Morabito Letter, Midland Express, 21 July 2008

Dear editor,
 

I wish to respond to the venomous tirade from Ms Christine Pruneau, secretary Macedon Ranges Ratepayers Association.
 

I repudiate absolutely, her hypocritical comments.
 

Her pompous and cavalier demeanour remains unchanged. Over the years she's assumed the mantle of a self appointed guardian of the Macedon Ranges through MRRA.
 

This self anointed mutual admiration society is accountable to no one. Their forte is casting aspersions on decent people with impunity.
MRRA was formed in 1995. Since then it has 60 members (so they say). We'll never know the real number, because it's impossible to see their books. Hardly an endorsement or representative of the population of Macedon Ranges.
 

MRRA boasts that membership is open to anyone wishing to join, unless the present members deem the interests of the applicant to be in opposition to those of the association as a whole. They say it's not a secret society.  In summary, you can join providing you don't disagree with their philosophy, whatever that might be.
 

On November 21, 2008, before I was elected to council, I applied for membership. My reason, lack of response to some questions put to the MRRA. That I was "panting to join" her group or that I threatened legal action are purely figments of her hallucinogenic imagination.
 

The response I received on December 19, 2008, was,"your application was placed before the association's general meeting, where it failed to attract a proposer (seconder). Your application failed to obtain the necessary endorsement and therefore cannot be accepted".
 

So much for "membership is open to anyone wishing to join". So much for transparency, that she repeatedly demands of others.
 

In a letter to the editor dated November 8, 2005, it says inter alia "Less than 18 months ago you spat the dummy and resigned from Macedon Ranges Council. We do not want councillors who cannot put the interests of the community first. You caused the ratepayers an expensive by-election because of a temper tantrum." signed Rosemary Homewood.
 

This scenario sounds very much like the letter of two weeks ago.
 

Rosemary Homewood was a councillor in the former Shire of Romsey. She resigned only after six months, for no apparent reason. She had the audacity to point the finger at me.
 

Is this not such contradictory diatribe? Here's the $64 M question. Just as a point of clarification, Ms Pruneau, can you please disclose the status of this individual in your organisation past and present please.
 

Recently, after receiving a letter from a local organisation's lawyers, you removed material pertaining to them from your website.
 

I would like you to do the same for me. The material in question relating to me is unsubstantiated. The inferences, to say the least, are not true and defamatory.
 

I'm asking nicely but I'll only ask once. Remove them please.
 

If you must write about me, which I prefer you didn't, write about my achievements.
 

I rest my case, and let the public be the judge.
 

Cr Joe Morabito
East Ward,
MRSC.