The lead story in this edition covers the countdown to Melbourne hosting the Commonwealth Games commencing on 15 March 2006. The Queen’s Baton is well on its way as it travels through each of the 71 member Commonwealth countries. On the Melbourne 2006 web site (www.melbourne2006.com.au), there is a gallery of photos showing the various ways local communities have celebrated the passage of the baton through their cities, towns and villages as it makes its way to Australia and, finally, Melbourne. International events such as the Commonwealth Games bring people together, not just to compete and watch our sports people excel in their field, but to build lasting bonds of friendship and understanding.
On the wider world stage, the Olympic Games perform this same role. So it was on 6 July 2005 when Londoners celebrated jubilantly that they had won the right to welcome the rest of the world to their city as the host for the 2012 Olympic Games. Of course celebrations were short lived with the terrorist attacks in London the following morning.
Just as in 2001 when New York came under attack, and then Mayor Rudolf Guiliano’s leadership captured world attention, the statement by London’s Mayor Ken Livingstone, made on 7 July 2005, leaves us in no doubt about the vital role of those elected to Local Government. Mayor Livingstone stressed the importance of communities standing together to work through adversity and above all, not turning in on each other.
He said, “I want to say one thing specifically to the world today. This was not a terrorist attack against the mighty and the powerful. It was not aimed at Presidents or Prime Ministers. It was aimed at ordinary, working class Londoners, black and white, Muslim and Christian, Hindu and Jew, young and old. It was an indiscriminate attempt to slaughter, irrespective of any considerations for age, for class, for religion, or whatever.
“That isn’t an ideology, it isn’t even a perverted faith – it is just an indiscriminate attempt at mass murder and we know what the objective is. They seek to divide Londoners.
“They seek to turn Londoners against each other. I said yesterday to the International Olympic Committee, that the city of London is the greatest in the world, because everybody lives side by side in harmony.
“Londoners will not be divided by this cowardly attack. They will stand together in solidarity alongside those who have been injured and those who have been bereaved and that is why I’m proud to be the Mayor of that city.”
Local Governments have long known that inclusive, harmonious communities are vital for people to feel safe and secure. As our other spheres of government grapple to find a balance between security and civil rights, it is at the community level where success or failure will lay. This is why Local Government must not ignored. Local Government is integral to this decision making if we are to continue to build strong, harmonious, inclusive and safe communities.
