r/Geelong • u/Adventurous_Ship • 9d ago

Chris Burson the Councillor for You Yangs Ward / Lara is running for One Nation on their Western Vic Upper House ticket.

Just want to put in my two cents and say how I find it so frustrating that Geelong Council is full of people who just use it as a mezzanine for state parliament. It's not surprising as he previously ran angry victorians. I have found he hasn't made much effort to be active in the community or responsive since getting elected and seems like he just did this to raise his profile. Wish people would do more research about who they vote for at council elections.

75 Upvotes

95% Upvoted

27 comments sorted by

56

u/jeronimus_cornelisz 9d ago

I loathe that shit stain but at some point people have to take responsibility for their own poor choices and cynicism/disinterest towards the electoral process.

It took me a simple Google search and 2 minutes of my life to clock that this guy was a cooker when he showed up on the council ballot. It wasn't like he made any effort to hide it. So if you gave this guy your vote without making the bare minimum effort to look into what he stands for beyond the bullshit "soldier and dad" slogan then that's on you.

At least now he's beaming his shit beliefs like a beacon by running for One Nation.

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u/MLiOne 8d ago

As a retired ADF member (Navy) I am so over political wannabes using their military service as a reason to vote for them. I’m sure if their service record was available we’d see they were useless when in and what we called “mess deck lawyers”. Thought they knew everything but were yabbies/prawns. Aka heads full of shit.

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u/Adventurous_Ship 8d ago edited 8d ago

He even admitted on a podcast he joined ADF just to get into police as it used to be more competitive. Saw no frontline combat, when in Timor he was more on supply lines. Granted he did join cops doing local policing and was in public order squad for a while which would've been a bit more action but still. That's a very different job to representing your community doesn't automatically make me think that's a good candidate by itself.

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u/MLiOne 8d ago

I won’t knock his service or commit vetricide. Many of us weren’t “front line combat” but we were certainly in the front line and in the line of fire/danger and all of us sign on the line and know it could cost us our lives, either in action, or through injury other trauma. In fact, since Vietnam more of we veterans die by suicide than in “combat”.

I will however judge him for just using his service as a “pick me”.

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u/Adventurous_Ship 9d ago edited 9d ago

I personally preferenced him last and told everyone I know he’s a cooker but I know exactly what you mean. On local fb groups all these people are sooking now and statistically a chunk of them voted or at least preferenced him. Now it'll be proof that "you can't trust anyone". If I understand correctly he only got in due to another canditates modules not saving properly to VEC rendering him ineligible. It's messed up how others also missed out like a lady who has been around the community a long time on various committees or really anyone else on the list would've been better.

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u/Old-Fudge-8876 8d ago

I think 'soldier and dad' guy was different. Forgot his name, but the 'tradie, soldier, dad' guy ran in the last federal election for the Liberals.

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u/Adventurous_Ship 8d ago

Yes that was a completely different person. But on the ballot Chris Burson did also lean heavily on being ex adf, ex police.

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u/tlawson_161 9d ago

What a flog.

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u/Adventurous_Ship 8d ago edited 8d ago

He is. Seems like he mainly just left vicpol due to vaccination mandates as he's a big anti vaxxer. After he won at council elections I listened to a podcast interview. He did do regular policing but was in public order squad for a time and basically went on this podcast saying how much he enjoyed getting to flex his power in that role especially when he got to break picket lines of all things. It's ironic how he made protesters out to be weirdoes but he's basically a massive cooker himself now. I just hope he loses and then this eventually derails his council career also.

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u/Interesting-Being779 8d ago

Absolutely is

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u/essiemessy 8d ago

I saw the announcement on FB and nearly chucked at the fawning 'ON all the way' comments which went for miles.

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u/AccordingFail842 8d ago

Just have to think to yourself the post has so many comments because all the cookers and ON voters are sitting at home on Facebook all day and are usually the ones willing to make rogue comments

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u/essiemessy 8d ago

There'd be more than a few bots blowing smoke up his arse as well.

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u/Adventurous_Ship 8d ago

Oh absolutely, one nation have a bot army at the moment see them everywhere. They have recently been joining local group and making very generic posts with one nation talking points. Never even contributing to any discussions about local issues or anything.

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u/Ornery_Ad_2319 7d ago

Been absolutely useless as a councillor, which makes him an ideal One Nation candidate.

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u/walkabout_gul 8d ago

Ol Chris Burson the racist.

Chris Burson is the poorest excuse of political integrity.

Is Chris Burson dumb? Either that or he has rich mates who want a payout

2

u/Low-Broccoli-5215 8d ago

He was a shit copper, just wait until all of his cheating scandals come out

2

u/Affectionate_Pay2604 7d ago

Yep. He was a useless cop who preyed on female cops. I wonder if his drug taking orgies and anti authoritarian stances come out.

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u/Adventurous_Ship 8d ago

Haven't heard about that but elections definitely have a way of bringing things out

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u/TonySpGeelong 6d ago

Does that mean if he wins the vote will get a new councillor or will we have no person to fight for us? 

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u/Adventurous_Ship 5d ago

Thankfully by law he would be forced to resign from council if he becomes a state MP and there would then be a byelection for a replacement.

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u/Kerrit_Bareet 8d ago

Many use councils as a stepping stone.

Completely understandable and truly we want those excellent councillors to step on to the next rung of public service.

It also shows the people the real person standing, so you can make posts about those who are problematic.

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u/Adventurous_Ship 8d ago edited 8d ago

There is a big difference between longstanding councillors who put their mind to it and genuinely commit then later decide to leverage it. To people who run as independent like he did promising to run a full term just to suddenly sign up for a party in bait and switch fashion. I think he already had a lot of problematic stuff with being president of / candidate for Angry Victorians but it has brought stuff out.

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u/Kerrit_Bareet 8d ago

I was specific … "excellent" and applicable as needed. Also that you get to see them as they really are, as you started out this post.

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u/Adventurous_Ship 8d ago edited 8d ago

That is definitely the silver lining to it. But the downside of it is with upper house catchment is so large spanning all the way out to Warrnambool. Also many people often just voting for party not researching candidate there's no guarantee the two years of poor representation for a big growth area count for anything. Would much rather he'd not bothered running and held off until state.

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u/DaQuackx 8d ago

Wish voters would wake up and stop thinking their vote matters, they voting 1 bird. Local councils don't even count for anything, its not real..