Letters To The Editor

Us too

Regarding the wondrous pothole machine - can we clone it? Kyogle Shire Council neglects Bonalbo water, roads and basic services problems. Rates are up by almost 10 percent. Ernie Bennet favours his attention to other towns and has first allegiance to just Kyogle. Why?

Jane Heard-Crombie
Kyogle

Rates for mates

It's been nearly six weeks since Richmond Valley Council announced its proposed rate rise of 13%. Well Minister Tony Kelly has granted council's wishes and ratepayers now have to live with a 12.71% rise. This decision effects every ratepayer harshly, especially those whose land values have risen through no fault of their own. Ratepayers and residents along with the Evans Head and District Ratepayers and Residents Association (EHDRRA) have written thousands of letters to state and local politicians. I'm more than confident to say that Minister Kelly has received hundreds of letters on that rate subject.

Only a few people have received a reply of some sort from the Local Government office, but no-one has received a response from Minister Kelly himself. How odd! The EHDRRA, which represents a quarter of ratepayers in Evans Head also got no reply. How odd again!

I cannot believe a subject so important does not receive acknowledgement from Minister Kelly considering his decision will have a huge effect now only on low-income families but also small businesses in our district.

What is your problem Minister Kelly?

Are you too gutless to answer our letters because you don't know how?

Mick Aarts
Evans Head

Vale Wal

The death of amiable former NSW State National Party Leader, Wal Murray, reminds us that he was one of the very few National Party Members prepared to expose the Federal Leader, John Anderson, for the inept kowtowing political fraud that he really is. For his troubles, Wal Murray was expelled by his local National Party Branch.

They really are a weird mob - the NPA "Hayseeds". As we approach L'il Johnnie's final curtain call there are now only 13 incumbent Nationals, in Federal Parliament. Only 25 of the 150 seats are being contested by the NPA, Federally. This is the worst position the "Hayseeds" have been in since the Great Depression of 1923. Look at the two people who contested its leadership after the last Federal election, there was Our Ian, the Member for Page Ian Causley and there was the man who confesses to be unable to read a balance sheet, Federal Transport Minister and Killer of Ansett, John "Figjam" Anderson.

Need I say more?

John X Berlin
Maclean

Suffer the refugees

Recently I was able to pass good news on to a young mother. Her husband has been recognised as a refugee after being locked in Nauru for three years.

You would think this would be the answer to her dream, but her nightmare still continues. He is not allowed to apply for her to come to Australia because he is on a Temporary Protection Visa (TPV). She has been discovered by the country where she is hiding and will be deported to Afghanistan in a number of days. She will be unprotected in a place of devastation and danger.

Her husband was a shopkeeper, hardly a skill which will allow him to apply for a permanent visa under Mr Howard's new pre-election compassion package‚ so teasingly dangled in front of TPV holders.

Proven refugees need a safe home. What is the point of making them suffer more? Votes?

Elaine Smith
West Haven

ALP backs FTA?

Will the ALP have the guts and maturity to put Australia's interests first?

Or will it go the same way as during the 2001 when Mr Beazley claimed the ALP had to support border protection and the Pacific 'Solution' on account of perceived public sentiment and the election?

We opposed the Pacific Solution publicly then and we now oppose the US FTA. The agreement is not in Australia's interest. The ALP knows that. It should stick to its guns this time and wear the flack of small self-interested groups. That is what will help them win the election.

Klaas Woldring
Pearl Beach

Free Trade truths

Why is our Government failing to tell us the truth about the Free Trade Agreement (FTA)? I found an interesting piece in the New York Times (July 12) on their view on the FTA in relation to drugs.

"The agreement, negotiated with Australia by the Bush administration, would allow pharmaceutical companies to prevent imports of drugs to the United States and also to challenge decisions by Australia about what drugs should be covered by the country's health plan, the prices paid for them and how they can be used."

It represents the administration's model for strengthening the protection of expensive brand-name drugs in wealthy countries, where the biggest profits can be made.

In negotiating the pact, the United States, for the first time, challenged how a foreign industrialised country operates its national health program to provide inexpensive drugs to its own citizens. With strong backing from the pharmaceutical industry, Bush administration officials have said they want to raise the price of drugs overseas to spread the burden of research and development that is borne disproportionately by the United States.

For years, drug companies have objected to Australia's Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, under which government officials decide which drugs to cover and how much to pay for them.

The trade pact would allow drug companies to challenge decisions on coverage and payment.

Joseph M Damond, an associate vice president of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, said Australia's drug benefit system amounted to an unfair trade practice.

"The solution is to get rid of these artificial price controls in other developed countries and create real marketplace incentives for innovation," Mr Damond said.

"Market place incentives for innovation" is doublespeak for you suckers pay more so that we get more profit. Anyone with an illness here can tell you - the poor and middle classes often cannot afford to get the drugs they need even now - it will get worse after the FTA goes through. A vote for Causley means our health system worsens as he supports this FTA.

Aniko Cripps Clark
Gundarimbah

Reality politics

Australia is perhaps only weeks away from elections for a new federal government, yet we see the usual lacklustre, boring politics. The performance of the major contenders is nothing less than pathetic. There are no debates of relevance and no real discussion of issues of importance to Australia's future.

On top of this, the media offer little information, analysis or worthwhile comment, merely pursuing and regurgitating the nonsense, lies and less than subtle propaganda poured out daily by politicians and their spin doctors. With only a few exceptions, our politicians are completely out of touch with the needs of people and communities. Understandably, people have become very cynical and it is evident the system itself is not in any way engaging youth or the general public. It is obvious, that if we are to have an effective working democracy people need to be heard. The rhetoric like "war on terrorism," "sustainable growth," "globalisation," etc. has no real meaning. In plain speak, we have got to get real about the problems we that face us all.

The war in Iraq has proved a debase exercise in war mongering, wholesale political deception, contravention of human rights, and a most serious attack on the principles of international law and diplomacy. At every level, this has been a manipulation of the democratic process, where the current government acted against the wishes of the majority of Australians. On another front, this same government says it will continue running the country on oil with absolutely no serious proposals to develop alternative non-polluting technologies. More alarming, is that underlying this policy, is the assumption that all will remain as it has for the last fifty years, continuing the massive over consumption of resources and consequent pressures on the environment.

Another example of common misinformation espoused by both parties and the media is that we have low unemployment. What are the true statistics, when full employment is taken as having work for one hour a week?

Governments continue to talk about the gross national product or millions of dollars generated from this industry or that. This is economic gobbledegook which provides no measure of how people are managing their lives or the level of poverty or the quality of our food or water, or of our public health or education.

Surely, we need to ask deeper questions concerning our society and the political system, and whose interests are being served by it. I believe people want change and will support leaders who question the growing militarism, and who work to promote peace and security through building democracy and community and bringing economics into harmony with our environment.

John Jessup
Lismore

Fair cop

Can anyone imagine governments like Yugoslavia and the US government giving trials to two mass murderers, the bloody likes of Milosevic and Saddam? Did they give trials to the thousands of innocent people they in turn mass murdered? No, of course they did not. They should have been shot as soon as the authorities caught up with them.

Norm Reg Turner Davidson
Goonellabah

Means tested babies

I am responding to M Manars letter (Echo, July 15), which was commenting on G Fuga's from the week before.

As I read through this letter I first though many good points were made defending the $3000 baby bonus. I also think it is a great help to new parents and I know what considerable assistance it would have been to me when my children were born.

My only further opinion on it is that it absolutely should be means tested because I know some families who would just use it for an extra holiday. But this is where Mel Manar's letter stops appealing to me. I find it extraordinary that comment goes on to include how prostitution is empowering to women! There is nothing empowering about a women selling her body and with it her dignity, for financial gain. Sex is nature's gift of reproduction and an act of affection and love we can share with someone we care about. A precious gift that shouldn't be abused. To defend prostitution as though it is some great occupation that deserves respect and worse - offers women empowerment, is just a very sad perception; a personal choice for some of course, but lets get real about what it is.

M Northfield
Lindendale.

First aid

I am writing in response to the recent media discussions regarding Sarah Allen, the nine-year old girl who was set on fire in Minto on Thursday, July 15. In the first instance, I'd like to congratulate Mrs Thompson on her bravery in going to the little girl's aid. She tried to help in a very difficult situation.

A terrible tragedy such as this highlights how important it is for everyone in the community to know first aid.

We hope that your audience do not have to ever encounter such a situation, however if they do, we encourage them to take the following action:

In the case of burns, the overall goal is to minimise further damage to the casualty.

Drop the person to the ground and roll them immediately to extinguish the flame.

If you have a cardigan, jacket, jumper, use it to smother the flames.

Once flames are out, make sure the person is breathing.

DO NOT under any circumstances remove any clothing or material that is stuck to the person

Use bystanders to help. Ask them to call 000 for an Ambulance and ask them to get water if accessible - it is never too late to pour cold water on burns.

St John Ambulance Australia highly recommends that people do a St John first aid course to equip themselves with the skills to assist any casualty in any situation.

To do a St John fist aid course call 1300 360 455.

Rhonda Bigness
Chief Executive Officer
St John Ambulance

Trade imbalance

FTA = Farewell to Australia.

If it were not so serious it would be laughable, the delight with which John Howard has received the news of the USA Senate passing the Free Trade Agreement. Its passing indicates one thing only: it is great for USA! If the Monty Python team were looking to script a farce, this would be it.

The devil is indeed in the non-discussed detail. For instance:

1. There can be 'freezes' placed on many state and local government regulations, apart from those listed as exceptions. Water, electricity and public transport are NOT listed as exceptions. Regulation of aged care and other community services not specifically excepted may also be challenged, as barriers to USA investment strategies!
2. Quarantine standards may be reduced if USA sufficiently pressures the government of the day. And they will!
3. USA can challenge many Australia laws and policies through a Trade Tribunal based on trade law, without consideration of the impact on our national health, culture or public interest.
4. USA drug companies will have the right to seek reviews of decisions made by the PBS advisory committee. Millions of dollars will be paid by USA companies via lobbyists. It had been estimated by health experts this could raise PBS costs by around 30%.
5. The USA will extend the copyright law from 50 to 70 years after the death of an author, predicting an increase in royalties to USA of $88 million per year.
6. The USA will be able to constrain the cultural policies of our own governments in relation to Australian content on Radio/TV and new media. What Australian stuff will our grandchildren see and hear?

There are many more disturbing features of this so-called agreement. The present government is prepared to undermine everything Australian for the benefit of a relatively few business enterprises. The FTA is binding for ALL following Australian governments. It cannot be reversed.

Let us hope our Senate emphatically dismisses the FTA for what it is, a totally destructive piece of regulation for the majority of Australians.

If you care, and you should, contact every Senator to voice your opposition to losing your country's right to regulate itself and to maintain it's own culture.

B Guy
Lismore

Cunning plan

Globalisation, the once-denied road we must now walk down. The war on terror. Fridge magnets, pamphlets and increased surveillance - I somehow missed the government's "Globalisation, what it means for you" pamphlet. Not to worry, there's no way we're being misled by our so called leaders. They represent us.

So anyway, I need to see this pamphlet if it is available. Set my troubled mind at rest. I'm silly enough to believe that in a democracy the collective will of the people should enable the government to create trade facilitation credits (money) through the creation of public infrastructure. Like the Snowy Mountains hydro scheme. Money should not be created as debt by private institutions. It is that simple. Globalisation = a world run by banks.

There's one problem. If you were a billionaire banker and you wanted a global monopoly on the world's money supply you'd be terrified by anyone who believed modern day banking services were evil. Like the Arabs. You may even call them terrorists.

Marcus Davis
Lismore

Up for Air

Yes that's right AIR!

That's the only thing that I can think of that the various bureaucracies have not been able to tax us on.

If you are a self-funded retiree like me, then you are probably as disgusted as I am with our treatment from all levels of government.

The recent Federal budget gave us very little, not even a small tax cut, whilst doling out billions to others to try to buy their vote. This is from a conservative coalition party that says it wants us to provide for our own retirement. The Labor opposition is no better!

The thing that really hurts though, is the recent new and increased taxes imposed by our NSW State Labor Government. The GST was sold to us on the basis that state taxes would be eliminated. What a joke! The only taxes that I know that have been eliminated are the FID and BAD taxes on banking.

State revenue was boosted by $4.6 billion by the inflated property prices and the consequent stamp duty. This was unexpected revenue and still the State Labour Govt. has the gall to impose an additional stamp duty on the sale as well as the purchase of property.

Not only that, but now we must pay land tax on all investment properties every year. There is no means test and no threshold, so if you have worked hard enough, and saved well enough, this land tax also applies to you holiday home! Is the NSW State Government trying to force the self-funded retirees on to the pension?

As well as this latest grab for money, what about the 3 cents for 3 years on petrol? That must have been five or 6 years ago, and now it is not 3 cents but 6 cents!

Our State Labor Government even makes you pay a fee to cast a fishing line in the sea! Everything is licensed from your dog to your car.

Where has all the money gone? Certainly not on our health system, this is largely funded by the Commonwealth anyway. Try going to the emergency section of any large hospital - people have died waiting!

Certainly members of Parliament spend some of our taxes, one member has spent more time travelling overseas than he did in parliament, but this is small 'bickies' compared to the total revenue.

My voice may be a voice in the wilderness, but there is hope with AIR!

AIR stands for the Association of Independent Retirees, a national body that represents the large number of Independent Retirees that do not depend on the taxpayer for their income.

Any organisation is only as strong as its members, and I urge you to come to the meetings, join the AIR, and lend your support to the group that is there to look after your interests.

If you, like me, are disappointed at the treatment we are getting from governments, then make the effort, come to the meetings and make your feelings known, and support the organization that is trying to support you.

SJ Collett
Goulburn