U3A Benalla and District Inc.
  • Home
  • Benalla
    • Benalla
    • Benalla District
    • Who, What and Where? - Benalla Rural City
  • About
    • Our U3A
    • President's Page
    • Executive Committee
    • Policies
    • Convenors >
      • Convenors
      • Convenors A - Z 2025
    • Program Ideas
    • Newsletter
    • Website
  • Groups
    • Groups A - Z
    • Recent Groups >
      • Armchair History
      • Chess
      • Cooking Solo
      • Demystifying Psychology Course
      • Enjoying the Internet (S2)
      • Family Research Drop In
      • Sky's the Limit
    • Archived Groups >
      • A - M >
        • A Different View Of German History
        • Armchair History (British)
        • Armchair Traveller
        • Booker Reading Group
        • Bushwalking - Mid-week Walks
        • Comparative Religion
        • Facebook for Mentors
        • Family Research - Advanced
        • German - Beginners
        • Google Apps/TS Plus
        • History - An Introduction to Western Civilization
        • History - Moments in Australian History
        • Hot Topics/The News - Fact or Fiction?
        • 'In the Lap of the Gods'
        • Investment I (1996 -2015)
        • Jane Austen Book Club
        • Legal Matters (Short Course)
        • Meditation
        • Making the Most of the Internet
      • O - Z >
        • On Target - Learning to Shop Online
        • Opera
        • 'Over There'
        • Rail and Tourism
        • Russian Literature
        • Tech Savvy Apple - 'Pages'
        • Tech Savvy Apple Devices - Intermediate
        • Tech Savvy Community Projects
        • Travel Group
        • Wise Guys Book Group
        • Zoom Short Course
  • A-Ch
    • A-Ch
    • 'A Taste of Art'
    • American History
    • Art Appreciation
    • 'As Time Goes By'
    • Australian Shares and Stock Market
    • Be Connected - Android
    • Be Connected - Tech Advice
    • Birdwatching
    • Brain Games
    • Bushwalking - Easy Walks
    • Car Torque
    • Cards '500'
    • Chat n' Chew
  • Co-E
    • Ch - E
    • Coin Collectors
    • Collectors
    • Colour Mixing and Watercolour Techniques - Botanical
    • Come and Learn Croquet
    • Community Singing
    • Creative Writing
    • Demystifying Psychology - Discussion Group
    • Demystifying Psychology - Perception
    • Exercises for Fun
    • Exploring the Universe
    • Exploring Writing Children's Books
  • F-Pa
    • F- Pa
    • Family Research
    • Film Discussion
    • French at the Table
    • Garden Appreciation
    • Garden Team
    • German >
      • German Home
      • Lessons
    • Let's Talk Books
    • Lifeball >
      • Home
      • Lifeball Videos
    • Mahjong
    • Meet and Mingle
    • Music Appreciation
    • Page Turners
    • Patchwork and Craft
  • Ph-W
    • Ph -W
    • Photography
    • Play Reading
    • Politics & Current Affairs
    • Recorder
    • Singing for Fun
    • Spanish
    • Stock and Land
    • Sustainability
    • Tech Talks
    • Train Buffs
    • Ukes4Fun
    • Wine Appreciation
  • Join
    • Join Us
    • Membership Application/Renewal Form
    • Program Guide
    • Timetable with Dates
    • Venues and Maps
  • News
    • News Update
    • May Newsletter
    • 'What's On' Calendar 2025
    • Monthly Calendar
    • Website & Facebook
  • FB
  • Gallery
  • Links
    • Resources and References
    • U3A Network Victoria
    • Seniors Online Victoria
    • U3A Albury Wodonga
    • U3A Beechworth (Indigo U3A)
    • U3A Bright
    • U3A Goulburn Valley
    • U3A Murrundindee East
    • U3A Wangaratta
  • Contact

'Faking It'

12/7/2016

 
According to those who, on the whole, have never attempted to take a public office role within their community, as a former ‘Polly’ I’m supposed to be the ultimate example of ‘faking it’.

​In my own defence, I would say I’m no more guilty of faking it than the average person who puts an effort into living a peaceful life, trying not to upset family, friends and strangers alike.  For example, if greeting a friend who is dying of cancer you say how much better they are looking when you know they have only weeks to live.  After all, you are not going to say “Gee, Jenny, time seems to be running out for you”. 

Not the same thing I hear you say, so let us look at my life as a politician and let us see what you think after you have digested my story.

I took an active role in politics when I returned to Benalla with my two children and husband in tow, joining the Labor Party because these were people who espoused the same values I had about people and how we should and could live together.  I enjoyed the monthly meetings and especially liked taking the message out at election time hoping people would vote for our team.  I stood as a candidate, becaming active in various roles which often took me to Melbourne.

Without going into all the details, we eventually moved to Melbourne where I had a job close to a Minister in a Labor Government.  We had chosen Altona as our home branch as it was a working class suburb and close to the city.  As usual we joined up with the local branch which was generally run as a country branch based on friendships not factions.
 
By this time though I had joined a faction.  By making a stand each time I voted, I gradually found myself taking a stand to the left of the party.

Then there was a State redistribution of seat boundaries and Altona was made a new seat.  This took the factional ‘heavies’ by surprise.  They were even more surprised when I had the numbers in a vote for pre-selection
. 
At the same time there was division within the left about the sale of public utilities.  I joined those against the sale, becoming part of a group known as ‘the pledge group’.  These were my values, I didn’t compromise and that was my downfall.  The right and the left joined forces against ‘the pledge group’ and placed someone else in the seat of Altona.  I was heartbroken to be treated in such a way, but now I understand that is life if you don’t ‘go with the flow’, especially in a political party.
​
So with this tale I submit that, in general, 'Pollies' don’t fake it any more than the general public, all of whom are doing their bit to make life as tolerable as possible.
 
Carole Marple
June 2016

    'Our Stories'

    Carole's page


    Picture

    Archives

    July 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    September 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    February 2016
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    July 2015
    May 2015

    Categories

    All
    'Advice'
    A Place Of Importance
    A Test Of Courage - 'Everyday Courage'
    Car Stories
    'Christmas'
    'Cringe'
    'Failure'
    Fairy Stories
    'Faking It'
    'For Better For Worse'
    Friendship Tested
    Grandparents
    'Grandparents And Grandparenting'
    I Quit
    'I Was There'
    Lost And Found
    'Mr Nicksar'
    'My Other Life'
    'New In Town'
    'Shaped By Childhood'
    'Stock And Land'
    'The Year That Made Me'

We acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which we meet and pay our respects to their elders - past, present and emerging.
Picture
News
​Newsletter
Facebook Page
​
Program Suggestions
​CO-VID Safety

U3A Benalla & District Flier 2025
Membership Application/Renewal 
​
Semester 1 Program Guide 2025
Semester 1 Timetable with Dates 2025
Developed and maintained by members, this website showcases U3A Benalla 
​Photographs - U3A members; Benalla Art Gallery website; ​Weebly 'Free' images;Travel Victoria and State Library of Victoria