Letters To The Editor

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Flood facts

First, let me say how pleased I am with the front page coverage (Echo, Feb 5) of the Flood Awareness week initiative jointly taken by the Lismore City Council and the Lismore City State Emergency Service Unit.

However, there is a small but important correction that must be made to ensure that community members know how much time is available for them to complete packing-up and/or evacuation tasks.

Paragraph 2, 4th column states that "the CBD flood levee will give residents an extra four hours to prepare for a flood when completed."

This is not correct! Residents could have up to an extra four hours to prepare, BUT, this extra time available depends upon the hourly rate of rise of the Wilson River measured at the Rowing Club Flood Gauge.

A one metre (AHD) per hour rate of rise after the Rowing Club gauge has reached four metres (AHD) allows only six hours before the Evacuation Roads are cut - one hour later (a total of seven hours). The levee banks will on the verge of being over-topped.

Thank you for your role in educating the community about Flood Response - SES's success is also your success!

Lindsay Matterson
Lismore City SES Controller

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Political correctness

The Prime Minister says that the public schools are "too politically correct and too values-neutral." He engages in his usual nasty and divisive politics, once again lowering the status of his position, while smearing the good integrity and aspirations of fellow Australians. In this instance, some 70 percent of the primary and secondary teaching profession in Australia.

This is not the view of most Australians, nor that of the Independent Education Union, which represents private school teachers and the non-government NSW Parents Council.

Whose values does our PM think he is upholding? Well-funded education is Australia's future. While there are big differences in school resources, I have no doubt that all of our schooling systems are contributing to Australia's diversity and are generally, of a high standard.

All try to teach important values such as honesty, co-operation, civility, equality, respect for the individual and the rejection of violence and war. Good education, untainted by narrow-minded politicians, provides the basis for a healthy society and democracy.

We can all make up our own minds as to what values Howard stands for. After all, this is the man who proclaims Christian values, but ignored majority public opinion, taking Australia to war on the basis of a preposterous lie.

John Jessup
Lismore

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Very punny

Given that the letters of G Wallace of South Lismore are so full of spelling and grammatical errors shouldn't they each of them be labelled a "sics pack"?

Sacchetto del Ratto
The Channon

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Two score & breast

February 13, 2004 marks the 40th anniversary of the day six mothers gathered in a kitchen in Melbourne and envisioned the Nursing Mothers' Association.

The association has seen some change in these 40 years including a name change to the Australian Breastfeeding Association. However the essence of the association has remained the same.

We still train volunteer counsellors to provide a free and confidential telephone counselling service on all aspects of breastfeeding.

We still hold discussion meetings where mothers can gather to share their experiences and learn from each other.

We still publish a magazine on breastfeeding.

We still provide education about the value of breastfeeding to a healthy community.

In addition, over the years our knowledge of breastfeeding has grown. We now have a Lactation Resource Centre in Melbourne that supports health professionals in their work with breastfeeding women.

Technology has changed. We now have a website - www.breastfeeding.asn.au. We also provide email counselling.

Australian breastfeeding rates are well below the World Health Organisation's recommendations of exclusive breastfeeding until six months with continued feeding until months years.

So the Australian Breastfeeding Association will continue its core business of providing information, education, and support to breastfeeding mothers, health professionals, and the community.

We can proudly claim - 40 years and still doing it!

Ros Fleetwood
Australian Breastfeeding Association

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Circus tricks

Last week's Letters page coincided with the full moon, folks, and didn't G Wallace shine!

Meanwhile... overheard at a Lismore cafe last week: "What's the definition of a Three-Ring Circus? Answer: "Mr. Bush and two other a#%holes."

Without a doubt GW's amazing (sic) letter qualifies him to join the trio, thus forming the world's first Four-Ring Circus. Well done, Wallace. We always knew if you sat on the pot long enough you'd come up with the business.

Tom Murdoch had a rather half-hearted attempt at making it a Five-Ringer but missed out on a guernsey coz he slipped at the last fence by sounding almost (but not quite) credible.

I doubt anyone actually understood Eddie Burns' letter so he, too, dipped out.

And that, dudes, is game, set and match.

Cloud
via Kyogle

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Son of Sam

Great to see fellow Sam Kekovich clones getting airing in the Echo, albeit edited. But what's this? One detainee on some island in the Pacific solution, (some lefties want the ocean renamed the 'Peaceful'!), yeah, one detainee costing us 1.4 billion so far? And I thought we were only paying 100 times what it is costing New Zealand to do the same thing. Hah, we are beating the Kiwis hands down again.

I knew things were good. Very good in fact. I note PM getting into Hansard how it's always incorrect, irrespective of his policies, to refer to the president of the United States of Advertising as the most mediocre in living memory. Good one mate!

So... how many rednecks does it take to change a lightbulb? Hey, we aren't talking one lightbulb here. Even our barbecue area's lit up like Stadium Australia, or else a local car yard or three.

It's all about energy mate, all we can get. War; that's what it's good for. And you can tell it's all making sense.

Spinning Sammy
(aka Stuart Wales)
Lismore

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Business as usual

You'll remember we were supposed to have Council elections last year. Then 'Neddy' Kelly, Minister for 'you'll do as you're bloody-well told', took away our fundamental democratic right to go to the polls. In the meantime he's carving out a new superfiefdom, Jacaranda Shire Council, for Country Labor in Grafton.

And the serfs of the Local Government Boundaries Commission will be there to do his bidding, if prior form is anything to go by.

Neddy's Tammany Hall tactics have nothing to do with local government efficiency and effectiveness. Rather they're all about strategies for entrenching 'party politics' in local government. It's Labor's plan to increase local political control guaranteeing themselves eternal life as rotten borough barons aided and abetted by their humble servants, the Nats.

The smell of opened pork barrels won't be far behind but well after the developers have had their turn at the trough. Anyone who believes otherwise is either naïve or stupid or both.

Perhaps the most interesting feature in all of this is the relative silence of the Mayor of Richmond Valley, Charlie Cox and his council on the loss of 250 sq km of coastal country from Evans Head south. While Cox may find the report into the boundary changes "confusing" and "not allowing enough time for consideration and comment" (Echo, Feb 5) its pretty bloody obvious what's going to happen when you look at the map. He might like to remember he didn't say a word about 'time for consideration' when the consultants for the Casino/Richmond River forced amalgamation produced their major amended report for the public just a couple of days before submissions closed for the Boundaries Commission. Now that wasn't 'enough time'!

Council's had 40 days and 40 nights to call public meetings and a special meeting of Council. But not a sausage.

Council will put its 'behind closed doors' executive pitch to the Boundaries Commission that part of the Evans Head/Jerusalem Creek area should be kept. And you can bet your boots it'll be kept. Then the councillors up for re-election will tell us how wonderful they all are and how Minister Neddy listens to the people. And Labor will finally get the stranglehold on Richmond Valley it's so carefully coveted.

Dr Richard Gates
Evans Head

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Weak Latham

I hope the Labor Party does not weaken its stance on refugees. Carmen Lawrence, Lyndsay Tanner and Barry Jones should be congratulated for their policy. It is a shame that Mark Latham has weakened on refugees. It is important that support is maintained.

The detention centres are unpleasant and that is just speaking from the viewpoint of a visitor. I stood in a queue at Villawood for over two hours, filled in a form, had 3 security checks. My purse was taken to be returned when I left. My fist was stamped.

The Cambodian couple I met have been in the detention centre for over two years. The atmosphere was happy when visitors come but people have difficulty finding the place. It was a strange sort of gaiety. I felt so sad that the couple had been separated from their children for over two years.

Christine Russell
Dunoon

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Spot the diff

The difference between Ros Irwin, Bobbi Allen and G Wallace of South Lismore (leaving aside intelligence, education and coherence) is that they would fight for his right to speak the nonsense he insists on speaking. And do so politely!

Bill Kidd
The Channon

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Independent speaker?

Latham's idea to have an independent Speaker for the Federal Parliament has merit. However, to appoint an Independent MP would only neutralise the Independent and be seen as a major party trick.

Why not appoint an independent non-politician from outside the legislature? And whilst they are at it why not appoint all Ministers from outside the Parliament where the choice is infinitely greater. The quality of the Government, of any Government, would improve beyond belief. This is the system in all European countries and in the US. Could Latham move to end the functional amateurism of our politicians?

Klaas Woldring
Pearl Beach

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Dems pitch

The year ahead is an important one, with Lismore Council elections in March and a Federal election expected before the end of the year. It is a year when voters will decide important issues such as - how we treat the most vulnerable members of our community, the future of our schools and universities, the fairness of our health system, the adequacy and equity of our tax system, the many threats facing our natural environment, and our economic and security relationships with other nations.

The Australian Democrats are proud to have taken a considered and responsible stand on legislation before Parliament and secured many legislative achievements in 2003. These included negotiating many millions of dollars in benefits and concessions for lower income earners, substantial improvements to health legislation, funding for environmental initiatives, improved accountability mechanisms for both business and government, whilst fighting the higher education reforms, the attacks on Medicare and the PBS, the ABC, refugees, civil liberties, the detrimental impacts of a US trade agreement, the attempts to further sell off Telstra and the decision to go to war.

It is important that voters recognise their power in making these decisions at the ballot box and ensure the parties they vote for deserve their vote.

Julia Melland
Australian Democrats
Goonellabah

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Greens correct

I stand corrected by Sylvia Hale, MLC (Echo, Jan 22). The Green party did support the Democrat Local Government Act amendment in June 2003, which proposed candidates standing as independents are required to disclose their membership of a political party. I commend them for that and I see my mistake.

However, the first time the Democrats proposed this amendment in December 2000 the two Green party members spoke against the amendment effectively denying a vote in the parliament, so my assertions that they opposed that attempt were not wrong.

By 2003 they must have seen their mistake too.

Julia Melland
Australian Democrats
Goonellabah

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Ostrom St

Thank you for your question Paul dos Remedios (Echo, Feb 5) about the raising of Ostrom St to prevent residents from being cut off from flooding.

I am a Lismore Council candidate standing with the "Independents for a Better Council" and happy to state my position.

I am a resident of North Lismore. I live in a street that is cut off by flooding long before flooding occurs elsewhere in the town, and consequently flooded long after water recedes elsewhere. The levee wall will increase this problem as water will rise in North more rapidly. There are many other streets in the Lismore district that are cut off by rising floodwater.

We all need to be prepared for flooding, and we need to understand our local area well to avoid any unnecessary loss. If elected I will be seeking to have council provide heights at which streets are cut off to assist residents with planning, particularly in those areas which are adversely affected by the levee wall.

The raising of Ostrom St would need to be assessed against the need of pressing road works in other areas. If elected I would support the continuation of a Roads Committee to prioritise road works based on a points system that accounts for traffic, safety, maintenance, bus routes and industry.

As a councillor I would have respect for the work of the Roads Committee. I would not support the queue jumping of this system, as was the case in Skyline Road.

Vicki Findlay
North Lismore

• Lismore Council candidate

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Ostrom st 2

Paul Dos Remedios (Echo, Feb 5) has asked candidates for the next election to state their position on Ostrom Street in South Lismore and I'm happy to do so. I know Ostrom Street well and understand the concerns residents have about it, regardless of the flood situation.

The Roads Management Advisory Panel, which I initiated when Mayor, has tried to ensure that Council's inadequate resources go to the roads which are the greatest priority. I did ensure that Ostrom Street is on the list of roads for consideration, but because it has a small number of residents and traffic, and is not on a school bus route, it has not yet reached the top of the list of priorities. This is the same situation as many other roads.

If re-elected I will support a review of the points system, which is the basis for allocating funding, to ensure that it is prioritising roads appropriately. I will also continue to support the recommendations of the Roads Management Advisory Panel, which were ignored by the majority of Councillors in regard to Skyline/Durheim Road and meant that other roads on the list could not be upgraded. Finally, I will continue to lobby the State and Federal governments for more road funding, as what we receive is far short of what is needed to provide all residents with the safe road network they deserve.

Cr Ros Irwin
Lismore

• Lismore Council candidate

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Aint over yet

Ballina Mayor Phil Silver has certainly come up with an ingenious explanation for Ballina being the second most complained about council in NSW. (Echo, Jan 29)

According to Phil it seems that in counting complaints one should take no account of complaints by and about councillors . He also discounts complaints of a personal/political nature.

The other out he provides is that the high complaint rate reflects a time when council was dealing with contentious issues 18 months ago.

He referred also to the high complaint figures being used by potential candidates to belittle the organisation. A principle Phil ought to understand and support is that our political system relies on the adversarial approach to expose shortcomings and stimulate improvement. Instead he tries to make criticism appear to be for underhand reasons and therefore unworthy of serious consideration.

Cr Silver bluntly refused to answer questions about the sale of Nth Angels' Beach land when these were raised at an Alstonville Ratepayers meeting mid last year. Council also declined to make a key document concerning that sale available under Freedom of Information even though there is no confidentiality protection for the document.

There is systematic failure by council to allow reasonable access to unclassified information held by council. This failure is not a passing phase. It is part of the mushroom treatment council routinely dishes out to its citizens.

Is my complaint here political? Too right it is! Is my complaint about councillors? Too right! Is it personal? Sure is!

Is it valid? Absolutely!

Shooting the messenger is the best known and oldest technique to avoid facing up to problems. It didn't work all that well for Chinese emperors and it probably won't work for imperious councillors.

Keith Johnson
Alstonville

• Likely Ballina Council candidate

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Molly's folly

Re Ms Crawford's response (Echo, Jan 29) to my letter (Jan 15).

I am sorry that you took umbrage to a certain word I used. It was never my intention to deliberately defame anybody. For that I apologise. I knew I would cop a lot of flack, as does anyone who questions Greenie statements, so I learnt to live with your fellow Green colleague's (Mr Mizzi of Tabulam) derogatory ravings. I do not even mind when BP Carr calls me and my fellow speedboat drivers "maniacs".

But you vilified Ian Armstrong of South Lismore in a letter because he disagreed with your views. So I will give the invitation to visit the lake with you a big miss.

It would be a waste of time seeing information about the Goondiwindi Aquatic Centre. When I was there in 2003 they were still waiting for a flood to come down a creek to fill it. They do not have the luxury of a river alongside. When they do have their grand opening I hope to go and report back to you an accurate spectator count. I am sure it will be more than 25 people.

Once again Ms Crawford is wrong. I am not new to the area. My wife's parents settled in the area in 1927. I have been coming here regularly since 1964. My boats have been raced on the lake. I have skied on the lake. All of my daughters have learnt to ski at the ski school on the lake. I also owned a vintage wooden surf ski from my life saving days and would paddle laps of the lake with them. I cherish the photos of their smiling faces from those times and feel sad that the youth and families in the area today will not be afforded those wonderful moments.

The lake was doomed from the moment Council passed the Development Application for the motel. All the speedies knew that it was not one of the Council's finest hours.

Your letter was a waste of time - I knew that lake was closed mainly due to the blue/green algae. However, you failed to mention to the ratepayers all the chemicals that exist at the bottom of the lake. One must wonder what would happen if another 1974 flood came and washed the lot into the Wilson River.

It would also appear that you have been wrong before when both you and Ms Nelson of Save Lismore Lake quoted "There are threatened species 'living' on the lake". This was modified to 'inhabits' after Ian Armstrong dared to take you to task over some of the questionable statements made by your minority group.

I note that the 'threatened' bird has returned to the lake after a considerable absence, which totally supports my statement (which you failed to address) that the bird is 'blowie' and could fly away at any time and never return, leaving the ratepayers footing the bill for the upkeep and maintenance of the lake for your minority group.

I cannot believe that you are now asking the poor ratepayers of Lismore Shire for millions of dollars to build islands and to beautify the area, which cold be a ticking toxic time bomb, for your own personal selfish use. Claiming that it will bring people to Lismore to see the threatened species of bird that won't be there, on a "tranquil" lake as the Double B and semis thunder past 50 metres away. They will not be able to bring their small children or dogs either as I note you have started a campaign to have them banned also.

Ross Greenwood
Wyrallah

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Speed

Over many months I have written to police of Lismore and Ballina, in relation to speeding cars on our street, very little enforcement has been carried out by police and in fact I have never received so much as a phone call or letter re this matter, even after times, dates, number plates of cars have been passed to authorities and still the speeding goes on. Does some one have to be killed before we receive any attention by police? It would appear so. Readers may say police are busy. Maybe so, but all it takes is to show the "Flag" at times I have nominated but no. Motorists are 'laughing' at the 50kmh and catch me if you can attitude.

A incident took place over a week ago at 5.45pm a resident reported a child running behind a push bike whilst cars sped past, police notified the resident has not heard a word back form police if any action taken.

It reflects very badly on NSW Police service and it's no wonder residents no longer give information to police because complaints are not acted on.

Allan O'Neill
Ballina

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Your gospel

In January, there have been so many letters bagging the so-called 'bleeding hearts' of this country, that I just had to have my say.

I have many good friends who would fall into this category, and I admire them immensely. Give me a bleeding heart, any day, for they can always see the bleeding obvious! (Not my quote, by the way).

While I'm writing, Jim Lee, as my relatives of long ago would say, "Give over Jim, you're becoming a right royal pain!" Your continuous tirade against all things Christian, especially Anglican and Catholic, makes me wonder what you are afraid of. You obviously haven't been inside a private school (if ever) for a long time, you may be surprised! Why don't you go for a visit sometime, perhaps on education day or open display days?

I was a scripture teacher in various public schools for 40 years, and I don't believe that I ever taught dogma. Love and caring for others, including the environment, Believing in ones self and others, yes, as Jesus taught, and forgiving others when they hurt us. If that is dogma, then forgive me, I plead guilty.

I would ask you Jim: what is the gospel according to Jim?

Esme Daley
Wollongbar

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