Letters To The Editor

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Sold out

We all love a flag, so Little Johnny threatens schools. No flag - no dough. So:

Do we click our heels and say 'Heil Howard'? Don our turbans and on bended knees pray to Allah? Ha! Ha!

We could of course, hand over heart, pray - God bless America.

Or, as good Aussies, we could fly the flag at half mast while we hold our precious slouch hat to our chest and hang our heads in shame at letting this government sell us out.

Seems more like a dictatorship to me!

James Harvie
Goonellabah

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Fire power

Referring to the anonymous 'Full-time Firemen' letter (Echo, June 24); the "unwarranted cost" you speak of refers to that of money (Council's contribution, annually, is approx. $84,000) - the petition which I initiated of my own accord comes from a heavy burden on my heart for the unwarranted cost of precious lives.

You attempt to play down the importance of this vital service by portraying firefighters as "sitting around Lismore Fire Station all night". The nature of a night fire is such that it is less likely to be noticed and reported until the fire is well and truly ablaze (the smell of smoke won't wake you up). This was the case in the tragedy of the death of our neighbour, Pete. In such circumstances, one can clearly see how each minute, even each second, is crucial - particularly in traffic accident fires.

The observation "there has not been a serious night fire in this town for several years" is ill informed. Anyone who lives and works in this city and keeps up-to-date on local news will tell you that!

Many of our firefighters have encountered tragic sights throughout their careers - to imply that they do not operate with a genuine concern for the people of Lismore, is truly offensive.

We've all been waiting in good faith for the promise made by the State Government, that a 24-hour staffed fire station would be in place by September 2003, would be kept. It wasn't. The petition is a direct result.

Meanwhile, 10,000 voices have already spoken!

Your transparent attempt to undermine this vital issue and your false allusions to union-driven puppetry only serves to strengthen my resolve.

Theresa Culleton
Lismore

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Thanks Jyllie!

The students, staff and parents of Wilson Park Public School, for students with disabilities, would like to thank Jyllie Jackson (Lantern Parade coordinator) for the loan of lanterns for our school dance last week.

The lanterns - the moon, four stars and an enormous flower decorated our school hall and made a beautiful effect for the students to behold on this special occasion.

Some of our students are unable to access community events so to have the lanterns at the dance made this a very special night for the school community.

Thank you very much.

Gail Allan
Teacher

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Levy fiasco

Your report (Echo, June 24) 'Business Levy Stays' should be a wake-up call to those of us who thought democracy was alive and well in Lismore City Council.

We were advised by council staff, prior to the meeting, that 23 submissions had been received: 17 'against' and six 'for' continuing the levy. Of those 'for' the levy four were from businesses, with one each from the Nimbin Community Development Association (NCDA), a social issues group, and the Nimbin Chamber of Commerce (COC). To further prove our majority, 29 business proprietors and commercial owners participated in a video production. Each participant, all suffering rate rises of over 30% within two years, stated their name, address, and business followed by their opinion. 26 were 'against' and three were 'for' with qualifications.

Many of those in the video did not forward submissions, and many of those who sent in submissions did not participate in the video. Unfortunately, on the night Council's VCD/DVD technology did not work. Never before had council staff seen such interest in a Budget Management Plan. It was pretty obvious to councillors the levy was very unpopular. Instead they voted 8-3 against the Nimbin business community. What is the use of community consultation when large numbers of submissions can so easily be ignored?

Your report mentioned that Cr Irwin advised us to take our group concerns to the Nimbin Chamber of Commerce. Tried that: Didn't work! The COC has a couple of representatives on a planning subcommittee (CEDOC), under the auspices and control of the NCDA. The present management structure from top down is NCDA, CEDOC, COC. The COC is bottom of the ladder in the levy planning and spending department. The only restriction to NCDA control was Council's requirement of COC approval. That was solved by stacking the Chamber with non-business members. To become a member, owning commercial land or business is no longer a requirement; anyone can join. Business people left in droves. This shift becomes obvious when the NCDA is able to control the COC, in order to defeat Main Steet business on the levy issue. If you see on council publicity or press releases that "This is an initiative of the COC in cooperation with the NCDA", you will know you are being misled.

Last year these managers threw $7,000 in levy money plus $22,000 other funds down a large black hole. The problem for council is how to wrest control and planning back from these fools, and hand it back to those people whose pockets are being rifled.

M A Rothwell
Nimbin Business Group

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Flag mad

We welcome today's full page announcement of the establishment of the Australian Flag Pole Inspectorate. The fact that Lord Alexander of Baghdad has been appointed its first Commissar is appropriate and removes an international embarrassment from the world diplomatic stage. (He is to be immediately replaced by Dr Sir Leslie Colin Patterson).

Herr Downer's choice of uniform of brown shirts and shorts with contrasting epaulettes will be a reminder of valiant blonde headed youth groups of another era. The AFPI will of course be silently and swiftly, descending unannounced, to inspect schools, nursing homes, hospitals and the dwelling places of all Australian pensioners and riff raff dole recipients.

All these people must now have 5 x 18 metre aluminium flagpoles erected at the front boundary of their respective premises. In what promises to be a Pole and Flag lead recovery of the economy all people receiving Federal Government funds must, from July 1, fly the Aussie flag, The Stars and Stripes, the State flag, the Aboriginal flag and their local Council flag from dawn to dusk. In addition the Official Federal Government portrait of Lil Johnnie, as issued with the upgraded new RFID fridge magnet, must be displayed in a fitting and proper place within the living room alongside Betty Windsor.

I say this is but a first step. Bring back conscription for all Australians earning less than $500 a week, irrespective of age and medical condition. We need more wars to fight. The fight has only just begun.

John X Berlin
Maclean

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The price of freedom

I was interested to learn recently that the government's pre-election cash handouts to families and carers are known as a 'social dividend' which has been made possible by good economic management. A 'social dividend'? Is Australia now being run like a public company with us as its shareholders?

If this is so, I have a few questions for the board of directors, and I will need some of the answers in order to complete my tax return:

1. Can you please confirm that I am a shareholder in 'Commonwealth of Australia Limited'? I didn't receive a 'social dividend', and neither myself or my stockbroker can find any mention of it in my portfolio, however, I believe I am entitled to vote at the upcoming election for the new board.
2. How many shares do I currently own in 'Commonwealth of Australia Limited' and what is the current value of my shareholding?
3. I have received an offer titled 'Free Trade Agreement' from 'United States of America Limited'. They are offering to pay me $0.00 for all of my 'Commonwealth of Australia' shares. My broker and I agree that this appears to be a raw deal, and that I should at least be offered some 'United States of America' shares in exchange for my 'Commonwealth of Australia' shares. Is it true however that you are advising me to accept this offer, and if I accept the offer, will I be able to claim this as a capital loss?
4. Is it true that 'United States of America Limited', and it's major shareholder, 'Neo-Cons & Associates' are under investigation by the ACCC for using their market dominance to stifle competition? Is it also true that many 'United States of America' shareholders are extremely dissatisfied with their company's current management practices?
5. I'm told that the price of freedom is nearing an all time high. If I sell my shares in 'Freedom Limited', can I use the capital gain to offset the loss I made on my 'Commonwealth of Australia' stock?

Nick Casmirri
Goonellabah

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Wrong again

I heard John Howard in a radio interview on the ABC today (June 29) refer to the recent US Court decision brought by the two Australians at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, Cuba. Our PM stated that the US Court found that the detention was quite legal and thus, his Government was entitled to have done nothing about it for two and half years. Our PM is wrong. A cursory look at the decision reveals how misleading our PM is - again.

On 28th June 2004, the Court of Appeals in the US Supreme Court in the case of Rasul v Bush, Justice Stevens, in a majority decision referred to "The two Australians, Mamdouh Habib and David Hicks, (who) each filed a petition for writ of habeas corpus, seeking release from custody, access to counsel, freedom from interrogations, and other relief... These Petitioners ... are not nationals of countries at war with the United States, and they deny that they have engaged in or plotted acts of aggression against the United States; they have never been afforded access to any tribunal, much less charged with and convicted of wrongdoing; and for more than two years they have been imprisoned in territory over which the United States exercises exclusive jurisdiction and control...What is presently at stake is only whether the federal courts have jurisdiction to determine the legality of the Executive's potentially indefinite detention of individuals who claim to be wholly innocent of wrongdoing... We therefore hold that 2241 confers on the District Court jurisdiction to hear petitioners' habeas corpus challenges to the legality of their detention at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base."

Maybe the PM or his minders can look up a website before he makes blatantly untrue statements - but then maybe, our PM was badly advised - again.

Aniko Cripps Clark
Lismore

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Baby bribe

The politicians will pay $3000 to any woman who will fall pregnant and have a child. They must believe women are not interested in love, feeling, romance or relationships. All they are interested in is hard cash. They are telling us men if we don't pay we will not get any.

Is this the free market they preach about so much? These politicians must believe women are a bunch of prostitutes. Are they promoting prostitution? Are we the people going to accept this?

G Fuga
Goonellabah

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Determined future

A very senior member of council once visited my local beach. He and his mates came to see what Dune Carers had been up to. A certain lady of no mean ability to speak her mind told him a few home truths.

This beach, she said, is recovering from sand mining. Forty years on, it's slowly becoming the fine coastal rainforest it once was. The trees may be small, but they're growing every day. And it's their potential, what they're heading towards, that councils need to understand and protect.

The council chap, seeing no further than the bitou bush and lantana in front of him, said patronisingly "Don't you think you're gilding the lily on that one, Shirley?"

That same stubborn blindness - the inability to see that something wonderful is in its infancy - has remained council's attitude. Even so-called 'environmentalists' in council have said, "That's not a coastal rainforest - It isn't old enough! Not tall enough! Doesn't count! Forget it!"

Has it never entered their collective minds that when we talk about humans we wouldn't dare say that? Just because someone is a baby, a little kid, a mere youngster, doesn't mean they're not worthy of protecting, does it? Don't we protect children even more ferociously than we protect adults?

Why don't we reason that way about the natural environment? Why isn't a young forest as worthy of protecting as a mature one? Shouldn't it be even more worthy, because it's going to become a mature one some day? But that will happen only if we let it grow - something councils aren't in the habit of doing.

As of three weeks ago, those crazy Dune Caring oddballs who think little trees are just as important as big ones, are now vindicated. The top Committee of Ecological Scientists in New South Wales has issued a "Determination" about our North Coast forests.

It says exactly what we were saying all along. Their legal ruling declares all coastal rainforests, mature or young, healthy or impoverished, happy or sad, to be now "endangered communities".

If not protected, they'll become extinct. We'll lose them entirely. Our coastlines will become sandy deserts or paddocks of weeds.

They're being driven to extinction by particular "threats". One major threat is the construction of pathways. Almost nothing else will send these forests into extinction more effectively than building over-wide tracks, walking paths and cycleways through them.

When first told a cycleway was planned between Ballina and Lennox, we idiotic "greenies" opposed it. Send it around, we said, not through the forests. Otherwise we'll lose them. Cyclists who say they enjoy riding through forests will some day have no forests to ride through.

We were laughed to scorn. Now it seems we were right all along.

So go ahead; blast your cyclepaths through the forests if you must. Just remember you're hastening them into extinction. They'll not be there in a decade or two. Instead you'll be riding your bikes through forest graveyards. And I didn't say that - the NSW Scientific Committee did.

So, why not do the right thing and stop this idiocy? Now, before it's too late. Because extinction is definitely forever.

Lee Andresen
Angels Beach Dune Care & Reafforestation Group Inc.

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Hollywood Howard

It has become blatantly apparent that our government policy is directly influenced by not only the GW Bush administration, but Hollywood movies.

Just look at John Howards sudden 'concern' about global warming after one of his kids must have seen The Day After Tomorrow, or the sudden 'concern' over fast food since Super Size Me was released in Australian cinemas.

I just can't wait to see what happens when Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11 hits our screens later this month.

Andy Gough
Larnook

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Profit vs people

In reply to Peter Thomas spokesman for Woolworths Pty Ltd in the Northern Star article on June 12. It seems like once again the council will bend over for big business at the cost of local ratepayers. Before the council makes its decision, Peter Thomas is saying that he can see no reason why the proposal will not go ahead.

We have lived in this street for 28 years and we are in favour of progress but not an 18 hour a day petrol outlet across the road. As the station will be open until midnight we fear that with the increase in traffic and vehicle noise there will also be an increase in crime in the area.

There are approximately 16 service stations existing in Lismore at present with another two barricaded up - due to contaminated sites in flood prone land? I believe that another is on the verge of closing due to close proximity to a school.

Councillor Swientek has for years accused the Lismore City Council of thwarting the Goonellabah Shopping Centre development with the proposed extension of the Shopping Square. The extension of Lismore Shopping Square has been going on for years with the fight toing and froing with the purchase of the 'Spoiler Block' by Coles. The question should be asked; 'Are we having an extension to the Square or are we having an excuse to open a Woolworth's petrol station outlet in Lismore?'

Another problem we see is that between 104-106 Diadem Street there is a lane that children from Lismore Public School, mothers with young children and elderly people utilise to get to the Lismore Square.

For this DA to proceed will the Lismore City Council have to develop a costly Traffic and Pedestrian Plan to ensure the safety of our community?

Kath and Edgar Glasby
Lismore

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Foetus film

What would your readers think of a country that allows its children to be sacrificed to an Idol as in the days of old. Would there be cries of outrage? Would it be called child abuse? Would we appeal to the United Nations Human Rights Charter? Well we are that country.

Here in Australia over 100,000 unborn children are sacrificed on the Idol of Life Style choice. In Australia we destroy more unborn children every eight months then Australian soldiers were killed in WW1. Why isn't this regarded as a national tragedy?

'My Foetus' is a film that will challenge our thinking on this subject. Produced by Julia Black it will screen on ABC TV's Compass on Sunday, July 18. Julia Black's father set up the Marie Stopes clinic, which is the UK's largest abortion provider outside the National Health Service. She grew up with an unquestioning belief in a woman's freedom of choice, and she herself had an abortion at the age of 21. During this film where she is heavily pregnant she challenges her - and our - attitudes towards abortion. The film contains images of dismembered foetuses and shows an abortion using the so-called 'manual vacuum aspiration' method.

The film, like the subject matter, is controversial and emotive - as one pro-life activist suggests, is it right that something too awful to be shown on television should be legal?

Phillip Gosper
Lismore

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