Following is a letter to the Herald in reponse to a letter from Aaron Buman:"Buman learned a Green lesson", published on 25 June 2009.
Cr Buman asserted (H, 25/6) that he never walked out on a debate. These are the facts:
He often left meetings before debates began. On occasions his notices of motion had to be deferred because he had already left (without excusing himself).
Ironically, he often told me he thought debates were unnecessary because councillors all came in with a closed mind on issues, as he did. He rarely participated in any debate.
He often went walkabout for 15 to 30 minutes if public briefings didn’t interest him or he didn’t regard them as important, even though community members, consultants or staff had been waiting for hours to give presentations. He could be found him lying on the lounge in the Lord Mayor’s Reception Area. I recall him once leaving because he predicted the decision after debate wouldn’t meet with his approval.
As for hacks, are his anonymous “advisors” (as he called them) hacks? I’m aware of one ALP Right Wing party hack who Buman admitted to me was a close advisor.
There’s a story to be written about the real Cr Buman that I believe belies his public image.
Keith Parsons.
