Vote 1 the Hills Shire - Battle of the Shires

It has come to my attention that one of my colleagues, the Member for Cook, has made some erroneous claims regarding the use of the name The Shire.

Here in Mitchell we have long known that there is a long list of pretenders to the title of The Shire, which belongs to the Hills District.

Captain Cook may well have landed in this “other shire” first. But more importantly Governor Arthur Phillip, Founder and first Governor of modern Australia quickly realised that the area of Botany Bay and Kurnell was uninhabitable and moved on within a matter of days. Lieutenant Ralph Clark wrote after 5 days in Botany Bay “if we are obliged to settle here, there will not be a soul alive in the course of a year.

Such was the opinion of our founders of the “other shire”.

Compare that with the record of Northwest Sydney, who produced the stunning success of James Ruse who ran the first successful farm, saved the colony from starvation and together with his wife were the first people to take themselves off the Government store and support themselves.
Our district was the start of free enterprise and innovation in Australia.

If there remains any doubt I would draw the Member for Cook’s attention to the years 1981, 1982, 1983, & 1986, widely recognised as the greatest years in rugby league history which saw the Parramatta Eels and its feeder clubs throughout the Hills District completely dominate the rugby league landscape.

Of course on the other hand, I heard a rumour that there was once a fire at the Cronulla Leagues Club and someone was heard yelling out “save the cups” (as in their trophies). Patrons were seen running to the kitchen to find any cups they could save……

Australia knows that the Hills Shire has perhaps the highest proportion of families anywhere in Australia because everyone knows it is the best place to bring up a family. Even the choice of headquarters of some our largest companies like Woolies, multinationals like Resmed and Wyeth, shows that business around the globe recognise the best place to live and work is the Hills Shire.

While I could continue, I would simply say to the Member for Cook, there is no shame in losing to a better shire.
 

Vote 1 for the Hills Shire!

Alex Hawke

Federal Member for Mitchell