Letters To The Editor

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A nifty idea

It was heartening to read (Echo, June 10) of the setting up of a regional community philanthropic foundation, the Northern Rivers Community Foundation. The whole concept of philanthropy has traditionally been the domain of some very wealthy family dynasties and has not gone much further than that until fairly recently when the Australian Government has promoted the concept for smaller contributors with tax benefits.

This is the time of the year when financial advisors and accountants are giving advice to their successful clients who have had a year with surplus income to needs and who wish to minimise tax by looking for legitimate and safe tax deductions. In the past there have been many schemes particularly in the agribusiness industry that have turned sour because of either a failed enterprise or bad management that has resulted in the taxation department disallowing the deductions with large penalties for the investor.

It is now pleasing that in some financial advisors lists of recommended tax deductions there is seen the concept of giving money to a charitable organisation. Some community organisations already have valid tax deductibility status. However it is not easy for smaller organisations to gain this status and there are expenses and resources in setting this up and administering it at the required level.

The idea of a public foundation being set up where community organisations can apply for financial assistance is very appropriate and it will hopefully encourage those small but important number of people who can afford to donate to be generous.

Philanthropic donations can be viewed as an investment in your own community and the returns on the investment are the enormous satisfaction that can result. This is in effect the allocation of tax dollars where individuals rather than government decides where and how the money is spent - a commendable concept.

Andrew Binns
Goonellabah

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In an ideal world

It has not taken long for Mark Latham to betray his new style of "community politics" by forcing a celebrity politician on a local community.

Latham's decision to impose Peter Garrett on the local people of Kingsford-Smith is a typical example of how big party politics ignores local communities. It directly contradicts Mark Latham's rhetoric about giving local people a voice in national politics.

If Peter Garrett is as good a politician as people say he is why didn't he go through the proper pre-selection process? Why didn't Mark Latham give the local people of the Kingsford-Smith electorate the opportunity to choose for themselves? He deliberately ignored the 200 local Labor Party members that overwhelmingly opposed the Garrett imposition.

When celebrity investment banker Malcolm Turnbull decided to run for the Liberal Party no favouritism was shown. Like any other individual he still had to seek preselection through the local Liberal Party. John Howard did not intervene and deny the local people their right to choose.

I think Mark Latham is finding it hard to follow through on his rhetoric. He has promised Australians a new style of community politics but at the first hurdle he has betrayed his own ideals.

Bob Wilson
Alstonville

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Something old and something new

R. J. Poole has raised some interesting questions about the redevelopment of the old Lismore High School site, however I invite him to look at the concept plans on public display, which I think answer some of his questions. As Chair of the Art in the Heart committee, I'll try to answer some others he asked.

First, this development is all about Lismore's people. Yes, there are bricks and mortar on the site but there is a very large public area that will contain a city square, where people can gather to enjoy a wide range of outdoor cultural activities during our long, hot summers, as well as many small areas for people to just relax and enjoy the shady environment provided by the trees, most of which are to be retained. The proposed retail and sympathetic commercial developments (not funded by Council) will bring much-needed life back into the CBD, and provide many more jobs for our people. The covered car park will encourage people to park there and actually take traffic out of the CBD, including buses.

Second, the proposed residential buildings include studio apartments, some of which will be dedicated to visiting artists who will work in the artists' spaces on the site, as well as larger apartments to cater for a wide range of people. Yes, these apartments may not be affordable for everyone, but they will hopefully be the beginning of a resurgence of living in the CBD, in the European style, which will make our CBD safer. All the research shows that the best way to improve safety is by having people present, and if we can look forward say 10 years, a CBD with restaurants open at night and lots of people walking the block is ten times better than spending huge amounts on CCTV to make us feel safer.

Third, we make history and heritage. Although it would be great if the property owners in the CBD reintroduced bull-nose verandahs and made sure their buildings reflected a heritage style in terms of colours as some do that would be fine. Council restored the Library on that site and is retaining and developing C Block, and the NSW Government will eventually pay to restore the Conservatorium building. But one of the things I have learnt from my contact with the Heritage Council is that trying to emulate the past in new buildings is really inappropriate. Our present will be the heritage of the future, and just as the Sydney Opera House was condemned by many at the time as being inappropriate, so whatever the Art Gallery/Museum building we build on the site turns out to be, in thirty years residents will claim it as part of their heritage.

The lion's share of the funding for this development will come from private investment and grants from the other spheres of government. Wherever I go in Lismore I hear people being excited about this development and how it can take Lismore forward in a way that acknowledges the talent, needs and hopes of all the people in this community. What we have is a concept plan and a great one from my perspective and over the coming months and years it will be fleshed out and may look a bit different on the ground.

Surely it is the concept and what it might mean for Lismore that is important. Let's pull together as a community and support something that future generations in Lismore and tourists from all over Australia - perhaps the world - might visit and, looking at the blend of the very old and the relatively new, might say 'Wow, that's great'.

Ros Irwin
Lismore

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Man of steel

Our Man of Steel, Lil Johnny, threw a "tanty" when he saw the seating plan at Washington National Cathedral for President Reagan's funeral. No kneeling by the leader of the free world, in camera shot with George Dubya, but consigned to pew Z 23, with Azerbaijan, Armenia and Aruba.

General Bojangles was hastily summoned from Yarralumla, told to take off all his 'Mirror Maze' medallions and urgently despatched via luxury Boeing 737 jet to the States. Our Prime Miniature has become very precious indeed. A man of iron ore.

John X Berlin
Maclean

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The forgotten cousin

After reading your front page article Business as Usual? (Echo, June 10) I have this to say.

The NSW Government does not give a stuff about the people of the Northern Rivers! We have one of the highest unemployment areas in Australia in our area. The loss of the BEC centres is a disastrous move for country NSW.

We need all the support we can get from the State Government in country NSW. But as usual it's Sydney first, second, third and fourth! Those political dimwits in Sydney have blown opportunity after opportunity to promote northern NSW.

We have lost a much needed commuter link to Casino and thus causing a drop in business dollars coming into our region via tourism, but does the NSW Government give a damn? No!

To treat the employees of BEC with such disregard is mean spirited. They at least deserved the courtesy of a decent phone call to tell them of their fate, not via the radio! What's the matter - scared of hearing real emotion Mr Carr and Mr David Campbell (Minister for Small Business)?

Mr Carr and Co, NSW isn't just made up of Sydney, Wollongong and Newcastle alone! There are hundreds of rural, coastal and outback communities all fighting to stay alive and viable! In NSW!

Where do you think the Byron Bay beach (the second most popular beach in the world) is? On Sydney Harbour? I don't think so Mr Carr and Co! It's in the neglected Northern Rivers!

I now understand why the Nationals have had a stronghold on the Northern Rivers for nearly 45 years. It's because successive state governments haven't given a damn about the Northern Rivers people!

I'm beginning to think Merv King is right about us joining Queensland! We are only one and a half hours drive from the Queensland border and three hours drive to Brisbane compared with 10 hours drive to Sydney! While you're at it Mr Carr why don't you put Sydney on maximum water restrictions right now and divert at least 20 per cent of Sydney's water supply to the country! And the next time we have a drought put Sydney on maximum water restrictions first and divert the above amount of water to the country. After all Mr Carr and Co it's that blanked out part of NSW in your minds that puts fruit, vegies, meat, wheat and dairy products in Sydneysiders mouths. Not forgetting sugar and wine!

We of the Northern Rivers have been treated like a forgotten cousin for nearly 45 years Mr Carr! By successive state governments since 1961! Both Labour and Liberal! Roll on the next state election. Your government treats people as numbers. Well we will mount the numbers vote-wise to throw your party out of office for its callous treatment of the Northern Rivers! And so will other communities!

Helen Coyle
(a disgruntled Labor supporter)
South Lismore

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Bird watching

Friends and I took our usual Saturday morning walk round Lismore Lake on this special day. The lake was looking good, as it had been over the last few weeks with between two hundred and three hundred water birds, all busy feeding. Included were 16 majestic black swans, 50+ white ibis, 10 royal spoonbills and many ducks of different species, a few noble looking egrets, several purple swamphens, a few moorhens, also the little fellows - 60+ coot, and 70+ little grebes, 12 black-winged stilts and two tiny black-fronted dotterel. All these birds are vegetarians but obviously there were water weeds for them all. The fish-feeders were represented by several little black cormorants, one pied cormorant and just two pelicans.

To begin with we did not sight our special little birds, the jacanas. But then, when the aggressive ibis flew away from the jacana's territory to the far side of the lake, two jacanas came out of hiding. The floating water weeds are not at their best. The lake really does need topping up with water from the creek before it dries out, as it did early last year.

I have just returned from a holiday, which took me to Port Douglas, Cairns, Mareeba on the Atherton Tableland, Rockhampton and environs and finally Landsborough. For bird life our little lake compared favourably with any body of water that I saw on the trip. The Mareeba wetland was a real disappointment, still no water to speak of, and of course very few birds.

Before I finish this letter I must add that as we were finishing our lake walk we came across a large area of litter on a grassy patch under the trees, very unsightly. A number of people had sat there and enjoyed a picnic by the lake, then left without a thought for the environment that they were despoiling. I will take a plastic bag next time I go and try to "keep Australia beautiful".

Molly Crawford
Lismore

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Adding fuel to the shire

As a resident of Lismore I would like to voice my objections to the proposed Woolworth's petrol outlet in Diadem Street.

My concerns with this development are:

• When Woolworths proposed plans for a Big W there was no petrol station on the original plans. A Development Application for the service station was put into Council 6-10 days ago.

• It is across the road from residential housing and also near playing fields.

• I am concerned about the contamination to the surrounding ground as we know there is always some leaching to the soil of the fuel products. I am also concerned about floods and the spreading of contamination from this site.

• There would be increased traffic flow and noise from fuel tankers and extra vehicles from the service station being open Mon-Sat (6am-12am) and Sun (7am -10pm). Also a neon sign would be on to advertise the station and it will be opposite residential housing also.

• Woolworth, who use Caltex Stations as their outlets in other towns, could use Caltex, which is in a better position at Woodlark and Dawson Streets. Woolworth's does not seem to have approached any existing petrol outlets in Lismore to distribute Woolworths petrol.

My question to the Lismore councillors is "does Lismore need another service station as there are 16 plus petrol stations now?" And if this station opens which other service station would be forced to close? I would like to see Lismore City councillors and the community back these residents and stand up to a big organisation and say no to the service station proposal.

Rhonda Powell
Lismore Heights

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Fire starter

Recent comments by the NSW Fire Brigades Assistant Commissioner Bob Dobson, while on a visit to the area, that "Lismore is not a priority for a 24-hour permanently manned fire station" are provocative and incorrect.

Statistics recently given to the Lismore City Council by the NSW Fire Brigades Commissioner Greg Mullins, comparing Lismore with other regional centres in NSW, actually confirm that Lismore should indeed be their top priority.

The fact that the NSW Fire Brigades states that it is keeping Lismore under a "constant review" is a joke.

The problems have already been identified and acknowledged by the Brigade. Those basic risks and unique problems cannot be alleviated or removed and can only be addressed by the placing of permanent firefighting staff around the clock.

That is why a commitment was made in September 2001 by the former Fire Brigades Commissioner to have 24-hour permanent staffing in place at Lismore Fire Station by September 2003. The commitment for this staffing enhancement was echoed by the present Commissioner in August 2003.

This is what the petition that Theresa Culleton (Echo, June 10) started is all about, it's the people of this area telling the Government and the Fire Brigade, in no uncertain terms, to honour their commitment and put in place the remainder of the permanent staff at Lismore Fire Station so the city can have the promised 24 hour permanent fire protection.

Let's hope that Theresa's fantastic effort in getting 10,000 signatures doesn't fall on deaf ears and that the NSW Government and the NSW Fire Brigades stop delaying and/or playing politics and deliver the extra fire protection that Lismore was promised.

Name and address supplied

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Keep it moving

The current issue regarding the cessation of the Casino to Murwillumbah CountryLink services has had far reaching impacts upon our region. The NSW Legislative Council is to be congratulated for viewing this matter with the seriousness it deserves. It has been the tireless work of the region's community members, businesses, organisations, political parties and local Governments that has ensured that the effects of the decision are heard and considered.

The inquiry day that was held in Lismore on June 9 received a broad range of responses to this closure. A number of common themes were apparent across the speakers:

• The inadequacies of the timetable for our community's needs

• The environmental, economical and social impacts of increased heavy vehicle numbers on our roads

• The need for an extension to Queensland to assist with the predicted increase in population and visitor numbers over the coming years

• The lack of adequate public transport in this region.

This inquiry highlights the lack of access to adequate public transport as an immense social issue for our region. It is a lack of transport options, as reported by Richmond Valley Mayor Charlie Cox, which has a direct link to vehicle theft within his Shire. The same scenario impacts upon those who have been disqualified from driving. How are these community members able to obtain fresh food, keep medical appointments or transport their children? This lack of transport options has the potential to turn some of our residents into law-breakers.

Occurrences such as these are rare in cities that have adequate public transport systems; the punitive ramifications of this punishment are incomparable for regional residents.

The Public Transport Development Project calls upon Local and State Governments and the community to fight for not only a relevant rail system but also an equitable public transport system.

Linda Lomman
A/Project Officer
Public Transport Development Project

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