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Address by Prodos Marinakis to the administrative committee of the Liberal Party of Victoria
Prodos Marinakis
Editor: The following is an address given last Thursday on 6 July by Prodos Stefanos Nichaolaou Marinakis, a candidate for the seat of Richmond, to the administrative committee of the Liberal Party of Victoria. The meeting was a farce and had been rigged beforehand on the instructions of the politically corrupt Michael Kroger.
How many people in this room, in this building right now –– have spent nearly all of the last 37 years going to school and living and working in the Richmond District?
I have!
So let’s play a little game.
[Pointing to individuals around the room] You live in Richmond. You’re Burnley. You work in Abbotsford. You’re in Fitzroy. You’re in Collingwood. And you’re in Clifton Hill.
Howdy!
Well, chances are we’ve met before! We’ve crossed paths.
I’m one of you!
Maybe we went to school together at Richmond Central or at North Richmond Primary. Or maybe at Richmond High. Maybe you’ve come along to the community theatre venue I co-managed in Collingwood for 5 years. Or maybe you’ve been to one of my weekly Lateral Thinking workshops in Richmond. Maybe I’ve delivered some fetta cheese or yogurt to your shop from my parent’s factory in Murphy Street, Richmond. Maybe you’ve enjoyed one of the poetry and music fundraisers I helped organise in Fitzroy.
Maybe you’ve seen me busking on Brunswick Street, in my top hat and tails. Yeah! That was me! Prodos The Street Singer! Or we’ve debated labour market reforms over a cup of coffee at Pronto cafi on Church Street or at the Red Lemon in Swan.
My name is Prodos Stefanos Nicholaou Marinakis. I am an Australian with a Greek name. My parents came from Greece in 1957 and made Australia their home. And I’m so glad they did.
Aussies are supposed to be shy about being patriotic. I’m not. No way!
Wanna test me? Come on, dare me. I dare you to dare me. Okay, you got it. You asked for it. Here it is.
[Do kookaburra call.]
I just love, love, love being an Aussie In the Sun
And the job is to win Richmond for the Liberals!
Richmond is winnable.
That’s why I’ll be campaigning day and night. Seven days a week. There’ll be no letting up. There’ll be no slowing down.
Since you’re in Richmond, right? –– I’ll bet you’ve seen me walking the streets lately, holding my whopping big Aussie flag in one hand and my American wife’s pretty little Yankee hand in the other. And a prouder sunovabitch you never did see!
Please don’t prattle on to me about ‘multiculturalism’. I believe in individuals, not tribes. I believe in free thinking. Not rehashed quaint romanticised ‘ethnic identities’.
The traditions I take seriously are Western Values. Rule of law. Free trade. Private Property.
But not BECAUSE they’re traditions. I embrace them because they’re universal principles — available and applicable to all of humanity –– regardless of race, colour or creed.
I want to hear about your inventions, your new ideas. Bring me your dissent. Let’s debate, discuss. Bring me the whole marvellous splendour of this rich wonderful Australian Democracy.
Now since tonight YOU are Richmond, that means at the last election HALF of you voted Labor.
A quarter of you voted Greens.
Only ONE in five of you voted Liberal.
80 per cent of you did NOT vote Liberal.
Why not? Why didn’t you vote Liberal?
Is it because you’re twits? Are you dumb? Stupid? Foolish?
Is it because you’re poor, oppressed proletariat workers busting to rise up against the Bourgeois — just like Marx predicted?
Good god, no!
In fact, as a Richmond person, you’re one of the most highly paid, well educated people in Victoria! Less than 14 per cent of Richmond is made up of traditional blue collar type Labor voters. That’s half the state average. Yet Labor gets half the whole bloody vote of Richmond!
Richmond voters are primarily, what I would call, LIFESTYLE voters. These include well paid professionals and the much less monied artists and student types. They go to theatres, read books, eat out, own plenty of gadgets, collect nice things. They have eclectic tastes. Visit their homes and you’ll see for yourself.
Food, fun, festivities. Life is good!
Richmond people respond to discussion and debate. Even when they disagree with you, they’ll shake your hand and say: “Thanks, we disagree, but it was good talking with you.” They enjoy dialogue and interaction. Just like me! They respect someone who has principles. Just like me!
And they have a very low opinion of politicians. They don’t trust them. And they find politicians to be bland, BOOOOORING!
Don’t you?
The most hideous sin you can commit in a District like Richmond is the Sin of being BORING. Richmond loves the diverse, the surprising, the UNCONVENTIONAL. Richmond people enjoy style.
I have style! [Bow to the audience.]
Richmond voters vote Green and Labor because they consider Green and Labor to be parties of principle. The principles of Labor and the Greens are of course dead wrong, but they're still principles.
Would Richmond voters ever vote Liberal? Of course! But not if we bore them to death. If we act like losers, we’ll keep losing.
As the Liberal Party Candidate for Richmond I will be on the job day and night, seven days a week. Only a workaholic like me can make a difference in Richmond. Only an UNCONVENTIONAL person like will be taken seriously in Richmond.
Richmond loves ACTIVISTS. Richmond loves ARTISTS. And Richmond people vote for locals, not for candidates who live and work in other Districts. Consider Labor’s Richard Wynne who grew up in the inner suburbs of Melbourne and has lived and worked there for most of his life. Consider the Greens candidate, Gurm Sekhon, He’s lived in the Richmond District for 13 years.
Now, consider the Liberal Candidate for Richmond.
Listen! There’s only one serious choice for Richmond: PRODOS!
Over the last 20 years I’ve worked as a performer and as an activist, promoting classical liberal principles. Who’s funded all these projects that I run? It ain’t taxpayer’s money buddy. It’s individuals, private donations.
Plundering the taxpayer to fund every smartarse arts and cultural project is completely unethical. It’s repugnant. And it needs to stop!
Who believes and fights every day for classical liberal principles? Prodos! Individual rights and common law? Prodos! Who’s fighting for free speech and the repeal of the so-called "Racial and Religious Tolerance Act"? Prodos! Vote for free markets and free thinking.
Vote for the man who’ll campaign like a hurricane from now until the election.
And beyond! Day and night. Seven Days a week.
Vote for the man who has a proven record in the Richmond South branch as an effective team player and has earned the respect and total support of Richmond South.
Prodos Stefanos Nichaolaou Marinakis.
At Your Service.
BrookesNews.Com
Monday 10 July 2006
I live and breathe in Richmond
It’s time to have some fun
It’s time to get the job done!
Win Victoria for the Liberals!
Make Ted Bailleau the next Premier of Victoria.
That’s how I see it.
That’s the only way I see it.
I believe in winning.