Letters To The Editor
Here's Why You Should Vote No
When the voters of Richmond Valley Council area have their say in the July 27 referendum they will have a clear choice - whether to continue going forward, or to take a huge step backwards into the past.
To continue going forward the voters must say no to wards.
Since the amalgamation of both Richmond River and Casino councils we have seen an upsurge in optimism and growth. Richmond Valley is a much stronger entity because of amalgamation, we are recognised for our determination to push forward in our endeavours to achieve a secure future for all sections of our diverse community regardless of their location.
Richmond Valley Council is succeeding because it does not have wards and the majority of councillors are opposed to wards.
The original concept of wards was appropriate to conditions under which people had to live in the beginning days of settlement. In these times of advanced technology, rapid communication and refined management practices wards are no longer needed.
Indeed, wards are disappearing in this state as evidenced by department figures. In referenda conducted in various New South Wales council areas over the past seven years the majority have voted against wards. The majority of local government areas in our state now do not have wards.
Wards obstruct broad thinking and planning. They create divisions among residents who should be thinking of the collective good rather than dwelling on selfish local matters.
A serious flaw in the wards system is that it devalues the vote of each individual. One can only have a say in the election of three persons instead of selecting the whole Council. If we are to be represented by the whole Council why can we only vote for those who nominate in our ward?
I regard the ward system as inadequate, narrow-minded and irrelevant to the times in which we live.
I strongly urge voters to vote a resounding no to both wards questions.
Cr Charlie Cox
Deputy Mayor
Casino
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RSL on Pool
Your last edition (July 11) contained a quote from Lismore City Councillor Ros Irwin regarding a conversation she had with "senior people" at the Lismore RSL Sub Branch.
She states that this Sub-Branch would "prefer a rose garden or reflective pool".
Her statement needs clarifying. Once again we are in a situation of having to reaffirm the Sub-Branch's position on this matter.
The City of Lismore RSL Sub-Branch has a motion on our books stating that we support the refurbishment of the Memorial Baths and this has not changed.
If Lismore City Council, determines to change from the original position of refurbishing the Memorial Baths and enters an agreement to build an aquatic centre elsewhere, therefore closing the existing baths, this Sub-Branch believes that the original site should remain a memorial precinct. Whether this is by way of a garden of remembrance, reflective pool, military museum or whatever, the area should remain the focal point of remembrance for Lismore. Honour boards and the like should remain in this precinct whatever the outcome of the pool.
This area is a dedicated Memorial site and as such must be preserved in memory of those who paid the supreme sacrifice.
"Lest we Forget"
Wilson McClelland
Hon Secretary
City of Lismore RSL Sub-branch
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Umpire Needed
What's wrong with our local councils? I know the old adage is people get what they deserve, but do we really deserve what we've got? In Ballina Shire there appears to be an 'under the surface' agenda: first they petition the Minister to have a levy, and when it's approved, they reject it. Are the councillors really as dumb as they appear?
In Byron Shire there is a shortage of sewage facilities but at Broken Head a large "holiday-style" development is being constructed. What happens to the waste? Pumped out to sea perhaps, but I haven't noticed the Surf Riders making any noise!
Then we have Lismore City Council with a dubious selection procedure, and the swimming baths issue. Honest Bob, doing a Bill Clinton, hand on heart, saying 'believe me! - but can we?
Wherever you look, there's some strange decisions being made on behalf of ratepayers. I urge all ratepayers to take an interest in the activities of your Council, and reach your own conclusions it's your money that the Councils are spending. Maybe Irene Moss, Head of ICAC, was right - we need an independent umpire. Or, do we have one layer of government that we don't want or need?
Ted Perkins
Wollongbar
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It's All Politics
Re: The Lismore Mayors letter (Echo, July 11).
Quote "I have no political aspirations or agenda"; Quote "I have the numbers". If that is not a political statement, what is it?
I thought local government was for the good of all the community; however I wonder.
Why was it necessary for the Department of Local Government to intervene in Lismore Council's 356 contributions when Nimbin Old School site was excluded while Clunes Old School site was included is this - equality for all.
The pool saga takes another turn and now the Council is back where it was three or more years ago, so what happens in September 2003 if the composition of the Council changes - more delays.
How much has Goonellabah lost by not having a pool in its area, how much vandalism could have been avoided and how much has the economy of Lismore lost by people travelling to Alstonville which on a time basis is the same as going to the Memorial Baths.
When is this Council going to look at the whole urban area and not just the basin?
On another subject this Council has practically doubled the environmental levy paid by those ratepayers not receiving a garbage service and given nothing in return. A motion to provide two tip vouchers per year was rescinded - so much for looking after all ratepayers.
Stan Haywood
Rosebank
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Enviro Refugees
The World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) will be held on the 10th anniversary of the Rio Earth Summit, in South Africa, in late August. While most countries agree that protecting the environment is a top priority, a handful (led by the US, Canada and Australia) are adopting a different view, and hope to prevent any meaningful outcome from being reached in spite of figures that speak for themselves.
An insurance industry report released last year found that if current trends continue, economic losses from extreme weather will overtake global GNP around 2065. With their future under threat, insurers have applied some of the strongest pressure to curb global warming, which is believed to be the cause.
The world has an estimated 25 million environmental refugees, more than the total displaced by all other factors, such as war and persecution. These include the people of the Pacific island of Tuvalu who are being evacuated this year due to rising sea levels brought on by global warming. Others are subsistence farmers in arid countries who are fleeing the droughts that global warming exarcerbates.
If present trends continue, the number of environmental refugees is set to grow exponentially. Rather than by dictators, most of these people stand to be displaced by cars, cookers, fridges, and consumer products with a high embodied energy.
Subscribing to Green Power, and effectively obtaining all one's energy from renewable sources, is probably the most important household step to beat global warming. Although it faces the forces of consumer procrastination and apathy, Green Power has already played a significant role in kick-starting Australian renewable energy industries, especially wind.
While we have an obligation to tell our political representatives that Australia should be seeking constructive agreement at the WSSD rather than sabotage, this is no substitute for grassroots action with a local focus. This September, a program called 'Sustainability Street' is being launched by the local government group Environs Australia, to bring positive environmental change down to the neighbourhood level through community 'capacity building'. Further details will be appearing on the Environs website at www.environs.org.au
Martin C. Oliver
Lismore
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Tree Huggers
Dara Tatrag (Echo, July 4) Lismore is complaining about coconut trees being pulled down by the local government in Port Douglas, for fear of public liabilities.
I would like to know what it has to do with the people of Lismore and district. We are 1,000 miles away from there, and I guarantee that 90% of Lismorites etc, couldn't give one iota about coconuts falling on your head and 90% of the people have never been to Port Douglas and never will.
With a name like Dara, they would have to be a tree hugger, and so why don't they go back up there and live, instead of writing letters to the papers taking up space for intelligent letters.
If you want to do something constructive, why don't you complain to the Council, of the state of Robinson's Lookout, we used to get a good view of Lismore and area, in the 1940s and 50s, but now through tree huggers like you, it is a bloody disgrace, and also the riverbanks, we used to be able to go fishing and swimming in those days, near the gasworks and all that area, now you can't get anywhere near the river, for overgrown Lantana and other undergrowth.
They have a world-class baseball field where the tip used to be, and now the grounds behind it near the bamboo trees are overgrown, unless it has been cleared since I was there a few years back. It would make a good barbecue area etc, while watching the baseball.
So instead of worrying about coconuts hitting you on the head, in Port Douglas do something about those two places as above, I've been living in Sydney for 49 years and have come back to live, so don't ask me to do it as I'm not a tree hugger like you.
John Lenor
Evans Head
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Poor Traditions
Ariel Gardener's letter (Echo, July 11) states in part. "The Christian tradition has much good in it."
Ariel in the last 50 years the church denominations, sects, and cults is trying to present itself as a caring concerning religion or faith movement full of compassion and love. Politicians and community leaders speak of "Christian values." What are Christian values? Morals and ethics existed thousands of years before Christianity came upon the scene.
Perhaps Christianity should return to the Christian awe and splendour of its previous seventeen centuries? The grandeur of tyranny, torture, murder, war, oppression, ignorance, superstition and other Christian delights that the western world endured while Christianity ruled throughout Europe.
Women would be able to return to their rightful biblical role similar to that of cattle to be bartered and traded for. Black people could be returned to slavery. Early Christian art painted demons and devils as black figures. Christians could start killing any person who worked on the Sabbath, had sex out of wedlock, who committed adultery (this includes those who have divorced and remarried) and homosexuals.
If there is so much in past history to commend Christianity for, then maybe everybody should be forced to convert once again and let history repeat itself.
There are marriages that have been destroyed because one partner loves the church or the supposed Jesus more than the love of their spouse and offspring.
Women are made to feel inferior and must submit not only to the church but also to their believing husbands. The man is "The head of the household just as the (supposed) Jesus is head of the church."
There are others who experience the anguish of church teaching who feel that their son or daughter may be lesbian or homosexual or may have committed suicide, and therefore have gone to the Christian hell. Then there is the so-called "happy Christian woman" who may sometimes be a battered wife. The evilness that we face is not secularism but religions.
Jim Lee
Alstonville
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It's Mutual
The Howard Government is moving Australia into an exceedingly dangerous alliance with the United States. No other country in the world has given such unqualified support to America's new policy of pre-emptive military strikes. The Cold War years of MAD - Mutually Assured Destruction was absurd, but this policy poses even greater risks to world peace.
I am sure the American people feel under threat and justifiably seek protection from violence and terror, just as any other nation would. However, the Bush Administration has moved way beyond any reasonable approach to their problems. It has plans for first strike action against "axis of evil" States including Iraq, Iran, North Korea, Libya, Syria, Russia and China.
The US is rapidly losing credibility in the eyes of the world and is under heavy criticism from many quarters including Europe and Britain. Who is the most nuclear armed nation in the world with a military budget far exceeding its nearest rival, that of China, by four or five times? Rattling the sabre, seeking to remove leaders of other countries by any means, fair or foul, and accusing various countries of possessing weapons of mass destruction is unbalanced, incites mistrust and is total hypocrisy. America declares itself on a war footing and by threatening to withdraw funding and support to United Nations peace-keeping forces, has gained exemption from prosecution by the new International Criminal Court.
Howard sees America as our "closest friends" and the foreign minister Downer, has stated his support for an attack on Iraq. What is the justification for this, other than it is part of American war policy.
This partnership seriously erodes our freethinking and independence. Where is this new alliance taking us? What will our role be in any future conflicts? How are other nations going to view Australia? What are the social and economic costs? Already the defence budget has blown out and is certain to affect spending on welfare, health, education and the environment.
These are matters of concern for all Australians to consider. Do we want our children to live in a climate of paranoia and fear? We cannot have governments lying to us or creating uncertainty about our national identity as demonstrated by such pathetic efforts at fudging our territorial boundaries by declaring some parts of Australia in and other parts out. Australia needs rational public debate and strong leadership that understands our place in the world as responsible global citizens.
John Jessup
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Nature v Nurture
I thought I might fish out some of the old witch-haters with my letter. I'm surprised there is not more.
Women in our society have been programmed to be the weak, inferior side of the species always needing help and always being feared and needing to be put down.
Only yesterday I read in the paper about the morning after pill. I have also read over the years about the possible side effects. What is the difference with contraceptive herbs?
All that the Catholics feared about women and the birth and reproductive processes have come about anyway but it is in male hands. In the civilising of the human race and the growing of the intellect we have lost touch with the early, ancestral part of our brain. It is still there and is tied in very much to our sexuality, reproduction and body processes.
The Christian Church is part of our evolution. It helped release us from the hold of nature. When humans relate to nature spiritually instead of a male Christian god there are safeguards built into that connection, which keep us reverent and gentle on the Earth in our impact.
I don't dispute that Christianity did good amongst all its damage to the Earth and the indigenous races on it but it was a religion for males and male supremacy. There were anti-war and anti-judgement lessons in it designed to cure the war-like and war-loving attributes of males and make them unite.
In that unity and clashing of cultures access to different products and resources and ways of thinking helped fund the huge growth of the modern intellect.
I just happened to have been so damaged both physically and emotionally by the strong Catholic viewpoint permeating our society when I was a young girl I put my scientific brain into overdrive and found a whole different reality of female sexuality.
Deep ancient fears permeate our society about female independence and the power of nature. It has affected our judgement on herbs and alternative medicines, the way we farm and the way we set up our cities. Why are they banning more herbs all the time? Why are they going to irradiate all herbs coming into the country?
We live in a patriarchal society where the stern hand of the father, descended from Christianity, divorced from nature and corrupted by money in the role of Government is busy organising our lives telling us what we can and cannot do and what we can and cannot take. Even though many of the pharmaceuticals and medical processes approved of by the Government are downright dangerous, poisonous and suppress not only the female spirit but everyone's, we not only all it to happen but it is often forced on us.
It's about time we deprogrammed ourselves from fears instilled by Christianity and realised there are different levels of reality apart from the physical that the ancients knew about. Our medical system takes account of only the physical. People are getting sicker and the system is falling apart. As it tries to take over woman's natural function it becomes totally overloaded.
Lynne Oldfield
Barkers Vale
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Tariff Advice
For some two decades Australian Governments have pleaded with, provided advice to and have been angry with the US and the European Union about the need to lower tariffs and reduce subsidies. Isn't it time to recognise that (a) they don't listen to Australia (b) that Australian farmers and manufacturers are often the victims of level playing fields which aren't really level at all? The good examples by Australia have frequently backfired. It's time for another type of policy. One that protects our generally efficient farmers and gives the manufacturing sector a real opportunity to get off the ground again. Globalisation as a guise for propping up inefficient industries in other parts of the world behind massive subsidy regimes obviously has nothing to do with free trade whatever. Should we not take that as a starting point for new policies? Something more like Fair Trade? The fears about Protection are now old hat and we should recognise that.
Klaas Woldring
Pearl Beach
Lismore
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Snap Happy
I expect a lot of Echo readers recently received a little brochure about our local State member, Thomas George. Perhaps you would write to him and thank him for the 11 photographs of himself that adorn the brochure. Quite a feat, given that it only measures 20cm x 30cm.
Sophie Wise
Lismore Heights
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