Letters To The Editor

Tax kills RSLs

This may have been the last or second last Anzac Day for some RSL clubs, as the NSW Government's poker machine tax, when added to all their other costs and liability problems, may soon force them into insolvency (like Lismore RSL).

To reduce debt and the interest thereon, some sports clubs are considering selling greens etc (Kogarah Golf Club leading a list of nine clubs, and the Anzac Memorial Club has already sold one bowling green to pay off debt - Tele, p25, April 22).

Whoever the committee, if this tax continues, clubs will have great difficulty in repaying any debt incurred for future redevelopment, modernisation etc, so communities will lose the many facilities once subsidised by pokie profits.

Mr Carr's tax is going to ruin many clubs, thus losing the work and all the other taxes they once provided. It should be reduced or repealed, or it will also ruin the future of ALP candidates in most electorates. Do they care?

The club members, workers, entertainers and communities will suffer.

Ken Macdonald
Lennox Head

Transport needs a new approach

NOROC president, Ernie Bennett, thinks the State Government is "out of touch with local feeling" in relation to the railway issue ('End of the line', Echo, April 21). If that was the case then their actions would at least be partly excusable.

Sadly, the opposite is true. The Government is only too well aware of the feelings of people in this region in relation to transport - and, in particular, transport heading north. This is an issue which has no doubt been bothering them since the separation of Queensland from NSW in 1859.

Macquarie Street has been opposed to improving communications between the Northern Rivers and southern Queensland for at least 100 years. The way they see it is that, if there was good transport infrastructure between this region and Brisbane, then our corner of the state would effectively become an annex of Queensland.

According to JE Gallagher, in chapter 4 of "Lismore - the story of a North Coast city" (edited by Maurice Ryan), the NSW Government was already resisting development of this line more than a century ago. The Brisbane to Tweed Heads line was opened in 1903, not long after the Lismore to Murwillumbah line was built. But the railway commissioners refused to link the two lines, claiming that doing so would be "only of value to Queensland".

The Government's intentions of bypassing our part of the state when it comes to efficient north-south communications are obvious. Look, for example, at the routing of the Sydney to Brisbane railway - it effectively bypassed almost all of this region. Another example is the Sydney Government's recent obstruction of Queensland's efforts to build the Tugun bypass. They've also been dragging their feet over upgrades to this part of the Pacific Highway.

Ernie says the railway issue will be on voters' minds at the next election. But whatever way people vote, it's not going to make the slightest bit of difference. We need to find a new approach to solving this century old problem.

Will Kemp
Lismore

Famous last words

Pope John Paul II described the Iraq war as a "failure on humanity". Most world leaders and public figures either agree with him, or simply avoid the subject, for they know all too well that contradicting the late pontiff would be the political equivalent of scoring an own-goal.

The exception, as always, is the most vicious of them all: who else, but Alexander 'The Not so Great' Downer, who replied with his trademark irate disdain, that he at least thinks the world is a better place without Saddam Hussein.

In other words: in order to get rid of a single person you are fully justified to wage war on an entire nation.

Imagine if it happened here in our country: A mass-murderer hiding somewhere in Australia. So, to get rid of him, wave after wave of B52s and long-range missiles would bomb Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra and all other Australian cities. All the bridges, power stations, government buildings and all other infrastructure would be blown up. Then, invading tanks would fire depleted uranium shells at anything that moves. So, after tens of thousands of civilian deaths, hundreds of thousands of injured, millions of lives destroyed, the invaders would declare 'mission accomplished' because they have found the mass-murderer hiding in a hole somewhere in the outback.

I wonder, in such a scenario, would Alexander Downer still stand up and declare the world to be a better place, even if one of those misguided missiles happened to blow up his own house with everybody he loves in it?

And for those who know within their hearts that the war on Iraq was indeed "a failure on humanity" but don't really care, because it happened over there far away, and you also know that what's happened to Mamdouh Habib, and all those families who are being locked up for years in Australian detention centres, is extremely unfair, but are not particularly troubled, because it's all happening to Muslims only - for you I recommend the last words of Pastor Niemoller, who was killed by the Nazis during the last days of World War II. He scribbled the following words on a piece of paper in his prison cell just before he was led away to his death:

"First they came for the communists, but I was not a communist - so I said nothing. Then they came for the social democrats, but I was not a social democrat - so I did nothing. Then they came for the trade unionists, but I was not a trade unionist. And then they came for the Jews, but I was not a Jew - so I did little. Then when they came for me, there was no one left who could stand up for me."

Tom Koo
Alstonville

Sport retort

In response to Cr Chant's letter lauding the sports and sporting fields of Lismore (Echo, April 21). With the 'economic' impact all this sport has for Lismore, maybe the Council can spend some of its money making Magellan Street more parking friendly. Magellan Street, being one of the four major roads that surround the fields, needs curb and guttering to ensure safe parking for the many visitors to Oakes Oval.

And why is it that the gates to Crozier Oval off Magellan Street are locked during games on that field, and parking is permitted on Heaps Oval?

Upgrade Magellan Street and keep the cars off the cricket fields.

Phil Toynton
Lismore

A sick joke

Loopy Lord Alexander of Baghdad came out with another classic today.

In defending the Howard Government blatantly purloining a million dollars a day in oil revenue rights from the "dirt poor" nation of East Timor, he claimed Australia's principles were intact.

This cannot be, Alex - we ain't got any, anymore.

Remember as a Yank satrap, we now invade sovereign nations called Iraq and Afghanistan, we torture prisoners of war, as an "occupying power" we fail to restore the utilities like power, sewerage and water ducts that we bomb the crap out of.

Oh, and don't forget we tell our citizens and neighbours monstrous lies about "kids overboard" and "weapons of mass destruction".

Then there is the way we proudly and inhumanely treat genuine asylum seekers. Australian Government principles - what a sick, oxymoronic joke!

John X Berlin
Maclean

Power to the people

Re: Proposed closure of beds and services at Campbell Hospital, Coraki.

Even to our untrained minds it is obvious very little thought or co-ordination of data went into the publication of "Better Value for Richmond River Hospitals". Without too much trouble lay people have punched holes in the logic of the paper. Seemingly very little consulting with relevant bodies went into the structure of the statistics published.

They have taken us for ignorant fools because the previous downgrading of Campbell Hospital was put into action with hardly a whimper from the community. We have learnt from that experience and are therefore fighting for our hospital, our community and our lives. We will do and are doing whatever it takes to keep our hospital viable.

The North Coast Area Health Service has the power of a government and power of unlimited money behind them to implement their proposals, but we also have power.

Power of the people, power of the heart, power of the word and power of commitment.

(We are volunteers).

Diane Mackie
Coraki

Drive time

I have been hearing of proposals to issue "M" plates for mature aged drivers. Why? I am 80 years old and have not been tested as to my ability to drive, except for an eye test each five years. On reaching 80, I was required to fill out a form, part of which had to be filled out by my GP. The form only had to be given to the RTA, without any consultation by them. In my opinion this is not satisfactory. I believe that all drivers 70 or more should have a test for knowledge of the rules, and again every five years. I realise it would be enormously costly to retest driving ability for all drivers regularly, but there should be some checks, especially for older drivers.

As to "M" plates for older drivers - no. If we can't keep up with everyone else, we should hand in our licence - no ifs, no buts. A motor vehicle is potentially a lethal weapon and should not be in the hands of an incompetent person. As stated above, I am 80 years old and if I became incapable of driving normally I will surrender my licence.

Doug Myler
Lismore Heights

PS: "M" plates?! What a temptation for a few young hoons on our roads.

Sincere thanks

I wish to sincerely thank the Northern Rivers community for their support during Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Awareness Week recently.

We raised around $2700 in just two days. This is a wonderful effort, as many people do not know anything about the disease. We had quite a few people walk up to us to inquire, "what is MND and how does it affect people?" This was very encouraging, as MND week is an awareness programme as well as trying to raise much-needed funds for equipment and research.

For those who don't know, MND is always fatal, with no known cause or cure. MND affects the nerve cells controlling the movement of voluntary muscles. The muscles waste away, paralysing the body, but leaving the senses and mind intact. Average life expectancy, after diagnosis, is usually 2-3 years. 10 per cent is hereditary, 90 per cent "a bolt out of the blue". In Australia, 10 people die of MND each week.

You can still help anytime by phoning me on 6621 4018 for information regarding the disease, our Northern Rivers Support Group or to give a donation. We still have $2 and $5 merchandise, such as pens, cards and pins, which we have all year round.

A BIG thank you once again.

Helen Gates
President/secretary
Motor Neurone Disease Assoc of NSW
Northern Rivers Support Group

Award thanks

I want to publicly thank the committee of the Kids in Community Awards for the award we received last year in the Homeless Youth Support category and for inviting me to the media launch of the 2005 awards and the opportunity to hear the inspirational words of Rachel Ward.

Since the award for our homeless breakfast in Byron Bay and service to homeless youth, many blessings have come our way. Funding has consolidated and it was also a big boost to morale and commitment to the workers who turn up each week.

I was very reluctant to accept nomination at first as I thought it was a big ego trip for me for something that was not mine alone. Anyway, my offsiders were elated and have been able to get solid commitments for ongoing funding.

Having had recognition it seems much easier to ask local suppliers for help and have a good response.

Our breakfast is not just about serving food as while we cook breakfast (Denis makes a mean vegie omelette) Graeme Skinner, Aboriginal liaison officer from Ballina Community Health, makes contact with the local Indigenous people, Rohena Duncombe from Byron Community Health assists each week and mental health officers visit and are able to sort out medical issues. Centrelink has also been over to sort out funding for people. Many wounds are bandaged and receive attention from community nurse Dave.

Our local Green Garage now donates a big box of fruit and vegies and their suppliers often leave extra food for the homeless to take with them.

So as you can see we have gone from sausages and eggs to being a sorting house for many problems and avenues for assistance. It is also a time of building bridges, bonding and a family coming together each week, and for us to see, recognise and form alliance in a friendly atmosphere.

The Kids in Community Awards is a great avenue to promote and recognise the good deeds of young people, and those working with and for local youth, and I encourage members of the community to get nominations in for the 2005 awards.

To the KIC committee, blessings on your work and thank you for our recognition and award.

Gwen Gould
Co-ordinator
Community and Homeless Breakfast Byron Bay

The fight against tyranny

The National Livestock Identification Scheme (NLIS) was quietly introduced without proper consultation of the livestock industry and the public, undoubtedly under the instruction of the New World Order Elite. Funny how those words were changed to 'globalisation' and all the mainstream media co-operates! What a comparison to the time of Hitler as he introduced the marking of the Jews with a yellow star on their clothes and tattoos on their left arm, and the people sat back and accepted it because they knew no better and could not believe that it would lead to where it did. Not that cattle represent race, but they surely represent the prosperity and food of our nation, and humans will be next when they iron out the problems and resistance (if there is any). This totalitarian plan will send beef producers and all associated industries into bankruptcy, and then of course the powerful and unstoppable transnationals can buy up even more, until there is not one shred of land or industry left in this once blessed country. The scariest thing of all is that their access to finance is without limit, since it is all created out of thin air and is only an entry in the computers. Remember once when all finance was backed by gold held by the bankers and then Keating came back from the USA and opened Australia up to foreign banks? Well now all our gold is gone and the major parties have given our bankers free range, just like the chooks, so now we have bureaucratic roosters running the farm. So it's time to turn off the computer and television, and fight the good fight against tyranny, or you will find yourself playing a part in George Orwell's 1984.

Bev Pattenden
Grafton

A senseless act

I refer to the RTA expanding the highway corridor. About 10 years ago the RTA hired consultants to look at the same part of the extended investigation area. I advised the consultants at the time that we had sunk a bulldozer up to its cabin roof in the bottomless blue pug at the base of the hill just south of Ross Lane. It had broken through the crust and we had had enormous difficulty getting the machine out, with the recovery taking a couple of days. The consultants wrote back thanking me for the information and saying it was exactly what they already knew about the terrain.

Then again, some five years later, my excavator broke through the crust while cleaning a drain and it took three men and a neighbour's excavator seven hours to get it out. Every tree in close proximity had to be knocked over, and the trees were used by the rescue excavator as a raft to stand up on. Where will the RTA source its fill and roadbase to cross such unstable ground, and at what cost?

Comparing agricultural land in the Newrybar Valley to the route of the new highway east of Murwillumbah, the proposed route through Newrybar Swamp does not save 15km of highway construction, as at Murwillumbah. The distance is probably longer, and would involve massive resumption of agricultural land in the Newrybar Valley, now identified as regionally significant in the NSW State Government's Farmland Protection Policy. The macadamia farms are contributing to the nation's exports by producing oil for cosmetics and cooking, and nuts for the USA and domestic market. They are also creating significant local employment. What will the RTA do with all the land it has recently resumed along the Pacific Highway corridor if it changes the route?

In the early 1990s Ballina Shire Council was instructed by the NSW Government to formulate an Urban Land Release Strategy. The Cumbalum Ridge was included in this strategy document as an area for a future township for 20,000 people. Cumbalum Ridge ULRS runs east of the current Pacific Highway from Ballina Heights Estate nearly to Knockrow. Why construct a new highway, with its related noise and vehicle fumes between Lennox Head and the proposed Cumbalum Ridge township, if it's in contravention of all future urban planning directives issued by the Planning Minister?

The expanded route crosses a floodplain with a vast catchment where I have seen water 1.2 metres deep. It adjoins Ballina Nature Reserve and SEPP.14 wetlands, both of which are areas of highest conservation. This radical shift on highway expansion flies in the face of all prior state and local government planning. It just does not make sense.

Cr Margaret Howes
Lennox Head