RIGHT throughout last week's forum, called ``meet your candidates'', I was thinking of those people who keep harping on that ``nobody cares in Liverpool''.
I was wishing you were all here, to see how wrong you are.
These negative people never got to me but I can confess to some moments of doubt. Well, those moments were all erased last Wednesday night at Moorebank Sports Club, when candidate after candidate stated their strong belief in Liverpool, in its potential and its bright future.
It gave me goosebumps but then maybe it's just me.
You all know what the weather was like in the middle of the week; fine for ducks. But it didn't deter all the people, who came from every corner of Liverpool to see and hear those who were offering to serve our town. Not that it was all serious on the night: the people right at the back of the hall couldn't hear very well, unless the speakers got close and personal with the microphone, which they all did.
A curtain was the only sound barrier between the hall and the adjacent room where several games of poker where taking place. As you'd expect, there were regular cries of triumph from the poker tables which momentarily drowned out whoever happened to be speaking.
Forum organiser Ian Bailey was unflappable, keeping proceedings going despite all the distractions. I will go right here on the record and say that Mr Bailey should be given a medal for what he did last Wednesday night. He should get another medal for being a glutton for punishment because he's now organising another one or two more forums before the September 13 election.
If it were up to me, the council would earmark Mr Bailey for the next Australia Day citizen of the year. Thanks to his efforts as a private Liverpool resident who cares although he did admit it wasn't all altruistic as he owns a couple of investment properties in Liverpool so has an interest in making sure the town's future is secure this forum will be a launching pad into an election the likes of which we have never seen.
To see the mums and dads, and grandfathers and grandmothers, offering to work for Liverpool will be an inspiration to many between now and the poll date. It was a great start on the road to getting the right people elected on September 13. If we fail to do that it will mean looking forward to another four wasted years. And we don't want that.