Letters To The Editor

Go Green for your own sake

So, we're told the sea is going to rise some three storeys (six metres) if/when Greenland's ice sheet slips into the ocean. Whoopdee. Most of us countryites live high and dry inland. How's that going to effect us I hear you say. But just think for a minute... a six metre rise from Greenland alone (and that's not even factoring in any Antarctic ice melt) would mean that no seaport on earth would function. Hey stupid, that means no oil! Which means no petrol, no transport, no mass produced food or agriculture, no air travel and a total collapse of big business. All cities would descend into the inevitable of depredation, starvation, anarchy and violence. No navy could function or provide aid, troops or peacekeepers. That big bully superpower America would be no more. By the time the problems in our cities were too big most people would not have the petrol/diesel/gas to be able to drive far enough to escape. But city refugees will end up somewhere inland, green and with water. We just might find them on our doorstep, setting up camp on our comfy lifestyle property or farm paddock and not acting at all socially polite or law abiding! Before you blame anyone, just take a look at your Country Energy bill's 'greenhouse gas tonnage' or the 4x4 or car you drive or your pantry filled with mass produced foodstuff or the timber/cement/brick/tin place you live in or just maybe you only fart or smoke dope. It all contributes!

So what can you do? Firstly, get your hands on your local member (an apt description) and put the squeeze on him to get little Johnny to pull his head in on climate change, forest, soil and water conservation, and regeneration and Kyoto, instead of playing politics with what will be the most important issue of all time. Or, take a long hard look in the mirror and say 'I am responsible'. Then, if not for the planet's sake but only for your own fat arse, become more Green and vote the same way. I know I have.

Gary Slater
Lillian Rock

Works for me

While I don't for a moment agree with Allan O'Neill's tired old call to bring back National Service (Echo, June 9) I do agree that there's plenty of people in this area who don't want to work. But that's a good thing!

Anyone with more than half a brain should be able to work out that it's worth our while to pay as many people as possible a paltry couple of hundred dollars a week to go to the beach and not compete for our jobs. That way, pay rates and conditions - for those of us who do want to work - will remain high.

The government's current attack on social security is all about putting the squeeze on those who are happy to live on the pittance we pay them to not compete with us. The aim is to make them so desperate, they'll be happy to take our jobs for less than we're getting paid. The ultimate goal is to drive all our wages down.

If you look back at the last 20 years, it's obvious this strategy is working. In real terms, pay and conditions in this country have deteriorated dramatically over that time. The government wants us to end up like Indonesia - where there's no social security system and average wages are about a dollar a day.

I reckon we should give the dole bludgers a pay rise - because those of us who do want to work will gain more from it than they will!

Will Kemp
Lismore

Up in arms

Alan O'Neill's latest diatribe against the youth of Ballina reminds me of that Walter Matthau/Jack Lemon movie Grumpy Old Men.

Does Mr O'Neill have any idea of human psychology? If he did he would understand that every generation will dress up to upset the previous one. It is called rebellion and I am sure he did it when ducktail haircuts and stovepipe jeans were all de-riguer during his teenage years. Why does Mr O'Neill think that reintroducing National Service will solve all of our perceived social ills? Is it a case of out of sight out of mind? Or does he, like John Howard, want to create a society of uniformed fascists to help them fight their war on just about everything? Maybe we should have a war on intolerance. Unfortunately for Mr O'Neill he would probably be the first casualty - and most likely from "friendly-fire". Meantime, back in the fatherland, the good old U S of A, young people are declining to sign up to the regular army since George "Warmonger" Bush sent their mates off to die on the streets of Iraq. Yep Alan, sign 'em up and ship 'em out so we can all stand around their graves and sing Advance Australia Where?

M Mizzi
Tabulam

Be afraid

Hinze's View (Echo, June 9) tells only part of the terrible story that we will see unfold after July 1 when the Howard Government gains control of the Senate.

Not only will it be 'Operation Senate Majority now targetting The Minimum Wage, Single Parents and Disability Pensioners' but the awards and working conditions of most workers on the North Coast will be severely threatened.

Putting aside the disappearance of penalty rates and other gains unions have won for those engaged in working anti-social and anti-family-friendly hours, the lack of protection from unfair dismissal is an added threat for many employees in our area.

While the Federal Government may be offering some protection to workers in companies of 100 employees or more, most workplaces on the Northern Rivers have well below that number. Job security is less and less assured thereby leading to a workforce at the mercy of those employers who wish to chew workers up and spit them out with no fear of laws that prohibit such unscrupulous behaviour.

Be afraid, be very afraid.

Cr Jenny Dowell
Goonellabah

Upgrade dangers

Lower Richmond residents are justifiably concerned and angry about the route options currently on display for the Woodburn to Ballina sections of the Pacific Highway upgrade as well as the paucity of information and meaningful consultation.

The country traversed by the route proposals is one of the most biologically diverse areas on the Far North Coast. It includes pockets of primary koala habitat as well as areas classified as marginal habitat on which most koala populations across the Northern Rivers now depend.

It is the view of Friends of the Koala (FOK) that all the routes on display are unacceptable because they will further fragment the remaining koala habitat on the Lower Richmond. A long-term resident and active FOK member in the area presented an alternative route through the community consultative process but it has apparently been ignored. This route would minimise social as well as environmental disruption and degredation.

In NSW the koala is listed as 'vulnerable' under the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995. On the Northern Rivers many local populations are in disjunction because of the development that has occurred over the past 30 to 40 years. Our koalas suffer a high incidence of disease that is undoubtedly exacerbated by the stress of their situation.

The Minister for the Environment has before him a state-wide Recovery Plan for the koala, which he was expected to have signed-off by June. It makes no sense that some of the most important koala habitat remaining on the Lower Richmond is now in real danger of being turned into six lanes of bitumen and concrete.

FOK members and supporters across the Northern Rivers join residents in questioning the unseemly haste that has spawned fast-tracked ground surveys and the minimal public exhibition period.

Lorraine Vass
President
Friends of the Koala

Bad practice

Re: Ballina to Woodburn Pacific High upgrade.

It seems that the environmental impacts to the surrounding habitat of native flora and fauna have not been considered in comparison to the local cane farming in the area.

Cane farming brings significant impacts to our natural resources, especially our waterways. Ironically, farmers complain about the drought yet their practices have contributed to a proportional loss of native vegetation.

Trees contribute to rainfall through evapotranspiration, yet the government consistently seems to forget such facts when it comes to development.

Again it is us little people and what's left of our environment that suffers in the wake of economic greed. Surely by now it is obvious that agricultural practices are not economically sustainable. Instead of trying to support unsustainable practices beyond the carrying capacity of the local community we should be looking at relocating farmers into other aspects of the commercial economy.

Teree Thomson
Woodburn

Forestry agreement farce

As an ex long-term resident of the Northern Rivers, now temporarily residing in Tasmania, I just wanted to let readers know how farcical the new Tasmanian Forestry Agreement is.

Forestry Tasmania managing director Evan Rolley has challenged the Greens to produce scientific evidence to back up their claims that clump harvesting would cause more damage than clear-felling. It won't. It is exactly the same process with a new name, which results in just as many trees being cut down and turned into woodchips.

Also, my mainlander friends, do not be deceived by Tasmania's "green image".

Wildlife here is being decimated by the use of 1080 poison and Atrazine, which is a known carcinogen and is regularly sprayed on new areas of plantation forest. Despite this no one has started testing Tasmanian Devils for chemical residues, when quite clearly the facial tumour disease could be linked to any or all of the above poisons. I was astonished to discover the 1080 poison is used to kill any wildlife that wanders into areas recently replanted. Haven't they heard of fences?

Richard Eaves
Tasmania

The answer is forgiveness

I think I've found the answer.

Forget Reconciliation Week. That's flogging a dead horse. If the Aborigines don't take the initiative they'll achieve nothing.

They need something like South Africa had after apartheid - the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. They could call it National Forgiveness Day. Have it next May 26 instead of Sorry Day.

There could be a formal gumleaf smoking ceremony outside the Aboriginal Tent Embassy in Canberra with John the Confessor first cab off the rank. (Sure he'll come. Tell him it's a photo shoot with the Wallabies.) Then all he has to do is start apologising. (Eh?... What?... What's so funny, I'm serious!)

Think of all the things he could apologise for. After he's done all the Aboriginal stuff he could get on to kids overboard, Alexander and Amanda, Australian citizens he's deported or detained, dead Iraqi children...

It could be a real fun day with the international media there to record the occasion. Finish up with a few witchetty grubs on the barbie.

Doubtless there'll be sceptics out there who don't think Howard will apologise. Don't worry, I've anticipated that.

If he refuses to apologise or snubs the ceremony and doesn't show it won't matter. The whole Aboriginal nation will forgive him anyway! (He'll love that.)

Can't you just see his face? I think it's brilliant. And from there they can go on without him; reconciling without Howard!

(Y'know, the more I think about it, the more I like the idea of a 'National Forgiveness Day.' And I think we'd find a lot of forgiveness out there, just as the whites did in South Africa.)

Barry Walsh
Lismore

Birds of paradise

World Environment Day was a good time to walk around our beautiful Lismore Lake. Now that the water level is high, the three islands are settling down. All the shrubs, trees and reeds planted by the young people of the Green Corps are thriving and birds are everywhere.

Some birds are nesting. It was interesting to watch the cooperative family effort of purple swamphens. One bird, probably the breeding female, sat on the nest and guided into place the contributions of material - long pieces of water weed - brought over by three family members.

Other small waterbirds - moorhens, coot and little grebes - were busy everywhere. Also there were many egrets, three kinds of duck, and ibis, including one glossy ibis, not often seen there.

Dead trees on the two bird islands made good roost sites for the larger birds, and great opportunities for attractive photography. There were several visitors enjoying the tranquil scene. One young man asked questions about the birds, and said he intended to buy binoculars. Do visit Lismore Lake and appreciate it for yourself.

Molly Crawford
Goonellabah

How's the form

Re: a form letter received by Senator Sandy MacDonald in my post box.

Your letter concerning tax cuts for working families is an insult to me, a single mother, and therefore one who has been discriminated against in the proposed Budget. In fact, this recent Budget has made me feel that I am not considered to be part of a family but am being punished for having brought a child into the world without a father. The proposed Budget neither acknowledges nor rewards the efforts of single parents to bring up their child(ren). Data from a recent ABS study shows that a woman works 56 hours per week after the birth of her first child, but this is not even considered in this Budget, which demands that single parents (but not married women) must go looking for 15 hours per week paid work or they will be penalised. Do you think this is an appropriate way for the Government to reward parenting? To me it looks as if the only parents being rewarded are those who already have enough money without Government support.

As for the working families: in this area many of the working families will receive the grand sum of $6 per week extra - big deal. However, those who are already earning big money will receive substantial tax cuts. For once, forget politics and look to your conscience and you too will find that you cannot support the proposed Budget.

Maureen McDermott
Alstonville

PS: I am not a Labor supporter but prefer to follow my conscience, which at this point in time has me voting for the Greens.

Cross cultural Dunoon

It seems that fine food and community cooperation have long been associated with the Public Hall in Dunoon. I am told that when the original hall burnt down the main thrust in the raising of funds to replace it came from a dedicated group of local women who were constantly involved with catering at the Lismore Show and other occasions. I have no personal experience of that period but it was brought home to me when another member of the band of valiant women was being buried recently. I am told that there are still some of that group still living in our community, but that whole chapter is a story that has yet to be told.

In more recent times the hall was the venue of some remarkable activity to raise funds for the Sports and Recreation Club. Since the clubhouse was opened more than 10 years ago I have not attended a social function in the hall till Saturday last, and that was an experience from a different culture.

We have had a Sikh family in the village for years but they have always been quite unobtrusive and retiring. I remember the two boys at the local primary school, one of whom had never had his hair cut, in the Sikh tradition. Their older sisters were always elegant and demure when seen in public, but they have grown up and left the village. There is a new generation of little ones to come through the school. We see them with their grandmother in her traditional dress.

It was only recently that I discovered that the mother of the schoolboys I remember is called Suwaryn (Swanni) Singh, and she has an acquaintance in the Punjab in dire straits, recently widowed with two young children and very little support.

The word went out that Swanni was to run a curry night in the hall to raise funds for her unfortunate friend. What a wonderful night it was. The hall was comfortably crowded. People sat at trestle tables. The food was excellent. The service was gracious, but more importantly this extended family had invited us to share something of their ancient culture.

Denis Matthews
Dunoon

Liberal values

First a quick disclaimer: I am no longer a member or supporter of the party for which I stood at the last Lismore Council election and endorsed on several occasions in this newspaper.

There is a huge void in Australian politics, which I believe must be filled to strengthen our democracy and reverse the growing tide of apathy and disillusionment with the political process at all levels. It is the absence of a truly 'liberal' political party.

Australia's Liberal Party is not nowadays representative of true liberalism, although amongst its ranks there are still many 'small-l liberals' whose philosophy is closer to true liberalism than the party itself, which should more properly be called a conservative party. 'Heroes' (as Margo Kingston described them in last week's Echo) like Judi Moylan and Petro Georgiou are taking a stand to try and restore at least some true 'liberal' values to their party, but ultimately they can't change the reality that it is actually a conservative party.

Australia's political playing field is perhaps best described by using international comparisons. Our Liberal Party is, as befitting its philosophical and policy position, officially aligned with other prominent conservative parties such as the US Republican Party and the UK Conservative Party. The Labor Party can be compared with similar parties in other countries such as the UK's New Labour. The Greens are clearly representative of a distinct 'brand' of politics represented by various Green parties around the world. The 'extremes' of politics are also represented by minor parties in Australia.

This leaves one category unfilled in Australia - that of a real liberal party like the Canadian Liberal Party, the UK Liberal Democrats, or the various other liberal parties throughout Europe. The Democrats were traditionally perceived as filling this role, but their inability to capture the disillusioned 'small-l liberal' vote at the last Federal election, or seemingly even to recognise this vote as theirs, is a clear illustration that the Democrats are not the political force Australia is looking for to fill this void. Whilst I'll save discussing the failure of the Democrats for another time, I'll simply say here that the state of the party is such that it can never establish the sort of grass-roots organisation necessary for a sustained presence on the Australian political stage.

There are two websites I would like to recommend. Firstly, you can read about the philosophy of liberalism as presented by the worldwide organisation of liberal parties, Liberal International, at www.liberal-international.org.

Personally I prefer the philosophy of the UK Liberal Democrats (www.libdems.org.uk), especially their community focus, something which is widely believed to be the key to their current strength. I believe that Australia could do a lot worse than see the establishment of a new 'third' political force with a philosophy modelled on that of the LibDems.

Nick Casmirri
Wollongbar

Leopards rule

No matter how you view the location of the proposed 145-unit retirement village for Evans Head, Richmond Valley Council's performance in this nasty piece of 'wedge' politics demands scrutiny.

In August 2004 Council's general manager stated Council had "initiated discussions with the Ex-Services Home, Ballina with a view to pursuing alternative sites for the project. These sites involve land which is part of the Evans Head Memorial Aerodrome. That area is currently subject of a Plan of Management process to establish the future use of the area given its heritage listing. It is proposed that the Ex-Services Home, Ballina be encouraged to provide input to that Plan of Management (via the consultants)."

He went on to say: "It should also be recognised that apart from the heritage issues at the Aerodrome, other planning issues will also need to be addressed. Accordingly, the outcome of any application for approvals in relation to any alternative site cannot be pre-empted." (emphasis ours).

Council signed a contract for the sale of Aerodrome land (May 12) to the retirement village ###before public comment for the Plan closed on May 27.

Council can't even follow its own advice. It's pre-empted the plan for the future of the Aerodrome by the sale of land. Couldn't wait to see what the public said. Wouldn't tell us how many millions the land was sold for.

The problem's made worse, in our view, by the Mayor telling the public in April the land was "adjoining the aerodrome", when this is not so. The land is part of the Aerodrome.

There's no question Evans Head would benefit from a nursing home/hostel complex, which is one third of the retirement village. Very few would disagree. But spare a moment for RAAF and WAAAF veterans who were prepared to put their lives on the line to protect our democratic processes and sense of 'fair go' now being flaunted by a Council eager to milk the Evans Head 'cash cow'. 20 per cent of RAAF killed during World War II lived and trained at Evans Head. This is a memorial place of national significance.

Responses we've had from World War II veterans who served here have been less than praiseworthy about Council's actions. Nursing home 'yes'. Location proposed by Council 'no'. But most of all, 'Where is the sense of fair play'? 'Why can't Council play by the rules'!

It's time Council stopped treating us all with contempt and obeyed the rulebook. The sale of land at the Evans Head Memorial Aerodrome is but one of a number of instances where Council has failed, in our view, to oblige democratic process and a fair go. Leopards' rule is not ok!

Dr Richard Gates
President
The Evans Head Memorial Aerodrome Committee Inc.