Frasercoastbarfly writes:
Dear BBS
I like reading your site and have a great interest in the council goings on but why do you only focus on the council? What about all the state government problems, stuff ups and ignorance going on?
Just one example is the local member in Hervey Bay Andrew McNamara - the “minister Anna made”
His arrogance to the people in the Mary valley is beyond belief.
Just read his sarcastic reply to Chris Foley’s question to him in parliament recently about the Traveston Dam. Totally ignored Foley’s question and merely used sarcasm to denigrate Mr Foley.
Now the Save the Mary group have asked for deputations with the Ministerial talkfest this weekend and guess what? Yep. Mr McNamara has arrogantly refused to talk to them. Not even given them a reason. Obviously “Not his problem”. The people of Hervey Bay and Queensland are sick and tired of paying a local member/minister $200,000 per year to treat them like insignificant specks of dirt and refuse to talk to them in any public forum.
Strewthisback responds: frasercoastbarfly thankyou for the feedback.. we look forward to adding a state government category and welcome any relevant contributions from all readers.
Frasercoastbarfly, I could not agree more, but after all this is DEMOCRACY in action. You get what you vote fore. As to other topics, there have been attempts to widen the scope eg Like drunken sailors, Where does our money go,Brian Canute’s questions on
Holmgren’s permaculture principles etc. Sad to say not much interest shown. People have just got more important things to do.
BBS writes: John you are correct to some extent however we have been restrained in our own time availability to keep the ball rolling with other issues - we’d welcome short contributions on “outside” issues that affect each of us.
10,000 submissions = 10,000 votes
Dont forget the big picture .
This sunday is the ideal opportunity for the 10,000 citizens who signed submissions against the Traveston Dam , to make the wish come true .Local member and Bligh cabinet Minister , Andrew Macnamarra has stated that he would , ” change his mind if the science did not stack up “ , being a politician he will only respond to community perceptions ,not scientific evidence , so numbers count , the cabinet is shaky after the protest at the Gold Coast ALP conference , an invitation from Garretts advisors was issued yesterday to an anti dam group , to send reps to discuss Traveston.
This was a result of the protest at the conference , we have them on the back foot , sunday is the opportunity to have a regional response to show Macnamarra that he is not safe at the next election , if he does not back away from Traveston .
I urge you all to make an attempt to be at the Tafe College in Urraween rd at 12.30pm to make a statement to him and the Cabinet .
Bravo Roger
A lot of people believe that the Traveston Crossing Dam will go ahead because that is the perception that the State Government is portraying. But it is not yet approved by the Federal Government. We do NEED as many people as possible to be present on Sunday. It has been very difficult for the Greater Mary Association to generate much interest from the good citizen of Hervey Bay because of the perception that this issue does not effect them. Unfortunately if the Dam goes ahead, it will be too late. It is estimated that it will take 12 years for the proposed Dam to fill. Therefore it will be 12 years without freshwater from the upper reaches of the Mary flowing into Hervey Bay. This will cause salinity to rise and this WILL have a devasting effect on the marine life in Hervey Bay. This combined with global warning could effect the annual Whale migration to Hervey Bay. What is definitely known is that it will effect fish stocks within Hervey Bay. Fish need brackish water to breed successfully. The fingerlings live in the brackish water of the Mary until they return to the salt water within Hervey Bay. Recreational fishing is one of the major attractions of Hervey Bay as a tourist destination and also as a retirement choice for many.
If the people of Fraser Coast don’t bother to take action on Sunday when the opportunity presents itself, life as we know it here on the Fraser Coast will never be the same.
We will have signs etc for people to hold on Sunday at the Community Cabinet. The Greater Mary Association applied for 14 deputations to Ministers and were granted only 6. Tourism Minister Desley Boyle doesn’t believe that the building of the Traveston Dam will have any effect on her portfolio. Andy Pandy just said “No” without giving any reason.
This ignorance of the State Government on the downstream effects is reflected in their Environment Impact Statement.
Tell as many as you can to be at TAFE on Urrawen Road at 12.30pm on Sunday 29 June 2008.
BRISBANE ENGINEERS DUMP TRAVESTON DAM
The Gympie Times
26th June 2008
page 7 (not available online)
Quote:
Engineers say no to dam
The Traveston Crossing Dam proposal has been rejected hands down – literally – by a meeting of leading Australian engineers in Brisbane earlier this month.
Engineers Australia called the meeting, in association with its Queensland Division Water Panel and the Society for Sustainability and Environmental Engineering, to consider the engineering profession’s response to the government’s draft strategy for drought proofing south-east Queensland.
The strategy is now being administered by the Queensland Water Commission and is subject to public submissions until the end of July.
One contentious point is that it lists the proposed Traveston Crossing Dam as “existing or committed infrastructure”, even though it does not yet exist and has not yet received federal environmental approval.
More than 120 paying guests crowded the Brisbane venue, at Engineering House in Edward Street.
Mary River Catchment Co-ordinating Committee representative Steve Burgess, who spoke at the meeting, said attendees, including State Government representatives, heard reports on legal and technical aspects of the dam.
Mr Burgess said they were then surprised to be put on the spot with a request from the Chair that anyone interested in advocating the case for the dam should raise their hands.
No-one did.
“You’d expect an audience of engineers would include some in favour of the dam, but there was an awkward moment as people kept their hands down,” Mr Burgess said.
“Then there was another awkward moment when you could see people looking around and realising that no-one else had their hand up either.”
The meeting heard addresses from Dan Spiller of the QWC, Alex Kazaglis from the University of Technology Sydney, kayaker and senior water engineer Steve Posselt, who recently paddled from Brisbane to Maryborough and back to draw attention to the Mary River issue and environmental lawyer Melanie Simmonds from the Brisbane firm Deacons, as well as Mr Burgess.
Mr Spiller is the QWC’s acting executive director of regional planning and policy. Mr Kazaglis is senior research consultant for his university’s Institute for Sustainable Futures, (which strongly criticised the dam in its report to Mary Valley Council of Mayors convenor and then Cooloola Shire Mayor Mick Vernados). Mr Burgess is a Mary Valley Resident and MRCCC catchment officer. Ms Simmonds is a lawyer advising local government, developers and resource and energy clients, particularly on environmental issues.
Us eng-uh-neers might like to boast that we can build anything, anywhere - given enough money - but we still have an intrinsic hatred of STUPIDITY. There were representatives there from the QWC, the Department of Natural Resources, and most (if not all) of the major companies invited to tender for the dam project. But not a single engineer willing to raise his/her hand in support for the project in front of a his/her peers. Why? Not because it can’t be done, but because it’s so obviously STUPID it clearly shouldn’t be done.
_________________
POLITICAL CLIMATE CHANGE ?
The Gympie Times
26th June 2008
page 7 (not available online)
Quote:
New report to put end to Mary River Dam idea
A new state government climate change report should rule out the Traveston Crossing dam, Gympie MP and Shadow Sustainability Minister David Gibson said yesterday.
Mr Gibson said the government’s latest assessment of potential negative impacts from climate change showed the dam would be increasingly unreliable.
Accusing Sustainability Minister Andrew McNamara of being two-faced about climate change and the dam, he said: “You can’t release a science-based report from your own Office of Climate Change, which is headed by the Premier’s husband, Greg Withers, and then ignore one of its principle warnings on future rainfall”.
“The Minister says Queensland already had one of the most naturally variable climates in the world, and now he’s saying our climate will become even more variable and extreme.
“But what he isn’t saying is that the data he and his government used to justify building Traveston can no longer be relied on… the rainfall data used to justify what is the most environmentally controversial project in Australia is no longer valid.
“You can’t have it both ways.
“You can’t have the Office of Climate Change, headed by the Premier’s husband, issuing what we’re told are genuine, science-based reports on how our climate, including rainfall patterns, are going to change dramatically, and then ignore it all when it suits.
“I’m calling on the Minister and the Premier and the Premier’s husband to clearly explain exactly how their Climate Change projections sit with the old rainfall data they have used to justify Traveston.
“The people of Queensland need to know,” Mr Gibson said.
With Hervey Bay being the third most marginal seat in the state, I hardly think Andrew McNamara thinks he’s safe at the next election.
I think those who have decided to target him personally instead of the issues are those in opposition parties who could really give a great flying f**k about the environmental effects of the dam. They’re just plain political opportunists.
Do we really think Ted Sorenson - if he will be the next opposition candidate - will give a tinkers cuss about the health of the Great Sandy Straits? He’d have it full of aquaculture cages and he’d happily farm the length and breadth of the Mary regardless of any silt problem.
Personally, when I see David Dalgleish and John Kingston supporting a cause, I have to be suspicious of it.
Sure, fight the Dam. It just seems futile to target a local member who has no actual influence over whether it goes ahead and who has introduced some interesting climate change initiatives while he’s been minister. It seems like throwing the baby out with the bath water.
What a joke. It seems politicalpragmatist is the only party stooge here. Trying to defend Andy Pandy at any cost.
“It just seems futile to target a local member who has no actual influence over whether it goes ahead.”
He is the MINISTER. He is supposed to represent his electorate!
If he has no influence then who does? Ed Casey crossed the floor on an issue 30 years ago, against Labor and for his electorate, and went independent for a while and increased his vote and earned respect. Everyone knows MacNamara doesnt have any courage at all and has no interest in representing his electorate.
For all his faults at least Sorrenson used to whinge and carry on for his division when he represented River Heads and Booral.
Politicalpragmatist’s comment “It just seems futile to target a local member who has no actual influence over whether it goes ahead.” requires a response.
Firstly, politicians in the past have taken a ‘no win’ stance while re-presenting their constituents wishes. They have invariably been supported in this action by the continuing loyalty and electoral support of these constituents.
Secondly, I believe the current ‘party line’ snivelling subservience of most incumbents invariably opposes the electorate’s desires, and is becoming, at long last, recognised for what it is: an elitist dictatorship that treats voter’s rights as an inconvenient embarrasment best ignored in the interest of feathering their own vested interest nests.
Perhaps the long awaited time of the true Independent is coming? The sooner the better!
Lastly, if ANY representative, whether on a winner or not, does NOT re-present the majority wish of the electorate then that representative is in breach of OUR Federal Constitution, is lacking integrity, honesty and credibility and should be sacked with no ongoing lurks or priveliges.
Frasercoastbarfly’s comments are spot on!
It is about time we cleaned out the Augean Stables of professional politics.
It didn’t work out to well for Cate Molloy.
Question. If a minister in the government has no influence on decisions then who does? And if he cannot effect outcomes then what is he doing there and what is he being paid for?
Jim,
So true - but where to go to in the future?
True independents, not party stooges, are certainly needed, and is the only option for proper representation.
But how do you go about determining these people?
Certainly not by the biased local media, as witnessed in the last council elections.
Any suggestions are welcome -
It seems obvious to me that McNamara is out when the next election rolls around, and probably the Bligh government too. They’ve definitely failed Queensland as far as the environment goes, but the issue here is, that while everyone’s been jumping up and down about what Labour has done, they seem to have forgotten what the coalition stands for and what they may achieve if elected back into state government. Yes Labour may be failing QLD but do we really think that the coalition is better. Lest we not forget Jo Bejelke?