Future Manly

Let me guess, you’ve received a newsletter from a politician and it kind of goes like this…

It begins with empathetic acknowledgment of constituent concerns, proceeds through a description of meetings attended and submissions made, and concludes with a vague assurance that they’ll “continue to push” for change and advocate on some variety of issues. 

Boring right? Well yes, but what you’ve actually received is a carefully constructed linguistic fortress designed to claim credit while evading accountability, a masterclass in saying much while committing to nothing.

What’s conspicuously absent is any chain of causation linking their actions to actual outcomes. When some MP’s write about their accomplishments, specificity evaporates. They’ve “fought for” communities, “pushed for” reform, and “raised concerns” about critical issues.

This strategic ambiguity serves a purpose: it allows some politicians to position themselves on every side of every issue without committing to measurable results. They can claim to support both environmental protection and economic development, affordable housing and property rights, fiscal responsibility and increased services all because “advocating for” something requires no reconciliation of competing priorities or acknowledgment of trade-offs. It’s politics as pure optics.

The vagueness also insulates them from accountability. Traditional metrics of political effectiveness such as projects big and small being conceived then funded (as opposed to just grant funding or existing programs), are conveniently sidestepped. Instead, success is redefined as number of meetings held, constituents met, “cases resolved”. These are worthwhile activities, certainly, but they’re the minimum expected of any elected representative.

And so, where traditional politicians overpromise and underdeliver, these MP’s have discovered something more elegant, never quite promising anything concrete in the first place. That is a practice that I believe undermines trust in politics. And it is something I have tried very hard to not do. That’s why I publish my list of projects, and yep, some haven’t moved off ‘red’ for over 12 months. (Hey, we’re all human).

Equally, I believe that when it comes to initiatives that improve our community, the best ideas don’t come from government departments – they come from those who know the area best: the people who call it home. That’s why I’m launching Future Manly, to give residents the opportunity to shape a shared vision for our community and have a say on the projects and issues they want championed in State Parliament and want to me to work on to deliver for them.

The survey is open to everyone across our local area, from Manly and Fairlight through to Seaforth, Balgowlah, Manly Vale, Freshwater, Curl Curl, Dee Why, Brookvale, and surrounding suburbs.

Once the survey closes, I’ll publish the results so everyone can see what has been shared. The process will be transparent and practical, ensuring local priorities directly inform my work in Parliament and the community.

Through Future Manly, I want to ensure that your priorities, your concerns, and your ideas are what shape the next ten years of our local community.

Visit futuremanly.com to have your say.