Letters To The Editor

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In motion

Jenny Dowell's comments in The Echo (Dec 24) about the likelihood of Country Labor having 1, possibly 2, candidates elected at the local government elections is, in my opinion, accurate and both those candidates are decent people with a good track record in working for the community. The group which I and David Tomlinson are leading might, on past election results, have 3 elected if we are lucky.

Residents might wonder, therefore, why they, and our group, Independents for a better Council, are fielding tickets with at least 6 people on them. The reason is simple. The State Government, with the full support of the Opposition, has introduced changes to the electoral act. This requires groups which want to stand above the line‚ whereby electors vote for a group rather than below the line‚ where they have to vote for at least 12 individual candidates, to have candidates numbering at least half the number of Councillors to be elected, in Lismore's case, that means six. They also required groups that want to have their group name showing on the ballot paper (which always helps voters to work out who they are) to form a political party‚ with at least 100 registered members. In my view, this was a deliberate attempt to advantage the existing political parties, which are already registered at the State and national level and therefore don't have to go through this process for local government elections. Groups that either can't do this or don't want to stand for a political party will simply show on the ballot paper as Group A or B depending on the order in which their group is drawn from the hat when the nominations close.

The changes also put the allocation of preferences when people vote above the line back in the hands of the voters, rather than permitting groups to decide how to allocate those preferences. This in itself is a positive change, as it prevents the kind of deals between groups that have occurred in the past. However, if the last State election, where similar changes occurred in the Upper House election, is a guide, 80-85% of voters voted above the line and of those who did, 75% ticked just one box despite the how-to-votes that the various groups handed out. What this means for Lismore is that if voters do the same, preferences are exhausted once they flow down to the candidates in that particular group. This could see a number of candidates being elected without achieving the quota of votes (usually about 1500) that has been required in the past.

I agree with Jenny that the best outcome for Lismore would be to have Councillors who make up their own minds, based on professional advice and broad community needs rather than simply using their numbers to ram through decisions that are not in the best interests of our community as has occurred on this current Council. But this depends on voters doing a bit of homework and voting for those groups or candidates who either have a track record in listening to the community and professional advice or who make a strong commitment to doing so. If they do this, we should get a more representative, balanced and less divided Council, which can only be in the interests of Lismore.

In regard to the issue of rescission motions, which Anne Wallbridge raised, there have been many such motions, not just about Skyline Road and the Pool. As Anne, who is a regular Council attendee would know, the six pack have themselves used rescission motions when they have not had the outcome they wanted because one of their members (unusually) voted against them. They have used the time between meetings to put pressure on the dissenting member of their group and come the next meeting that member has fallen into line and they have got their way.

From my perspective, rescission motions are appropriate where either the Councillors did not have sufficient opportunity to really consider the issue, where new information has come to light or where professional advice or community needs have been ignored. After all, they only defer the final decision by 4 weeks. As this was not the case in regard to the issues Anne Wallbridge raised, despite disagreeing with the decisions I did not believe any of these conditions applied and so could not support the rescission motions.

A better Council, which hopefully we will get after the elections, would not have made such important decisions with a majority of one in the first place and therefore rescission motions would be far less likely.

Ros Irwin
Lismore

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Resos found

Readers may recall the Alstonville Plateau Historical Society Inc. was recently trying to find out details of a group of people called the 'Resonians' who did a 'Reso' train tour of the Hunter Valley and Far North Coast in 1929.

The puzzle has now been resolved when details came to light of a Northern Star newspaper article of April 17th 1929.

The 'Resonians' were a group of Victorian farmers who were interested to find out why our area had won so many awards for its butter and bacon. They were amazed at the rich fertile district and that the factories had the latest in machinery.

From Lismore a 22 car motorcade transported the members to Alstonville, Ballina, Bangalow and Byron Bay where they rejoined their train for Murwillumbah and Coolangatta.

The word 'Reso' is an abbreviation of the word resources and they were hereto view our resources. Thanks to those people who phoned with help in this matter.

Brian Worthington
Hon. Secretary
APHS
Alstonville

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Troppo thanks

Thank you Tropical Fruits for a great party. I live close by the showground and enjoyed hearing people have such a good time. The fireworks which heralded in the new year were among the best we have ever seen from our deck.

The benefits to Lismore in tourism and bargain hunting shoppers was terrific. Lismore Unlimited and our local council would do well to give all the support they can for next year.

My family hope you will be back next year to help us see in the New Year.

Vicki Findlay
North Lismore

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Lake debacle

With all the usual half truths and misleading information written to the media by Ms Irwin and her cronies about the birds on the lake debacle, they failed to mention that a little to the north-west of Lismore the Goondiwindi Shire has recently completed an aquatic lake similar to ours at the cost of $5 million. It was so invigorating to see them appearing on television and in the newspaper congratulating each other, backing their mayor and promoting their city with comments such as "this aquatic centre will put Goondiwindi on the map as a must visit city" and "how it hoped to recoup the $5 million in five years because of extra tourism it would bring to the area". A council with a vision.

When I talked to the Mayor's wife and other people in the district, such as motel owners, etc, and explained to them how a slick greenie councillor and a handful of gumbooters had wrestled the ratepayers' $5 million asset out from under their noses for their own personal, selfish use, I received the most peculiar looks and was told in no uncertain terms would it happen on their council. An extensive media campaign on radio and in the newspapers - I even picked up a flyer at the car boot market - for a hollow victory walk of the lake on Tuesday. Ms Irwin quotes that about 25 gumbooters attended. Really Ms Irwin, that's the pits. After claiming that everybody else that was for the lake were minority groups. A "slab pack" of gumbooters and you turn up on a good day - talk about minority groups. Where do you hold your AGMs? In a phone box?

A gumbooter, rate payers, is a dull, drab, dreary drone of a person seen lurking around lanes and lakes, lecherously leering at lorikeets, whose soul purpose in life is to make everybody else conform to their narrow-minded, selfish, non-visionary, green point of view. I strongly urge all ratepayers to think carefully about whether Ms Irwin and her mini-minority should be allowed to steal a $5 million asset under the guise of conservation to save a so-called endangered bird that is nothing but a "blowie", meaning that it doesn't live permanently at the lake. How many hours does it actually spend there per year? This information was conveniently left out by the gumbooters, or don't they know? Ring or fax all the councillors, excluding Ms Irwin, and demand they show some backbone once and for all. Hand this lake back to the whole shire for the purpose it was designed for - an aquatic lake. No exemptions, otherwise it would be the ultimate inhumanity to put animals or birds interest before humans.

Ross Greenwood
Wyrallah

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Burning issues

Mr Burns! (Echo 24/12) Fence sitting without opinion will get you nowhere on the themes of State/Federal pre-eminence (politics) and sodomy (sexual practise). Laying claim to the greatest philosopher this planet has spawned with my half completed masterwork "Tools for a Veil to Avail" (the word Duad obviously escaping Echo staff) you should be acquainted with the criteria that constitutes a victim/perpetrator of crime. Intention Mr Burns. There can be no victim (thus crime) when sexual expression is mutually consented. Exempting the active partner, if he knowingly has HIV. Your usage of the word "rape" infers the alleged several young men were unwilling participants to such an act.

Utter nonsense Mr Burns. That passive sexuality (masto/fellatio) was a precursor to the act (mutual consent), destroys the very foundation of your exposition; That these men were "forced" to submit to the act of penetration, insults the very notion of why they found themselves in that situation in the first place. Intention Mr Burns.

It would be a sublime world indeed, if male/male sexual expression was limited to hand and mouth acts minus the beastial element of intercourse. But humans don't live in a mind realm only, Mr Burns, and there will always be "lesser creatures" that desire the practise, having failed miserably with the perfect complementary body for such expression (women), or unwilling to pay their price. I grow weary of the hypocrisy that sprouts from the Church on themes such as homosexual acts. Despite the fact Jesus Christ did not record any instruction on human sexuality (or Josepheus for that matter - known bisexual) bisexual Pentecostal clerics, whether in mind or (physical) practise, still insist that homosexual acts are a sin: Christians are not Jews, and its high time all Christian sects made a complete break from Jewish scripture and their ethnicentric (sic) interpretation of history.

The Holy Trinity certainly represents such a demarcation, but all Christian sects still maintain Hebrew history (the Old Testament) as a base; Bugger Jewish ideology! They can keep their proscriptions to themselves - disgusting hypocrites on the theme of homosexuality/bisexuality most are. If Christian Churches refuse this direction, I'll inaugurate a new religion. Truly based on a logical Trinity: Mother (physical realm); Word (mind realm) = Circumstance (time environment).

Something that all can understand John Paul II and which is dynamic, rather that static, as indeed, evolution. Not your airy-fairy, paternalistic Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Enough of your lies. The sooner Christians realise the Ten Commandments Egyptian Law (secular), the sooner "we" will advance.

Arthur Dale
Lismore

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In your own words

Ian Causley never lets the truth get in the way of an opportunity to sink his political bovver boy boots into anyone left of Genghis Khan.

And so it is with his attack on Southern Cross University Law School's Summer School course on public interest advocacy.

I sat in on the whole course and categorically deny his assertions. He was not present and simply does not know what he is talking about.

Contrary to his allegation, the course did "cover real public interest issues" and the lecturers were not "pushing their political views on students".

But strangest of all his furphies is his statement that, "Parents have the right to be assured their children's beliefs and moral values are not being undermined." Apart from demonstrating his pig ignorance as to the functions of academic discourse, there were no "children" taking the course and indeed many of the students were aged 40 and over.

Let us not forget that this reprehensible reprobate, who piously speaks of "moral values" and "manipulation", is the same Ian Causley who was recently exposed by ABC TV's Media Watch as having plagiarised material in press releases sent to The Echo and other media.

Therefore I call on you, Mr Editor, to insist that Mr Causley submit a Statutory Declaration with every future press release he submits, solemnly declaring that their contents are solely his own words and not written by some faceless National Party hack.

Graham Irvine
Nimbin

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Question time

At our Lismore car boot market stall this week we posed the following questions:

Q1. Do you want a four lane, CBD Bypass road through Nth Lismore?

With responses of 91% No and 9% Yes.

Q2. Should 'independent' candidates for council be required to disclose their membership of a political party?

With responses of 96% Yes and 4% No.

Once again Australian Democrat policy reflects these responses.

It is worth noting that in relation to Q2, Arthur Chesterfield-Evans, your Democrat member of the NSW Legislative Council, has on two occasions attempted to amend the Local Government Act to require such disclosure and both times all other parties voted against the amendment in the parliament. All of them, including the National, One Nation and Green parties.

What have they all got to hide?

Julia Melland
Australian Democrat
Goonellabah

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River revival?

How often I have heard Lismorites complain how hot it is here in summer, and how far away that glorious ocean is. Yet year after year we let the Wilson run its murky brown course past our doorsteps, and despite the fantastic work of bush regeneration groups and volunteers along its banks, the potential for the river's use in our community remains largely untapped.

Just imagine if we could throw a towel over our shoulders on our lunch-break and stroll down to the delicious clear and cool waters of the river for a swim. Just imagine if we could convince local, State or Federal government to subsidise every property owner who fronts the Wilson and Leycester and its tributaries to regenerate a 30-metre strip on both sides of their watercourses, and to keep cattle out of the creeks.

The massive flooding of the river will never go away, but wider environmental measures implemented on a catchment-wide scale, and appropriate development would ameliorate flood effects on Lismore. No longer would we turn our backs to the river, panting our distress.

What about a 50-year plan to facilitate the 'opening up' of the river to markets, riverfront parks, kayaks and other passive recreation?

Anastasia Guise
Larnook

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