Letters To The Editor

Tax policy

It is pretty obvious when someone is trying to hide something; they are evasive, change the topic and look for distractions.

From Mark Latham's recent behaviour it is obvious he is trying to hie something - namely his Tax Policy.

In May Mark Latham promised Australia that he would release his policy by the end of the week. Since then he has evaded all questions, spoken about every other topic under the sun and launched numerous distractions - however, still no Tax Policy.

We have heard Labor promise the world, just not how they will pay for it. If people were not suspicious before they sure are now.

Tax is an important issue for Australian families and literally weeks out from a Federal Election Mark Latham will still not tell us where he stands.

Bob Wilson
Alstonville

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In PM's shoes

My eight-yr-old recently told me a lie and I had reason to chastise him for it and gave him a lecture about lying, dishonesty and hurting other people by doing so. My husband came into the room while I was disciplining my son and said maybe I should reward and praise him as John Howard, our Prime Minister, does it all the time and over 50% of people say he is the preferred PM and that it seems a desirable attribute for success. I do not know what to do anymore. Please help me. I also understand that our PM is saying that under Labor, interest rates will hit 18%.

Do you think this is true?

Cathy Higgins
East Lismore

LETS & found

To respond to P Ferguson (Echo, Aug 12), as a current member of the local LETS, I'm in touch with some of the organisers and have an update.

Richmond Valley LETS had been winding down for a while, and recently a decision was made to merge it with Nimbin-based NimLETS, having the combined systems operate from an office in the Nimbin Community Centre.

Good news is that current and dormant members of Richmond Valley LETS have the option to continue their participation by joining the combined system at no cost. Unfortunately, at present there is no contact phone number or email address, but the office aims to be open on Wednesdays from 10am to 4pm, and there is a pigeonhole at the Community Centre for messages.

The best way to link up with the organisers and other members, and to obtain the most recent directory, is to turn up at the trading days; these are held on the first Saturday of each month from around 12 noon onwards at Djanbung Gardens, Cecil Street, Nimbin.

Martin C Oliver
Lismore

Top fashion

Congratulations to Lifeline for the great fashion parade held recently at the Lismore Workers' Club.

Nora Vidler Blanksby did a wonderful job as compere and injected some humour into the show. It was also good that Thomas George was able to find time in his busy schedule to attend.

All those who appeared on stage - the models, male and female, and especially the children were very professional.

The judges, and all those who worked behind the scenes are to be thanked for all the help they gave. Also, without the audience, who were laughing, whistling and in general having a good time, the night wouldn't have been the success that it was.

Thanks again Lifeline.

Kath Hall,
Lismore

Faculties missing

Congratulations on Robin Osborne's book reviews on the works of Margo Kingston and Andrew Wilkie. They combine ignorance of the subject matter and banality of expression with a complete failure to critically analyse either work.

Kevin Dunn

Too clever

I refer to the 'special letter' (Echo, Aug 12) from Trevor Evans, entitled "No worries mate". It is such a clever caricature that it might be regarded as a hoax. My own reaction was one of utter disgust because I was inclined at first to take it at its face value. Then I saw that even the most ardent follower of 'laissez faire' could not be so blatantly frank.

The use of such plausible irony might even be counter-productive. I feel that many supporters of the conservative coalition are so gullible that they could even see Trevor Evans as one of their own.

Denis Matthews
Dunoon

Old fox

Sometimes I despair about the future of the Ballina Shire Council when an animal, albeit one as clever as a fox, can persuade two of my councillor colleagues to write press releases for them (Echo, Aug 12).

Margaret, John, I feel like I must have let you down. I haven't been able to get you to understand how and why pest species are so damaging to your own environment. Think of our eco-system as your home. If we let foxes eat up the little and medium-sized bits then our homes will lose their natural protection.

I'm very surprised that you say you don't understand the difference between eating a breakfast omelette and eating an endangered species. There is a rather big difference. If you want, I'll try to explain it to you again, just ask. I think it's really important that you get that one sorted out.

When it comes down to it, the only places where foxes should be seen in Australia are in zoos, museums or fur coats. Certainly not on South Ballina's beaches though.

Alan Rich
Lennox Head

Takes the cake

After reading the letter from two Ballina councillors (Echo, Aug 12) advocating that we stop baiting foxes, an introduced pest, so that they can get on with eating endangered native wildlife, I couldn't help wondering if someone had left a few pieces of that notorious Ballina Council cake from a decade ago lying around in the chambers for John and Margaret to eat.

Boyd Marshall
Lismore

More to Dems

Further to Andy Gough's letter (Echo, Aug 12) I would like to draw your reader's attention to the fact that their choice in the Page electorate at the coming Federal Election will not be confined to Mark Jackson, Ian Causley or Kevin Bell but will include Julia Melland who is the endorsed candidate for the Australian Democrats.

In his last paragraph Andy Gough suggests that if you do not wish to vote for either of the major parties the only alternative that you have is to vote for The Greens. I take this a step further and say that if you feel that the environment is the only thing that matters and that the loss of jobs in the logging industry is no concern of yours then indeed you should put the Greens at the top of your list but if you believe that not only is the environment important but that loggers are important too, that Medicare must be protected, that Telstra must remain in responsible hands, that our children and young people's education is vital to our country's future and must be adequately funded and, in fact, that all Australian's should have a 'fair go', then you should give your primary vote to the 'Australian Democrats' because they believe what you believe and put these ideals into practice in the Senate.

You can find confirmation of this statement at the Democrat website www.democrat.org.au and see how many amendments the Democrats have tabled in these areas and many others of equal importance.

Anne Paterson
North Codrington

P Plate curfew

The plan to introduce a curfew for teenagers and P Plate drivers from 10pm to 6am is totally unacceptable in a so-called free society.

Are these new rules being implemented by those with affiliations with the KGB, Chinese Triads or shareholders in the new privatised jails? Has the RTA been privatised as well? If so, they are therefore a monopoly and should be investigated for a "conflict of interest" by those pushing for these changes. One has to question their motives since "there has been a dramatic fall in the road toll and it has plateaued over the past five years". So why these draconian changes?

There may be public transport in major cities, but there is no public transport in country towns, so does that mean that all teenagers or P platers cannot go out or work at night? So what is happening here? Is someone trying to make us all so angry, so aggressive that we will riot and fill their privatised jails?

This is a frightening scenario never before seen in Australia. Surely this is further perversion of or democratic rights by "the State" and discrimination that cannot be tolerated.

Bev Pattenden
Grafton

Higher rates

Therese Schier's comments (Echo, Aug 12) about the rate rise in Richmond Valley Council seem to tell only part of the story.

If the average rate rises in Casino and Evans Head are both less than average rises across the LGA of 12.71%, then obviously there has to be a lot of other people in the LGA who will be paying much more than the average.

Our farmland rates have just gone up 21%. In all the consultation done before the rate rise was agreed to, we were never told the increase could be THAT big.

Obviously Therese didn't get that sort of shock from her rates notice.

Janet Cavanaugh
Whiporie

Nice earner

It would be nice to have the same security blanket that our Federal member for Page has so comfortably wrapped himself up in twice.

I was one of the suckers who fell for the federal government's advertising campaign for superannuation, where, if you put in a thousand dollars the federal government will match it dollar for dollar. After sending my thousand dollars away, I was informed that the offer didn't apply to those who own their own business and are self employed.

Unlike Mr Causley who gets to double-dip by claiming both federal and state superannuation and will walk away with in excess of a million dollars. Two rules - one for them and one for us.

Ian Juleff
Lismore

Speed sells

Why don't we just put speed inhibitors in all new cars? We have the technology,

The answer is so simple - who would borrow $50,000-plus from a bank for a top of the range European sports car that couldn't out zip an old dato? Speed sells.

And as the King brother's face court for defrauding $174 million from NAB and as thousands of other NAB customers declare bankruptcy. Another record profit. They are laughing at us. Listen, or I will laugh too.

So let's vote globalisation 1 (Liberal) or globalisation 2 (Labor). Even if you want to vote for the save the planet 1 (Greens) the way preferences work, you have to prefer globalisation at some stage, so where's the bloody pamphlet?

Marcus Davis
Lismore

Air battle

Just recently I had the pleasure of attending Regional Express Airlines 2nd birthday party - a party with a real cake with real cream and two candles. It was an invitation from REX to local Councils who had supported them in their struggle to get in the air and stay there.

The struggle after the Ansett/Kendall/Hazelton collapse, when the loyal ground staff baked muffins at home to serve to passengers in the air on their newly fledged Regional Express Airline. The staff who never let their travelling public down, and worked for no pay when the purse was empty. Yes, I remember it well. The efforts were commendable. I even remember the cardboard birthday cake of only a year ago before the finances improved! Since inception, REX has been going from strength to strength.

Then along came Virgin Blue with the Branson jet. The jet which would normally sit idle mid-day on the tarmac in a capital city. Flush, lush and lavish, and the fanfare of the first jet's arrival in Ballina on August 5, with all its passengers wearing bright red shirts. The mayor sporting a similarly bright Virgin Blue red cap with a grin from ear to ear as if he'd personally created the jet, the paint scheme, the food stalls, the buskers, the whole shooting match as my old Dad would have said.

There is no doubt that both REX and Qantas will be suffering a serious loss of passengers to Virgin Blue. In fact I know that the day Branson's mob arrived, both the opposition were down over 15%.

So why did Mayor Silver, unbeknown to all councillors except himself, issue a personal invitation to over 50 people to meet the executive from Virgin Blue at a mayoral a la carte breakfast paid for by the ratepayers at the Ramada Riverside, where, incidentally, the Mayor has always declared he has a pecuniary interest? Who was on the guest list? None other than corporate customers of REX and Qantas. Mayor, is that cricket? Isn't the Council supposed to be totally impartial?

Why is it now favouring one airline over others? Is it just because that one gives out red caps and has a pretty coloured jet?

Not even the Mayor's own deputy knew about the mayoral breakfast, yet Cr Brown, with whom the mayor closely aligns himself like a Siamese twin joined at the hip, was seated at the VIP table. Many Council senior staff were also in attendance - the General Manager, the Civil Services Group Manager, The Corporate Services Group Manager, the Ballina Visitor Information Centre Manager. Yes, dear ratepayers, you funded this mayoral bash in the AM of August 16, and we lowly councillors knew nothing of it.

If REX and Qantas pull out of Ballina, and Virgin Blue decides to reschedule its jet to another destination, don't be surprised if we are back at square one again.

The Mayor and staff think Ballina Airport is cruising along quite well, but let me tell you that the airport revenue is down from $847,191 in the 1999/2000 year to $642,545 in the 2003/2004 year, and all that fanfare thrown at Virgin Blue is not going to improve things if it destroys other air services in the process.

Perhaps a question should be asked. Is this a foresight into new local government in Ballina Shire now that the majority of the Council committees, and especially those with community representatives, have been disbanded?

Cr Margaret Howes
Ballina

Headline?

I'd probably be considered a terrorist by the USA and perhaps my own Government, even though I love human beings and have no need or want to kill another. I consider this possible because I feel that no persons should act against any dictator without being concerned with every dictator.

Millions of human beings; men, women and children, real live people die from starvation every day. Millions! From starvation! World wide, on a world as rich as this earth!

It is a human disgrace! It's not like we don't know, we just don't acknowledge and take responsibility for our actions. Perhaps it is somebody else's fault after all!

Millions of dollars are spent on weapons each year. Millions of bullets plague cupboards or drawers waiting to be consumed by meat. It does not matter what type of meat; pink, black or white so long as it is fresh and red. Bullets are not built to mind. The less humans on the earth, the more for those with bullet-proof hearts.

Star... burning energy... vay... far away... tion...home. How dare we starve ourselves or each other! How dare we stop any of us from knowing and feeding our home; our body, mind and soul! How dare we?

If the meek inherit the earth not the greedy, then no group of people will have enough faith or money to change that!

Don't get me wrong, I can and will fight for survival. I just thought that fight was fought years ago, and we all won - we're all one - we are only one. That is why we get to experience being individual.

I'm on a roll. Oh well, I don't dislike Americans, Iraqis or even Arabs. I love them just like all human beings.

I wonder sometimes though, if I will be accepted for that or shot for it one day!

Vicki M Harvey
Lismore

Huh?

Hi Eric, I'm back, wow! You do procrastinate, hope that is not a profanity, suppose it depends on your state of mind how you decipher it.

Anyway, I'll probably see you around the polling booth(s). I know I will recognise you in your cloak and dagger outfit. Me? I might be wearing a bright red shirt (no, not skirt) with "True Blue" on it. Now, slowly, repeat after me - after me- after me, it's still freedom of choice, cheers.

(Caution, don't repeat in front of mirror).

Good on ya! Trevor Evans, just make sure your duck pond is full before you dive in or you will keep the clowns laughing.

Happy quacking. I might vote for dem liberals. Oh! Dear! So much more to scribble. But don't have 'Nuff' T...

J Harvie
Goonellabah

Arts end

Federal Minister for Education, Brendan Nelson, has announced a review of Arts curricula in Australian schools. While Dr Nelson seems reasonably satisfied about the teaching of Music, he has expressed concern over the teaching of Visual Arts in our schools.

I would suggest that Dr Nelson take the opportunity to visit Caddies in Lismore over the next few weeks to see that our small public schools are teaching visual arts extremely well. This annual display is the most popular of Caddies' monthly exhibitions and features a variety of two-dimensional works in an assortment of media from the small public schools around Lismore.

In addition, the recent Bentley Art Show also displayed the excellence of local primary and secondary school visual art and Lismore Art Club's exhibition at the Workers Club featured wonderful works from Wilson Park public school students.

All of these exhibitions are a credit to the students and their teachers and demonstrate that Dr Nelson is missing the mark in his latest attempt to bash our schools.

Cr Jenny Dowell
Goonellabah