Why the $460,000 yes campaign faces an uphill battle ...

One of the difficulties with the Mayor's $460,000 ratepayer-funded advertising spree is the time which would be required to convince a majority of Toowoomba residents to drink recycled sewage.

This assumes one can change people's minds - there are certainly large numbers in Toowoomba whom you will never convince to drink recycled sewage.

For the past 10 months, Toowoomba people have been subjected to lies and deception by the Toowoomba City Council on a level rarely seen in Australian politics.

And for what purpose?

To try to "educate" the people that they should be drinking recycled sewage.

Every study to date shows that an overwhelming majority of people do not currently want to drink recycled sewage. This includes the most recent polling done in Toowoomba.

The Mayor now proposes to embark on a relentless advertising campaign for the next 8 weeks, spending $460,000 of ratepayers' money to try to achieve what she has been unable to achieve in the past 10 months - to convince Toowoomba residents to drink recycled sewage.

It seems highly likely that this campaign will fail. You simply can't buy trust.

It also seems that the Mayor is very much afraid of this - needing to grant the Yes campaign $460,000 of ratepayers' funds while allowing $0.00 for the No campaign.

Even last week, she was up to her old tricks - trying to limit the number of how to vote cards which could be issued. Given that no election process in Australia seeks to impose such limits, this is once again extraordinary behaviour.

Toowoomba people are not stupid - they can see through these tactics.

The other difficulty the recycled sewage industry faces with the referendum is that this will be an opportunity for anyone with a grievance against the Mayor or the Council to express their disapproval through a No vote.

When the Mayor or Deputy Mayor abuses or threatens someone, do they really think these people will vote Yes?

Do they think those offended by the parking changes will vote Yes?

What about those who think the Mayor's obelisks were a waste of money?

Rightly or wrongly, voters will use the referendum to express their distrust and disapproval of the Mayor and the Council.

The $460,000 ratepayer funded advertising campaign has offended many people.

Many people are also outraged that the Council has continually lied to them.

These people are unlikely to vote Yes.

The recycled sewage industry should perhaps have done some homework before choosing Mayor Thorley as their spokesperson ...