Issue 742

Letters To The Editor

Another Victim of Abuse Speaks Out

Plainly from the recent media attention and letters, Lismore Council's Crime Prevention Officer has spent some time in some neighbourhood, other than the one where I live. It is not amusing to be threatened, intimidated or disturbed by explosive noise that makes sleep impossible and then be dismissed because, 'in general' NSW is 'statistically' blah… blah…blah.

I appealed to the Council Law Enforcement Officers regarding noise and was given patronising assurances. I risked and received an increase in retribution. I was told that it is a 'neighbourhood problem' and that 'there have been no other complaints.' Which is it?

I was not surprised at Mary Kershaw's letter (Echo, Oct 18) about her experience of being pre-judged. Prejudgment, or prejudice, is not uncommon towards persons who may be, or appears in a marginal social position.

Respect is a big word, one of which those in positions of responsibility could meditate on without endangering their social function. Everyone is entitled to their own personal opinion but justice and laws evolve to support it dictate what is and is not acceptable in society.

Inspector Brian Boulton stated he must acknowledge crime exists because the collective voice says so. He also said, 'If they are frightened in their own homes, we want to know about it' and 'we need to know who is responsible'.

I had to give up my volunteer work and resort to the court system myself to regain the peace that I was entitled to, needed and had enjoyed. No experience, no Legal Aid, no choice. I am now wiser and considerably poorer. I am tired of having the 'haves' blaming the 'have nots' for issues that arise directly out of actions or lack of actions taken by people in 'authority'. Where are the facilities planned, 'oh so many years ago' for youth in this area?

How come the residents have to fight long and hard just to get a light in a park, or in a particularly dark cul-de-sac? The street sweeper seemed to have had this area deleted from his map until only last week.

Why does not the Department of Housing and the Police work together as they have a charter to do? Why does the bus that served streets where a lot of people without cars live get re-routed? So we can go to Coles?

There are all sorts of cultural differences. The divide that the scent and comfort of money can create is old news. Rather than describe all of the different cultures in this town that we could study, the only two that are going to matter when the melting pot gets to boil are domination and control or peace and co-operation.

Name withheld on request
Goonellabah

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Letters Rules

For some reason, the number of party political letters seems to be increasing at the moment... In the three editions remaining prior to the election, we will only publish letters of a political nature under 250 words (and we do not have the time to edit them right now). We ask that writers to declare if they have a relationship with a candidate or a political party, whether paid or volunteer. Please make sure you include an address and daytime telephone number for verification.

Ed.
(Pubished 18/10/01)

Big Beef

I am rather amused at Terry Flannagan claiming to be a farmer.

Enquiries to neighbours reveal that he has 35 acres of forest country near Kungala and runs 3 head of cattle. Hardly a farmer Terry.

If you try and fudge the truth on the little things, you cannot be believed.

Ken Herd
Bexhill

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Food Irradiation

Despite submissions made against the process by groups such as the Australian Conservation Foundation and Friends of the Earth, the Australia New Zealand Food Authority (ANZFA) has recently approved the first application to irradiate food in this country.

The application was made under an herbs and spices category, which includes herbal infusions, and ANZFA currently has before it an application to irradiate tropical fruits.

Why is this issue being kept deliberately under wraps until after the elections? Why weren't the words 'food irradiation' used when John Howard recently announced funding of millions of dollars to the food industry and associated export industry?

Could it be that the Australian population now, as in the '80s, would oppose the acceptance of foods treated with a radioactive source?

Irradiated food has not been proven safe after many years and millions of dollars spent on research. Experts in the field have stated that acceptance and release of irradiated foodstuffs is tantamount to the largest medical experiment ever undertaken on a civilian population.

The issue appears to have bi-partisan support in that the Leader of the Opposition, Kim Beazley, has to date refused to be drawn on the question of Labor's policy in regard to this highly controversial nuclear technology.

For further information on food irradiation go to: www.communitycauldron.com

I would appreciate feedback through this column from all political candidates for Page in relation to this issue. I would particularly appreciate that Greens candidate John Corkill advise of the Green's policy on food irradiation.

Dana Young
Lismore
Coalition for Safe Food

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Bowls Concerns

We have just returned from the highly successfully run Lismore Ladies Bowling Carnival. Everything was very well organised our team playing at three very welcoming and friendly clubs. As this was a first time event to two of us, we were very impressed.

Our trip was marred by our visit to the Lismore City Bowling Club on Wednesday. We had the unfortunate draw of playing on the number 1 green, beside Spinks Park, where we experienced unacceptable behaviour of a group in the rotunda and on the river bank.

Although this area has been designated as an 'alcohol free zone' this group were drinking, fighting, swearing, and urinating right there beside us. The Bar Manager rang the Police in the morning and they came around and poured out he alcohol. The behaviour then calmed down for a while. At 3pm, this unacceptable behaviour became unbearable once again, so one of our players phoned Police. Two Police cars came, alcohol poured out and one person was taken away. Most of the group moved on and we were able to concentrate on our bowls game.

We wish to thank Police for acknowledging our concerns on Wednesday and patrolling the park on Thursday, so that the women who played there were not subjected to such bad behaviour.

We spoke to local residents, store owners, restaurateurs and fellow bowlers who state, 'There is nothing we can do about this group who disrupt the town'.

This seems unbelievable. Over 400 women attend this carnival each year, so are there any plans to make it safe for them and all other visitors to your city? We certainly hope so as we want to return next year. I'm sure that the financial support to your economy would be very welcome in these hard times.

We were so concerned about our experience on Wednesday, that this letter was written. Hopefully next year we will be able to send a bouquet and not a brickbat. We thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to participate in the Carnival.

Here's hoping the 45th Carnival is another great success.

Ursula McErlean, Gwen Pratt, Lyn Cox, Billie Duff
Maroochydore

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Chronic Problems

I write with great concern regarding the current situation that a majority of people with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/ Chronic Fatigue syndrome and Fibromyalgia find themselves in.

When someone rings me for information and support, most often they want the name of a doctor who understands these illnesses, as well as being able to treat/manage their symptoms. Often these doctors are overloaded with ME/CFS/FM patients and the books are closed.

Our Association has been receiving a small funding grant from the Northern Rivers Area Health Service, which enabled us to provide information, support and a quarterly newsletter, but this will finish in June 2002.

Now as we are a National ME/FM Association with members Australia-wide, we are asking Federal politicians and candidates what is their policy on health services for people with these illnesses?

A letter of reply from the Senator Grant Tambling, Parliament Secretary to the minister for Health and Aged Care states, 'At present, the Government does not have a position concerning the cause and significance of ME/CFS/FM within the Australian community, or the diagnosis and management of these conditions.'

This is absolutely unacceptable with so much research being carried out worldwide into the diagnosis and management of these illnesses. The National Health and Medical Research Council has estimated that possibly 70,000 people in Australia suffer from this disease.

The number of people with this disease who are contacting our office for assistance is growing each week. We are another example of rural support services closing down. Where do people with this chronic condition go for help?

Merle Fullerton
North Lismore
President, NR ME/CFS/FM Support Assoc

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Knocking Knocks

I note than Terry Flannagan claims to have knocked on 20,000 doors since he started campaigning. He is certainly innoculated with the Labor virus of exaggeration and outright lies.

If a very generous figure of five minutes is applied for each call, 120 calls a day could be made in 10 hours. By my calculations, that is almost six months door knocking seven days a week.

As Mr Flannagan is supposedly working for Mr Harry Woods as an advisor, when does he carry out this marathon?

John Tate
Goonellabah

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War Concerns

I am appalled by the USA's attack upon Afghanistan and by the bipartisan support of it here.

The proclaimed aim of this so-called 'police action' is to reduce the threat of terrorism in the world but this just doesn't make any sense.

Even in the unlikely event of Bin Laden being captured, the threat of terrorism will not diminish one iota. On the contrary, as so many well-informed commentators have been at pains to point out, such self-righteous, power posturing, bullying tactics (which are going to cause the death of not thousands but millions of innocent lives in their impact on drought-stricken Afghanistan) serve only to fuel anti-American terrorist activities across the planet.

The whole ghastly operation is so irrational from this point of view that one has to conclude that there is a hidden agenda.

We are being duped. The driving force behind this costly and inhumane exercise has little to do with pursuit of justice or long-term security and everything to do with short-sighted self-interested political and /or economic expediency. More will be revealed and I'm sure that future historians will look back on our ill-fated naive acquiescence with some degree of astonishment!

Dr Gillian Ross
Nimbin

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Integrity Needed

The most important issue in this 2001 Federal Election is not boat people, desperate fellow human beings who are trying to find a safer life for their families.

The most important issue in any time, but particularly in times of crisis, is integrity. Under John Howard, Australia's international reputation for integrity is now about the same as South Africa had under Apartheid.

Integrity involves having core moral values, which override all temporary temptations, emergencies and crises, a deep integration of character which guides the holder on a moral path in all circumstances. It is known by producing consistent, predictable, honourable, and above all else moral behaviour, which actively works for the well-being of all people.

John Backflip Howard has demonstrated the lowest levels of integrity in any Prime Minister in my adult lifetime. People with integrity do not have to do backflips when the going gets tough. They have the character and decency to get things right before they start. And they create a feeling of strength and security, not fear and bigotry, in their fellow people.

If John Howard is re-elected, the people of Australia are choosing a totally self-serving, selfish, racist, short-sighted, narrow minded, opportunist to guide our youth into the 21st century. Is that how we want our next generation to behave?

Are we so lacking in integrity ourselves that we cannot see when others do not have it? If so, that will be the tragedy of this election.

Richard Morrow
Lismore

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Do Good

How often do we hear the term 'do-gooders' used in a pejorative sense by people generally of a conservative bent!

I think of 'do-gooders' - such as Jesus Christ, Martin Luther King, Eddie Mabo, Fred Hollows, all members of Amnesty International and Medecins Sans Frontieres etc. All of these, I am sure, would prefer to be labelled 'do-gooders' rather than 'do-badders'.

It was not surprising to hear Pauline Hanson label as 'do-gooders' all those (including the Australian Democrats) who dislike One Nation, Labor and the Coalition's approach to the refugee question. The Democrats predict a farcical outcome to the transporting of boatpeople all around the Pacific while we damage our former image as a caring and compassionate nation.

Our government, having shut down Christmas Island as a processing centre, will have to cope with more boats heading directly for the Australian mainland with its vast coastline. Medical and security checks on such boatpeople may not occur in such circumstances or occur after the damage has been done. We know already that over 90 per cent of those fleeing from repressive regimes are genuine refugees. There is no flood. At the moment Australia is not reaching the quota it has set for refugees in its immigration intake.

The Democrats as the effective Opposition in the Federal parliament will hope to attract many disillusioned on the Left and hopefully some small l Liberals on the right.

In the Senate where neither of the two major parties has a majority it will be a struggle for the balance of power between the brassy Pauline and the classy Natasha and what they represent.

Stan Gibbs
Clunes (Democrats member)

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Minor Players

On November 10 we will all go to the polls and newly elect our representation to the federal lower house and half of the Senate. We now have the ability to change the government and reform the parliament.

Now is the all too brief time that they must listen to us. But will they?

The Coalition and the Labor party have already wheeled out the well-oiled party machine.

How many voices are going unheard behind the tweedle-dumb and tweedle-dumber dialogue between the major political parties? Liberal voters are hurting over GST. We are hearing many disenchanted traditional Labor voices over the refugee and war on Afghanistan issues. They don't know where to turn.

Well, it's time for us all to broaden our horizons. It is good that so many global issues are being raised this time, it's our wake up call.

Prominent in the political sidelines are the Democrats, the Greens and One Nation. There is a broad range of ideals represented by these groups, and most seem to be relatively committed and seasoned in politics to do the job required for us, the electorate. They, along with numerous independent candidates, are worthy of our support.

But the media won't tell us about these players, much. They'll play them down and discredit them as much as possible, preferring to focus the attention to their own purposes, and perpetuating the system. But there are alternatives.

It's up to us to add our voices to theirs, to challenge our apathy and get informed. We must reclaim the future of Australian politics.

Andy Gough
Summerland Greens
Lismore

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Not Much Help

It is interesting to look back at the State election run up, 1988, which saw Bill Rixon, Nationals elected for the seat of Lismore, Don Page, Nationals, Seat of Ballina and Brian Pezzutti, Liberal become a member of the Legislative Assembly, the National Party pointedly claiming money would be spent on the upgrading of roads, whilst Brian Pezzutti stated, 'Mr Greiner has won seats all over the state. This means he has to be fair to everyone in NSW.'

Whatever happened to the Alstonville By-pass during the following two terms of Coalition incumbency?

The Howard Government has been in for two terms, what money has come from them to help with the Alstonville By-pass?

Larry Anthony has been participating in traffic distribution and has 'printed and authorised' a leaflet against Labor over the By-pass.

What was the source of funding for this leaflet?

Did Larry have anything to do with the protest posters placed illegally on electricity poles for the Alstonville By-pass?

Is protesting the only assistance a National Party member gives while being a Parliament member?

'Helping' is the art of good government Larry.

Don Hains
East Ballina

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Forest Destruction

At a time when we are asked to choose our representatives for the next few years, one of the questions we need to ask is 'What is happening to the pitiful remnants of our old growth forests?'

State Forests of NSW is still pursuing a 'cut-down-fast' approach, despite both State and Federal policies requiring the reservation of these forests. Are we to regard Government Departments as being above the law and beholden to no-one? To paraphrase John Donne 'It is necessary for the destruction of our old growth remnants that good people do nothing.'

Those (mostly young) people endeavouring to bring matters to the notice of the citizens of Australia ae facing a hard struggle. If you cannot physically offer support, you can financially support organisations such as North East Forest Alliance, Big Scrub Environment Centre, Rainforest Information Centre.

Hand-wringing and despair are not enough! Please, older folk, don't leave it all to the youngsters to act. You too can act.

Irma Chelsworth
The Channon

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