Letters To The Editor

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Trade tirade

Ian Causley's column "Free trade and intelligence" (Echo, Mar 11) is an insult to decency. His arrogance and attempts to whitewash the criminal activity of this US-subservient Howard government exacerbate the problem of terrorism and puts Australia at greater risk of retaliation.

The Parliamentary Joint Committee's report on Iraq does not justify the criminal actions of the Howard government as he implies. Australia's intelligence briefs were merely cross reference, but effectively insignificant, opinions to what Washington had already dictated for Howard's policy.

All the motives claimed for this pre-emptive and delusional war by the so called "Coalition of the Willing" are now satisfactorily proved false. Consequently, there can be no question that the tens of thousands of Iraqi deaths and mutilations - citizen or military - amount to crimes against humanity.

It was the UN's responsibility to decide military action. Indeed, Australia, in blind and obliging allegiance to the US, sought by clandestine activities to corrupt and subvert the UN charter to peacefully negotiate the crisis. Iraqi government 11th hour attempts offering an unconditional opening of Iraq to the coalition were also purposely frustrated by coalition operatives. The Bush administration wanted war and it wanted the blood on the hands of as many nations as possible. Howard prostituted Australia to the cause.

Australia must sincerely and truthfully determine its position in the "terrorist" scenario before it can hope to successfully prevent more bloodshed. The "terrorists" are merely people driven by desperation and seeking justice against their oppressors. Australia's Washington oriented foreign policy, has been instrumental in perpetrating injustice against the Arab people for over half a century.

The US vetoed no less than 24 UN resolutions against Israel for its crimes upon the Palestinian people, and so perpetuated injustice, atrocities and insults against all Arab peoples. It consequently made retaliatory action inevitable. Australia provides for and nurtures this injustice by its immoral foreign policy.

Marijonas Vilkelis
North Lismore

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Mayoral race

Never has the choice of mayoral candidates been greater than at this coming Council election.

On the ballot paper we find recycled candidates, who have failed to inspire us in the first place. There is an incumbent candidate who has been on Council for so long that one might think he is a part of the furnishings. Then there are big-end-of-town candidates who are spending large amounts of money on their campaigns, as if they knew that the benefits of being on Council would return far more money into their own pockets. We also find a couple of quite colourful candidates who might appeal to certain colourful minority groups. Finally we find party politicians who take pains to boast their independence from their party at every opportunity. I wonder, why.

None of these candidates seem to inspire those voters who might call themselves 'normal' Aussie battlers. Voters who simply cannot afford to see their rates go sky-high because of huge debts being incurred by Council. Voters who simply want the best possible return for their rate dollar. Voters who don't want their money spent on personal 'monuments' or pie-in-the-sky projects. Voters who want decent roads without potholes re-appearing soon after being reconstructed. And voters who want sensible answers to the ever-increasing crisis in affordable housing.

If there is a candidate who has shown common sense, financial acumen, lack of group bias and lack of personal interests in the past five years it would be David Tomlinson. Unfortunately, the vote for him is likely to promote other candidates just as much or even more than himself. Unless, of course, he gets so many votes below the line that he gets in all by himself. Which would be just what Lismore needs! That's my view, of course. Maybe yours too?

Michael Qualmann
Modanville

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Work together

A few thoughts on the upcoming election.

Why do some candidates, who should know better, continue to rant and rave about the six pack? I had always thought a six pack was a sign of good health and fitness, parts of the total entity working in harmony, formed by years of perseverance, exercise and commitment to the wellness of the body as a whole.

As for those who continue to complain about councillors voting with disregard to community opinion, and against staff and expert advice. That is exactly what a councillor is elected to do. Those who argue to the contrary show a dismal, if not criminally negligent, knowledge of the role of an elected councillor. Who is to judge community opinion and how? Without a plebiscite, community opinion is an imponderable, and even then the results can be questionable. A poll on rate payers having a year off from paying rates would undoubtedly be passed. Surely no one would argue a councillor would be justified in so voting.

If councillors voted in favour of staff advice every time, you wouldn't need an elected council, an administrator would do just as well.

How do you rate councillors who oppose projects such as the Lismore Baths redevelopment or the regrading of Skyline Road, but then sacrifice their principles on the altar of pragmatism by not supporting rescission motions because they realise it might adversely affect their chances of re-election?

How many mayoral candidates have done deals on preference swaps which they won't disclose? What promises have they made, of which we know nothing?

If you look at the groupings, all have done so because they have been advised by electoral officials that 85% of the electorate will vote above the line. Each group has a number of 'quality' candidates hidden down the list on the basis that they won't or don't want to be elected but are there to add a certain 'lustre' to the group.

A vote above the line is a vote for anarchy. A vote above the line will leave Lismore with a council which would make the NRMA Board look like the Mickey Mouse Club.

A vote below the line for the best 12 quality candidates is the only way to go. Vote for a mayoral candidate who has actually achieved something, rather than simply talked about how good s/he is. A little reflection will reveal the quality and substance and expose the dross.

N Harrison
Lismore

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Below the line

Thanks to the Editor (Echo, Mar 18) for laying out the voting procedure that will apply in the coming Lismore City Council elections.

This a timely, comprehensive and much-needed briefing indeed.

Following that article, voters who may not wish to follow a particular Party or Group now know that they can choose at least 11 individuals from the field of 60 that will be set out "below the line" on the ballot paper.

This allows an elector to make his or her choice as to who they want on Council, rather than have the decision made by someone else.

The election will doubtlessly turn up some interesting statistics. Some statistics will relate to people who, being keen to serve on Council, agreed to join a group in a bid to attain that end.

The order of preference allocated to them in the group, however, might mean that their chance of reaching their goal is negligible. One would not blame them, or their supporters, if they chose then to vote below the line and give themselves the number one vote in their group. They could also distribute their preferences to maximise their move.

With the potential for such happenings it should be a very interesting election indeed.

Reg Baxter, OAM, JP
Lismore

• Lismore Council candidate

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In defence of Ros

Regarding the recent letters on Cr Ros Irwin by Reg Baxter and John Barnes (Echo, 18 March 2004). They are just among a number of people who regularly attack Ros Irwin via your paper.

Well I have had enough of these people denigrating Ros and her work. In all the letters I have read, not one has ever acknowledged the good work Ros does.

Ros Irwin is not a bitter woman as John Barnes has said. She cares about people and is genuinely concerned about the people who are really doing it tough in Lismore. Ros works tirelessly to let people know what is happening in Council via the newspapers and face to face in conversation. To call people the unemployed brigade and unwashed is an insult to low-income people who manage to keep clean despite battling poverty.

Ros is presently the only person on council who gives a damn about people doing it tough and homeless people. Ros, when she is not doing council work or her paid work at SCU, is a volunteer at the Lismore soup kitchen. She sees firsthand the face of poverty in Lismore. She always asks how we are going and tries to answer any questions we may have about council.

Ros has not had a break for a good number of years because she loves her community.

The last time I saw Ros recently was in Carrington Street where she was taking a rare hour off to go for a walk. She had a sunny smile on her face and was quite happy to catch up with me for five minutes. Ros Irwin is a very approachable woman - she is strong but caring at the same time. We need people of Ros Irwin's calibre on Council!

How many of the current serving councillors and council candidates can honestly say that they really care about the disenfranchised people of our community?

So in other words all you critics out there of Ros Irwin back off and give her a break! Ros's policy is to put people first - something other councillors could learn! I'd have a person on council like her any day. Matter of fact, Ros would make a very worthy Mayor of Lismore.

Helen Coyle
South Lismore

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Older radio

Further to the letter from Mavis (Echo, Mar 18).

Keep listening Mavis, your request may be granted sooner than you think.

There will be a new committee at 2NCR-FM soon and they will be endeavouring to shed the station of its 'Student Music' tag and will be giving the majority of listeners in the community, the music they prefer.

They are however, short of mature age volunteers to help with the running of the station. I hope that with the 'New look' 2NCR-FM, playing pleasant music, the business community will give financial help by the way of sponsorship, to help the station survive.

Norm Cochrane,
Volunteer programme presenter
2NCR-FM 92.9

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Labor rort

The NSW Labor Government has done everything it can to rig the council election voting system in favour of political parties, namely the Labor Party.

The Labor Party changed party registration rules so that only political parties can have their name above the line on the ballot paper.

The Labor Party further ordered that political parties would appear first on the ballot papers followed by the independents.

The Labor Party abolished group voting tickets, which allowed like minded independent candidates to exchange preferences. The new system effectively now means political party candidates can get elected with fewer votes then independent candidates.

The Labor Party decreed that counting will now be done in Sydney instead of here in Lismore. That means that only Sydney political parties like the Labor Party and the Greens party will be able to monitor the counting because independents simply cannot afford to send scrutineers to Sydney for the three weeks the counting may take.

Lismore residents can and should resist this scandalous attack on local democracy.

Vote 1, 2, 3 etc in the box above the line without a party name next to it.

Don P Greene
Springrove

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Best candidates

Whilst I served our community as a councillor on the former Terania Shire, and later as an alderman of Lismore City Council with many good citizens of our area, some of whom gave many days of service without remuneration, it is my opinion that unless we as electors are very careful as to who we support in this years local government election and vote below the line we could easily elect the worst council ever to represent us.

I always considered Cr Diana Roberts the better of her team - she gave good service to those who elected her.

The council will miss Cr Ken Gallen as he was sincere in representing the Council on NSW Local Government Association as well as the community in general. It is my opinion that Frank Swientek has continually worked for Goonellabah people to get a better deal for Goonellabah, deserves the continued support of ALP members and the citizens of Goonellabah who have previously supported him as he has proved himself.

Regarding Reg Baxter, all I can say he is a proven fighter. He gave service in World War II, was wounded, came back and has continued to give service ever since.

I served on the Sports Trust with Reg and the Works and Saleyards Committees, and soon found him to be a person who would roll up his sleeves and help get the job done.

I've heard him say on many occasions "Show me a young person who plays sport, and I'll show you a person who is not in trouble with the police". That is why he is so keen on sports he is a family man. Both John Crowther and Reg Baxter have served our community extremely well for many years. They both need our votes if they are to continue to represent us, as I am sure they will do their best if elected.

It is very important that we elect a team that will not hamstring jobs, and also provide for the elderly and young alike.

One thing is sure - we will get the council we deserve.

Jim Armstrong
Clunes

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History repeats

Regarding political parties seeking positions on Lismore City Council at the forthcoming elections on March 27, I would offer these points for the electorate to consider.

History, past and present reveals that political parties can rarely be trusted all the time.

So to vote for a party political group at the upcoming elections would really be stretching the limits of ones faith in humanity.

I base my argument on the following observations and two quotations.

Considering the machinations emanating from Washington DC Canberra and Macquarie Street parliaments, to name but a few, I believe that the following quotes are both pertinent and relevant.

Firstly Benjamin Disraeli (politician and statesman) "There is no act of meanness or treachery of which a political party is not capable."

Secondly Murphy's Law states that "No ones life liberty or property is safe whilst the legislature is in session".

So, in view of the past and present record of some of our politicians (of all persuasions), who, in their right mind, would vote for a councillor or mayoral candidate with a politically influenced agenda?

Wilfred Hoskins
Wyrallah

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Attack truth

After Spain, John Howard has predictably rushed to the media with crocodile tears about not being able to guarantee that Australia will not be a victim of a major terrorist attack.

The simple truth is the contrary, that Causley and Howard's Coalition war on Iraq guaranteed that we would become victims- the first ones to suffer from the Coalition's War were our soldiers, though their symptoms will take years to emerge, and then our civilians in Bali. The Coalition government will be equally responsible for the next attack on Australians, wherever or whenever it happens. The invasion and murder of people in an illegal 'war' on another nation, crimes against humanity, has consequences, Mr Howard and Mr Causley! We Australian citizens won't be allowed to forget the consequences of your vicious political games for generations to come.

Richard Morrow
Lismore

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Carparking

Re Brian Henry's proposed three storied parking station (Echo, Mar 18).

I agree that more car parking is needed for Lismore, however no large scale construction, as proposed by Brian Henry, is possible on top of the Clyde Campbell car park. The existing carpark is built on straw bales used as fill around the flood drain which was constructed in the sixties beneath the car park. Previous studies have shown that a high rise building on this site would be cost prohibitive.

Lismore's requirement for more carparking will be better met by the under cover parking which will be provided by the new Woolworths development at no cost to the rate payer.

Cr Frank Swientek
Goonellabah

• Lismore Council candidate

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Vote me

The Local Government forced amalgamation juggernaut is on its way. First Sydney, then the Clarence, and then Tamworth. Next Lismore? Beware!

Give Bob Carr and his cronies a very clear and loud message on Saturday that you want an independent Lismore.

Graham Meineke
Lismore

• Lismore Council candidate

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Pool view

I have to agree with Cr Tomlinson (Echo, Feb 19) that the decision on the Memorial Baths taken by the six pack is a tragedy.

The consultants that Council engaged during my tenure 1995 - 1999 came up with a common sense solution to the problems encountered on that site. Problems that the new pool will also encounter because of a lack of vision from a majority of our elected Councillors. That solution which was priced as costing less than $1million, was simply to sleeve the existing pool with a metal shell. It is flexible and even if it did crack could be more easily repaired than the concrete pool.

The ongoing maintenance costs of this new pool will be an even greater burden on the public purse than the current one. Nobody denies the significance of the Baths and the service people that it represents, but lets face it, the population has moved up the hill. The current pool adequately services the need downtown and just needed to be maintained for less cost.

What Lismore needs is more water space, a truth ignored by the dills on the hill. Every study has clearly identified this. Cr Sweintek has been fighting for a Goonellabah pool for years, but this decision has put that even further out of reach than it was before. Whatever personal hassles people may have had with him, is that good enough reason to punish the entire population of Goonellabah? I think not.

Many of the Councillors have passed their expiry date, including some of the first-termers. This is just one of a raft of decisions made without thought or consideration of the people these fossils are supposed to represent.

Gray Wilson

• Lismore Council candidate

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Council Debt.

When reading the Lismore Council's Annual Report for 2003, Part 4.2.3 in respect of the council's debt level made me very concerned about the councillors attitude towards debt and the need to service and repay these loans.

The disclosed amount owing at 30 June 2003 is $7.67 million with an additional, budgeted for, borrowing of $7.37 million. The budgeted, annual repayments of this debt is only $.151 million. Therefore as the councillors responsible for accumulating this massive debt are standing for re-election from my perspective the only legacy they have given to the people of Lismore is a debt burden of $14 million. This has effectively mortgaged the community for the next 12 years, given that no further debt is to be accumulated.

As these people had been elected to reflect the needs of the Lismore community I feel they have failed badly and have created a long-term problem where debt servicing takes priority over providing much needed community services.

Terry Harvey
Goonellabah

• Lismore Council candidate

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Bird beauty

Last Thursday I attended a workshop run by the Department of Agriculture in the Youth Hall at Coraki.

The main Topic was Guidelines for Managing Floodgates and Drainage Systems on Coastal Floodplains., and in particular how to achieve sustainable production in "back swamps". There were many knowledgeable people present, agronomists, a hydrologist, three speakers on Acid Sulphate soils - all from NSW Agriculture, two officers from NSW Fisheries, a representative from Wetland Care Australia, two from Richmond river County Council and two men who knew about Soil and Water tests.

It was all interesting, but I really pricked up my ears to listen during the lunch break when a young man doing a PhD study of Black-necked Storks in our area spoke about them Then he mentioned Jacanas, the other threatened species in the Northern rivers. He said that if anyone asked him where the Jacanas where , he had to tell them , " The've Gone!, and he repeated this, " They've Gone~!" No-one knows where, or whether numbers will build up and they will come back. " I raised my hand and said how lucky we were to still have them in small numbers on Lismore Lake, and what is better still, that they are breeding.

This fact was again apparent to me when I took my walk around the Lake last Saturday. First I spotted a female bird at the northern end just standing and preening. Then a little male flew down. To my surprise he began to drag material, weeds and the like to one spot where it was obvious he was making a nesting Platform. In this species of bird the role of male and female is reversed. After a while the larger female came and stood on the platform.

She tweaked a leaf here and there, but I got the feeling she was not yet satisfied, and she would not let the male come close to her. They flew together down the southern end of the lake. I followed and soon saw the male with two small youngsters. These must have been two of the family of three that were newly hatched a week ago. As I have said before rearing a family when you spend all your life on floating water weeds is a hazardous business.

Now I am aware that some people in our community are not at all interested in wildlife, but many people are the reverse, so I write for them.

Molly Crawford
Lismore

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Deja vote

I'm getting an uncomfortable sense of déjà vu about one of the "teams" running in the Lismore 60 Council race. Another pet project located on the floodplain - but this time (so, what a "vision" for Lismore) a multi-story car park! Just what our superb, historic, eccentric and charming streetscape needs, a concrete blob worthy of a self-disrespecting urban megopolis.

I believe Cr Swientek's assessment of the engineering issues. The structure would undoubtedly collapse given it would have hay bales set in dodgy soil and a drain for foundations. Brian Henry's contribution to the debate about what really matters to Lismore and its future seems as flimsy as this ill-considered proposal (which first surfaced some the years ago) - a nice bit of PR puff with a grain of commonsense, shaded parking, at its core.

Preserve us please from another pack of cotes that are stacked to favour only one "great project" (no negotiations entered into) at the cost of everyone and everything else (it is of course the whiff of stale beer and chlorine I refer to). Shuffle the cards well, break up the suits and aim for a balance of independent and intelligent components for a royal flush to the blockages in council achievements.

Mind you, the voting lead up is raising some very interesting issues - Lismore as the cultural, business, sporting and health services centre and capital of the Northern Rivers, community consultation, rail services and limited free public transport, sports options and access (NB: cycling)) and environmental issues and it would be great to achieve a council composition not driven by the imposition of their will but rather achievable long term goals that inspire the community enough to make them make sure they happen.

No more "promises, promises", just a visionary plan with well-mapped terrain.

My vote is not for sale and I trust neither are Council seats.

I felt quite sad for Cr Reg Baxter when I read his letter (Echo, Mar 18). Has he really been so caught up in the "pace" and powerful influences of politics that he is in denial about "the six pack?" They have fragmented into many different groups now standing for election, but has their modules operandi changed?

I doubt they have needed Albert Einstein - "We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used to create them".

Liz Gibbs
Eltham

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Carparking plan

I have read with interest how the mayoral candidates have responded to various works within the CBD. I find the business (Brian Henry and Barry Crimmins - Action Now) group's vision of a three-storey carpark over Browns Creek lacking in foresight. I believe that this over simplistic view of plonking a car park over another to achieve shaded parking is no solution to the CBD's problems.

With the predicted increase in numbers using our new aquatic centre, the removal of carparks in that area is bizarre. With the relocation of the library to the old high school site and the future development to occur at this location, expansion of carparking at this location is logical, available and also required. It has easy vehicle access and with a large well-lit pedestrian access to Keen Street, it is a perfect place to enter the CBD.

There has been a number of surveys completed and additional and shaded carparking may be required, but determining the location and size of them needs to be part of a holistic approach to people movement, (both now and future) including pedestrian, cycling, private and public vehicles that could include shuttle buses. The Independents for a Better Council will ensure a more detailed approach is undertaken to any such project before committing $5M of the community's money.

Barry Garland
Richmond Hill

• Lismore Council candidate

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Sports costs

The reflex action of the social spectator is to blame youth participation rates with the decline in youth participation in sport. These self-evident utterances do nothing to address the issues, as a junior cricket coach I found that the competition for training net space was profound. In fact we had little choice but to move to a sub-standard public net for training for the majority of the year, where the grass was long and the netting holey.

And why are the public facilities so sub-standard. There are two processes at work, firstly inadequate funding of public amenity and secondly and consequentially the privatisation of public training facilities into the hands of the clubs, who maintain them but also lock out the public.

For example during my youth I had access to five nets in the middle town. Those nets remain, however three of them are now locked up and under the care of a club, one working and the last one is a joke net patched together with plastic bags.

Certainly I mean no disrespect to the clubs and their core volunteers. As public expenditure dried up and vandalism increased what choice was left but to hand over public assets to private maintenance and control?

Is this the road we really want to take? As we privatise these resources we also burden the clubs with their maintenance costs and this will soon include the mowing of fields. These costs are inevitably passed on to the families of youthful participants and in time sport becomes the domain of the wealthy elite, as it is in England? That's not my choice of road.

Laurie Axtens
North Lismore

• Lismore Council candidate

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