Issue 736

Letters To The Editor

False Truths in Council Amalgamation

Dr Stephen Soul's recent letter (Echo, Aug 23) defending Harry Woods' pathetic attempts at local government reform is a splendid example of the unsubstantiated claims and irrelevant arguments that characterise the pro-amalgamation lobby.

In fact it's more than that. If, as Soul's letter states, Harry's 'left the carriage of reform with the [Local Government and Shires] Association and with individual local councils, despite a clear lack of progress and deterioration in the circumstances of this sector,' then Harry's capacity to lead must be called into question. Harry's intervention in council elections, which strikes at the very heart of the democratic process, and his abject failure in needed reform in a sector which is clearly languishing, represent strong arguments for Harry's immediate resignation. We deserve better.

Soul's claims that empirical research show substantial economies of scale and cost savings in local government as a result of amalgamation in Victoria, and elsewhere, are not borne out by independent economic analysis. Major reviews of the literature by respected specialists in local government reform show that 'evidence is ambiguous on the question of economies of scale and may indicate that smaller councils could be more efficient'.

The slashing of jobs and forced redundancies in rural Victoria, which accompanied forced amalgamations there, certainly reduced the bottom line for councils. But it also created overall social and economic cost to the community in terms of unemployment, welfare payments and reduced services. Large redundancy payouts were also a feature of Kennett's alleged reform. Redundancies were not included in the cost equation. The cost of local government saving was shifted to Federal government welfare payments and the next generation who will have to fund the redundancies. Is this a real benefit? There is no convincing evidence that Victoria's amalgamations provided real benefit despite statements to the contrary from Soul. The figures quoted by Soul are political propaganda. They do not bear close scrutiny.

Clearly, the evidence is not all in. In many cases the evidence will never be available because, amazingly, no measures have been put in place to assess outcome. This is certainly the case in Victoria and NSW. The whole process of measurement of the reform process is a shambles. Would we allow drug companies to trial new drugs in the market place without first putting in place adequate measures to assess effects? No. Yet we put in place alleged local government reform processes which affect peoples lives, sometimes with the awful consequences, and don't bother to look to see if our reform medicine works. Surely this is a serious indictment of the whole reform process, and not only in local government.

It's risky, dangerous and inaccurate to generalise that small councils necessarily offer lesser services to their communities than larger councils. There are councils with populations of 6000 people or less which are highly innovative and provide a very wide range of services to dispersed communities. Soul's notion that bigger is better or that there is some optimal size is nonsense. It's not necessarily size that counts, it's what you do with it that's important.

It's now time for honest talk and effective leadership in local government reform. The time for rhetoric is over. Apologists for Harry Woods' politically-motivated amalgamation agenda are only delaying necessary reforms by pushing amalgamations as 'the solution' when often they are part of the problem. This is clearly a distraction from the main game.

Dr Richard Gates
Evans Head

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Another View

One way of describing the so called 'invasion of the boat people' goes as follows:

White people projecting their cheapest insecurities onto brown people. Mainly because they haven't come to terms with stealing land from the black people.

Frank Cook
North Lismore

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Love thy Neighbour

Perhaps the most accurate yardstick to measure the health of a community is they way it treats those who, for whatever reason, are less fortunate.

Mayor Gates' position on both the Soup Kitchen and Lismore Neighbourhood Centre, if he actually represent the view if the community, would indicate that we are in fact, very unwell.

The proposal by councillor David Tomlinson, at first glance, seems to be worth further discussion. On the other hand the Mayor's comments would seem to indicate that he preferred the Neighbourhood Centre could close down and nobody would miss it.

With nobody wanting to have the Soup Kitchen in their backyard, a suggestion may be for the peak business group, Lismore Unlimited, who would claim to have solved the anti-social problems within the CBD with a very expensive security camera system, to find a site within the area watched by the cameras and set up the Soup Kitchen there.

After all we know there a quite few vacant commercial premises and a very short list of potential tenants.

Bill Sheaffe
Caniaba

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Pet Awareness

On September 15 Ballina and Lismore Councils are holding a Pet Awareness Day. It's a great opportunity to educate people about their responsibilities as pet owners, and provide a fun day for everyone as well.

On the day, each council is providing discount microchipping - which would be great if the service were being provided by our local vets. Unfortunately, it has been deemed necessary to fly people up from Melbourne especially to do the 'chipping'. Maybe these people are flying and staying here at their own expense for the betterment of our companion animals?

While I think Pet Awareness days are a great initiative, any vet work should be offered to local clinics first. An even better offer to the public would be discounted desexing. That would prevent a whole lot of future problems by way of unwanted litters. Perhaps councils can work together with local vets to offer cost price desexing during a nominated week or month? How about it mayors?

Michela Brown
Alstonville

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Postbox neglect

I was interested to read your story about the 'Heritage Post Box', corner of Molesworth and Woodlark Streets (Echo, Sept 6).

As the post box is immediately outside my building I have been very concerned and felt very sorry for the post box for some time now.

I enclose copies of letters which I have sent to Australia Post, as far back as November 2, 1999 as well as a copy of a letter from their area office dated November 8, 1999 promising that the post box would be refurbished by March 2000.

The condition of the pillar pox has been made much worse by an Australia Post contractor who took to it with a steel brush and scratched a lot of the paint off, about 18 months ago and left it to rust ever since.

Having regard to their previous actions or inaction's I would have very little faith in their statement to you, that the pillar box would be repainted 'within a fortnight'.

Even if Australia Post was now to undertake the job I have little or no faith in their ability to undertake the job in any sort of a sympathetic manner.

If I was to be given permission by Australia Post to take the matter into my own hands, I would be quite happy to have the job professionally undertaken at my own cost and am happy for you to pass this offer onto Australia Post.

It is truly a Heritage item and I know of no other similar pillar boxes left in existence in the local area. It is particularly significant when looked at in the setting of my building, which is itself listed on the National Trust.

Good luck if you can get some action!

Keith J Graham
Lismore

- Work on the restoration began last week - Ed.

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Logging Concerns

The United Nations recently released a report detailing the urgent need to protect what remains of the world's closed canopy forests. Australia is one of 15 countries which together hold 80% of these forests, although we have one of the smallest areas located mainly on the east coast and Tasmania. The importance of closed canopy forests cannot be underestimated - they are intact habitat for some of the world's most endangered species, rich in irreplaceable biodiversity and culturally significant.

Currently logging practices in both the east coast of NSW and Tasmania are destroying what is left of this precious forest. The Federal government and the opposition are in complete denial of the issues at stake and instead hide behind the Regional Forest Agreement which they believe has solved all of our problems. The reality of the RFA is however that old growth forests continue to be handed to the timber industry on a platter. Nationally agreed targets for base level conservation have not been met and over inflated resource levels form the basis of 20 year contracts which many in the industry know can never be fulfilled. Less than 13% of Australia's closed canopy forest is protected which obviously is not enough. The UN report calls on countries to produce plans to increase the amount of areas protected and to introduce more stringent accountability measures on conservation policies. This is not greenie propaganda talking here, it is the United Nations calling on Australia to do something urgently before it is too late.

I have recently spent time at Marengo State Forest which has been the scene of protests against the logging of old growth forest. This forest is the habitat for many rare and endangered species and borders the Guy Fawkes River National Park. It never ceases to astound me that given the enormous ecological crisis that we are currently living in, forests like Marengo continue to be logged. The information is out there. There is absolutely no excuse for it. The RFA is not the end of the story. People will continue to protest against what can only be seen as a desperate attempt by industry and government to hang on to outdated management practices and pander to the corporate welfare mentality.

The national Green movement has three demands relating to forests in the lead up to the federal election - the amendment of the Renewable Electricity Act to remove electricity generated from the burning of native forests from the renewable energy credit scheme, the protection of all old growth and high conservation value forests from logging; and the commissioning of an inquiry into microeconomic reform in public native forests, to be undertaken by the Productivity and Sustainability Commission. Before you choose who you will vote for find out what your local candidates stand for with regards to forest protection. Will they continue to support an industry based on short sighted economics and unsustainability or will they conform to mounting global pressure to do something for a better future for us all? There has to come a time when the economy (read: the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer) is no longer regarded as a legitimate excuse for the continuing destruction of the earth's vital ecosystems.

Binnie O'Dwyer
North Lismore

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Disease Concerns

Although sympathetic to the plight of 'genuine' refugees, I consider the risk of exotic disease, such as Foot and Mouth or Ebola virus too great a risk to allow the continuation of illegal entry/breaking of quarantine status, as a betrayal to the Australian people.

Solution; Lease Christmas island or a similar Australian island to the United nations where they are responsible for assessing refugee status. By doing this all illegal immigrants can be repatriated to United Nations Refugee Headquarters immediately they are detected and before they hit our shores.

All building materials and food would be supplied through Australia as not to break our quarantine laws. Funding of this should be co-ordinated by United Nations through a levy on multi-national companies, as they operate in Global Environment and this is a Global Problem. Not Just Ours!

Tom Cooper
Bonalbo
Independent candidate for Page

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Health on Greens

As I move about the electorate of Page campaigning for Mr Causley's seat in federal Parliament, one of the main questions I'm asked is: Are The Greens interested in health and education?

Health and education are definitely on my agenda as the next MP for Page. The Greens have detailed policies on both these matters and are committed to highlighting them in the run-up to the Federal election. (Our policies can be accessed via my website www.page.greens.org.au.)

I am happy to state that I fully support a major review of the funding formulae currently being used to allocate taxpayers money to private schools. The Greens in general, and I in particular, believe that a substantial inequality has developed between the opportunities available to students enrolled in public schools and those enrolled in the wealthy elite private schools.

We are committed to winding back the funding provided to these wealthy private schools in favour of increasing funding to public school system and the smaller community based independent schools. Priorities for these increased funds would go to reduced class sizes and providing additional learning resources.

Similarly on the question of health I can advise that I am vitally interested in increasing the level of federal funding provided to state-based public health services. I am very keen to see substantial improvements made to address the real and pressing health needs of low-income earners in particular.

The kinds of improvements I would support include the provision of dental care under Medicare, the extension of the dwindling bulkbilling scheme, and a major review and reform of the disability qualification procedure. I am also keen to see the pharmaceutical-benefits scheme overhauled and drug industry representatives removed from the board.

Of course such a question is fair enough. Many people still operate under the misconception that The Greens are only interested in the environment. While we're obviously concerned about environmental issues, my biggest challenge is to convince voters that I am more than a passionate environmentalist. I want to be seen as having wider issues of concerns than simply the forests or the coasts.

It needs to become known that I have a wife, a daughter, a job, and understand the concerns and stresses most other families face during uncertain times. I hope to show people that I have considerably more depth than the caricature of a one dimensional greenie drawn by some. The Greens need to be seen as 'people people' as well as 'planet people' and I will be doing my level best to achieve this new view of our party in the coming months.

Let's start a new Page: a Green Page. Together we can put our region back into the political spotlight.

John R Corkill
Lismore
Greens candidate for Page

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False Tourism

According to a press release from The Australian Tourism Industry recently, at the beginning of this year international visitor arrivals were forecast to grow by around 8 per cent. Now the Tourist Forecasting Council is reporting that growth in inbound arrivals has slowed and will reach only about 4.5%.

So much for the boom in tourism we were to expect after the Olympic Games last year. We have been had.

The new president of the International Olympic Committee is advising future games' host countries against creating one off use, white elephants and a long term drain on the host country's economy. Discerning people, then and now, consider the NSW government's expenditure of $2.24 billion on the construction works at Homebush a gross extravagance.

Maybe the state government is like some parents who, nagged by their peer pressured youngsters, buy them designer label clothes knowing full well there will be no money left to put milk on the table.

The drop in the number of tourists will be accorded to forces beyond our control and the deed has been done but our extravagance looks like becoming our shame.

Eat your hearts out all you people wanting to replace broken down swimming pools and precarious roads. Quit it you people calling out for more hospital beds, nurses and teachers or things like shadecloths for schoolplaygrounds. There's no place for moaning about fishing fees or having to pay to take the family to a national park.

The bills for millions of dollars going into Sydney Olympics have had to be paid.

We're just 'country bumpkins'. Is that what they say in Parliament behind closed doors?

I know it has been said that 'against stupidity the gods themselves struggle in vain' but some people still dream about getting the leaders we deserve.

It is the large number who think we already have them - that is the worry.

Kathryn Pollard-O'Hara
Lismore
Independent candidate for seat of Page

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Capitalist Concerns

In this day and age we are fed so much conservatism at school, the media, from the family, at work, and by our friends but we aren't moulded truly by this. Even though we are truly social beings when the social fabric proves time and time again that it is unhealthy and there is a movement that is truly all inclusive and offers a real alternative... then the movement will succeed.

It is after many years of searching for answers that I now realise the essence of what I have known all along. That is 'profit is theft''. The more capitalists (those who own the means of production generally don't do the work) have us dependant, the more money they will make and the more environment they will destroy.

For me, calling myself a socialist meant researching and finding out that the Soviet Union and China were more like fascist countries than 'Socialist' and that they had become this way because of unforgiving attacks from capitalists. The capitalist armies and secret service attacked from both inside and outside the respective countries. The global understanding of capitalism was not strong enough and did not support the people of the Soviet Union, China and later Cuba and Vietnam, that is to say the 'Carrot' was still too tempting.

I see socialism as not undermining the wealth and infrastructure that has been made, but re-configuring the system so that we are not controlled by it. So that industry is run by the people, for the people and in the most environmentally friendly way.

The system would be based on a decentralised, fully accountable democracy that works on empowerment, cooperation, and with this we would build a truly friendly and sustainable world for all.

I think that conservatism is not at all to be looked down upon and nor is set in stone. Many of us have been hurt and put down by our fellow humans who are influenced by greed and the system of divide and conquer. We can find our power and I truly believe we will. Just knowing how much I have personally changed in such a short period of time gives me hope.

Seeing this extremely exciting anti-capitalist movement, that is uniting environmentalists with workers, socialists with anarchists and the first world with the third... these are very exciting times.

Ever since I started working within the movement I have gained hope, found out a lot of information and met so many truly amazing people, I would love to hear all your comments and for you to get involved in any way you can. Thanks.

David Basnett
Lismore

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Expensive Habits

There are some matters in Mr English's incisive letter (Echo, Sept 6), which I must address.

The 'welcoming information' new elector package sent to me by Mr Causley, is almost verbatim to that sent to me by Mr Anthony when I was enrolled in Richmond. So, Mr English, forgive my cynicism in thinking that the so called welcome was personal to me.

The point of my original letter (Echo, Aug ?? was that the 'information' sent to me by Mr Causely, were Coalition political documents giving me no information about the electorate at all. I wonder whether the use of MPs allowances (for electoral purposes) being used for political mail outs, is quite proper?

You suggest that the reason for my criticism of Mr Causley was as a result of being rejected as a member of the National Party. Hardly. I would consider such a rejection an honour.

Mr English, you state that it is emotional to point out problems in an electorate and to ask questions of an MP on issues affecting those less well off in our society. The point of my comments was, in fact, to suggest that the amounts spent by our 247 Federal MPs (which equal some $310 million a year) on their allowances could be put to better use. When one adds the $20 million per month spent by the Coalition on advertising (sorry 'information') , the total cost of 'informing the electorate' is some half billion dollars a year!

My letter was not an attack on Mr Causley personally. It questioned whether this money could be better spent on education, welfare, jobs, poverty and the like, rather than it being spent on 'informing' the populace. These are some of the real issues concerning the voter-not whether Mr Causley's feelings were hurt by my questions.

By the way Mr English, thank you for your kind wishes on my beautiful new home in this area. It's a shame that this government could not extend a similar welcome to the Tampa refugees.

On reflection and reading your letter more carefully, those well wishes seem remarkably similar.

Aniko Cripps Clark
Gundurimbah

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Boat Before the Horse

Our courageous Prime Minister blames Indonesia for the boat people fiasco. I would partly agree with him, everyone appears to be putting the 'cart before the horse', blaming one and other, passing the buck. It was universally known that the living conditions in Afghanistan for many was so appalling, inhumane, particularly women and young girls. Knowing this the so-called United Nations Human Rights Division, surely they should have gone into Afghanistan and suspended the rabble so-called government of Afghanistan.

It also is very clear that Indonesia does little or nothing to stop the obvious organising of this lucrative illegal boat people trade.

I spent five years in service for this - my country of origin. For this I have received little or nothing for my volunteered service, and now I have to contribute to the many hundreds and thousands of dollars wasted on detention, food and medical costs to name just a few associated with this fiasco, not forgetting the cost of the present military shield and screening that is to place shortly.

Mr Ian Causley hit the nail on the head, in his article 'Listen to the facts, not emotion' (Echo, Sept 6) on this issue.

Thank you both, John and Ian for your timely stand.

Seth Kenney
Ballina

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Refugees

After recent letters by the public and other articles in this newspaper stating various facts and figures regarding asylum seekers, I have been vindicated.

The refugees and asylum seekers are much more important and a humane solution is paramount. But although I am not going to keep expressing the same views ad nauseum, I would firstly like to express my gratitude to Ross Macdonald of Nimbin (Echo, Sept 6) for pointing out what I said was correct by using information he gleaned from the Dept of Immigration. So although David Estreich wrongfully jumped on my bones, that's not what he will be remembered for. No, it will be his racist remarks about unfortunate people who are coming here while being infected with unknown diseases. Silly stuff mate. Also to David Estreich, you were absolutely wrong to say that I have an advocacy towards an 'Open Door Policy.' That was a bit naughty, David all I've been saying is that people in need should be helped in a humane fashion.

I would also like to thank Shaggy Dog and Margo Kingston for their intelligent and thoughtful articles in the past few weeks. I am unashamedly embarrassed and envious of your own knowledge and presentation on the subject of asylum seekers. Well done both of you and Shaggy deserves a big and juicy bone for his penmanship. I say this, because otherwise it would be Shaggy Bitch, wouldn't it?

Frosty Grego
Evans Head

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Refugees 2

Before we commit to the moral shame and opprobrium advocated by the bleeding-heart café latte brigade of Ross Macdonald, Frosty Grego and Margo Kingston (Echo, Sept 6), lets get a few facts right.

Australia has resettled more than more than half a million refugees since the WWII and today, only Canada accepts more refugees per capita than Australia.

The United Nations High Commission for Refugees preferred solution is integrating these people into the country of first asylum closest to the refugees home ie. PNG, East Timor, and Indonesia.

The Tampa picked up the asylum seekers in international waters and had an obligation to take them to the nearest feasible port of disembarkation ie. Merak in Indonesia, The Captain then broke Australia law by bringing them into Christmas Island waters.

Both Kofi Annan and Mary Robinson have criticised Australia for doing what the US and most European countries do without reproach. It is interesting to note that during the Tampa standoff Cypriot police turned away a boatload of 35 illegal immigrants (including children). they received no international condemnation and not a squeak of protest from our local moral elites Macdonald, Grego et al.

Ethnically homogenous Norway (the country Australia opposes over whaling) accepts far less refugees than we do and has no right to impose it's cultural arrogance on Australia.

Why does the UN sit on its hands about the Taliban government in Afghanistan, yet become so vocal about a country like Australia, when there are so many flagrant human rights violators in this world?

The 'just-this-once' pubic outcry from the cafe latte set was soft headed and shows an inability to comprehend the bigger picture. In the month preceding the Tampa crisis 1,700 boat people had arrived on our shores which meant our detention centres were close to exceeding their capacity.

Government sources claimed as many as 1,500 asylum seekers were ready to head for Christmas Island from Serang Providence in the west and to Ashmore reef from around Surabaya in the east. They delayed their departure to see how the situation unfolded and with the Nauru solution, they may not come, or they may look elsewhere, only time will tell.

As reported in the Courier Mail there have been 1000 cases of illegal immigrants carrying infectious diseases such as Typhoid (eradicated in Australia decades ago), Tuberculosis, Hepatitis B and C, Malaria, Meningococcal meningitis found in the past 18 months.

The refugees are hardly people that have fled penniless with just the clothes on their backs as the cafe latte brigade would have you to believe. Even without mandatory searches $600,000is held in trust by the Immigration Department for detainees, some carrying suitcases of up to $50,000 each. Afghanistan and Pakistan are supposedly among the poorest countries in the world, Afghanistan is thought to produce 75% of the world's opium trade. Maybe some of these people are criminals and that is why they discard their passports when captured.

Somewhere in the world there are refugees living in squalid refuge camps waiting for immigration positions to become available in Australia.

As Steve Pratt has said these people don't have the money to pay the people smugglers and are just being pushed further back into the queue. So Ross, by accepting these boat people, not only does it line the pockets of the people smugglers, it makes money the determining factor. Those that can pay and go through illegal channels to our shores, get to stay, whereas those that can't pay and go through our proper channels stay at the back of the queue. Do you believe this is a fair system Ross?

What John Howard and the majority of Australians object to is people going outside the United Nations High Commission for Refugees where they bypass an internationally credible system which is fair to all potential refugees, not just the rich ones. A democratically elected government has a duty to represent the wishes of the people. With support for the Governments position ranging from 77-90%, for once the Government has listened to the wishes of the people.

The Tampa incident and the Nauru solution was good because it sent a clear message to the people smugglers. Successful refugees are going to be accepted by Norway, NZ and other Countries as opposed to us accepting them all. Also our detention centres are nearly full anyway so new ones had to be built. I certainly don't object to them being built or processed offshore.

David Estreich
Lismore

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