Forgetting the politics and the politicians names..some important issues were touched on in this lecture and the way departments conduct their business..use of focus groups, and the contracting out of important elements of core business to “consultants”. Consultants construct the questionnaires, and we are randomly ‘phoned (generally right on dinner time) to engage in questions that may not even be related to where we live…yes.. the broader the base the better, they say… there are elements of the “managerial revolution” in government business ..local govt. even refers to the community as “customers”! Has the consultative approach with community gone? Are we represented? Or where are things heading? Over to you….Stupidity is on the rise in our age of enlightenment