Dear Billy:

Welcome back! We’ve missed you! You’ve been missing in action for too long. As the member for Cook, we have been eagerly awaiting to see whether you would emerge and tackle some of the many issues facing your electorate.

Lo and behold, you are backing the Douglas Shire all the way to Brisbane where our Mayor Julia Leu is challenging the Queensland Government’s decision not to approve the Yule Point location for Paws and Claws’ new home.

We are equally elated that you found the time in your hectic schedule to join a protest march in our town last Saturday in support of the much-wanted Paws and Claws location.

Does this mean we can expect to see more of you? Does this mean you will be readily available to address matters that impact Cook? If this is the case, members of the Douglas Shire community, for one, will be first in line to gauge your opinion and seek your support on a range of topics.

We’d like to hear your thoughts on the proposed Reef Marina upgrade. What to do with the increase in crocodile numbers. And your views on a retirement village, to mention just a few projects and issues that impact our daily lives.

We are not interested in the challenges you have faced over time: drink-driving charges, driving an unlicensed motor vehicle, child support and tax return concerns. This is none of our business, although we do appreciate your apology for what you described as “poor judgment” following the drink-driving charge.

At this juncture, we are glad to have you back in the fold and we are hopeful that the people you represent will get to see Billy Gordon as an action man.

Welcome back and please stick around.

Best wishes,

Howard Salkow


** William John “Billy” Gordon is an Australian politician. He was elected as a Labor member for Cook in the Queensland Legislative Assembly at the 2015 election before becoming an Independent two months later.