Letters To The Editor

Retirement home not Councils to sell

This open letter is to anyone interested in justice and civic morality.

The time has come for residents of the Mid Richmond area, and anyone interested in the future of Mid Richmond Retirement Village, to be fully aware of what Richmond Valley Council is endeavouring to perpetrate in regards to the Retirement Village in Coraki.

Firstly a very brief synopsis:

This community project was planned and brought to fruition through the work and financial input of the residents of the Coraki, Woodburn, Evans Head and Broadwater areas. It was a unique project. An original committee of all churches and service organisations was formed in 1974. The Woodburn Council was represented on that 10-person committee.

Over a period of six years that committee worked to raise money and achieve a priority for subsidy from the Commonwealth Government. In 1980 Mid Richmond Retirement Village (a registered charity) was offered a two-to-one subsidy for a 40-bed hostel facility.

The original intention had been to build the retirement village behind Campbell Hospital on hospital land, but tenure from the Hospital Commission was not offered on a satisfactory long-term basis.

The committee sought assistance from Council in obtaining the present site, which was eroded crown land dedicated as part of a large flood reserve. Richmond River Council agreed if they were appointed trustees of the land, and the then autonomous management committee became a sub-committee of Council.

Approach was made by the committee to Council for a grant or loan to boost the amount raised by the community to achieve our one third of the total cost. Council agreed to this bridging finance as a repayable loan. The amount raised by the community over a nine-year period was approximately $130,000. The loan from Richmond River Council was fully repaid.

Council agreed at inception to be the office managers. They were fully paid any amount that they requested from the village operating costs.

There was an excellent relationship between Council and the committee. The village paid its way and offered second-to-none care. The amount of work done by the committee and volunteers amounted to many, many hours of unpaid work.

This situation began to change in the mid-1990s with a far less generous approach by local government. The village was now paying for all aspects of corporate management.

Over the past 10 years the Mid Richmond Retirement Village has contributed to Richmond River and then Richmond Valley Councils something like $1 million for administration, plus many more dollars for employment of their staff.

The Councils have not been financially disadvantaged nor have they contributed any large amount which was not fully repaid.

The village has a high degree of occupancy and recently received an additional grant of six funded beds from the Commonwealth Government, as a dementia specific area.

For something like six months, the committee has talked with Council's manager and director of corporate services about the future operation of our village.

The committee has maintained that any change other than complete autonomy handed back to that committee is not acceptable.

We have been verbally assured on several occasions that our input would always be sought prior to any potential change. We now have grave doubts as to whether any input from us would have any effect on Council's pre-determined decision.

We maintain that the facility belongs to the Mid Richmond community, not to Council. The Council manager has been challenged to show where Council input of monies has occurred.

The committee claim the facility was handed in good faith to Council trusteeship of the land in 1981 so that the project could continue on a suitable site for the ongoing future of Mid Richmond residents.

Richmond Valley Council has called for expressions of interest for lease, management or acquisition of the Mid Richmond Retirement Village.

The legality of the situation is still to be tested. Mid Richmond Retirement Village was financed by the people of the area, NOT by Council.

The hard-working dedicated staff, generous volunteers, and many wonderful residents have made Mid Richmond Retirement Village a facility of which to be proud.

We are not prepared to be thrown aside at the whim of the Council.

Graham Smith
Mid Richmond Retirement Village committee of management, Coraki

Central control

In the name of efficiency, all North Coast emergency services (Police, Fire, Ambulance, SES, etc) reporting and control has been centralised to Newcastle. Local and regional control centres have closed in recent years, infrastructure and staff are no longer operating.

In the event of a major disaster power and communications are often cut, so central control is lost to many areas that may not be directly involved (remember when coax cable was cut, all lines went out).

So we have no local control network, or personnel, just when we may need maximum co-ordinated response in the state, no communication with a central control that may have even been destroyed, maybe along with a major hospital. Given most hospitals are already overloaded, the potential for trouble is enormous with the possible many injured.

Apparently there is a hub system of local emergency managers in place, but it has never been completely tried. Would services be running around like headless chickens?

Satellite phones may be of limited help if coordinated but would be overwhelmed. Microwave links may also be cut.

I realise government cannot have excess capacity standing idly by, but what reserves, if any, are being kept?

Defence Forces may have plans for such possibilities, but do they have stores and supplies available at suitable sites? This could be part of the war against terror. Disasters cannot be stopped, but the effects may be reduced.

Now I read that all emergency service triple O calls are to be diverted to the new PAL (Police Assistance Line) centres in Tuggerah or Lithgow from Dec 31, closing the Newcastle, Sydney, Wollongong and Tamworth centres.

If the state is to be split in two, is there to be a duplicate, up-to-date computer system that can immediately be manned to take over complete central control if one half fails? Maybe Lithgow could be duplicate dormant secondary control for Tuggerah, and vice versa, only activated when/if necessary. Is it possible to redirect emergency calls that would have gone to the other site, or should all calls go to both, then be acted upon by one, considering massive state wide line congestion may be involved.

Surely all major control centres need such an organised backup, to try to reduce the headless chicken problem.

The bigger the centre the greater the chaos from a communication failure.

Present call centre staff fear a blow out in response time, but I fear a total collapse of the system is possible.

Backing up emergency despatch systems by radio etc may work, but how can the public notify central control if any remaining lines are overloaded?

Ken Macdonald
Lennox Head

Tell me why

While the Howard Government tries to make political profit from the bombing in Jakarta, Australians should ask "Why do they (the attackers) hate us?"

The answer is simple. The Washington-subservient Australian media has only been telling Australia about the 'great sacrifice' America has paid in Iraq with its 1000 dead military. They have barely mentioned that well over 10,000 innocent Iraqis - women and children - have been killed and another 100,000 have lost body parts due to Australia's complicity with the US in Iraq.

They haven't mentioned at all that Australia was complicit in spreading tons of depleted uranium over Iraq, which is going to maim and kill innocent people for decades.

They haven't mentioned that top US officials are admitting that the war was a lie and that besides the pillaging of Iraq's oil wealth, the motive for the attack was on behalf of Israel, which ignores the rest of the world and carries on its obscenities against the Palestinian people as it chooses.

So why shouldn't Australia be hated like America by the Arab and Muslim people?

It was just another of John Howard's ugly lies to say that Australia's participation with the US wouldn't increase the danger of reprisals against Australia. Any Australian supporting Howard or his coalition is complicit in their obscenity!

Marijonas Vilkelis
North Lismore

Great support

We are sincerely grateful for your support in helping us inform your community about Starlight Fun Centres, our exciting new entertainment units which help to relieve the boredom for seriously ill children. Thanks to some very generous sponsors a Starlight Centre is now doing the rounds of the paediatric ward at Casino Hospital.

Starlight's Fun Centres are the first of their kind in the world. Starlight's goal is to provide on Starlight Fun Centre for every eight to ten paediatric beds in Australia. This requires a roll-out of 400 Starlight Fun Centres across 130 hospitals over the next two years. Currently we have placed 149 Starlight Fun Centres around Australia.

We thank you too for giving us the opportunity to show our gratitude to generous donors who have raised the funds to provide Starlight Fun Centres for regional and remote hospitals. We greatly appreciate all the support you give us in raising awareness about Starlight and our programs.

May the Starlight Fun be with you!

Jenni Zeller
Sydney

First time

A long time from now in this galaxy on this planet lies a legacy we are creating continually.

The fact that we as individuals die is no excuse. If Jesus was around today the fact he answered questions before they were asked would be seen a strict Ritalin regimen instituted at an early age. His clothes would have earned him a possession charge. Then he would have a conviction. Hell he might even have given a sniffer dog a heart attack. Over this Jesus would feel guilt.

Anyway, jokes aside, this is a serious issue of an election at hand. I'm not religious but I do believe that if Jesus was here today he would vote Greens. So in line with my conscience and my belief that global corporate capitalism is causing irreversible environmental damage, on October 9 I will vote for the first time in my life. I will vote Green.

Marcus Davis
Lismore

Thanks from South Africa

To everybody who contributed to the donation of books, magazines and sports equipment to schools in Limpopo.

I am working as a volunteer in some schools in the rural areas around Tzaneen in Limpopo Province, South Africa. The three schools I'm working in were so happy to get the boxes you sent!

Some of the students at Mariveni Primary School have formed an after-school reading and English club. Right now I am in their club meeting, and they are writing 'thank you' letters to you. It is because of the books you sent that they have started this club. They are using your donated books; they take the books home and read them, discuss them in their club and then swap them with other children. Many of the children say they don't have many books at home to read, so they are very grateful for the ones you sent!

Thank you so much for the effort you went to to send donations to these schools. I can't tell you what a difference you have made in the lives of the children here.

Thanks!

Shana Gelin
Letsitile, South Africa

Council anarchy

Not only is Lismore City Council's ability to interpret policy on the decline but also its basic English skills.

MP Thomas George's recent statement on behalf of Council's Traffic Advisory Committee reveals that they use the word "anyone" when referring to a select group of motorists with special entitlements (Echo, Sept 2 and 23). One wonders whether the original statement was purposely or accidentally misleading.

And prior to this Cr Irwin revealed Council's inability to observe and attend to dangerous roads, Council's "mistakes" on roads as well as highlighting a communication breakdown with the RTA during road construction (Echo, July 15). The list goes on, with many residents having their own individual story of

Council's incompetence and ignorance on roads and policy.

Even the RTA's head office has become frustrated with Council's misconduct and avoidance of responsibility. In the past statewide road policy has had to be re-written, and loopholes closed, due to this Council's inability to ensure conformity.

As with Mr George's article, when any questionable traffic related issue in the shire arises, responsibility always seems to lead back to elements within Council.

For ethical people within Lismore City Council it must sometimes feel like anarchy up there.

Laurence Keane
Goonellabah

Uneven protest

About three weeks ago, a group of a dozen or so people held a protest outside Ian Causley's office in Molesworth Street, Lismore. Accompanying them was the obligatory person standing on a milk crate, with wires attached, wearing a black hood etc. These people were holding signs saying "Not in my name". They will get no argument there. I would suggest that the overwhelming majority of people, of all political persuasions, were appalled at the abuses of the prisoners in Abu Ghraib.

I stopped and asked these people if they would hold a similar demonstration protesting against the abuses by Islamic terrorists/freedom fighters - ie. suicide car bombings resulting in the death and maiming of many thousands of innocent people. The slaughter by throat-cutting and beheading of dozens of journalists, truck drivers and other innocents. The very same day that these people were protesting, news came through that 12 more truck drivers, this time from Nepal, had their throats cut.

Just after that atrocity, there was the massacre of all those women, children and babies, in Southern Russia. There is the Bali bombing. The bombings in Jakarta. The list of atrocities committed by Islamic fundamentalists goes on and on.

Some of the people at that protest, when pressed, stated that they would hold another similar demonstration against this murder and mayhem, the following week.

My question is... Did you do that? Did you bring out your "Not in my name" signs again? If you didn't, why not?

W Tyson
South Lismore

Aid unpromised

The Australian Prime Minister, in an effort to win the coming election, has made over $12 billion worth of promises.

For humanitarian aid to tens of thousands of displaced persons in the Sudan, the same Prime Minister has promised the princely sum of $200,000.

Wow! Such generosity!

This amount would not even buy me a decent house in Kyogle.

Max Cowgill
Kyogle

Strike first

The Coalition's policy of pre-emptive strikes against terrorists threatening Australians would be put into effect without the consent of other governments if John Howard had 'no other alternative.' Howard thinks this posturing of his, this chest thumping, (and he's even got Alexander doing it!) is going to win him votes in the upcoming election. I fear that our 'Little Napoleon', our autocratic PM, is caught up in a huge ego trip.

I fear for the lives of any Australians taken hostage by terrorists. Howard has already said he wouldn't negotiate. We've seen what Bush did. Would Howard also cold-bloodedly sacrifice some innocent Australian? Would he be so macho if the hostage was Howard Jnr?

Howard's claim that he's strong on security is rubbish. His Government is good at locking up genuine asylum-seekers and their children behind razor wire and detaining them for years. In October 2001 our surveillance aircraft, together with the navy, couldn't find SIEV X when it floundered in international waters south of Java, resulting in the loss of 353 lives. That could have been a boatload of terrorists - over 400 of them - and we couldn't even find then in waters we were patrolling!

Now we're told that the mastermind behind the bombing of the Twin Towers in New York was issued an Australian tourist visa! Are they kidding? We were ready to let him into our country as a tourist?? Phillip Ruddock, our charismatic ex-Immigration Minister was quick to point out that the blunder was discovered prior to the tragedy in NY and that the man had many aliases. Ah, well, that's OK then. I suppose when he applied for the visa he was wearing his Groucho Marx number with the false glasses, nose and moustache! What fantastic security!

John, stick to what you do well. Keep dividing the people - the private schools versus the state; the high versus low income earners; those who can and can't afford private medical cover; the monarchists and the republicans; the homosexuals and heterosexuals; white and indigenous Australians.

Oh, don't worry, John. You mightn't be missed when you go, but you'll be remembered.

Barry Walsh
Lismore

Who's next?

It looks ever more likely that GW Bush will be returned for another four years in the White House.

He has managed to fit two wars (Afghanistan, Iraq) into his first term in office and who is to say that his second term won't be a repeat performance? So who is next, you may ask.

My money is on Iran and Syria. Iran is viewed as a threat by Israel, plus she has got considerable oil reserves too. (The same two factors got Iraq into trouble.)

Syria doesn't have that much oil, but she has got an ongoing territorial dispute (Golan Heights) with Israel. So, she must be dealt with too.

And if the past is any indication, then baby Bush will be more than happy to pull the trigger, all in the name of Good versus Evil, of course.

And again, if the past is any indication, then John Howard will unquestioningly commit this country of ours to any war Bush decides to engage us in. Provided of course, that he is re-elected on October 9.

In other words, this coming election is shaping up to be nothing less than a start in the coming years.

Canada, with a similarly sized population to Australia, refused to join Bush in his aggressions. Even though Canada shares a common border with the USA, they still had the courage to say 'no'. And not to mention tiny New Zealand, who also had the guts to act independently.

So, on October 9 we too will have the opportunity to show our true colours. The choice is between subservient participation in the Bush administration's unfair wars, or living in a peaceful co-existence with the rest of the world in a genuinely free, independent and fair society.

Tom Koo
Alstonville

Not worthy

The Coalition does not deserve to be re-elected. John Howard has made Australians less secure by his lapdog support of the US invasion of Iraq. It is not the first time that the Coalition has joined in a futile foreign adventure.

Has it learnt nothing from the experience of Vietnam where more than 500 Australians died unnecessarily? Did any Coalition member or minister ever express any contrition for the needless sacrifice of Australian lives? Have Australians forgotten the infamous "lottery of death" devised by the Coalition to conscript our youth? What will be next for the Coalition of the Silly? Should hostilities break out in the Taiwan Straits, will the Coalition, if in power, rush to support the United States in a war against China?

In regard to Iraq, how sensible the pre-war German and French policy of "vigilant containment" appears now when every terrorist in the Middle East seems to be rushing to Iraq where amongst the endless chaos there are so many human targets to be blown up, shot at, kidnapped or executed.

Stanley F Gibbs
Clunes