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Australian
Reform Party Secretary: |
"Accountable Representation for the
People" June 2007 Comment of North East Fire December 2006 Opinion on the Water Crisis July 2006 Snowy Hydro and Politics 5 June 2006 Firearms and Crime 4 October 2001 Hunting - Cultural Heritage or Sport? June 2007 Comment on the
North East Fires North East Fires When Mr Bruce
Esplein investigates the north east
fires No. 2 2006/2007, No. 1 in 2003, it took a while and to save
embarrassment this time it is called "Great Divide Fire". I
hope he asks for evidence from ABC 774 tapes, particularly with Mr Derek
Guille before 10pm in the evening of 1/12/06 a day of many lightning
strikes. I think Mr Guille was as "ABC Radio Emergency Information
Services Network", talking to Department of Sustainability ( The old Forest Commission
boys I reckon would have 'personned' lookout towers and with local knowledge
known the whereabouts of most of these fires. In Forest Commission
times, mill timber, mine timber and firewood cutting was happening in the
forests. Low loaders, bulldozers, water tankers were already in the
forest. With a few phone calls, a bit of horn blowing, these workers
and fire crews would have been roused. Have from midnight,
1am, until nowadays style of fire fighting gets going "we will fly
around them tomorrow". Seven or eight hours work would have been
done, stopping of these fires. The older crews even had the ability to
use their noses to smell a fire if it was a bit hard to see or find. During the first day much
CFA equipment should have been organized too. Low loaders, contracted
bigger bulldozer in position to stop the fires on the first night: this
requires full co-operation. After Ash Wednesday this was supposed to be sorted
out. On Tuesday 15 February
2007, afternoon and evening lightning strikes started more fires.
Before 10pm that evening Mr Guille was again on ABC774 talking to DSE, who
advised some fires were burning in the Luckily for a couple of
calm days, the Some power lines caused a
bit of trouble in Great Divide fire. A major power line also went
through Linton fire area. These easements should be ploughed or burnt
off and kept clear for a fire break during the fire season. In the
Big/Little Deserts every square 5km a 20 metre wide cleared track should be
made. This would stop most Big/Little Desert fires in the night time by
themselves. Dozed areas/tracks done around towns affected by Great
Divide fire should be strengthened. Had from 2003 to 2006 to do this,
but rumour has it they will be replanted. Some of the smaller towns
nestled in the bush need a couple of the ridges cleared. Each would be
different - if a fire comes from the north and the ridge on the east is
cleared just before the town, this would act like a chimney and take most of
the fire and heat up the ridge. To be really rational and
get organized, DSE after their efforts with the "Brisbane
Ranges Fire", along with Parks, should be scrapped. Parks lot I
think proof exists with their Wilsons Promontory effort. Their
equipment not staff transferred to CFA. Who would subcontract (be paid)
to do fuel reduction burns, track cleaning (not blocking off), dam sinking,
water storage areas deepened, clear area protection zones near towns,
easement clearance. The "we will fly
around tomorrow' attitude is to avoid a bit of hard work. They must
have more helicopters, aeroplanes. This saves hard work. Or maybe
like the helpful Canadians said "hit fast hit hard". Have yet to
see the retardant or water dropped from a helicopter, on the TV reports,
shown actually hitting a fire and putting it out. The film seems to be
edited before this event happens. In 1990s CFA recently purchased infra-red
equipment to find hot spots around the fires. The old boys could see
'em or feel 'em, even walking around in the dark. And remember, 1
billion 300 million tonnes of carbon came from these fire (ABC Radio). Donald J Stalker Mt Egerton June 2007 We congratulate the State Government on its reintroduction of
the fox bounty. Fox control need
a overall approach include shooting.
A bounty encourages individuals and groups to get and be more active
in fox shooting. We would
encourage the government to not stop the bounty but make it permanent and
extend it to other feral animals, including such species as feral cats,
sparrows and starlings. Not only does the bounty provide a financial incentive for
species specific vermin control, it also has other health and social benefits
for society. For example, fox
drives attract many older people out into the bush environment and promotes
healthy social interchange and beneficial exercise. The indirect financial benefit to
government and society, far out weighs the relatively small amount paid out
in fox bounties. To participate
in fox drives, hunters are contributing significantly to the economy, in
purchases of food, clothing, fuel and ammunition, that also outweigh any fox
bounty payments. Finally, there is evidence that
baiting is not 100 per cent species specific, with reports of native wildlife
being decimated around baiting sites.
For example, significant amounts of dead stump tail lizards and the
absence of birds of prey.
Shooting provides a more safe (for non target species) and viable
alternative to baiting. December 2006 Opinion on the water crisis Overflowing my
limited brain, dreaming about water, it's giving me the pips Put the price up,
rainfall down, but look carefully, some areas have cyclone hits An advertisement
on the back of 1960s Weekly Times, 1 think with a picture For Caterpillar
said "There is enough water in this country. Dam it!" Damn it! The Docomgrens (Do-gooder communist
greenies) they say no! Mr Beattie is
trying to, and needs to, but that's kicked up a fuss A while back we
had Cyclone Larry, this knocked the banana flow Affected our
tummies and wallets, yes, that caused a rumpus. Innisfail also recently had rainfall of inches to
fill their tanks So build a few low wall dams to hold some of this water
still Get plenty of experts and surveyors to really study some maps And
remember, my mum said water did like to run downhill My 1950s Ampol road map and borrowed 1982 Macquarie
show Between Below Townsville, Mt Elliot 1,234m; west of Mackay,
Mt Dalrymple 1,259m Probably lost you by now, but 1 will dream on; it
might make sense. Toowoomba had a referendum recently about recycling
wee and poo South of Kingaroy for Toowoomba, Sits Mt Kiangalow 1,135m, Bald Hills No. 2 at 783m
north of Toowoomba Mt Mistake 1,013m south of Toowoomba. Mistake all right but elevation 1,000m
will do. Now back to With solar powered day time or hydraulically
operated pumps full time The dammed excess water, shift it, lift it,
Cairns/Innisfail 1,300m on the range Into small pressure dams like your overhead cold/hot
water tank in line. Mr Richard Pratt (Visy) would work this out, and put
in a big poly pipe Joining up between the high spots, running along
rivers, roads, railway lines Crossing private property, this will be hard, cause
a stink, right! Nearly forgot the native title, had the water
running, stop here, fine. Dropping slowly, but filling existing reservoirs on
the way, with impossible state co-operation Near the At 1,500 m a deep pressure dam for excess, even be
sent inland; need to turn a few taps Sealing the pipeline, water would even level back to
Bartle Frere, From Snowy to Eildon, running it by small poly pipe
into the Remember this is Goulburn water, Bracks is gunna try
and pinch for Experts craving to pump it to Ballarat, with
consultants striking bingo How water got so low before strong restrictions,
more experts will know. Use Mt Warrenheip is 741 m but White Swan is below,
540m, Lal Lal 430m Enough clues. now, overloading, it's getting hard,
Grampians 800m to 466m Rocklands Reservoir at about 200m even dig Hindmarsh
deeper, pump back. This nowadays will need many computer simulations,
print-outs and studies More politicians, experts, committees, consultants,
surveyors and lobbyists Maps might even show other areas, Ord, Hamersley, But this eased my brain pressure, dam, lift, pipe
system, might work there too. Years ago our parents said we had something called
commonsense To use it, add nous, maybe lateral thinking and even
a bit of cunning If possible initiative; and some teachers said times
fast-moving, keep thinking The computer has none of these buttons, so just
leave the excess water running. Donald J Stalker July 2006 Snowy Hydro and Politics The Snowy Hydro saga was never about sentiment or electricity,
but water, our most precious resource. So why would three Governments even
consider flogging that resource off to private enterprise? Forget John Howard as the saviour of the Snowy. In
my opinion Howard is either a total hypocrite or has played politics with
taxpayer’s money. Or both. Prior to the backflip, Howard said of the sale
“It makes sense”. By 3/6/2006, this had changed to “There
is no good public policy reason why it (the sale) should go ahead”. Did
Howard wait for the State Labor Governments to lock the sale into Budget
estimates before the backflip?
Yes, NSW and Victoria State Labor Governments played the major role in
all this. Their economic management skills (or lack thereof) are a matter of
record. They just wanted to get their hands on the cash. Federal Labor’s role – they voted for
the sale simply to save the necks of Iemma and Bracks – stuff the
voters. How pathetic! This fiasco has wasted $20 million (& counting)
of taxpayer’s money, yet not one politician will held accountable -
Why? Further, what part of the word CUSTODIAN don’t
these State and Federal government understand? Colin Drury Knox Branch 5 June 2006 Firearms and
Crime. Rumours persist that “Government” will
continue to “tighten up” on firearms control i.e. place further restrictions on
licensed , law abiding firearms owners. Why is it so incomprehensible for Rob Hulls and his
fellow Attorney’s General to actually consider getting tougher on
criminals? Forget the legal profession’s lobby group
“Civil Liberties Vic”, Mr Hulls, they don’t employ you.
Kindly explain to the Victorian people why , when a person is convicted of a
criminal offence using a firearm e.g.armed robbery, home invasion, assault,
rape, kidnap, etc. That person does not receive a mandatory 20 years gaol
term – no early release, no parole. Why, Mr Hulls, why? Look into it? Colin Drury Knox Branch 4 October 2001 Hunting - Cultural Heritage or Sport? For me this question is easy. Hunting is a part of my cultural
heritage and is in no way a sport.
Target shooting is sport, going out to shoot a few ducks or rabbits is
fulfilling a need, not just to gather food but also to maintain my hunting
heritage. You may be asking what point am I trying make. Well I have changed anti-duck
hunters around with the argument that hunting is my cultural heritage. It's hard to say you are just perusing
a sport, it just does not rub with the anti's. If the hunting heritage issue is not working with the antis, I
use our indigenous brothers to help my argument. For example, if the anti rejects the
cultural heritage argument then I tell them that they then would not support
the rights of Aborigines to continue their hunting traditions. This usually wins the argument. I ask them what is the difference
between our ingenious brothers' right and need to hunt to that of other
sections of the Australian community having the same right and need? Always support aboriginals right to hunt. It not only is the right thing to do
for the aborigines, but it also helps maintain our rights. Some people say they don't have to justify their actions to
anyone. That may be morally
right, but when the anti groups are pressuring politicians and convincing the
public that any one who hunts is an ogre, it is time to stand up for yourself. Never be afraid to let people now that you go hunting. A lot of people have the misconception
that any one who hunts in an ignorant right wing red neck. It often surprises people to find out
that people from all walks of life, men and women, politically left, right or
indifferent, go hunting. So let people know that you go hunting and the reason why. If they do not know you hunt, then
they may think that banning hunting will not effect anyone much. Remember that you not only hunt and
vote but you are maintaining your cultural heritage. Authorised by: |
