00:25:58,70.3988868
It was called the Brunswick Boys Club.
370
00:25:58,805.3988868 --> 00:26:00,525.3988868
It was a youth club for boys.
371
00:26:00,815.3988868 --> 00:26:04,115.3988868
I went to a boys school, unfortunately.
372
00:26:06,305.3988868 --> 00:26:08,525.3988868
Um, I wish it was co-ed, but it wasn't.
373
00:26:09,185.3988868 --> 00:26:21,308.7322202
and the Brunswick Boys Club in was in Fulham, and it was simply a, a a a, a big house that was donated by a rich person in, in the area.
374
00:26:21,608.7322202 --> 00:26:23,498.7322202
That, and, and with the intention of.
375
00:26:23,993.7322202 --> 00:26:32,873.7322202
Educating and helping and mentoring youth in the area where they, outside of school time.
376
00:26:32,873.7322202 --> 00:26:43,373.7322202
So they'd go into this building and in one room you'd have musical instruments and somebody in there to talk to you about what you wanted to do with music.
377
00:26:43,853.7322202 --> 00:26:45,428.7322202
You had a room with computers.
378
00:26:46,343.7322202 --> 00:26:47,333.7322202
and technical gear.
379
00:26:47,333.7322202 --> 00:26:54,113.7322202
If you wanted to mess about with that, you had another room with books and people that could help you with your homework.
380
00:26:54,653.7322202 --> 00:26:58,553.7322202
no connection to the school whatsoever, so you could have a tutor.
381
00:26:59,813.7322202 --> 00:27:04,73.7322202
there was a commercial kitchen where you could go in there and learn how to boil an egg.
382
00:27:05,873.7322202 --> 00:27:06,803.7322202
You didn't know anything.
383
00:27:06,803.7322202 --> 00:27:07,688.7322202
You are, you're a teenager.
384
00:27:08,847.0655535 --> 00:27:09,747.0655535
but it was good.
385
00:27:09,747.0655535 --> 00:27:16,647.0655535
It was a, a, it was a grounding and, and that sort of thing I want to bring to Wanju as a, as a youth hub.
386
00:27:17,532.0655535 --> 00:27:29,247.0655535
It is a, it, it served as a, an amazing part of the, the community because it brought all the youth together and it brought out what they wanted to learn also.
387
00:27:31,240.3988868 --> 00:27:39,190.3988868
in whatever interest they could go in and, and learn about, and it was a nice place you could just hang out there and chat if you wanted to do that.
388
00:27:39,700.3988868 --> 00:27:47,260.3988868
There was no structure, really, no curriculum, but the facility was there and it was a great idea.
389
00:27:47,260.3988868 --> 00:27:48,495.3988868
It had a playing field as well.
390
00:27:49,723.7322202 --> 00:28:00,853.7322202
And the thing is, we were in between Chelsea Football Club, Stanford Bridge was over there and Craven Cottage f Fulham's Football Club was over there and they'd send guys over just to have a kick about.
391
00:28:02,83.7322202 --> 00:28:03,708.7322202
Oh, that'd be pretty impressive to, mm.
392
00:28:03,973.7322202 --> 00:28:13,543.7322202
Have, you know, current league players and you're playing with guys that are like heroes to some of the, the kids because they idolize some of these teams.
393
00:28:14,413.7322202 --> 00:28:16,333.7322202
And, uh, Frank Bruno would pop in.
394
00:28:16,363.7322202 --> 00:28:17,923.7322202
He was a, he lived nearby.
395
00:28:18,313.7322202 --> 00:28:25,723.7322202
He former heavyweight champion of the world in boxing, and he'd just sit and, and, and, and chat with the kids.
396
00:28:26,653.7322202 --> 00:28:30,913.7322202
It was a great, place for children to, but not children, but teenagers.
397
00:28:31,183.7322202 --> 00:28:33,463.7322202
You know what teenagers are like? They dunno what they want.
398
00:28:33,463.7322202 --> 00:28:34,933.7322202
They dunno what they want to do.
399
00:28:34,933.7322202 --> 00:28:37,48.7322202
They dunno what they're interested in yet.
400
00:28:38,338.7322202 --> 00:28:44,473.7322202
Uh, it, it really, it guided people on what they wanted to do with their life and they had a good grounding.
401
00:28:44,713.7322202 --> 00:28:46,3.7322202
A bit like a sampler.
402
00:28:46,93.7322202 --> 00:28:46,483.7322202
Yeah.
403
00:28:46,993.7322202 --> 00:28:47,353.7322202
Yeah.
404
00:28:47,803.7322202 --> 00:28:52,213.7322202
And you know, the, the, they learn that the world isn't as scary as it as you think it is.
405
00:28:53,563.7322202 --> 00:28:55,693.7322202
It's quite amazing and interesting actually.
406
00:28:55,963.7322202 --> 00:28:56,413.7322202
Get out there.
407
00:28:57,103.7322202 --> 00:28:57,313.7322202
Yeah.
408
00:28:57,313.7322202 --> 00:28:58,93.7322202
There's a lot out there.
409
00:28:58,153.7322202 --> 00:28:59,158.7322202
Yeah, absolutely.
410
00:29:01,925.3988868 --> 00:29:10,70.3988868
The reason why I wanted to do it, was, I realized the main thing that I cared about in the world at the moment with my grandkids.
411
00:29:10,430.3988868 --> 00:29:12,710.3988868
One's four, one's, not one yet.
412
00:29:13,700.3988868 --> 00:29:23,543.7322202
And, I realized I wanted to make the community a better place for them before they grew up and had I, I, I'd want them to go to this youth hub.
413
00:29:24,653.7322202 --> 00:29:27,113.7322202
I really would when they get to that age.
414
00:29:28,163.7322202 --> 00:29:32,357.0655535
mean, that's one project that I've got in mind that I really want to work on.
415
00:29:33,803.7322202 --> 00:29:38,813.7322202
That's, that's my main reason, my driving force is just to improve the community.
416
00:29:38,813.7322202 --> 00:29:40,943.7322202
I know it can be a lot better than what it is right now.
417
00:29:41,573.7322202 --> 00:29:44,273.7322202
If the, if the community was just aware of certain things.
418
00:29:44,693.7322202 --> 00:29:45,203.7322202
That's all.
419
00:29:45,803.7322202 --> 00:29:49,223.7322202
we will move on to the the next question, but we'll have a break first.
420
00:29:49,283.7322202 --> 00:29:49,763.7322202
Okay.
421
00:29:49,853.7322202 --> 00:29:53,183.7322202
After the break, we will have a chat about how you do it.
422
00:29:59,320.8070501 --> 00:30:03,970.8070501
We've heard what it means to Edward, that he can be The Dardanup Observer.
423
00:30:04,720.8070501 --> 00:30:08,170.8070501
Now let's have a look at how you do it, Edward.
424
00:30:08,350.8070501 --> 00:30:18,94.1403834
If somebody else wanted to do work like The Dardanup Observer, how would that go about it? Oh wow.
425
00:30:18,274.1403834 --> 00:30:18,994.1403834
Um.
426
00:30:22,39.1403834 --> 00:30:23,179.1403834
Be diligent.
427
00:30:24,139.1403834 --> 00:30:25,939.1403834
Look at the situation.
428
00:30:25,939.1403834 --> 00:30:29,329.1403834
Look, look at it from as many angles as you can.
429
00:30:29,329.1403834 --> 00:30:37,999.1403834
Any situation that you feel strongly about and dig, go down the, the, the, the rabbit holes.
430
00:30:39,139.1403834 --> 00:30:40,639.1403834
find out the backstory.
431
00:30:40,639.1403834 --> 00:30:42,379.1403834
You'll be amazed at what you find.
432
00:30:42,379.1403834 --> 00:30:46,904.1403834
You will find things that you didn't think it was like that at all.
433
00:30:47,884.1403834 --> 00:30:52,294.1403834
and o and, uh, oh.
434
00:30:53,554.1403834 --> 00:30:56,704.1403834
Um, it, I don't know.
435
00:30:56,809.1403834 --> 00:30:59,404.1403834
I'm sort, I'm sort of learning myself, really.
436
00:30:59,524.1403834 --> 00:31:03,574.1403834
I, I want to know the truth, that that's the main guiding light for me.
437
00:31:03,574.1403834 --> 00:31:04,34.1403834
The truth.
438
00:31:04,594.1403834 --> 00:31:14,509.1403834
What is the truth? And I push towards that, and it unearths some very uncomfortable things also.
439
00:31:14,509.1403834 --> 00:31:23,539.1403834
I mean, truth can be, truth isn't always nice and fuzzy and warm and cuddly.
440
00:31:23,929.1403834 --> 00:31:25,639.1403834
Truth can be difficult.
441
00:31:26,959.1403834 --> 00:31:37,129.1403834
You know, I make realizations for instance, if, I mean, there's some rude truths, like if we all really cared, there'd be no homeless people.
442
00:31:39,442.4737168 --> 00:31:59,242.4737168
A lot of people don't like sitting with that truth, you know? if we all really cared, we could go out and I'm sure we got somewhere we can put down a bed and we could, couldn't we? It's possible there's enough space, but we don't because strangers in the house.
443
00:32:01,132.4737168 --> 00:32:02,572.4737168
I've talked about this with my wife.
444
00:32:02,572.4737168 --> 00:32:07,102.4737168
Sometimes I'll say things like that, oh, if everybody didn't did care really, there'd be no homeless.
445
00:32:07,102.4737168 --> 00:32:11,362.4737168
And she'd be like, oh yeah, it's kind of true, but it makes me feel uncomfortable.
446
00:32:14,62.4737168 --> 00:32:15,772.4737168
Which, um, yeah, it does.
447
00:32:15,832.4737168 --> 00:32:16,642.4737168
It's supposed to.
448
00:32:16,642.4737168 --> 00:32:26,572.4737168
Truth can, it can make you uncomfortable and, and that's why, why does it make you uncomfortable and ask yourself that question.
449
00:32:27,352.4737168 --> 00:32:31,72.4737168
I think everyone would have a slightly different answer, but yeah.
450
00:32:31,252.4737168 --> 00:32:33,382.4737168
I imagine you could put a lot of them on a target.
451
00:32:33,502.4737168 --> 00:32:36,442.4737168
Oh yeah, absolutely.
452
00:32:37,672.4737168 --> 00:32:39,22.4737168
For, definitely, yes.
453
00:32:39,535.9568605 --> 00:32:44,630.9568605
So that digging down, you'd need to also have some idea of, It's difficult.
454
00:32:44,630.9568605 --> 00:32:52,400.9568605
It's not, it's not as clear to understand what you are doing when you're trying to find out about any kind of situation.
455
00:32:52,400.9568605 --> 00:32:55,310.9568605
It's, each situation is extremely unique.
456
00:32:56,210.9568605 --> 00:33:02,360.9568605
For instance, with the PFAS situation, it was, yeah, um, it's not, it's not black and white.
457
00:33:02,450.9568605 --> 00:33:03,590.9568605
It's very gray.
458
00:33:05,645.9568605 --> 00:33:22,835.9568605
A lot of decisions have led to this situation, and yeah, this is the situation we're stuck with and how are we gonna handle it? and I just want the, the community to understand it, that, that, and then the dangers of it and what are the dangers and, and to fully understand the situation.
459
00:33:23,365.9568605 --> 00:33:27,925.9568605
for that particular scenario, you've, you've got specific health dangers.
460
00:33:27,925.9568605 --> 00:33:28,525.9568605
Mm-hmm.
461
00:33:29,695.9568605 --> 00:33:31,75.9568605
People are unaware of.
462
00:33:31,435.9568605 --> 00:33:31,465.9568605
Mm.
463
00:33:31,465.9568605 --> 00:33:32,875.9568605
That could be Right.
464
00:33:32,875.9568605 --> 00:33:34,315.9568605
They're affecting them right now.
465
00:33:34,945.9568605 --> 00:33:34,975.9568605
Mm.
466
00:33:35,375.9568605 --> 00:33:40,565.9568605
but the, the way of going about it, you need to, have some curiosity.
467
00:33:40,570.9568605 --> 00:33:40,800.9568605
Mm-hmm.
468
00:33:40,885.9568605 --> 00:33:41,315.9568605
I think.
469
00:33:41,675.9568605 --> 00:33:41,855.9568605
Yeah.
470
00:33:41,975.9568605 --> 00:33:48,185.9568605
And to have some ability to, uh, sift the wheat from the shaft.
471
00:33:48,185.9568605 --> 00:33:48,215.9568605
Mm.
472
00:33:49,115.9568605 --> 00:33:52,55.9568605
And uh, also to, to think critically.
473
00:33:52,505.9568605 --> 00:33:53,105.9568605
Yes.
474
00:33:53,495.9568605 --> 00:33:56,255.9568605
and I suspect on the flip side.
475
00:33:56,615.9568605 --> 00:33:58,595.9568605
You actually need to look at the flip side.
476
00:33:58,745.9568605 --> 00:33:58,985.9568605
Mm-hmm.
477
00:33:59,525.9568605 --> 00:34:00,155.9568605
Absolutely.
478
00:34:00,155.9568605 --> 00:34:02,75.9568605
Even if you disagree with it completely.
479
00:34:02,855.9568605 --> 00:34:03,95.9568605
yeah.
480
00:34:03,95.9568605 --> 00:34:05,75.9568605
You, you've got to hold thoughts in your head.
481
00:34:05,75.9568605 --> 00:34:13,445.9568605
You, you, you don't do, don't agree with sometimes just to see that point of view from a different angle.
482
00:34:13,745.9568605 --> 00:34:16,145.9568605
You can see the problem from a different angle.
483
00:34:16,145.9568605 --> 00:34:23,45.9568605
If you do look at it from, uh, look, um, I was a card carrying member of the Labor party.
484
00:34:23,960.9568605 --> 00:34:25,130.9568605
Way back in the day.
485
00:34:25,280.9568605 --> 00:34:27,980.9568605
my dad is, was a coal miner.
486
00:34:28,10.9568605 --> 00:34:29,420.9568605
His dad was a coal miner.
487
00:34:29,495.9568605 --> 00:34:31,370.9568605
Uh, uh, I was raised as a socialist.
488
00:34:32,180.9568605 --> 00:34:34,190.9568605
He was a, he was a shop steward.
489
00:34:34,190.9568605 --> 00:34:41,930.9568605
My father, yeah, Marxism and communism flowed through the house when he was talking about, especially when elections came by.
490
00:34:45,920.9568605 --> 00:34:46,400.9568605
Yeah.
491
00:34:46,400.9568605 --> 00:34:47,570.9568605
It got colorful.
492
00:34:49,70.9568605 --> 00:34:52,520.9568605
And I had that, that grounding in my debt.
493
00:34:53,990.9568605 --> 00:34:58,550.9568605
Coal miner, extremely power, proud, extremely busy.
494
00:35:00,320.9568605 --> 00:35:05,150.9568605
And that's where my political education started.
495
00:35:06,350.9568605 --> 00:35:10,100.9568605
But then I went to school in London and I mixed with other people.
496
00:35:10,460.9568605 --> 00:35:19,820.9568605
And the more the, the Tory, the conservative type people I started mixing with, it started seeing things from their perspective, which is completely different.
497
00:35:20,510.9568605 --> 00:35:34,40.9568605
But to go through, say the minor strike in South Wales in the early eighties, and then get put into an all boys school in West London, that's two completely different worlds.
498
00:35:35,300.9568605 --> 00:35:38,460.9568605
I'm surviving on jam sandwiches over here because dad's on strike pay.
499
00:35:38,750.9568605 --> 00:35:41,750.9568605
You've got no money, no money whatsoever.
500
00:35:42,290.9568605 --> 00:35:46,970.9568605
Then I go here and it's, um, meals and everything's provided for you.
501
00:35:46,970.9568605 --> 00:35:49,910.9568605
And it was like, wow.
502
00:35:49,970.9568605 --> 00:35:54,80.9568605
It's, my dad didn't want me to be a miner, didn't want me to work down a coal mine.
503
00:35:54,650.9568605 --> 00:36:03,710.9568605
Right? He was determined and he died when I was nine, unfortunately, from mining related health issues.
504
00:36:03,890.9568605 --> 00:36:06,770.9568605
And, um, he.
505
00:36:07,205.9568605 --> 00:36:15,815.9568605
Left in his will money for me to be educated outside of Wales and away from the mines.
506
00:36:15,815.9568605 --> 00:36:20,75.9568605
He just, he was determined that he didn't want his son to be down a mine.
507
00:36:21,845.9568605 --> 00:36:22,625.9568605
So there we go.
508
00:36:22,740.9568605 --> 00:36:23,250.9568605
There you go.
509
00:36:23,440.9568605 --> 00:36:23,730.9568605
Yeah.
510
00:36:23,735.9568605 --> 00:36:24,305.9568605
Yeah.
511
00:36:24,665.9568605 --> 00:36:30,605.9568605
But that, uh, enabled you to see the world from two different perspectives.
512
00:36:30,665.9568605 --> 00:36:31,55.9568605
Amazing.
513
00:36:31,115.9568605 --> 00:36:31,445.9568605
Yeah.
514
00:36:31,865.9568605 --> 00:36:33,725.9568605
Completely different perspectives too.
515
00:36:34,655.9568605 --> 00:36:37,685.9568605
From the well to do, from the have not much at all.
516
00:36:37,932.6235272 --> 00:36:45,72.6235272
So where are you hoping to take The Dardanup Observer? I'm hoping to start a podcast.
517
00:36:45,72.6235272 --> 00:36:48,582.6235272
I'm hoping to bring these people that I speak to onto the podcast.
518
00:36:48,612.6235272 --> 00:36:54,612.6235272
Um, it'll be great to have two people from either side of the house talking candidly about community issues.
519
00:36:56,637.6235272 --> 00:37:10,317.6235272
I think people in the area will find it fascinating to listen to and, and start to gather a real understanding of what the situation is in the Southwest, what the problems are, and how we can do it better.
520
00:37:10,767.6235272 --> 00:37:11,997.6235272
Mm-hmm.
521
00:37:12,237.6235272 --> 00:37:24,110.9568605
I think in any community there's a real, think about the transparency side, but also the lack of listening side that, People are not regularly exposed to that.
522
00:37:24,200.9568605 --> 00:37:26,180.9568605
That'd be quite an interesting thing to do.
523
00:37:26,180.9568605 --> 00:37:26,270.9568605
Yes.
524
00:37:26,585.9568605 --> 00:37:30,950.9568605
And, and to bring it out without the jargon in plain terms.
525
00:37:31,647.6235272 --> 00:37:46,292.6235272
before major council meetings, now I'm grabbing the agenda, scanning through it, and then putting up an article, for instance, to say, well, this upcoming council meeting, they're gonna be talking about this, this, this, and this.
526
00:37:47,682.6235272 --> 00:37:49,2.6235272
Just in simple terms.
527
00:37:49,272.6235272 --> 00:37:49,692.6235272
Mm-hmm.
528
00:37:49,932.6235272 --> 00:37:51,702.6235272
So people like, oh, I'm interested in that.
529
00:37:51,702.6235272 --> 00:37:55,482.6235272
I might go down and have a sit down and listen in on this one.
530
00:37:56,262.6235272 --> 00:37:58,62.6235272
You know, and they can, I wish they did.
531
00:37:58,62.6235272 --> 00:37:58,152.6235272
Yes.
532
00:37:58,602.6235272 --> 00:38:01,782.6235272
I want the public gallery, gallery full with people.
533
00:38:03,42.6235272 --> 00:38:03,942.6235272
That'd be the best thing.
534
00:38:04,332.6235272 --> 00:38:05,22.6235272
Absolutely.
535
00:38:05,682.6235272 --> 00:38:12,402.6235272
so I'm getting, I'm trying to get them interested in it, trying to, if I, I have to create drama somehow I will.
536
00:38:13,512.6235272 --> 00:38:15,222.6235272
Or humor or something.
537
00:38:15,252.6235272 --> 00:38:16,62.6235272
Humor's a great.
538
00:38:16,407.6235272 --> 00:38:18,627.6235272
Disarm when you're speaking the truth.
539
00:38:18,687.6235272 --> 00:38:24,987.6235272
You know, satire is, is a very effective way of getting the truth across.
540
00:38:25,392.6235272 --> 00:38:30,882.6235272
If people laugh at the truth, don't they when they see it? Yes.
541
00:38:31,62.6235272 --> 00:38:31,452.6235272
Yes.
542
00:38:31,452.6235272 --> 00:38:34,92.6235272
Comedy and jokes and all those sorts of things.
543
00:38:34,392.6235272 --> 00:38:34,872.6235272
It works.
544
00:38:34,902.6235272 --> 00:38:41,365.9568605
They're there to expose the issues in a way that, people don't immediately shut down because of their preconceived.
545
00:38:42,595.9568605 --> 00:38:47,215.9568605
And if anybody's been to a council meeting, um, yeah, I sympathize.
546
00:38:47,575.9568605 --> 00:38:48,295.9568605
I really do.
547
00:38:50,5.9568605 --> 00:38:52,240.9568605
'cause they're dry as all get out.
548
00:38:53,590.9568605 --> 00:39:10,527.6235272
And you don't know what's going on, and everybody's talking in a, a language that they have, which is agenda, meeting language, you know? and it, it, it is uninteresting and you're not sure what's going on or what's been talked about really, because everybody's just staring at their agenda.
549
00:39:10,557.6235272 --> 00:39:16,892.6235272
And if you are just a person walking off the street and sat there in the public gallery, you wouldn't have a clue what was going.
550
00:39:17,142.6235272 --> 00:39:17,202.6235272
On.
551
00:39:18,102.6235272 --> 00:39:29,925.9568605
Yeah, the, the meetings are designed for the process and about working through the process in the most efficient, way, but they wanna get to the end and go home.
552
00:39:29,955.9568605 --> 00:39:30,645.9568605
In effect.
553
00:39:30,675.9568605 --> 00:39:32,85.9568605
That's the feeling you get.
554
00:39:32,655.9568605 --> 00:39:33,45.9568605
Yeah.
555
00:39:34,365.9568605 --> 00:39:35,270.9568605
And all the.
556
00:39:36,165.9568605 --> 00:39:40,575.9568605
Discussion and meet, and even community consultation.
557
00:39:40,815.9568605 --> 00:39:40,905.9568605
Mm-hmm.
558
00:39:41,145.9568605 --> 00:39:42,855.9568605
Uh, probably has already happened.
559
00:39:42,885.9568605 --> 00:39:43,455.9568605
It's all done.
560
00:39:43,845.9568605 --> 00:39:50,992.6235272
All the councils have got portals for things that they are currently seeking community feedback on.
561
00:39:51,22.6235272 --> 00:39:51,652.6235272
Yes.
562
00:39:52,90.9568605 --> 00:39:54,475.9568605
how much and where they go and all that sort of thing.
563
00:39:54,475.9568605 --> 00:40:00,55.9568605
Probably varies, but they all have that capacity to.
564
00:40:01,0.9568605 --> 00:40:05,230.9568605
Go to the community and ask the question about what people want.
565
00:40:05,320.9568605 --> 00:40:05,410.9568605
Mm-hmm.
566
00:40:06,190.9568605 --> 00:40:08,470.9568605
sometimes they're not easy to respond to.
567
00:40:08,650.9568605 --> 00:40:16,30.9568605
Sometimes, sometimes the decisions have been made before they go to the community and ask for the community's opinions on it.
568
00:40:16,360.9568605 --> 00:40:16,480.9568605
Mm-hmm.
569
00:40:17,75.9568605 --> 00:40:18,70.9568605
That, that, that, that's, yeah.
570
00:40:18,70.9568605 --> 00:40:18,565.9568605
You can't see that.
571
00:40:18,565.9568605 --> 00:40:21,700.9568605
That's happened a couple of times and it's like, come on guys.
572
00:40:21,730.9568605 --> 00:40:27,970.9568605
You, you, you know, you're pretending like you care what we think about when you've already made the decisions.
573
00:40:28,750.9568605 --> 00:40:30,100.9568605
And, um, people get.
574
00:40:30,415.9568605 --> 00:40:34,255.9568605
Annoyed by that and they get turned off and they don't wanna deal with you anymore.
575
00:40:35,335.9568605 --> 00:40:35,665.9568605
Yes.
576
00:40:35,665.9568605 --> 00:40:38,155.9568605
Which is a, a sad outcome.
577
00:40:38,160.9568605 --> 00:40:38,200.9568605
Mm-hmm.
578
00:40:38,485.9568605 --> 00:40:40,165.9568605
It's the worst possible outcome.
579
00:40:40,795.9568605 --> 00:40:41,35.9568605
Yeah.
580
00:40:41,275.9568605 --> 00:40:45,325.9568605
I think it's a common outcome, unfortunately.
581
00:40:46,195.9568605 --> 00:40:49,735.9568605
well thank you very much Edward, for being on Forrest.Chat.
582
00:40:49,735.9568605 --> 00:40:51,415.9568605
No, quite enjoyable.
583
00:40:52,495.9568605 --> 00:40:53,935.9568605
All Forrest.Chat
584
00:40:53,935.9568605 --> 00:40:56,575.9568605
listeners, wish you all the best with your future endeavors.
585
00:40:56,635.9568605 --> 00:40:57,895.9568605
Thank you very much.
586
00:40:58,855.9568605 --> 00:41:00,805.9568605
You've been listening to Forrest.Chat,
587
00:41:00,835.9568605 --> 00:41:07,735.9568605
where we talk about individual endeavor in Western Australia, what it takes, what it means, and how you do it.
588
00:41:08,215.9568605 --> 00:41:15,55.9568605
I'm your host, Paul van der Mey, and in today's episode, we've been talking with Edward Shepherd about The Dardanup Observer.
589
00:41:16,15.9568605 --> 00:41:19,195.9568605
Remember, there are four ways to get involved with Forrest.Chat,
590
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