Food for thought.

Alan Jones 2GB Radio Program – New World Government

This is just way too serious to ignore, however. In just a matter of weeks at the Copenhagen Climate Conference Australia is about to sign an outrageous treaty that has not had any public debate.

I would guess that most Australians have no idea of what the treaty is about; I didn’t! Regardless of where you stand with the issue of climate change, this quite separate issue of having Australia sign a treaty that resulted in a New World Government, with powers superseding our own constitution, is both alarming and unacceptable. Especially where that New World Government is not democratically elected and can never be removed.

The radio interview is relatively short and very disturbing… I recommend you listen to it… then if it grabs your attention check out the YouTube clip. Alan Jones 2GB Radio Interview

http://2gb.com.au/index2.php?option=com_newsmanager&task=view&id=4998

Traveston on hold

It was with a smile we heard the news Peter Garratt had stopped the dam.  That smile only lasted a brief moment as our mind instantly produced an image of Cpt Bligh pulling out the whips to flog her army of spin doctors into action.

Rest assured there will be overtime a plenty in George Street in the next ten days as the government rushes to save face and their beloved project.

 

So whilst many of you enjoyed countless beverages this afternoon in celebration, the war is not over by a long shot.  Draw on the positives and arm yourselves for more of the same.

In the end we can only hope people power continues to hold the government at bay.

Access Issues what Access Issues?

The two posts on this issue (no pun intended), illustrates the lack of information put out by our council.  Just who is correct?

The replay from “An Insider” makes a number of comments that are dubious. “The legal action that HBCC was forced into”, how were they forced”?  They could have complied with the Access for All’s request, they did not have to go to court.

“If the State or better still Federal government,had bothered to provide compliant designs”, but they had, hadn’t they?

Surely our paid and professional officers could understand the guide lines?  If not why did they not seek further advice as to which of the three formats was appropriate for Hervey Bay?

Better still, if in doubt, why not go for the best option, thus saving time and effort in the future?

Any one reading “An Insiders” right of replay would have to ask, why did the HBCC waste so much time and effort defending the indefensible?

John A Neve

Write of reply: Access Issues

The legal action that HBCC was forced into by Access for all Alliance cost the community thousands and thousands of dollars. The case that was heard ended up being the test case for Queensland in relation to bus stop design. It is just a shame that our community had to fund it. If the State or better still, the Federal Government, had bothered to provide compliant designs etc for bus stops there would not have been a problem in the first place.

 

I believe HBCC acted properly in relation to legal dealings in relation to this topic and I don’t support an Access for Alliance group, or any other group that uses the threat of legal action each and every time they open their mouths as a way to get things done. A respected member of the Burrum Community had his life turned upside down for several years by a legal challenge from this same group just because he chaired a meeting in an old building that did not have a lift! Eventually the gentleman was cleared of wrong doing. Many, many people that I meet who are in fact themselves affected by disabilities, do not support this group and separate themselves very strongly from them.

 

If you take the time to peruse this information http://www.transport.qld.gov.au/Home/Assistance_and_services/Access_and_mobility/Accessible_regional_bus_stops/

 

you will see that the design standards for bus shelters is not uniform and bus stop designs can vary but still comply depending on their category. I would appreciate Strewth check facts before circulating speculation and unproven and unfair criticism of Council.

‘An insider’

Access Issues

We’ve just been given the heads up that a certain bush mechanic oops..  councilor seems to think its fine to rubbish a concerned member of the community when they attempt to raise an issue with him.

Whilst we can’t reprint the communications, rest assured we’re not amused that the councilor is not prepared to even examine the concerns even when it is his own portfolio in question.

The problem in question has been raised by the group formerly known as Access for all Alliance.  Some of you will remember this is the group council successfully set their lawyers onto a while back to silence them and their persisitent whinging about access issues.

 

While this author has never agreed with their insistence on pursuing things as minor as a couple millimetres of variance, the fact 200 new bus shelters our council is constructing are non-compliant is disgusting.  Proof of this allegation is found on the department of Main Roads website.

 

Come on councilor Dalgleish, you love barking like a dog when it suits you, how about listening for a change?

Tourism Awards for What?

Reading the Hervey Bay Independant for today (30th October 2009), I gotto Page 19 and relised that it’s been a year and another Fraser CoastSouth Burnett Tourism Awards for Excellence has been and gone.  I wouldlike to say congratulations to the winners on recieveing their awards,however I do have a question about some of the winners and how it was judged.

As well as some of the results that were posted in the Independant, Ihave been told about a couple of other winners as well.  Though, onlythe judges would know who all the entrants were, so the people Imention may have been the only entrant in that category and thus thewin. I would like to point out a couple of things with the winners.

Winner General Accommodation 4 – 5 Star- Peppers Pier Resort. My question is; Didn’t they go into receivershipin September? How is this an ideal property to win an award for excellence?

Winner Whale Watch Operator - Hervey Bay Whale Watch. Does anyoneremember this picture ( http://bit.ly/1ghg6B )? Yes, this photo wastaken out of whale watch season, but shouldn’t this still count as ablemish on their record?

Winner Budget Accommodation - Beaches Backpackers (John & Sally Bush)
Winner John Craig-Gardiner Memorial Award (Outstanding Contribution byan Individual) - John & Sally Bush.  How do two people win an awardas an Individual? Besides that, everyone remembers that fatal accidenton Fraser Island earlier in the year(http://www.frasercoastchronicle.com.au/story/2009/04/18/two-tourists-die-in-fraser-island-crash/)which occured as part of a Beaches Backpackers Self Drive Tour.  Whatever that hostel does for accommodation and what Mr & Mrs Bush did(as an individual) for Tourism on the Fraser Coast must’ve beenphenomenal for the judges to forget about that.

- Anon

 

BBS: Like just about any other city, we are great at patting ourselves on the back and stroking the egos of a few.  Hobnobbing is another word for it.

‘That’ sign

Another blogster has come out firing at councilor Anne Nioa with a scathing attack on the new entrance sign to Hervey Bay.

Seems no one likes it – particularly the cost!  Remember how Bundaberg actually asked residents for imput into their council logo?  The end result wasn’t all that bad and we bet they saved significant dollars in the process.

Anyhow, click the link to see what Jeanette Maynes had to say:

http://jeanettemaynes.com.au/

Awfully expensive eyesore

Thats just how many are describing the $80,000+ excuse for an entrance statement our wonderful council has blessed Hervey Bay with.

We don’t know where the money went ’cause we certainly can’t see it!

We can’t wait for a couple of the councilors to claim this ‘masterpiece’ as an achievement.  Wow.. a rather ordinary yet expensive tribute to our own stupidity.. just proof of how out of their depth most of our councilors really are!

The next elections really can’t come soon enough!

Our Mick’s a lover not a fighter

Oh dear.  Who else cringed tonight watching Mayor Mick’s pathetic attempt to answer a journalists questioning regarding allegations of bullying at Fraser Coast Regional Council?

We could not believe our ears as Mick brushed off a question aimed directly at him with the quip ‘I’m a lover’.  Painful and rather ordinary effort Mick!

Whilst on council, converstations with contacts in recent days reveal the Us and Them factor is well and truly alive and well across all levels of council.  Mick again tonight with his fighting words ‘they need to get over it’ or something to that effect are pretty sad.

Some councilors seem to think the CEO and his subordinates are doing a great job whilst others feel he’s out of his depth with a circle of three Executive Managers well and truly ruling the roost.  We can only hope the rumours of the departure of one Executive Managers this week are true as that individual’s name cropped up fairly often in a negative light.

No doubt about it, amalgamation was never going to be easy and to give credit where credit is due, Andrew Brien and Lisa Desmond are doing a great job culling the dead wood and trying to make the best of an ordinary situation.

When pruning however, it can always be said that you have to lose some of the ‘good wood’ to encourage new shoots and improve the plant.  The same can be said of council, we don’t doubt for one minute council has lost some great staff in recent months but if a new and workable administration is to be shaped then some better staff have to go also.

We can only hope the Chronicle, Courier Mail and others keep the heat on council – already we are seeing signs of councilors reacting to criticism of their performance and this is long over due.

What is also notable – several councilors namely Julie Arthur (remember her?),  Debbie Hawes and even David Dalgleish seem to have completely dropped off the radar.

We do expect more, we do want council to continue to improve and we certainly wish Mayor Mick would polish up his media skills!

Read the Chron’s version here:

http://www.frasercoastchronicle.com.au/story/2009/09/29/probe-into-council-bullying-claim/

Access for all.. except to Fraser

Referring to  ’Kingfisher barge $500.000 major refurbishment’, incorporating a plush passenger lounge area,

Most Fraser Coast residents will naturally assume that now they can enjoy the trip over to Fraser Island in  safety and comfort,

Then relax in the resorts pleasant surroundings.

Well that’s what anyone would think, right?  WRONG!

Yesterday when we rang to book our  reservations, we were informed in no uncertain terms that:

Only people  sufficiently agile to climb up quite steep stairs  with ease, can travel in the newly refurbished lounge,

Otherwise people with a mobility issue are expected to  travel inside their own 4WD car.  (presuming that EVERYONE has one )

I believe this is  blatant discrimination!

Under the transport act, this boat, its Island terminus,  etc. should and indeed must be wheelchair compliant.

Accessible with dignity and equity for ALL people.

We, (a party of 6 people) had intended going over to the Island for a day trip, but not now!

I need a wheelchair for my mobility, one of my friends has painful, arthritic joints, and the other is 7 months pregnant!

I cannot manage stairs, and neither of my less agile friends welcomed the thought of negotiating steep stairs!

Just an average bunch of friends, so we’ll  just spend our money elsewhere.

Glenis Staff