Save The Mary River Media Release [28/3/08] River crisis:
Don't let the Mary become the Murray - kayaker joins the fight
River campaigner Steve Posselt will be at the Gympie Civic Centre on Wednesday April 2nd at 7.30pm , Noosa at The J on Thursday April 3rd at 7.30pm and Maryborough Town Hall April 4th at 7.30pm to give a presentation on his epic journey by foot and kayak from Brisbane to Adelaide via the Murray-Darling.
For four months he paddled and walked, often dragging his wheeled kayak behind him as he wound his way through four states of Australia.
Steve plans to be at Traveston Crossing for the second anniversary of the State Government's dam decision on April 27 when he will draw the media spotlight to the heart of the fight to save the Mary River.
He will then continue downstream through Maryborough, the Great Sandy Straits in the lee of Fraser Island before paddling southward along the coast and back to Brisbane. The entire trip is estimated to take five weeks.
Steve's earlier trip down the Murray-Darling system gave his Australian audience a fascinating journey as he made regular reports on the state of the rivers and spoke at many venues along the way.
The former water engineer is passionate about rivers and educating people about climate change, and it is this that fuelled the trip and turned him into a modern day adventurer.
Steve reached Adelaide at the end of September and is now turning his attention to the Mary River near Gympie where, despite massive opposition, the State Government is forging ahead with plans to build the Traveston Crossing Dam.
But Steve's "involvement" amounts to much more than lobbying or letter writing. On April 12, he and his kayak will depart Brisbane paddling up the Brisbane River, across Wivenhoe Dam then across Somerset Dam on the Stanley River.
A gruelling walk with kayak will be necessary as Steve climbs out of the Stanley catchment near Woodford, climbs to Bellthorpe at the southern end of the Conondale Ranges and descends into the upper catchment of the Mary.
As with the Murray trip, Steve will maintain a regularly updated website on his travels and it is anticipated he will be joined by other paddlers along the way.
His message is plain. He can see the writing on the wall about climate change and its impact on our traditional methods of water supply and sees as sheer folly the addition of another dam when dams across Australia have been letting us down.
When he adds ever-increasing fuel prices and the diminishing supply of oil to the equation, he just shakes his head at the wisdom of flooding good farming land near urban centres when there are less expensive, more reliable alternatives.
Before setting out, Steve will give three presentations on his Murray Darling expedition as fund-raisers for the Mary trip: Bring all the family to Gympie Civic Centre on Wednesday April 2nd at 7.30pm, Noosa at the J on Thursday April 3rd at 7.30pm or Maryborough Town Hall April 4th at 7.30pm
supported by www.savethemaryriver.com
$10 Adults $20 Family
All proceeds to Steve's "Save the Mary" Trip.
'Young Doctors' Speak Out On Queensland's Health Crisis:
A 'Spring Hill Voice' Exclusive Report
Characters from the hit 1970s television series 'The Young Doctors' have spoken out for the first time about the crisis facing Queensland Health.
"I'm shocked by the state of the health system," said the gorgeous and earnest Nurse Tania.
"Although I witnessed many scandals throughout my time at the Albert Memorial Hospital, I've never seen anything like what's been happening in Queensland over the past decade."
Nurse Tania... "shocked"
Nurse Tania is not the only character from 'The Young Doctors' to voice her concerns.
Spunky Dr Greg Mason said he suspects the running down of public health care in all Australian states has been deliberate, and designed to get us all paying for health care.
"Sure we had all kinds of drama at the Albert Memorial, but at least we had a bit of romance - and we weren't so overworked that there wasn't time for a drink and some socialising at Bunnys! Ahhhh, medicine is not what it used to be."
Hilary Templeton and Dr Greg Mason ..."medicine is not what it used to be."
Seductive secretary Hilary Templeton agreed.
"I have fond memories of the Albert Memorial," she sighed.
"Those were the days - when universal health care was considered a right, and not a privilege - and people who chose to be doctors and nurses or other caring professions, were respected by the government."
In late 2007 the Murdoch tabloids reported that 'The Young Doctors' had been privatised. New episodes will feature only wealthy privately insured patients, and each week an uninsured poor citizen will die horribly in the car park from a treatable condition, while privately insured people get their elective surgery needs attended to by dreamy doctors and buxom nurses. In the new fantasy there will be no foreign trained staff and the ratio of staff to patients will be 2:1.
A Big Day On The Broadwater
Competitors in the 'Outrigger Grand Prix Marathon' churning through waters of the Gold Coast seaway yesterday [29/3/08].
Brisbane's Bromeliads In Bloom
A 'Spring Hill Voice' reader sent in these delightful photos of the Bromeliads in her garden.
"They are so striking this year." she wrote. "And I don't know whether this is because a month or so ago I cleared away a substantial amount of weed, or because I recently set the compost bin up behind them."
Steve Sets Off On Another Adventure
After kayaking 3,250 kilometres along the Murray-Darling river system last year, adventurer Steve Posselt will soon set off on yet another odyssey.
In an email to supporters today [27/3/08] he wrote:
"The SEQ Water Strategy (draft luckily) was released yesterday. These guys do not even know what business they are in. They are going to have a Manufactured Water business unit. Somebody should tell them that they are currently in the business of making a manufactured product from water containing cow sh*t, p*ss, low quality effluent from sewage treatment plants, dead animals and maybe even cholera. But that’s what happens when technical stuff is run by accountants and lawyers.
The strategy is totally water based and takes no significant account of what the world is going to be like in the time frame of the strategy. Where is peak oil? Where is climate change apart from a bit of lip service to stochastic modeling which is not the modeling required anyway?"
Mr Posselt will kayak from Brisbane to the Mary Valley, Maryborough, the Great Sandy Straits, Noosa and back to Brisbane throughout April and May.
Mr Posselt said that the purpose of his next adventure is to try to help a group of wonderful people who could do with all the help they can get.
"Traveston Crossing Dam must be stopped," he said.
"It is a dumb dam."
Mr Posselt was a Senate candidate for the Climate Change Coalition in the last federal election.
http://www.seqwaterstrategy.qld.gov.au/
"Poem Of The Week" Winners Announced
A 'Spring Hill Voice' reader writes:
I found out today [27/3/07] that the poems I submitted for the "Poem of the Week" competition were unsuccessful. A project of the Queensland Poetry Festival Inc., Brisbane City Council and 4UTV, the competition invited poets throughout Queensland to submit "original, well-crafted poems, which express something fresh about the City of Brisbane and/or its river".
Thankfully I posted in my entries along with a stamped, self addressed envelope, otherwise I would never had received the letter informing me I was unsuccessful, or received the "Judges Report" which stated:
"Contenders for this year's CityCat Poems of the Week were asked to submit 'original, well-crafted poems, which express something fresh about the City of Brisbane and/or its river'. Judges were not given the names of the poets and 125 poems were submitted. Overall the standard suggests that poetry writing is flourishing in Queensland.
The judges looked for freshness of voice and for poems which had unusual and telling images or perspectives. They were hoping to find poems that were thoughtfully written, polished expressions of something heartfelt, that might move a reader to reminisce, reflect or smile. Each poem needed to have its own sense of structure and feel complete in itself. A poem needed to be a good example of the style of the verse that the poet chose to write in. Above all, the judges wanted to recognise something in each piece that set it apart and, at best, left a lingering emotion, an irresistible phrase or image resting in the memory after the poem was put aside.
Many poems among those not selected had a number of these elements but required some rewriting to allow the internal rhythm or melody, to come through the language. A number would have been winning poems with only a little editing.
Our thanks to all who submitted their work. Keep writing, and join with us in enjoying these poems as they appear on the CityCats as part of the Poem of the Week Project over the next 6 months."
The winning poems will soon be displayed in Brisbane CityCats.
http://www.queenslandpoetryfestival.info/pow.htm
Anyway, here are my losing entries, and some nice pictures:
f**k u politicians and your ppps
the brisbane river is not very nice
it's brown and full of poison
because they dredged up all the lovely white sand
and businesses release their waste into the water
the premier wants to build upon it
the mayor is tunnelling beneath it
and building a traffic bridge above it
which will ruin west end
f**k u politicians and your commercial in confidence ppps
and u reading this poem as u sit (or more likely stand) on the city cat
remember u will have to pay for this
but u don't really care
and are only thinking about
the sh**ty day ahead at your boring job
or what u will have for dinner
river city
i love the brisbane river
'though it smells and looks like poo
we like to travel on it
and captain logan did too
more recently the queen victoria
sailed its wide brown girth
from pinkenba we gaped in awe
like a bunch of silly serfs
and when the empire visits
in their nukelar machines
brisbane lasses drop their daks
and root all the marines
river of my dreams
go little ferry go
back and forth
across the river
you glide
my river
our river
of dreams and memories
like a lone seagull
or a sad little pigeon in king george square
or clem jones
we may never see you again
if the mayor shuts you down
because he says people don't travel on you
and you don't make any money
Bligh Changes Course On Desalination
Bligh...traveston
In a shock announcement today, Captain Bligh has said that the desalination plants planned for Moreton Bay will not go ahead.
"Ahoy me hearties," said the Captain.
"Aye can't fathom the idea of salt being taken out of the old briny - that would be a traveston."
The Captain has instead decided to give each Queenslander a tank for their backyard.
"Aye! Aye! Aye! Each landlubber will have a tank, which will double as a promotional exercise for the waste of money that is the Warhol exhibition at G.o.N.A.D.," the Captain said.
A water tank? ... Can Do!
When asked why the Government decided Queenslanders needed desalination plants and dams, the Captain said:
"Yo Ho Ho, and away we go! The government doesn't do what is best for citizens and the environment - look at the Senator's son from Canberra who runs City Hall. Governments take your money and put it in the pockets of their developer/banker mates. Then through the corporate media, they sell citizens the idea that they need tunnels, traffic bridges, dams and desalination plants. In reality, if we had free public transport and a water tank in each backyard, we wouldn't need these environmentally destructive projects. In any case, you heard the words of my predecessor - the deal has been done!"
In related news, rum is bad.
Planet Earth Celebrates Mirth Hour
"Look now, look all around, there's no sign of life
Voices, another sound, can you hear me now?
This is planet earth, you're, looking at planet earth
Bop bop bop bop bop bop bop bop this is planet earth
Bop bop bop bop bop bop bop bop calling planet earth
Bop bop bop bop bop bop bop bop looking at planet earth
Bop bop bop bop bop bop bop bop this is planet earth"
'Planet Earth', from Duran Duran's 1981 self titled album
On Saturday 29 March the people of planet earth will turn their lights off and sit in the dark twiddling their thumbs for an hour for no good reason.
"Mirth Hour will be a real laugh," said chief organiser Mr Rich Westerner.
"Especially for the fossil fuel industry."
Over the next few days the mainstream media, associated shills, wannabes and has been musicians will announce their support for Mirth Hour. They will gabble on about how Mirth Hour promotes awareness of climate change, ignore the facts relating to government subsidies to the fossil fuel industry, and lie about carbon offsetting. Restaurants and tourist operators will cynically use the event as a marketing opportunity for expensive candlelit dinners.
"Citizens who criticise the event because of its blatant hypocrisy should abandon all independent thought and try to understand the message of the event," said Premier Morris Mini-Minor.
"If they refuse to get on board the greenwashing bandwagon, we will set the Dream Police on them."
The Dream Police...they're waiting for you, and looking for you, so make sure you turn your lights off on March 29!
It is understood some citizens will boycott Mirth Hour and switch on all the lights, giant plasma tellies and split system airconditioners in their houses for the hour. Mr Andrew Nutt, prominent media spokesman for anti-Mirth Hour group Consumer Alliance For Contrary Logic, considers this to be just another example of the all pervasive 'Enviro-Fascism' lobby's powerful grip over business and political leaders and points out:
"Look, Al Gore is fat. He uses electricity. It was cold the other day, so how can there be a problem? Coal comes from old forests and is therefore a natural and safe renewable energy source used by Christian civilisations for well over 10,000 years since we staved off the great equitorial ice-age of Gollum by burning hockey sticks. Oh never mind, the gay-heroin-fascist hippies have obviously washed your brain."
But Mr Westerner is unmoved by the strong logic of these arguments.
"Who cares about this small group of spoilers when most people blindly follow everything the mainstream media tell them - they still buy those green bags don't they? In fact, we anticipate that many countries will participate in Mirth Hour," he said.
"Some countries - such as Iraq and Afghanistan - have neverending Mirth Hour!" he laughed.
It is expected that nothing will change following Mirth Hour. We will continue to wreak environmental havoc by operating our air-conditioners at full throttle, driving our cars everywhere, and generally giving mindless support to the military industrial complex.
Imagine
Imagine there's no Heaven
It's easy if you try
No Hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today
Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace
You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope some day you'll join us
And the world will live as one
Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world
You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the word will live as one
John Lennon, 1971
PRESS RELEASE
9/11 TruthNow Conference in Maleny
Maleny Community Centre, Maple Street, Maleny
www.truthnowtour.com
9/11, Islamic extremism and terrorism are now all synonymous. But what if
that horrific act of terror was not the work of Arab extremists? What if it
was something far more sinister - an evil contrived from within?
Was 9/11 the greatest deception in world history, a staged event of high-level
treachery using moles, patsies and professional killers? This proposition may
be apalling, yet some dare call it treason!
Did Australia go to war on a false pretext?
With 1.2 million people dead in Iraq and Afghanistan in chaos, has the "war on terror" become a "war of error"?
Following last weekend's Sydney TruthNow conference, these questions and more will be discussed at a day-long TruthNow event at the Maleny Community Centre, on Saturday March 22. The conference brings together world acclaimed experts with compelling evidence that 9/11 was a false flag attack - a trigger for permanent war, and why a new, independent inquiry into the 9/11 attacks and Australia's participation in the so-called War on Terror is needed.
For many people the issues around 9/11 are cloudy and there are unanswered questions. Some always suspected that 9/11 was a false flag attack - a trigger for permanent war, but for others there is no doubt about the veracity of the Bush administration's story that freedom-hating Arabs with boxcutters were responsible for the September 11 2001, attacks on the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon.
Whatever your view, with international speakers, films and forums, promises to be interesting and provocative.
Speakers from the United States and Canada, including Barry Zwicker, Ian Woods, Dallas Cowboys Football star Mark Stepnoski and Bayard Condon, are joined by local filmmaker Gillian Norman, a member of the Noosa Film Industry Network, FIN, who will be showing a preview of her soon to be released feature documentary, ShadowPlay. (http://shadowplay.info)
Music for the event will be provided by local singer Barry Charles.
For more information and bookings:
http://truthnowtour.com
Email: johnpayne379@hotmail.com
Phone: 0412 992222
+61412 992222
[The only broadcaster in Brisbane brave enough to interview John Payne was Alex on 4ZzZ's 'Frog and Peach' show]
Why I Won't Buy My Booze From The Grand Anymore
A reader writes:
I've been buying my booze from the bottleshop at the Grand Hotel, Labrador, since moving to the suburb a few months ago. Usually, I'm served by a young gentleman who is always pleasant and efficient. This evening [17/3/08] I toddled down to purchase some aperitifs. Said attendant was there, but rather than working behind the counter, I found myself standing in line behind him waiting to be served. I don't like to eavesdrop, but sometimes you can't help it. In any case, he spotted me as one of his regular customers and said, "You've never had any problems with me, have you?"
Turns out he was visiting his mate, and engaged in a conversation about his new employment status. He had been given the sack yesterday. What for? For calling in sick, even though he had a medical certificate for food poisoning.
Given that we're all so intoxicated by the wonderful opportunities presented by the free market, I figure that it's only fair that any business who treats its employees that way doesn't deserve my custom! And the customer is always right! Right? Given that the Grand is my local, I will have to travel a bit further for a bottle of wine - but hey, I'm a principled fellow!
Maybe if the Grand does the right thing I'll bring my custom back!
How Brisbane Honours Its Heroic Figures Of Democracy
Albert Street abomination [14/3/08]
In December 2006 several sculptures in Brisbane's King George Square including King George V himself, the lions, the Speakers’ Corner statues (Emma Miller, Steele Rudd and Sir Charles Lilley) and the Petrie tableau, were removed to make way for work on the Inner Northern Busway and the King George Square revitalisation project.
Apparently these historic sculptures are being stored at the Council's depot at Stafford Heights. Brisbane's Lord Mayor said they would be reinstalled in 2008 when works on the Inner Northern Busway and King George Square are completed. Construction on the Inner Northern busway also decimated the park named in Emma Miller's honour - Emma Miller Place - along with the Roma Street Forum.
Strolling down Albert Street last Friday we stumbled upon a hideous structure (see above) which appears to be Brisbane's replacement tribute to Emma Miller. Who knows whether her statue will be placed in the vicinity? If it is, it will look ridiculous. What's the deal? Are the city's leaders so offended by our most famous feminist heroine that they have to insult her memory with tacky angles plastered in a quote with edgy, different sized font?
A small grassy knoll and a plaque would have been adequate.
Emma Miller (1839 - 1917)
Here's an excerpt from Emma Miller's biography from the 'Australian Dictionary of Biography':
"Emma Miller (1839 - 1917) championed equal pay and equal opportunity for women and was foundation president of the Woman's Equal Franchise Association (1894-1905), urging legislation to grant women the franchise on the principle of one adult one vote; although its policy was similar to Labor's she denied the association was allied to any political party. She admired William Lane, a champion of women's rights. She became president of the Women Workers Political Organisation (Qld) after 1903. In 1908 she was one of two women to attend a Commonwealth Labor conference, only the second time a woman was a delegate.
On 'Black Friday' of the 1912 strike Mrs Miller led a large contingent of women to Parliament House, braving the batons of foot and mounted police. She reputedly stuck a hatpin into the horse of Police Commissioner Cahill who was thrown and injured. A staunch secularist, she campaigned for free speech in 1914-16. Her hatred of militarism led her to take an energetic part in the anti-conscription campaigns: as president of the Queensland branch of the Women's Peace Army, she was a delegate to the Australian Peace Alliance Conference in Melbourne in 1916.
Her steadfast position as a Labor agitator earned her the proud title of 'Mother Miller' and 'the grand old labor woman of Queensland'. Though very frail when old, in 1915 she campaigned in the Murilla State electorate for J. S. Collings. She believed that the basis of the labour movement was industrial and stressed that it was of equal importance to women and men. She had no time for those who wavered from bedrock labour principles."
http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A100497b.htm
Why is this corporate greenwashing propaganda allowed in Brisbane's public gardens?
Newman Victory Proves Marketing Power of "Wiggles For Grownups"
Imagine a crew of conservative business-oriented people, mostly over thirty, getting up in silly blue Tee-shirts adorned with a bright yellow, simplistic, blandly affirmative, but meaningless, slogan (such as, say, "Can Do!") doing a cheesy song and dance routine and being not only taken seriously, but winning a majority of votes on the largest and most powerful city council in Australia. Now, on the count of three, wake up and you are a resident of Brisbane on March 16 2008! How could such a silly performance win so many votes in an intelligent democracy?
Well, you have made a few fundamental mistakes of reasoning and logic right there. Firstly, you are under the illusion that you live in some kind of democracy (no democracy is even conceivable without a fully informed and aware public, you live in a mono-media town where the agenda is set by huge business interests, PR operatives, Rupert Murdoch's neo-con friends on his payroll and at his Howard-Stacked ABC). Your second error is the presumption of intelligence. For example, why would the usually upright and hardnosed business types prance about like grinning loons if they hoped to appeal to a generally intelligent demographic?
Makes no sense. Unless and until you realise that most people have been rendered stupider than they should be because of the ridiculous tripe they are fed daily at the trough of Brisbane's "news", and Fairfax we are also looking at you (how could you spend so much money to produce so little by way of alternative reporting? They are the experts at shite, don't try to outdo them, you just look silly. Would it really kill you to actually do some journalism in Brisbane? If so, then just piss off and leave it to us to compete with them.... unless... oh, no, you're just here as spoilers aren't you? Sheez).
"But what about the 'Labor Opposition'? Surely it is their fault that they didn't do better, you can't blame that on Murdoch's Limited News and the fact that they didn't prance about in Wiggles outfits?" Good question. But, you don't see the bigger picture do you? Are you familiar with the school-yard prank known as the 'wedge'? The 'business' powers in Queensland (mining, electricity, building and mass agriculture) have 'Labor' by the proverbials and are squeezing tight. The failures of Labor come from the fact that they hate the 'Greens' for 'taking' away 'their' voters, but refuse to have policies those voters would vote for. Nuts!
So dressing up like clowns, acting like clowns, appealing to clowns and governing over clowns, is actually quite a natural progression. Without a freely functioning media you are doomed to a Clownocracy - Government by the Clowns, Of the Clowns, For the Clowns.
Oil is now at US$110 per barrel. Petrol has jumped to about $1.36 per litre so far. Mortgages are going up. The economy is about to hit the fan. It cannot be sustained like this, but these people get elected by doing silly dances, in silly outfits, for silly people whose critical faculties have been lobotomised by an old American man and his willing serfs who scribe his messages to the people paying for all this. And all of this is to squeeze the last dollars from the last losers who will buy the last mass road projects on credit. Congratulations Brisbane, it is you.
Enjoy your tunnels, your bridges and all your major roadworks (tolled, of course) while you slide back into small town oblivion. Don't worry, 'Your' 'Courier-Mail' will be with you every step of the way to tell you how to think and act. Noice.
Mayoral Candidates Go Head To Head In Pointy Town
The fight for City Hall ...yawn...
Excitement was not in the air at the lacklustre and depressing Mayoral candidate debate at City Hall today [14/3/08]. About two hundred people - half of whom were Councillors, hangers on, and true believers of the Liberal and Labor variety - fronted up at midday. In typical Brisbane style, the City Hall bells chimed twelve o'clock but the clock displayed five to twelve!
Everyone (other than the energetic cameramen) in the auditorium looked bored - except when they were sneering at each other, whispering and making snide remarks. As with last week's debate for the benefit of the Property Council, the public debate was moderated by John Taylor from the ABC's 'Stateline' - and he looked REALLY bored.
After their names were randomly drawn out of a hat, all candidates (other than Derek Rosborough, who wasn't in attendance and who can blame him, given that the independent candidates were only given a days notice) presented a five minute speech. This was followed by right of reply, then questions from the audience - most of whom seemed quite insane.
Standout moments include when Independent candidate and Hugh Grant lookalike Bryan Crawford said the turnout for the debate illustrated how disengaged the community is with the political process.
Independent candidate Robert Campbell discussed the logistics of the tunnels, and stated that because he was second on the ticket meant he was the real Campbell.
In an amusing speech explaining his desire for a political career, Independent Candidate David Couper said he thought light rail would be a disaster as people in Brisbane can't drive.
Independent candidate James Sinnamon said unlimited population growth was the biggest problem facing Brisbane.
Greens candidate Jo Bragg called for light rail, a ban on donations from developers and a higher level of scrutiny of other political donations.
A cohort of the audience booed their disapproval when Labor candidate Greg Rowell introduced his speech by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land.
Following the agenda set by the 'Courier-Mail', Mr Taylor asked independent candidate Louise Day about the "rape joke". She deflected this very well by stating that in other countries her joke would be viewed as freedom of speech. Ms Day pointed out issues relating to quality of life of Brisbane residents, such as greenspace and local amenity.
Campbell Newman and Greg Rowell engaged in some tedious argy bargy over public transport and rates.
James Sinnamon rattled Campbell Newman on the Minnippi Wetlands, which Newman had promised to preserve prior to the last Council election.
One audience member asked Campbell Newman if he would resign if elected without a Liberal majority, while another was nearly escorted out by security after a couple of Liberal party supporters complained about her heckling. Perplexing - given that some of their comrades sitting a couple of rows behind them were equally as disruptive when either Jo Bragg or Greg Rowell spoke.
If anything, today's debate, and the cheering, booing partisan zealotry on display in the audience, shows how the major parties have abandoned any intellectual integrity and morality. Oh well, the people of Brisbane will get the Mayor the 'Courier-Mail' says they deserve.
Tom Tate To Investigate Deposit System For Plastics
Gold Coast Mayoral candidate Tom Tate (Liberal) eventually took the trouble to respond to our e-mail questions about a container deposit system, community gardening, and public transport:
"My team and I recently participated in Clean Up Australia Day at Loders Creek on the Northern Gold Coast, so I certainly think that your proposal for a deposit system for plastics certainly has merit. I would be happy to investigate this possibility further if I am elected.
Last Sunday, I announced that, if elected, I would double the green space across the Gold Coast by 2018 and create a “Central Park” style parkland on the existing Merrimac flood plain.
Finally, as part of my team’s plan for infrastructure we have proposed a better public transport system that meets the needs of the Gold Coast with integrated East West and North South routes to improve connectivity with key suburban centres. Of course, it will be our aim to keep public transport as cost-effective as possible."
We welcome the doubling of Green Space but still think free public transport is necessary to our economic longevity.
Which Gold Coast Candidates Support A Cruise Ship Terminal On The Spit?
Perhaps it's the ones who won't respond to the 'Save Our Spit' Election Questionnaire:
http://www.saveourspit.com/No_Terminal/election/CouncilElection2008.htm
Where Is Louise?
Last month the mainstream media, typically following the 'Courier-Mail's' lead, pretended to be outraged by Brisbane Mayoral Candidate Louise Day's joke about her fear of gang rape, which she made in an email to journalists. She was pilloried in the most faux 'harrumph' manner. Ms Day was proposing a register of convicted child sex offenders.
So where has Ms Day been since then? Wouldn't you think a high profile Brisbane comedian and musician (she's the lead singer of one of Triple J's unearthed bands "Punxie and the Poison Pens") would be featured in some of News Ltd's "funky" local publications like 'mX' or in 'Time-Off', 'Rave' or at least on 4ZzZ?
Where Louise has been remains a mystery - but 'Spring Hill Voice' did receive the following email from her yesterday [10/3/08]:
"Apology :
In my recent emails to members of the media of 22 and 26 February 2008 and my press releases of 18 and 26 February 2008, I made a number of seriously defamatory allegations against the Editor of The Courier-Mail, David Fagan, his wife, Madonna King, and The Courier-Mail journalist, Emma Chalmers.
There was no foundation to these false and hurtful allegations and I regret they were ever made. I am happy to take the earliest opportunity of unreservedly apologising to Mr Fagan, Ms King and Ms Chalmers and expressing my sincere regret for any distress or embarrassment caused to them by the aforementioned emails and press releases."
Punxie (Louise Day)
Intriguing.
Are we to surmise that Brisbane's media have been so offended by Louise Day's email joke that they can't bring themselves to ask her a question or two about her policies - or at least her artistic influences? I'm sure "Punxie and the Poison Pens" would make more entertaining footage for the 7.00 pm news than "Can Do's" team and their cringe inducing singalong. Incredible to think that a journalist from Channel 7 asked Ms Day if she would "embarrass Brisbane as Mayor"!
Especially interesting when you look back at the Federal Election and the Overington/Ecuyer email scandal. As revealed by the ABC's 'Media Watch' in November last year, Catherine Overington (journalist for 'The Australian') emailed independent candidate for Wentworth Danielle Ecuyer to suggest she direct her preferences to Liberal candidate Malcolm Turnbull:
"Too early! My girl, you've got four weeks!!
Please preference Malcolm. It would be such a good front page story. Also, he'd be a loss to the parliament and George - forgive me - would be no gain. ;)"
This is what 'The Australian's' Editor-in-Chief had to say to 'Media Watch' when asked how he regarded the incident:
"Ms Overington is a colour writer and her correspondence with Ms Ecuyer seems no more than colourful."
And this is what columnist for 'The Sydney Morning Herald' - Miranda Devine - had to say in her column of 15 November, 2007 - 'Left wing missing its funny bone':
"Overington says it was a joke, and anyone who knows her or has even the most fleeting acquaintance with her knows she is always making such jokes. It's part of her style. She is also a fierce newshound and it would indeed have made a great news story if Ecuyer had decided to preference Turnbull instead of her ex-lover."
In any case, Ms Day promises to crack down on the boys clubs and creeping corporatism around town. Something Brisbane citizens should have a think about, given Cr Newman's recent announcement that he plans to set up an infrastructure council of business heavyweights to "fight for key projects in and around Brisbane." "Fight"?
And if you really care about democracy, Ms Day's plan to allocate a higher proportion of the Brisbane City Council's marketing budget to community media (and, therefore, a lower proportion of ratepayer's dollars into the 'Courier-Mail's' cash registers) should pique your curiousity:
"Research does show that sponsorship is just more effective than advertising in reaching community groups to facilitate uptake of information, which is the only reason the BCC should have to engage in promotion," she said.
"Also, spreading the BCC marketing budget around community media would ensure not just a broader variety of local coverage of issues of interest to residents, but that their rates money is channeled directly back into their own suburbs."
Why is it that staggering hypocrisy is no longer staggering to society?
Perhaps it is. Let's see how this election unfolds.
Bus Drivers Deserve Better Pay And Conditions:
Media Release from David White, Candidate for Central Ward [10/3/08]
Candidates from both major parties in the City Council election are promising to buy over 120 new buses every year if their party wins power on Saturday. More promises of additional services are being pulled out of the bottom drawer of Councillors’ desks as election day looms. These promises will be worthless if Council cannot find enough drivers who are willing to drive the buses that it will order.
Even now, Council is having difficulty hiring enough drivers. With a trainee driver being paid just $16.52 an hour, and trained drivers just $18.52 an hour, no one should be surprised that potential drivers are finding it more lucrative to secure employment elsewhere. Both pizza delivery and taxi drivers can and do earn considerably more than bus drivers, without the added responsibility of operating a 30 tonne vehicle carrying up to 80 passengers in peak hour traffic for up to five hours without a break.
Drivers also have to carry the burden of dealing with passengers who are irate when buses arrive late or are full.
While recent Councils have failed to provide and adopt sustainable solutions to the traffic gridlock that occurs every weekday in the CBD during peak hours, it is the bus drivers and the daily commuters who have to suffer the effects of their lack of vision and foresight.
When is Council going to pay drivers a decent and competitive wage for what is a very demanding job?
It is becoming clear that the tunnel vision of Campbell Newman, supported at every stage by the Labor majority in Council, will not be the answer to Brisbane’s traffic congestion.
As the tolls for these fantasy projects, and the price of petrol, are certain to increase, commuters will face the daunting prospect of either spending hours waiting for buses that may arrive late or are full, or sitting in their stationary cars for hours waiting for the cars on the freeway ahead to move.
New and innovative solutions must be offered now, but the major parties continue to advocate the failed policies of the past by building more roads, bridges and tunnels.
Council can move towards a better transport policy by rewarding drivers adequately doing what many commuters would not attempt to achieve – assisting hundreds of passengers to travel quickly and safely to their destinations in a very difficult working environment.
An Eye For An Eye
"Ooh ooh aah aah sexy eyes
I'm gonna take you to paradise
Hey hey my my can't you see?
You were born to dance with me"
'Sexy Eyes', Whigfield, 1996
Brisbane's Southwank is set to become another Seeworld, as all the "past it" attractions from the Gold Coast theme park are deposited there.
All the old penguins, seals and dolphins will live out their final days in the pee pee pool, which means that although visitors won't be able to swim in the pee pee pool, they'll be entertained by the has been animals performing tricks - if they still can!
So what happened to the "See World Aye", which sat on the Gold Coast spit from last summer until recently, and like its South Korean namesake had a few technical difficulties? Word around the tourist strip was that it was to be placed in Surfers Paradise, or in the soon to be renovated Broadwater Parklands.
"Aye, Aye, Aye me hearties! Well it's a bit of a co-incidence that the "See World Aye" was dismantled last month, but the Southwank Aye is not the same as the Seeworld Aye. The Southwank Aye came from Bonnie England and will come at no cost to taxpayers - unless of course they want to have a ride!" said the Captain.
"It's not like the forecourt gets used for anything - like Writers Festivals, or large protests against Council amalgamations."
In unrelated news, investigative "journalists" at the limited news have revealed that American health food company Krusty Kremes is coming to Brisbane! Given the importance of this scoop, it is not surprising that they could not name their sources. Rumour has it Kreepy Kremes have purchased the formerly heritage listed Shingle Inn fitout - won't that be nice!
Rusty Old Car: Such A Big Election Issue!
Piles of broken crockery, glassware and rusting bits and pieces in the Raven Street reserve, McDowall.
Well, if you take the 'North West News' seriously it is! Not the $50 million which has been spent on the ugly Hamilton Highway through McDowall. This highway has decimated the Chermside Hills landscape, and distressed the wildlife. When the highway opens at the end of this month, it will be a noisy, polluted thoroughfare which diminishes the amenity of the citizens of McDowall.
The highway has already caused wildlife to helter skelter - with many residents reporting sightings of wallabies and ducks in their backyards. Do our politicians really think a "fauna" bridge will save them?
One wonders who wanted this highway? Was it someone who lives at Albany Creek, who wants to get to the Westfield at Chermside five minutes faster? Will "Can-Do" now join the two halves of Main Avenue Wilston/Windsor with a cutting through the reserve? Of course not! That would go right near his house! (Not to mention fellow Neo-Con Peter Beattie and a swag of rich and well-connected folk).
Perhaps if there were more buses out to McDowall, we might be able to reduce the number of cars travelling upon Rode Road?
But that's not the point, is it?
Oh yes. The photos above are of a huge old dump. My brother-in-law stumbled upon it when he went for a walk around Christmastime last year. He was amazed that as locals, my family had never seen it - although we often walked through the reserve as teenagers. We surmised that recent construction on the Hamilton Highway may have revealed this old dump.
The dump is located in Raven Street Reserve, adjacent to the "Fauna Bridge" segment of the Hamilton Highway. It contains piles of crockery, glassware and tin from decades ago - most of it seems to be hotelware. Might be an interesting project for a local archeaology student, before we do something about it, because it's a health hazard.
Clean Up Australia? I don't think a rusting car body is the problem.
Palm Sunday Peace Rally And March
Queens Park, Brisbane
1.30pm, Sunday, 16 March 2008
Abolish all nuclear weapons - Nuclear free Australia - Stop the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan
Organised by Rally For Peace and Nuclear Disarmament Inc.
Speakers:
Sam Watson, Aboriginal Leader and Activist.
Veevek Thankey, member of the Qld MAPW Medical Association for Prevention of War Committee.
Pauline Rigby, DUSK Depleted Uranium - Silent Killer.
Hamish Chitts, Australian Veteran convenor of "Stand Fast"/ "Stand Fast" is a newly formed group of Veterans and former military personnel who oppose the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Adele Goldie, Christians Against ALL Terrorism and member of the Pine Gap4.
Wild Card Candidate To Contest Gold Coast Mayoralty
A last minute addition to the Gold Coast Mayoral race is promising to make significant changes on the Gold Coast if elected in the upcoming Council election.
Mr Can Didate says his first priority will be to get trucks off our roads and into our waterways.
What tha???
"That's not to say I won't also be investigating the toxicity of our waterways," he said.
Loders Creek...eating oysters may kill you
Recycling used bus shelters, implementing a signal box painting program for local youngsters, and unlocking picnic tables also form part of his policy platform.
A significant number of bus stops on the Gold Coast have no shelter, yet these two older style shelters are rotting near the tennis court at the Broadwater Tourist Park; A signal box in need of some creative colour; Why are these picnic tables in Thams Family Park locked off?
Mr Can Didate also has specific concerns relating to Division 4 and the large number of what he calls "poncy little poodles" owned by Labrador residents.
Division 4 ... too many poodles in Labrador
"If people who live in Labrador want a pet, they should get a Labrador," he said.
"When I am elected, I will ban poodles from the Marine Parade esplanade at Labador. If we don't do something soon, the suburb will have to be renamed Poodle. I have many other wide-ranging, bold and ambitious plans but I'm no political novice, so I won't be telling the voting public about them until after I am elected and it is too late!"
When asked what those plans were and how they would be funded, Mr Didate responded: "I'll be pulling down all the highrise apartments and replacing them with old fibro shacks and vacant lots, I see the past as our future. I always say 'going backwards is the best way forward' and I've worked out that it will all be fully funded by a 2008% increase in rates. My campaign slogan should be 'Didate 2008', but that would probably let the cat out of the bag. Is that thing still recording?????"
The Little Cultural General Battles On After The War Is Over
"'Cos he's an a*selicker
Sphincter sniffer,
No good lowdown son of a gun,
'Cos he's an a*selicker
Sphincter sniffer,
Yellow bellied joke on the run"
'A*selicker', by The Shoothroughs, 2004 (check it out on 'YouTube')
In Australia we have "freedom and democracy", apparently. These things are so important that we should invade other countries, apparently. Australia had free and democratic elections in November 2007 and voted out the neo-con John Howard government resoundingly (He was the only Prime Minister to be voted out by his own electorate since some fellow called "Bruce" - usually, losing Prime Ministers win their own seats, but their political parties fail to win a majority of seats, overall, and that is how they lose. It's a democracy thing). But after 11 years of sliding the slippery slope of Neo-Conservatism, the Australian electorate (despite obsequious media concentration to make China or 'Pravda' envious) was fed up with the lies such as WMD etc., and particularly the neo-con attacks on less than billionaires, and unceremoniously hurled out the overstayed Mr Howard and his "Yessir" government.
That is more or less how this democracy thing works (although it works a bit better when Rupert Murdoch and his Neo-Con mates do not own all your media). You have a turn, then the 'people' get to vote either for your work or against it. Last November was a giant, big, upside-down thumb from Australians for John Howard, his Rupert Murdoch type shills (Greg Sheridan, Janet Albrechtson, Tim Blair, Andrew Bolt, Denis Shanahan, Miranda Devine, Frank Devine, Piers Akerman, Alan Jones etc., you know who you are. In his speech he refers to you as: "dominant left-liberal elements in the media...") and all their 'work'.
John Howard delivered an intensely boring speech to the core of the Neo-Conservative "True Believers" today [5/3/08] for the Irving Kristol Lecture at the "American Enterprise Institute" when he received his award for joining Australia into an illegal war of aggression against a sovereign state (as defined by the U.N. - remember them?), he recieved a Neo-Con gong for being supine to G. W. Bush's administration's puppeteers. Aussie-Aussie-Aussie, Oi, Oi, Oi!
Imagine if he had only had the honesty to deliver such a speech to AUSTRALIANS prior to the Federal election in 1996! But, of course, he got the name "Honest John" for his lying ways, didn't he?
Highlights of Mr Howard's speech were:
"I speak to you tonight as an unapologetic and continuing advocate of the broad conservative cause, restlessly conscious, as you are, that the battle of ideas is never completely won and must always command both our attention and energy." "...Islamic fascism, a new and quite unfamiliar assualt on our values and way of life." "...extremist Islam..." "Ronald Reagan and that other great warrior in our cause, Margaret Thatcher, taught us many things." "...Islamic extremism..." "...radical Islam senses - correctly - that there is a soft underbelly of cultural self-doubt in certain western societies." "The right responses will be grounded in free market orthodoxies." "A conservative edifice must always have at its centre the role of the family and what Americans [sick] call faith based organisations..." "...some social engineers..." "Our funding policies have, in practice, produced the same outcome as education vouchers..." "...faith-based..." "...terrorism..." "the surge strategy in Iraq is beginning to bear fruit." "Security has improved, casualties are down, there are signs of a return to a more normal life in Baghdad and the Iraqi political system has..." ...ended up much like Australia's, Mr Howard?
But wait! There's more!:
"But perhaps the most convincing sign of all that some progress has been made is the significant decline in media coverage of Iraq - noticeable both in the United States and Australia."
Hooray! No more media coverage of Iraq! Progress! Joy!
Australia. An illusory democracy.
Thanks to 'Gandhi' for pointing out a link to Howard's speech (which speech is an absolute vomit of weaselwords):
http://www.howardout.blogspot.com/
Greg and Newman Slog It Out
"I love myself I want you to love me
When I feel down I want you above me
I search myself I want you to find me
I forget myself I want you to remind me"
'I Touch Myself', The Divinyls, 1991
Greg .. fax issues
Greg and Newman are set to hold a mass debate in front of the state's peak property group today [6/3/08].
"It's pretty much an echo chamber," said Greg.
"But these are the people one of us is going to be representing, so there's no point having a public debate."
Newman ... no fax issues
His rival Newman agreed.
"Brisbane folks are content to potter about in their sheds and go to their self-defence classes," he said.
"Greg and I are very similar in that regard, because we both hold the people of Brisbane in contempt."
The green candidate has also been invited to the debate.
"Only because International Womens Day is just around the corner, and we don't want to look like a boys club," said Mr Don Ation.
"Plus, she's not a bad sort - not like those other smelly hippies in environmental parties."
"If only the limited news would pay attention to me," said Bragg.
Bragg....eeny meeny miney mo, where do you reckon my preferences will go?
Southport Soldier Missing In Action
'So they gathered the crippled, the wounded, the maimed,
And they shipped us back home to Australia.
The armless, the legless, the blind, the insane,
Those proud wounded heroes of Suvla.
And as our ship sailed into Circular Quay,
I looked at the place where me legs used to be,
And thanked Christ there was nobody waiting for me,
To grieve, to mourn and to pity.
But the band played 'Waltzing Matilda',
As they carried us down the gangway,
But nobody cheered, they just stood and stared,
Then they turned all their faces away.'
'And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda', Eric Bogle (The Bushwackers), 1976
The Southport Soldier... Missing
The Southport Soldier went missing from his home in Anzac Park, Southport today [4/3/08]. The statue, a memorial to Southport World War One veterans, is reportedly upset about Australia's military participation in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"He can't understand why no-one remembers that in World War One 60,000 Australians died for no reason, and we're still involved in wars that make no sense," said Mr Seagull, a local bird.
"He'd even put up peace signs in an effort to enlighten the community, but to no avail."
The Southport Soldier was last seen heading up the Broadwater on the Aquaduck.
Peace Sign ... Ignored
Stockmarket Report
What's the definition of an optimist?
A stockbroker who irons five shirts on a Sunday!
Go Hard Or Go Home!
A reader sent in this photo - "cycling for the hardcore...." he writes.
Tackle Root Cause Of Housing Unaffordability: Media Release, James Sinnamon, Independent Candidate for Mayor of Brisbane [3/3/08]
James Sinnamon, an independent candidate for Lord Mayor of Brisbane, called upon Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to tackle the real cause of housing inflation rather than to apply band-aid measures at the expense of taxpayers.
"When all policy is supposed to be driven by hard economics, it is astonishing that the added demand for housing caused by record high immigration is barely discussed," said Mr Sinnamon.
"Back in 2004 when profits from property investments momentarily slumped, the property sector demanded, and got, from Prime Minister John Howard, record high immigration. As a result, Australia's population has risen by a further 1.2 million in just four years, housing costs have hit the stratosphere, and housing repossessions have reached 800 per week with a further 300,000 households at risk with the latest interest rate rise.
"Property investors have got their wish," said Mr Sinnamon, "and the rest of us are paying the price.
"Mr Rudd needs to decide whether he will continue to serve the interests of the property sector or whether he will provide ordinary Australians with affordable housing, but he cannot do both."
Indeed listening to the Minister for Housing, Tanya Plibersek, being interviewed on the ABC's 'Lateline' last night [3/3/08] was like listening to a broken record:
"TONY JONES: Can you put your hand on your heart and say you don't believe that housing prices are artificially inflated by negative gearing and the tax incentives provided to wealthy investors?
TANYA PLIBERSEK: Tony, what I can say is that any change in negative gearing would be a disaster for rental availability in this country.
TONY JONES: But you don't dispute his [Julian Disney, Chair of the National Summit on Housing Affordability] logic then?
TANYA PLIBERSEK: Well, I dispute what he's suggesting we do. If we change negative gearing.
TONY JONES: You're sort of saying you're stuck with it.
TANYA PLIBERSEK: Tony, you're putting words in my mouth. If we changed negative gearing we would see disastrous effects for renters in Australia."
http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2007/s2178777.htm
Interestingly, one of our regular readers says that in the 1990s the State Government was offloading public housing at below cost, particularly in Caboolture.
Mayoral Candidate Calls For All Academics To Disclose Their Political Allegiances
Independent Mayoral Candidate David Couper has released a statement on his 'MySpace' [2/3/08] calling for political science lecturers and tutors to disclose their party allegiances to their students:
"In the Richlands ward at this coming election, my tutor in Political Institutions, Andrew Nguyen, is running for the Liberal Party against Labor bigwig Milton Dick.
Had I known Andrew was a Liberal, I may not have chosen the essay question I chose in my first semester course last year. The question I picked: "Is the Australian Senate an example of an effective or a faulty political institution?". Over 200 students in my course, and 60 or so did this question - I was the only one of the 60 who picked "faulty".
I went to school with Andrew. I think he's a nice guy. However, I still would have liked to know of his allegiance to the Liberals, as I may then have "lied through my teeth" to give an answer that would have increased my mark. Having come from a background of lecturers in music biased against my approach to music, when it comes to university, there is a system to be played, and with the right background info, I would be better placed to play it.
I was of the opinion that my essay was well written and well researched enough to deserve a better mark than it got, and I was indeed a little mystified that my "brave" decision didn't translate into a better grade. Now I get the feeling I know why! It's a bloody shame, but instead of lambasting Andrew too greatly for it, I would look to implement regulation in universities in regards to such possibilities of bias."
Mr Couper will be holding a press conference at City Hall, 11 am this Wednesday [5/3/08].
'Spring Hill Voice' wonders why Brisbane - as such a great example of democracy inaction - won't be having a "Great Mayoral Debate", prior to the upcoming Council election. The Gold Coast had one last Friday [29/2/08] - sure it was sponsored by 'The Gold Coast Bulletin', and cost $66 to attend - but at least they had one!
Captain Bligh Admits Drugs: "I Did Not Exhale"
"Because I'm Bad, I'm Bad-
Come On
(Bad Bad-Really, Really Bad)
You Know I'm Bad, I'm Bad-
You Know It
(Bad Bad-Really, Really Bad)
You Know I'm Bad, I'm Bad-
Come On, You Know
(Bad Bad-Really, Really Bad)
And The Whole World Has To
Answer Right Now
Just To Tell You Once Again,
Who's Bad . . ."
'Bad' Michael Jackson, 1987
For some bizarre reason (the bizarre reason is, as usual, the limited news coverage given to the topic over the weekend), Captain Bligh told Chanel No. 7 that she sucked on the odd Orchy-Bottle as a kiddy but is adamant that she never exhaled.
"Yeah man, sure I did. So? I could hold a lungful longer than John Birmingham. It's not like it was illegal back then. We didn't even have to worry about drink driving back in those days. Woo-eee, I'm surprised I even remember how we got home after some of the benders we went on back in the bad old Joh days. What a fascist he was. As long as you didn't get in the cops' way by being a long-hair, musician or having any values, it was 'all good' as the youngsters say."
She denied ever having a 'session' with Police Minister Spent: "Man, was she ever a spare wheel! Always hanging about asking if we had any 'gear', never had her own and never even brought the Tally-Ho's. No way! I completely deny that suggestion."
Asked about blatant hypocrisy, The Queensland Captain was lucid and firm: "Look, what paper do you work for? Who are you? I know your employer, surely, and I'll get you for this. Why are you going soft on crime? Why are you trying to beat this up? Why don't you ask the opposition about why none of them have ever smoked dope? Bunch of squares, they're not tough on drugs like we are. Takes one to know one. Are you looking at me? Are you a cop? Hypocrite!"
The Traveston Dam is set to go ahead with the Rudd/Swan Federal government set to give carte-blanche to the Capn-Bligh/Fraser-Is. State Government. It is understood that Mr Fraser-Island was never offered a puff of marijuana by anyone, even "at university", in fact, it is understood that Mr Fraser-Island often dobbed in fellow classmates for smoking down the back of the bus (back in the days when that used to be legal, and Queensland was the tobacco growing king of Australia).
The latest Leader of the Opposition (as of 8pm 3/3/08), said: "Nahh, we weren't inta that shit, it was all utes, B&S balls, rum and beer for our side of the house. We never needed that stuff to get off our faces, it was kegs and rum-bubba for us. Hah, we're on safe ground here!"
Minister 'Wello' said: "I was into surfing! How could I possibly have been into drugs?" Good point, perhaps.
Absolute power lasts 10 years my friends! Ha F*cking Ha! Reinstate
the Upper House you deadsh*ts!
Gold Coast Mayoral Candidate Says "Yes" To Free Public Transport
'Spring Hill Voice' questioned all Gold Coast Mayoral candidates about some of their environmental policies. As yet, only independent Gold Coast Mayoral candidate John Bradford has responded - and we are pleased to report he supports free public transport.
"I am an advocate of free public transport," he said.
"Theoretically it would encourage more use but it still has be fast, efficient and comfortable."
As to whether he would support the implementation of a container deposit scheme similar to that which exists in South Australia, Mr Bradford said, "I would be happy to investigate the deposit system you refer to, but I am not sure if it could be implemented on a regional basis. But it sounds like a very good idea."
In regards to setting up a local garden in every suburb, similar to Brisbane's Northey Street Farm, Mr Bradford said that it sounded "great".
"In London where we lived from 2002 to 2004 there were many community gardens," he said.
Who Will Clean Up Brisbane?
Given today [2/3/08] is 'Clean Up Australia' day, 'Spring Hill Voice' wanted to find out what Mayoral candidates thought about realistic, long term, sustainable measures for dealing with waste in our local environment.
We asked them whether they would support the implementation of a container deposit scheme, similar to that which operates in South Australia.
Three of the alternative choices for Mayor responded to our questions, and all were in favour of our suggestions.
Louise Day said, "It's a bit mystifying why we don't have one already with the recycling facilities currently available. It is probably the most cost-effective way to 'clean up' the rubbish problem caused by bottles. It teaches kids to be entrepreneurial, and also for people with no income can provide a useful way to earn extra cash similarly to the 'Big Issue' being sold by homeless people, but is available to anybody. Marking the containers with a deposit value also encourages people to realise that not throwing away the container has a value - even if its value is in reducing the carbon footprint left."
James Sinnamon said, "What we need is standardised glass beverage containers, so that the same container could be used by different manafucturers. I would abolish aluminium and plastic containers altogether. I would ultimately favour deposits in the order of $1 per container."
Bryan Crawford said, "I would love to see something like that set up in Brisbane, or at the very least a change in culture when it comes to our consumption/use of the bottles. I will do some research into both issues and see if I can include them in my policy platform."
Given the increase in high density living, Brisbane residents have less access to gardening opportunities - so important in this era of peak oil and diminishing food security. If every suburb had a local garden similar to the Northey Street Farm, residents would have opportunities to learn about sustainable gardening practices, and a place to take their compost - which would significantly decrease landfill.
Northey Street Farm
Louise Day said, "I would set aside council land for permaculture gardens such as Northey Street farm, and moreover would make future high density housing developments include secure common green play areas for children and common garden area...Investment in community gardens is a better idea for our environment than Newman's proposed water-smart vans at $124 million, which do not provide any sort of long-term or permanent benefit other than information to residents. In contrast, if these funds were spent on buying and establishing community gardens to provide a very similar information function, these would become a valued possession for residents in perpetuity."
James Sinnamon said, "Food security will be part of my platform. We need lots of Northey Street farms. We should be encouraging either food cultivation or the generation of tree cover on every available square metre of land. We must not allow the subdivision of any further agricultural land and we must preserve every possible tract of open land in the city of Brisbane which we can."
Bryan Crawford said that the Northey St Farm is a "fantastic resource" and he "would gladly see this model repeated throughout the city. I too believe that it would be fantastic opportunity in our ever growing city."
We also threw in a wild card question about public transport - "why can't it be free?"
Louise Day said, "Brisbane could certainly have free public transport, at least in high traffic areas like the city center where other solutions to increased traffic are prohibitively expensive. Council should look at the overall cost of building roads, which is often exorbitant and by the time building has finished, demand has usually risen to meet the extra lanes provided. We should be looking instead at free car parking outside of high traffic areas combined with free public transport. If you usually would travel by car, but choose to park outside the city and take a train or bus the rest of the way, you should get to do that for free. It saves the council money in the long term by reducing the need for inner-city road works, reduces pollution and allows Council to invest this money in suburban centers instead to encourage local shopping and business so that we can eventually reduce the concentration of jobs in the CBD and in the future can provide these closer to peoples homes in the suburbs."
James Sinnamon said, "Many studies show that systems to make commuters pay for public transport barely pay for themselves. The city would be far better off if the costs of public transport were paid for out of general revenue. So much time wasted in the purchase of tickets and in the enforcement of laws against fare evasion could be saved. Of course we would have to do it in such a way as to ensure that those council workers whose employment is derived in any way from collecting revenue from public transport users do not unduly suffer. Every effort to find them alternative, more socially useful jobs with equivalent career opportunities must be made."
Bryan Crawford said, "Free would be fantastic, but I am not sure the city could sustain it. I seek, along with an improved network of public transport which would facilitate travel effectively to destinations other that the CBD or via the CBD, cheaper fares. Reintroduction of student yearly passes, and reduced monthly rate passes I support fully."
'Spring Hill Voice' asked Gold Coast Mayoral candidates the same questions, and are eagerly awaiting their responses.
*UPDATE*
LATE RESPONSES FROM DAVID COUPER (selected quotes):
On a container deposit scheme:
"I believe that, while this is an ideal scheme, a better idea would be to enlist the "homeless" to clean up parks and streets in the city, and pay them by the kilo collected."
On more council land for permaculture gardens (like Northey Street):
"A great idea... I would definitely support more permaculture gardens - I have one just down the road in Ashgrove, which I haven't used personally, and it seems to serve a useful community need."
And, Free Public Transport:
"I agree that the nature of public transport in SEQ is now too business-oriented and not service-oriented enough. Provided we could get funding right, I would not support a free ride just yet, but I would support a cap for the BCC area (i.e. all tickets cost $3 adult fare daily, or something along those lines), and would encourage other councils to do the same."
Ghostly Apparition Amidst The Palms
