I read with disappointment "Lurk merchants on notice: Foley" (Leader, January 8) that gave a mouthpiece to the former union official, Luke Foley, and his derogatory comments about the hard working shire residents and business people.
I challenge Mr Foley to explain exactly who he is referring to when he uses the term "lurk merchants".
As the mayor of Sutherland Shire I want to know who they are and where they can be found, as I have found the tradespeople, builders and business people of the shire to be the most hard working, honest and best in the country.
The truth is that Mr Foley has to cast a shadow on his political opponents and our shire so as to divert attention from his own party's dirty laundry.
It is well-known that he was the assistant general secretary of the Labor Party during which time he would want us to believe he saw nothing occurring in the ALP or his faction with Eddie Obeid and Ian MacDonald.
He then moved on to an upper house seat with the NSW ALP government, where he again sat in the party room with his Labor colleagues and saw nothing. He is really the Sergeant Schultz of the NSW ALP.
I invite Mr Foley to visit the shire and have a meeting with me and take me to visit the so-called "lurk merchants".
If he cannot, then I strongly suggest he make a full and public apology to all Sutherland Shire residents.
Kent Johns, mayor, Sutherland Shire
