It is a mark of the St Martins Lutheran School Child Abuse Cover-up that people whom otherwise may be doing good even wonderful work, are just another part of the problem to a few families in Mt Gambier; and so it is with BraveHearts.
Most people would be familiar with Ms Hetty Johnson of BraveHearts, who is a reasonably regular guest on morning chat shows and other media on issues of Child Abuse.
Queensland based BraveHearts describes itself as "Making a difference in child protection" and I know that there has got to be some part of the problem that they address, maybe even many parts; it is simply not my place to judge them, and I fully understand what can happen to people who do speak out.
What I do know and can say is that even though they baulked at the first refusals and denials, and then effectively just gave up, they at least had a bit of a go to start with; they did what many refused to do and actually wrote to the various authorities and tried to get some action...and for that I am genuinely grateful.
I fully believe BraveHearts did what little they could, and that their actions acknowledge the reality of what South Australia is; all involved knew that nothing could and/or would be done to resolve the St Martins Issue.
I do not understand though, why Ms Johnson refused my multiple requests to use her media contacts or even do it herself to raise St Martins in the national media; we provided irrefutable proof of just how pro-paedophile corruption dominates South Australia, and BraveHearts will not/cannot say it in the media.
I take similar issue with Senator Nick Xenophon's behaviour on this exact point; Mr Xenophon is now not returning my emails and despite my repeated requests and the Child Abuse Royal Commission, he has failed/refused to mention the Lutherans in Federal parliament.
On 26th September 2006 Ms Johnson wrote to Minister for Police Paul Holloway, Director of Public Prosecutions Stephen Pallaris, Garry LeDuff (Assoc of Independent Schools SA), and Simon Stretton (Crown Solicitors Office).
On 27th November 2006 Ms Carol Ronken (BraveHearts) then wrote to the then Federal Minister for Education, Science & Training Ms Julie Bishop, and the South Australian Ombudsman Eugene Biganovsky.....the Federal Minister for Education and the state Ombudsman....and on 7th February 2007 to the SA Education Minister Jane Lomax Smith. I'll cover these in further posts.
On 03/10/2006 Mr Holloway responded "Your correspondence is receiving appropriate attention" and then on 17/10/2006 suddenly handballed these complaints about SAPol to Attorney General Micheal Atkinson.
Ms Lucy Boord for the DPP responded 04/10/2006;
"I refer to your letter dated 26th September 2006. Please be advised that this office
provided South Australian Police with an opinion in relation to this matter, and in
accordance with our Prosecution Policy, the South Australian Police did advise all the
complainant's parents of the outcome of that opinion.'
Which is their way of describing how SAPol (indeed everyone involved, including the DPP) dumped the St Martins issue only weeks after the 2006 state election.
Mr Stretton responded on 11/10/2006;
"Thankyou for your letter dated 26 September 2006 concerning matters drawn to your
attention by Mr Nick Fletcher.
Mr Fletcher may not have advised you that he has already written to the previous acting
Crown Solicitor and complained to the Attorney General for the State of South Australia
concerning this matter. Mr Fletcher has already had the detailed response that you now
seek from me. That response fully explained the proceedings that had taken place. The
involvement of this office was also explained in detail. In those circumstances it would
serve no purpose to enter into further correspondence concerning the matter.
I am not in a position, of course, to respond on behalf of the other agencies that are
mentioned in your letter." (full letter)
All the usual manipulations; minimise and isolate what he knows involves numerous families and children down to "Mr Fletcher...complained"; sound familiar...exactly what Mt Gambier City Council have tried to do.
Please refer to my previous posts that address some of the behaviours of the CSO in the Teachers Registration Board/CSO hearing, and there will be posts re the CSO specifically....bastards to a man.
Gary LeDuff responded 25/10/2006;
"I am responding to your letter of 26 September in which you outline actions taken
relating to complaints made against a teacher at St Martin's Lutheran School and request
that agencies such as AISSA provide the parents with a formal clarification of the findings
and outcomes.
Your letter identifies the range of appropriate agencies that have the authority to investigate
such complaints.
The Association of independent Schools of SA (AISSA) was not involved in the various
investigations of the above complaints and has no access to the information that you refer
to in your letter.
I am therefore unable to meet your request for clarification of the findings and outcomes."
This is an outright lie. Gary LeDuff stated outright to parents that the AISSA had started an investigation but that the Lutherans had taken it off them. AISSA subsequently did nothing...oh, yeah, other than threaten me using the same lawyers as the Lutherans......why not...
Tomorrow: Lutherans Use Lawyers To Protect a Paedophile
When I lodged written complaints with Lutheran hierarchy about Glyn Dorling, John Aexander, etc, they responded with a vacuously ludicrous threat via Piper Alderman lawyers...apparently I allegedly supposedly defamed them to each other by lodging appropriate written complaints....
Just shows how damning those perfectly reasonable and accurate letters of complaint must have been.
What do you call 500 lawyers at the bottom of the ocean?
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Apologies - No Post Today
Internet problems. Only brief connection, Home computer not working at all. Please review other posts and will post 3-4 things asap.
Saturday, March 30, 2013
TFTIM Commissioner Ted Mullighan
The Commission of Inquiry into Children In State Care was established in late 2004-early 2005 in response to a public petition, and immediately followed the 'lifting' of the 'Statute of Limitations' that stopped prosecution of paedophiles (a broad summation but the ultimate reality), eg, the senior police officer recently charged with raping a 9 year old in the mid nineties.
At the time of the offence he was caught but not charged, only demoted one rank...demoted...his senior officers knew what he had done...forget the Statute, forget that he wasn't even charged...he remained a police officer.
It was the day of my last chemo February 8th 2005 that I first met Comm Mullighan at his office in Adelaide. I went to the Speaker's (Peter Lewis) office at parliament, met the Child Protection people liaising with Mr Lewis, and we went uptown to see Comm Mullighan.
We discussed the St Martins Child Abuse Cover-up, the abuses committed by teacher Glyn Dorling against his 7 year old students, and the corruption of the Teachers Registration Board/Crown Solicitors Office exoneration of Dorling, etc, for nearly an hour.
I left him a heap of letters and documents, and was standing in the reception area when my companion's phone rang; it was Dorling's lawyer from the TRB/CSO hearing, Stephen Lietschke - Premier Jay Weatherill's business partner.
After a couple of minutes she put her phone on speaker; Mr Lietschke was openly discussing the TRB/CSO Dorling hearing (albeit lying) and repeatedly denigrated parents and our evidence; he went over it several times...please refer to posts re the TRB hearing, etc. Our complaints to the TRB/CSO were waved away as 'external to the hearing'.
I met Comm Mullighan two more times at the meetings in DeGaris Chambers, Wehl St, Mt Gambier. I and/or other parents met Comm Mullighan on at least five occasions in Adelaide and Mt Gambier.
Given what we have been through, what I have been through, I find that Comm Mullighan's behaviour exactly mimics that of people who clearly set out to screw us/me over...an army of fifth columns.
He met us many times, viewed the documentation, knew that what we said was the truth not some farcical or malicious contrivance of our collective distemper, promised to help us, help our children, and then turned his back on us and literally walked away.
I choose to try and believe that he acted the way he did under extreme pressure from then Premier Mike Rann, to whom Comm Mullighan 'reported' monthly. I choose to try and believe that he was trying to help us by just meeting with us, rather than deliberately targetting and deceiving us with a view to betraying us.
At least give me credit for still trying to see the good in people where my personal experience tries desperately to remove such hope.
After several meetings, seeing most of the documents, etc, C Mullighan wrote on 19 September 2005;
"I am doing what I can to assist you and the other parents at Mount Gambier to reach
a satisfactory outcome regarding the problem at St Martins."
Across a series of letters and over a year later, in a long letter on 5 October 2006 that became;
"You have never appeared to understand.....You continue to make allegations and
criticisms of all who have been concerned in the matter.....Now you are making
allegations about me....The Premier (Mike Rann) responded on (25/11/05)...The terms
of reference were not expanded but he asked me to conduct an informal investigation...
Police did not agree as the police officers would not have the protection of the legislation.
I had a long meeting with the Principal and his wife. (went to lunch at his home-NF)
...I am asked to approach the Premier to have the terms of reference expanded to
include the allegations about the School and I am in the course of doing so.
...in the interests of the other parents who have behaved with total propriety at all times,
I shall overlook what you say and do what I can to address their grievances."
Over 18 months after we first met him, and with no Inquiry of any sort anywhere in sight, he abuses me, carefully exonerates the Lutherans, SAPol, Mike Rann, etc, and then goes back to promising what he has just described being refused already by Mike Rann. He is writing that letter for an audience that are not aware of the facts...but he was.
On 17 November 2006 this letter;
"As neither the parents nor the school are prepared to be involved in an informal process
to try and resolve the issues there is simply nothing which I can do unless the terms of
reference of the Children in State Care Inquiry are expanded. Should that ever occur I
shall conduct the Inquiry appropriately and you will have the opportunity to give evidence
and make submissions.
I see no point in responding to the matters raised in your letters and I do not propose
to do so. As you well know I could have rejected your approaches once I had
established that the allegation did fall outside the terms of reference but I tried to assist
the parents. My concern for them and the children seems to have been misplaced so far
as you are concerned."
I am one of the 'ing parents.
It was the Lutherans and SAPol who refused to co-operate with an 'Informal Inquiry', not parents.
It is an un-deniable reality that parents had been doing an 'Informal Inquiry' with Comm Mullighan starting February 2005, across a series of meetings and letters, etc, for nearly 2 years, only to end up with....still waiting.
And the last thing I ever heard(read) from Comm Mullighan on 13 December 2006;
"As with other letters which you have written me, it contains inaccuracies and wrong
accusations. It is also offensive and there is no purpose in your continuing to behave
in this way. Nothing which I have said to you is untrue.
You are well aware that I cannot assist you for the reasons previously given."
That's the full letter. Thankyou very much for nothing.
Just revisiting this small chapter of the voluminous waking nightmare that is the Cover-up of Abuse at St Martins, relentlessly wrenches and irretirievably shreds the last tattered remains of my ability to look at Commissioner Mullighan as being anything other than a co-conspirator in the Cover-up of the Abuse of my child and dozens of others.....that I may have mentioned.
Tomorrow: BraveHearts - St Martins Lutheran School Child Abuse Cover-up.
At the time of the offence he was caught but not charged, only demoted one rank...demoted...his senior officers knew what he had done...forget the Statute, forget that he wasn't even charged...he remained a police officer.
It was the day of my last chemo February 8th 2005 that I first met Comm Mullighan at his office in Adelaide. I went to the Speaker's (Peter Lewis) office at parliament, met the Child Protection people liaising with Mr Lewis, and we went uptown to see Comm Mullighan.
We discussed the St Martins Child Abuse Cover-up, the abuses committed by teacher Glyn Dorling against his 7 year old students, and the corruption of the Teachers Registration Board/Crown Solicitors Office exoneration of Dorling, etc, for nearly an hour.
I left him a heap of letters and documents, and was standing in the reception area when my companion's phone rang; it was Dorling's lawyer from the TRB/CSO hearing, Stephen Lietschke - Premier Jay Weatherill's business partner.
After a couple of minutes she put her phone on speaker; Mr Lietschke was openly discussing the TRB/CSO Dorling hearing (albeit lying) and repeatedly denigrated parents and our evidence; he went over it several times...please refer to posts re the TRB hearing, etc. Our complaints to the TRB/CSO were waved away as 'external to the hearing'.
I met Comm Mullighan two more times at the meetings in DeGaris Chambers, Wehl St, Mt Gambier. I and/or other parents met Comm Mullighan on at least five occasions in Adelaide and Mt Gambier.
Given what we have been through, what I have been through, I find that Comm Mullighan's behaviour exactly mimics that of people who clearly set out to screw us/me over...an army of fifth columns.
He met us many times, viewed the documentation, knew that what we said was the truth not some farcical or malicious contrivance of our collective distemper, promised to help us, help our children, and then turned his back on us and literally walked away.
I choose to try and believe that he acted the way he did under extreme pressure from then Premier Mike Rann, to whom Comm Mullighan 'reported' monthly. I choose to try and believe that he was trying to help us by just meeting with us, rather than deliberately targetting and deceiving us with a view to betraying us.
At least give me credit for still trying to see the good in people where my personal experience tries desperately to remove such hope.
After several meetings, seeing most of the documents, etc, C Mullighan wrote on 19 September 2005;
"I am doing what I can to assist you and the other parents at Mount Gambier to reach
a satisfactory outcome regarding the problem at St Martins."
Across a series of letters and over a year later, in a long letter on 5 October 2006 that became;
"You have never appeared to understand.....You continue to make allegations and
criticisms of all who have been concerned in the matter.....Now you are making
allegations about me....The Premier (Mike Rann) responded on (25/11/05)...The terms
of reference were not expanded but he asked me to conduct an informal investigation...
Police did not agree as the police officers would not have the protection of the legislation.
I had a long meeting with the Principal and his wife. (went to lunch at his home-NF)
...I am asked to approach the Premier to have the terms of reference expanded to
include the allegations about the School and I am in the course of doing so.
...in the interests of the other parents who have behaved with total propriety at all times,
I shall overlook what you say and do what I can to address their grievances."
Over 18 months after we first met him, and with no Inquiry of any sort anywhere in sight, he abuses me, carefully exonerates the Lutherans, SAPol, Mike Rann, etc, and then goes back to promising what he has just described being refused already by Mike Rann. He is writing that letter for an audience that are not aware of the facts...but he was.
On 17 November 2006 this letter;
"As neither the parents nor the school are prepared to be involved in an informal process
to try and resolve the issues there is simply nothing which I can do unless the terms of
reference of the Children in State Care Inquiry are expanded. Should that ever occur I
shall conduct the Inquiry appropriately and you will have the opportunity to give evidence
and make submissions.
I see no point in responding to the matters raised in your letters and I do not propose
to do so. As you well know I could have rejected your approaches once I had
established that the allegation did fall outside the terms of reference but I tried to assist
the parents. My concern for them and the children seems to have been misplaced so far
as you are concerned."
I am one of the 'ing parents.
It was the Lutherans and SAPol who refused to co-operate with an 'Informal Inquiry', not parents.
It is an un-deniable reality that parents had been doing an 'Informal Inquiry' with Comm Mullighan starting February 2005, across a series of meetings and letters, etc, for nearly 2 years, only to end up with....still waiting.
And the last thing I ever heard(read) from Comm Mullighan on 13 December 2006;
"As with other letters which you have written me, it contains inaccuracies and wrong
accusations. It is also offensive and there is no purpose in your continuing to behave
in this way. Nothing which I have said to you is untrue.
You are well aware that I cannot assist you for the reasons previously given."
That's the full letter. Thankyou very much for nothing.
Just revisiting this small chapter of the voluminous waking nightmare that is the Cover-up of Abuse at St Martins, relentlessly wrenches and irretirievably shreds the last tattered remains of my ability to look at Commissioner Mullighan as being anything other than a co-conspirator in the Cover-up of the Abuse of my child and dozens of others.....that I may have mentioned.
Tomorrow: BraveHearts - St Martins Lutheran School Child Abuse Cover-up.
Friday, March 29, 2013
Propellerganda: I'm Not a Fan Of Wind Turbines
If I have not mentioned it, I am completely opposed to Wind Turbines because; the legislation is Fascism; without massive tax-payer funded subsidies they are entirely un-economic; they impact on non-host neighbours, eg, aerial spraying, land de-valuation, etc; they are 'kill-zones' for birds; their intermittent nature guarantees future reliance on 'non-renewables' like brown coal; tax-payers pay for all the infrastructure via massive bill increases; fire and/or disintegration safety issues, etc.
There are very few genuine and appropriate applications for them in South Australia, or indeed in any stand-alone renewable energy network...as soon as the wind stops, you're back to coal, gas, etc.
It is an undeniable fact that when the wind stops, you need an immediately available watt-for-watt backup.
Adelaide's De-salination Plant will cost $45million(?) more to run using 'Green Energy' than
'ordinary energy' and that is only partial capacity/output (?-surely that is not for a year-I'll check). What ever the amount, the acknowledgement is undeniable; 're-newable energy' is far more expensive than "more traditionally generated power".
How much would it cost to run full-time at full capacity? Not a problem we're going to have though because the damn thing doesn't work....again, I genuinely hope I'm wrong and that the excuse that it is 'too expensive' to run is actually true...better one that's too expensive to run than one that doesn't work at all.
The De-Sal Plant is as big a rort as Wind Turbines; a few people have done very nicely out of it, and everyone else pays....It is literally a big hole in the ground that SA will be tipping buckets of money into for decades to come.
With these ludicrous and fundamentally corrupt projects like the new Royal Adelaide Hospital, the Forestry Sale to pay for the 'new' Adelaide Oval, and the DE-Sal Plant, and the Wind Turbine Legislation, Labor has sold South Australia into massive debt for decades to come; it may literally never recover.
The populace have been literally indentured to a series of private companies.
Adelaide's/yours/my future is completely bound to the profit margins of a handful of companies, and
they/you/I have no choice because it is built into service charges, energy pricing, taxes and levies, etc. And the more people remove themselves from that 'system' by having rainwater, solar panels, etc, it is guaranteed that prices will rise for everyone else.
But I digress; in previous posts I have outlined the delberately disingenuous and frequently deceitful Pro-Turbine 'propaganda campaign' being conducted by Turbine companies, the self-titled industry lobby group the Clean Energy Council, the Rann/Weatherill Labor government and the South Australian public service, eg, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the very unfortunate, very concerning, very dangerous bias of the Country Fire Service executive, and random people like Simon Chapman.
This corruption leapt back into state parliament, where it began and belongs, when our illustrious leader Premier Jay Weatherill this week poured the same deliberately blinkered bias and propaganda on to the floor of the House.
I completely dismiss MP Don Pegler's subsequent article in The Border Watch Thursday 28th March as too little too late, and a clumsy mis-representation of the truth. He didn't seem to have the same reservations about distances, residents rights, etc, when he was Mayor of the Grant District Council and approved the Acciona Allendale Project.
Like so many in the debate, eg, the Liberal 'opposition' (I use the term advisedly), Mr Pegler is tagging along behind the hard work of private citizens fighting to protect themselves from the actions of their government. At best, he's having a bet each way.
Rather than reproduce great chunks of that speech or TBW article, please read them - the speech should be on Hansard - and if you would indulge me, use my previous posts to cross-reference the deceits and non-science of what our politicians are saying in pursuit of the Pro-Turbine Agenda.
Indulge me twice - some house keeping.
Again I genuinely appreciate the feedback I am getting 'off-blog'; I think to leave comments one needs to sign up with Blogspot, but I don't think that means that I can tell who says what unless they specifically identify themselves...not sure...
I genuinely appreciate that people say things like 'I don't agree with that', or even that I'm just wrong, so I didn't read that next one, etc, through to positive feedback about my excellent jokes....
However, I do not make random accusations and allegations of impropriety and corruption, nor do I make these claims merely to denigrate or defame those people - Lord knows, plenty of people have had plenty to say about me without really having any idea what it is they are talking about...I think specifically of the years of vitriole hurled my way re the St Martins Lutheran School Child Abuse Cover-up.
It is an undeniable reality that when I address issues that often others have asked me to look at (ooo, sounds just like a real politician), that I repeatedly run into the same names, eg, there is no denying that former DC of Grant CEO Russell Peate was by definition of his employment intimately involved in the undeniably corrupt Penola Rd/ Millicent Rd/Bunnings disaster; nor is it my allegation that former Mt Gambier CEO Greg Muller 'spent without appropriate authorisation' nearly $350,000 - this was alleged in Council, by a Councillor, and played out on the front page of The Border Watch.
The fact that Mt Gambier City Council has not made any effort to recover that money, shows how complicit they can be in such issues. Why is this not being screamed about in Council?
Also, when I referred to a company called 'Robarra' in a previous post about water usage, I was paraphrasing a conversation I had with my former high school Maths teacher, Mr Warhurst, whom I happened to run into at the bus station in Robe about 15 years ago, and was one of the people involved at the time.
I thought the business had closed some years ago, but I am informed that it has continued. I used this purely as an example and it was not meant to be a critique of what was and/or is being done, and my comments do not refer to any current business and/or it's owners, not least of all because I don't know them.
Cheers. In a post to come; CERES Project 'rejected' by local Council, citing 13 major issues.
This Arvo: TFTIM Commissioner Ted Mullighan
Tomorrow:
There are very few genuine and appropriate applications for them in South Australia, or indeed in any stand-alone renewable energy network...as soon as the wind stops, you're back to coal, gas, etc.
It is an undeniable fact that when the wind stops, you need an immediately available watt-for-watt backup.
Adelaide's De-salination Plant will cost $45million(?) more to run using 'Green Energy' than
'ordinary energy' and that is only partial capacity/output (?-surely that is not for a year-I'll check). What ever the amount, the acknowledgement is undeniable; 're-newable energy' is far more expensive than "more traditionally generated power".
How much would it cost to run full-time at full capacity? Not a problem we're going to have though because the damn thing doesn't work....again, I genuinely hope I'm wrong and that the excuse that it is 'too expensive' to run is actually true...better one that's too expensive to run than one that doesn't work at all.
The De-Sal Plant is as big a rort as Wind Turbines; a few people have done very nicely out of it, and everyone else pays....It is literally a big hole in the ground that SA will be tipping buckets of money into for decades to come.
With these ludicrous and fundamentally corrupt projects like the new Royal Adelaide Hospital, the Forestry Sale to pay for the 'new' Adelaide Oval, and the DE-Sal Plant, and the Wind Turbine Legislation, Labor has sold South Australia into massive debt for decades to come; it may literally never recover.
The populace have been literally indentured to a series of private companies.
Adelaide's/yours/my future is completely bound to the profit margins of a handful of companies, and
they/you/I have no choice because it is built into service charges, energy pricing, taxes and levies, etc. And the more people remove themselves from that 'system' by having rainwater, solar panels, etc, it is guaranteed that prices will rise for everyone else.
But I digress; in previous posts I have outlined the delberately disingenuous and frequently deceitful Pro-Turbine 'propaganda campaign' being conducted by Turbine companies, the self-titled industry lobby group the Clean Energy Council, the Rann/Weatherill Labor government and the South Australian public service, eg, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the very unfortunate, very concerning, very dangerous bias of the Country Fire Service executive, and random people like Simon Chapman.
This corruption leapt back into state parliament, where it began and belongs, when our illustrious leader Premier Jay Weatherill this week poured the same deliberately blinkered bias and propaganda on to the floor of the House.
I completely dismiss MP Don Pegler's subsequent article in The Border Watch Thursday 28th March as too little too late, and a clumsy mis-representation of the truth. He didn't seem to have the same reservations about distances, residents rights, etc, when he was Mayor of the Grant District Council and approved the Acciona Allendale Project.
Like so many in the debate, eg, the Liberal 'opposition' (I use the term advisedly), Mr Pegler is tagging along behind the hard work of private citizens fighting to protect themselves from the actions of their government. At best, he's having a bet each way.
Rather than reproduce great chunks of that speech or TBW article, please read them - the speech should be on Hansard - and if you would indulge me, use my previous posts to cross-reference the deceits and non-science of what our politicians are saying in pursuit of the Pro-Turbine Agenda.
Indulge me twice - some house keeping.
Again I genuinely appreciate the feedback I am getting 'off-blog'; I think to leave comments one needs to sign up with Blogspot, but I don't think that means that I can tell who says what unless they specifically identify themselves...not sure...
I genuinely appreciate that people say things like 'I don't agree with that', or even that I'm just wrong, so I didn't read that next one, etc, through to positive feedback about my excellent jokes....
However, I do not make random accusations and allegations of impropriety and corruption, nor do I make these claims merely to denigrate or defame those people - Lord knows, plenty of people have had plenty to say about me without really having any idea what it is they are talking about...I think specifically of the years of vitriole hurled my way re the St Martins Lutheran School Child Abuse Cover-up.
It is an undeniable reality that when I address issues that often others have asked me to look at (ooo, sounds just like a real politician), that I repeatedly run into the same names, eg, there is no denying that former DC of Grant CEO Russell Peate was by definition of his employment intimately involved in the undeniably corrupt Penola Rd/ Millicent Rd/Bunnings disaster; nor is it my allegation that former Mt Gambier CEO Greg Muller 'spent without appropriate authorisation' nearly $350,000 - this was alleged in Council, by a Councillor, and played out on the front page of The Border Watch.
The fact that Mt Gambier City Council has not made any effort to recover that money, shows how complicit they can be in such issues. Why is this not being screamed about in Council?
Also, when I referred to a company called 'Robarra' in a previous post about water usage, I was paraphrasing a conversation I had with my former high school Maths teacher, Mr Warhurst, whom I happened to run into at the bus station in Robe about 15 years ago, and was one of the people involved at the time.
I thought the business had closed some years ago, but I am informed that it has continued. I used this purely as an example and it was not meant to be a critique of what was and/or is being done, and my comments do not refer to any current business and/or it's owners, not least of all because I don't know them.
Cheers. In a post to come; CERES Project 'rejected' by local Council, citing 13 major issues.
This Arvo: TFTIM Commissioner Ted Mullighan
Tomorrow:
Thursday, March 28, 2013
How To Use Water Four Times
Sorry, Interweb problems; short blog
From early childhood I was taught to switch off lights, tvs, etc, you're not using, and that water was extremely precious, eg, you do not stand there with the tap running while you brush your teeth. Whilst this was mostly a financial imperative to reduce bills, it was also about living in the dryest state on the driest continent, etc; it is a responsibility that we must all accept.
Without me banging on about Flouridation, other than to mention it...flouridation...it is an absolute luxury to have fresh potable water literally on tap...flouridation. (I don't like Flouridation)
Apart from solar panels, rain water tanks, etc, electricity, gas, and water generally do not just happen in most homes, they come from somewhere and always at a cost; environmentally and financially.
Sourcing, supply, safety; they all cost money; from exploration and/or accumulating, to infrastructure implementation and maintenance, Research and Development, etc, and always at a cost to the environment. But I digress...sort of.
Water is the fundamental element...I am, you are, we are all Aquarians...in that we are effectively gravity defying puddles with some bony, meaty bits...we're literally made of approx 70% water...roughly...I think.
I'm lucky to have a shower/bath so that even without specific plumbing I can re-cycle most of my water for flushing the toilet, on the garden, washing the dog, car, etc, and washing water goes out on the garden via a bucket.
Particularly in metropolitan Australia, buildings should be 'aspect/climate' designed not tabletop planned buildings dumped higgledy-piggeldy onto blocks as they best fit; have solar panels; individual rainwater tanks and grey water re-cycling incorporated into the plumbing should be compulsory, etc.
I am very much re-inventing the wheel because alot of this does happen already, just nowhere near enough.
Every drop of the South East Aquifer(s) is critical for Mt Gambier, local horticulture and agriculture, the local environment, and of course the coastal environments both on and offshore; a healthy environment is a productive, profitable environment.
As an example, I think it was Robarra(?) at Robe who were doing 20(?) years ago what I am about to suggest as the three minimum ways to use water for maximum benefit with minimal loss and/or pollution,.
In it's very basic form; first use: on-land aquaculture (fish) with collected rain water supplemented by fresh ground water; drained to second use: marron/yabbyies, etc; drained to third use; hydroponic vegetables, herbs, etc, and that run-off potentially used again, a fourth use.
Use the clean water for fresh water fish, the run-off for more tolerant species like yabbies, that now nutrient rich run-off for hydroponic production, and the relatively clean water that drains off that for cleaning vehicles, floors, etc, or even run back into the system at the appropriate point.
In that context you could use the same litre several times through the system before it was fully absorbed and there is no pollution or even 'run-off'; water only goes into the system. All solid wastes could be composted for crops, etc.
I believe that every dairy should use its cleaning water and abundant effluent in immediate conjunction with agriculture, cropping, etc - from crap production to crop production - and again I know that there are some examples of this already happening.
A fifth use? Very large aquaculture or dairy (any) sheds catch alot of rain, that goes down pipes from a height; can that be harnessed for temporary hydro-electric production to complement solar panels, methane harvesting, very small individual turbines, etc? A catchment tank just under the gutters could steadily feed a small turbine just below it; the same way bag-pipes work, all overflow going straight into ground tanks.
This may provide enough energy for lighting on cold wet nights, etc.
So, catch rain water and utilise it for energy production, and then use it three or four times...could it be that simple.
Sorry, blog keeps dropping out, will finish whilsteth I canneth...eth....thankyou for 'third-hand' feedback that someone has tried to leave comments but was unable too...not sure why not...I just assumed that nobody wanted to be officially connected with my blog....honestly... I thought I had enabled comments but will look at problem,.
Sorry no Arvo Blog at this stage...surely these Interweb problems aren't just because it's so windy...is that possible?
Tomorrow: Propellerganda - More Pro-Wind Turbine Spin
From early childhood I was taught to switch off lights, tvs, etc, you're not using, and that water was extremely precious, eg, you do not stand there with the tap running while you brush your teeth. Whilst this was mostly a financial imperative to reduce bills, it was also about living in the dryest state on the driest continent, etc; it is a responsibility that we must all accept.
Without me banging on about Flouridation, other than to mention it...flouridation...it is an absolute luxury to have fresh potable water literally on tap...flouridation. (I don't like Flouridation)
Apart from solar panels, rain water tanks, etc, electricity, gas, and water generally do not just happen in most homes, they come from somewhere and always at a cost; environmentally and financially.
Sourcing, supply, safety; they all cost money; from exploration and/or accumulating, to infrastructure implementation and maintenance, Research and Development, etc, and always at a cost to the environment. But I digress...sort of.
Water is the fundamental element...I am, you are, we are all Aquarians...in that we are effectively gravity defying puddles with some bony, meaty bits...we're literally made of approx 70% water...roughly...I think.
I'm lucky to have a shower/bath so that even without specific plumbing I can re-cycle most of my water for flushing the toilet, on the garden, washing the dog, car, etc, and washing water goes out on the garden via a bucket.
Particularly in metropolitan Australia, buildings should be 'aspect/climate' designed not tabletop planned buildings dumped higgledy-piggeldy onto blocks as they best fit; have solar panels; individual rainwater tanks and grey water re-cycling incorporated into the plumbing should be compulsory, etc.
I am very much re-inventing the wheel because alot of this does happen already, just nowhere near enough.
Every drop of the South East Aquifer(s) is critical for Mt Gambier, local horticulture and agriculture, the local environment, and of course the coastal environments both on and offshore; a healthy environment is a productive, profitable environment.
As an example, I think it was Robarra(?) at Robe who were doing 20(?) years ago what I am about to suggest as the three minimum ways to use water for maximum benefit with minimal loss and/or pollution,.
In it's very basic form; first use: on-land aquaculture (fish) with collected rain water supplemented by fresh ground water; drained to second use: marron/yabbyies, etc; drained to third use; hydroponic vegetables, herbs, etc, and that run-off potentially used again, a fourth use.
Use the clean water for fresh water fish, the run-off for more tolerant species like yabbies, that now nutrient rich run-off for hydroponic production, and the relatively clean water that drains off that for cleaning vehicles, floors, etc, or even run back into the system at the appropriate point.
In that context you could use the same litre several times through the system before it was fully absorbed and there is no pollution or even 'run-off'; water only goes into the system. All solid wastes could be composted for crops, etc.
I believe that every dairy should use its cleaning water and abundant effluent in immediate conjunction with agriculture, cropping, etc - from crap production to crop production - and again I know that there are some examples of this already happening.
A fifth use? Very large aquaculture or dairy (any) sheds catch alot of rain, that goes down pipes from a height; can that be harnessed for temporary hydro-electric production to complement solar panels, methane harvesting, very small individual turbines, etc? A catchment tank just under the gutters could steadily feed a small turbine just below it; the same way bag-pipes work, all overflow going straight into ground tanks.
This may provide enough energy for lighting on cold wet nights, etc.
So, catch rain water and utilise it for energy production, and then use it three or four times...could it be that simple.
Sorry, blog keeps dropping out, will finish whilsteth I canneth...eth....thankyou for 'third-hand' feedback that someone has tried to leave comments but was unable too...not sure why not...I just assumed that nobody wanted to be officially connected with my blog....honestly... I thought I had enabled comments but will look at problem,.
Sorry no Arvo Blog at this stage...surely these Interweb problems aren't just because it's so windy...is that possible?
Tomorrow: Propellerganda - More Pro-Wind Turbine Spin
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
TFTIM: Former Grant District Council CEO Russell Peate
I wonder if anybody will notice if I quietly shoot myself right in...the...foot....BANG.....ouch, when I note that I technically erred in a previous post when I claimed that DC of Grant Mayor Richard Sage had lied to me by feigning opposition to Wind Turbine legistation at a public meeting, but then only weeks later lodging an official submission that was fully supportive of the same legislation.
Both things happened and I stand by my claim....geez my foot hurts....he did say those things at that meeting and DC Grant did do a supportive submission, but it wasn't Richard Sages signature on that submission; it was CEO Russell Peate's.
I maintain that Mr Sage lied to me and everybody else at that meeting, and that his acceptance of that submission and recent, deceitful behaviour and comments over the Green Point and Acciona/Allendale Project collapses, entirely define his position re Turbines, and how he conducts himself as Mayor...fully deceitfully.
In a different context, it has been repeatedly, specifically alleged to me and/or in front of me, etc, across various conversations and meetings, etc, that this would not be the first time that Russell Peate had signed something or submitted something, etc, without elected Councillors being aware of what was happening.
It is also specifically alleged that he regularly changed minutes of Council meetings and/or other documents.
These allegations are from multiple sources, including from within both District and City Councils.
It must be considered that some of these allegations may be coming from people who simply don't like him, but I believe that the variety of sources indicate that this is a widely held and genuine if not provable belief.
It would take Councillors themselves to step out and speak out, but I can't see that happening any time soon.
However, the external dealings of Council are there for all to see, eg, the chronic corruption and nepotism of the Penola Rd/Millicent Rd/Bunnings land re-zoning followed closely by the Boundary Re-adjustments, all of which directly benefited a serving DC Grant Councillor...not corrupt much...and a big shout out to Mr James.
Russell Peate was also a SERDE Board member when the iconic Penola Rd building was corruptly sold to lawyer Bill DeGaris....see previous post.
Surely there must be an independent investigation of Russell Peates relationship with Acciona re the Allendale Turbine Project.
It appears to a layperson like me that both former CEOs Greg Muller and Russell Peate have treated their communities like personal feifdoms, to be run for their own personal benefit, and that of their mates of course.
Rory McEwen and Don Pegler learned their trade in the DC of Grant....enough said, but please refer to previous posts.
Whilst we have been at the same functions, I cannot say that I have ever actually exchanged a single word with Mr Peate....and that's just fine by me.
Tomorrow: Four Ways To Use Water
Including a triple water-use dairy as part of an industrialised, intense food production industry that is 100% 'Green'.
Tom Arvo: TFTIM - Commissioner Ted Mullighan
Both things happened and I stand by my claim....geez my foot hurts....he did say those things at that meeting and DC Grant did do a supportive submission, but it wasn't Richard Sages signature on that submission; it was CEO Russell Peate's.
I maintain that Mr Sage lied to me and everybody else at that meeting, and that his acceptance of that submission and recent, deceitful behaviour and comments over the Green Point and Acciona/Allendale Project collapses, entirely define his position re Turbines, and how he conducts himself as Mayor...fully deceitfully.
In a different context, it has been repeatedly, specifically alleged to me and/or in front of me, etc, across various conversations and meetings, etc, that this would not be the first time that Russell Peate had signed something or submitted something, etc, without elected Councillors being aware of what was happening.
It is also specifically alleged that he regularly changed minutes of Council meetings and/or other documents.
These allegations are from multiple sources, including from within both District and City Councils.
It must be considered that some of these allegations may be coming from people who simply don't like him, but I believe that the variety of sources indicate that this is a widely held and genuine if not provable belief.
It would take Councillors themselves to step out and speak out, but I can't see that happening any time soon.
However, the external dealings of Council are there for all to see, eg, the chronic corruption and nepotism of the Penola Rd/Millicent Rd/Bunnings land re-zoning followed closely by the Boundary Re-adjustments, all of which directly benefited a serving DC Grant Councillor...not corrupt much...and a big shout out to Mr James.
Russell Peate was also a SERDE Board member when the iconic Penola Rd building was corruptly sold to lawyer Bill DeGaris....see previous post.
Surely there must be an independent investigation of Russell Peates relationship with Acciona re the Allendale Turbine Project.
It appears to a layperson like me that both former CEOs Greg Muller and Russell Peate have treated their communities like personal feifdoms, to be run for their own personal benefit, and that of their mates of course.
Rory McEwen and Don Pegler learned their trade in the DC of Grant....enough said, but please refer to previous posts.
Whilst we have been at the same functions, I cannot say that I have ever actually exchanged a single word with Mr Peate....and that's just fine by me.
Tomorrow: Four Ways To Use Water
Including a triple water-use dairy as part of an industrialised, intense food production industry that is 100% 'Green'.
Tom Arvo: TFTIM - Commissioner Ted Mullighan
Why We Must Triple-Use Water
First step; stop Jay Weatherill and those other corrupt and/or incompetent idiots in Adelaide and their $2.2billion apparently dysfunctional De-salination Plant from destroying the Murray, because they will/already are, and then coming after the South East Aquifer, because they will (already are?).
Only yesterday, whilst opening the De-sal Plant, Mr Weatherill again changed his postion on securing Adelaide's water supply. Only a few months ago he stated that the Plant would be 'moth-balled after a Warranty related 2 year trial period and that Adelaide was going to renew/continue drawing it's water from the Murray because it's been raining alot upstream'. (paraphrasing)
He went halfway there yesterday, but changed at the end to 'we don't know what is going to happen in the future', as opposed to 'it's been raining alot', etc. But the plan continues to be 2 years of partial De-sal operation, then 'moth-balling' it, all whilst pulling a gazillion giggley-litres from a dying Murray.
It's a massive con.
I believe that the De-sal Plant doesn't work properly, and that it is going to be partially run to the end of the warranty period to cover the builders, owners, government, etc, and then Adelaide will have a non-functioning, un-warrantied big damp $2.2 billion hole in the ground.
I genuinely hope that I am very wrong, because if I'm correct, the Murray, Lakes, Coorong, and South East Aquifer will all be dead inside a decade, drained for Adelaide.
I refer to previous posts; the Rann/Weatherill Labor government have spent $2.2billion (thus far) on a plant that they are only going to use as "insurance". Mr Weatherill's speech yesterday about Adelaide's water supply only went 2 years into the future, to the end of the Warranty Period, and did not mention the health of the Murray, etc.
Only days ago he was on ABC Radio provaricating about how great the 'Save The Murray' campaign had been for the River, but that water, if a single giggley-litre of it ever crosses the border, is for Adelaide; Mr Weatherill/Labor knows the De-sal Plant does not work, they have failed to improve cathchments/retention around Adelaide, and all that means water from the Murray...or the South East.
What haven't Labor already sold? And what happens when the Murray dies (is killed)? Either way the South East Aquifer will be sold and/or drained to prop up corruption and mis-management in Adelaide.
The Murray River, Lower Lakes, and the Coorong are rooted; good as dead; it's all over if Adelaide continues with this lunacy. No stupid new mega-drain across the South East will help the Coorong when (long term weather and climate estimates suggest it is a when, not an if) the weir gets built near Wellington.
Giggley-litres are a unit of measure for the laughable quantities of water that effectively doesn't exist that the Labor government says are coming down the River for 'Environmental Flows', and Totally Hilari-litres is for the much larger flows that Environmentalists demanded for the health of the River Murray, etc.
It will take multiple extreme weather events, flooding, etc, every decade, in the Murray Catchment to supply enough water for both the health of the River System and Adelaide; failing that Adelaide will put itself first.
So Step One is to secure the South East Aquifer(s) for the benefit of all South Australians.
I genuinely do not enjoy engaging in 'Us and Them' arguments, but Adelaide, it's politicians and populace, will continue to destroy the state to secure things for itself... those 'things' include a stadium on a stadium; a privatised hospital in a railyard under a flight path; an expressway next to an expressway next to a major southern arterial road; 57,238 electric trains (alright, a slight exaggeration), etc.
If it ever kicks off in Asia, be that due to extreme climate change, Water Wars, irretrievable religious and/or nuclear conflict and/or accident...whatever...or even just if climate extremes continue to devastate Northern Australian crops, infrastructure, etc, and throw in a veracious, selfish mining industry...there I said it...and it is not inconceivable that South Eastern Australia will find itself critical to food production for our own internal population, forget about exports.
However, we must reduce reliance on the local Aquifers in exactly the same way that Adelaide must find it's own water.
Here's something to think about...if my understanding of the formation of the Blue Lake is correct, then the Aquifer is vital for Mt Gambier for another reason. I think the signs around the Blue Lake explain it quite well, so close your eyes a..........no, no...read this first and then close your...hello..ssuui...thankyou...read this and then...yessss.......alright...picture those signs of a lava tube that is capped by the detritus and rubble that fell back into the hole after the initial blasts and was fused in place...with a large weight of water on top of that.
Again, I hope I'm wrong, but what influence does the depth of the Aquifer (and therefore the weight on that 'cap') have on keeping that 'cap' in place? I am not a scientist, geologist, etc, this is only my observation, not a scientific opinion, it is quite possibly just alarmist, partially informed, Ludite psuedo-science...
But apart from my theorising, there are the realites of what this and other Aquifers mean to local agriculture, Mt Gambier's water supply, Forestry, aquaculture and fisheries, etc.
Improving water quality and availability are critical to continuing what we have now, let alone improving things into the future. And so in a very round-about way that leads to 'Why We Must Triple-Use Water' because water is so critical that if I could think of four ways to use the same drop of water, then I would write about that...actually...I think I just did...so;
Tomorrow: How To Use Water Four Ways
Ooo...make that five...I think
This Arvo: TFTIM Russell Peate
Former CEO for the Grant District Council, now CEO with the Mid-Murray Council.
Only yesterday, whilst opening the De-sal Plant, Mr Weatherill again changed his postion on securing Adelaide's water supply. Only a few months ago he stated that the Plant would be 'moth-balled after a Warranty related 2 year trial period and that Adelaide was going to renew/continue drawing it's water from the Murray because it's been raining alot upstream'. (paraphrasing)
He went halfway there yesterday, but changed at the end to 'we don't know what is going to happen in the future', as opposed to 'it's been raining alot', etc. But the plan continues to be 2 years of partial De-sal operation, then 'moth-balling' it, all whilst pulling a gazillion giggley-litres from a dying Murray.
It's a massive con.
I believe that the De-sal Plant doesn't work properly, and that it is going to be partially run to the end of the warranty period to cover the builders, owners, government, etc, and then Adelaide will have a non-functioning, un-warrantied big damp $2.2 billion hole in the ground.
I genuinely hope that I am very wrong, because if I'm correct, the Murray, Lakes, Coorong, and South East Aquifer will all be dead inside a decade, drained for Adelaide.
I refer to previous posts; the Rann/Weatherill Labor government have spent $2.2billion (thus far) on a plant that they are only going to use as "insurance". Mr Weatherill's speech yesterday about Adelaide's water supply only went 2 years into the future, to the end of the Warranty Period, and did not mention the health of the Murray, etc.
Only days ago he was on ABC Radio provaricating about how great the 'Save The Murray' campaign had been for the River, but that water, if a single giggley-litre of it ever crosses the border, is for Adelaide; Mr Weatherill/Labor knows the De-sal Plant does not work, they have failed to improve cathchments/retention around Adelaide, and all that means water from the Murray...or the South East.
What haven't Labor already sold? And what happens when the Murray dies (is killed)? Either way the South East Aquifer will be sold and/or drained to prop up corruption and mis-management in Adelaide.
The Murray River, Lower Lakes, and the Coorong are rooted; good as dead; it's all over if Adelaide continues with this lunacy. No stupid new mega-drain across the South East will help the Coorong when (long term weather and climate estimates suggest it is a when, not an if) the weir gets built near Wellington.
Giggley-litres are a unit of measure for the laughable quantities of water that effectively doesn't exist that the Labor government says are coming down the River for 'Environmental Flows', and Totally Hilari-litres is for the much larger flows that Environmentalists demanded for the health of the River Murray, etc.
It will take multiple extreme weather events, flooding, etc, every decade, in the Murray Catchment to supply enough water for both the health of the River System and Adelaide; failing that Adelaide will put itself first.
So Step One is to secure the South East Aquifer(s) for the benefit of all South Australians.
I genuinely do not enjoy engaging in 'Us and Them' arguments, but Adelaide, it's politicians and populace, will continue to destroy the state to secure things for itself... those 'things' include a stadium on a stadium; a privatised hospital in a railyard under a flight path; an expressway next to an expressway next to a major southern arterial road; 57,238 electric trains (alright, a slight exaggeration), etc.
If it ever kicks off in Asia, be that due to extreme climate change, Water Wars, irretrievable religious and/or nuclear conflict and/or accident...whatever...or even just if climate extremes continue to devastate Northern Australian crops, infrastructure, etc, and throw in a veracious, selfish mining industry...there I said it...and it is not inconceivable that South Eastern Australia will find itself critical to food production for our own internal population, forget about exports.
However, we must reduce reliance on the local Aquifers in exactly the same way that Adelaide must find it's own water.
Here's something to think about...if my understanding of the formation of the Blue Lake is correct, then the Aquifer is vital for Mt Gambier for another reason. I think the signs around the Blue Lake explain it quite well, so close your eyes a..........no, no...read this first and then close your...hello..ssuui...thankyou...read this and then...yessss.......alright...picture those signs of a lava tube that is capped by the detritus and rubble that fell back into the hole after the initial blasts and was fused in place...with a large weight of water on top of that.
Again, I hope I'm wrong, but what influence does the depth of the Aquifer (and therefore the weight on that 'cap') have on keeping that 'cap' in place? I am not a scientist, geologist, etc, this is only my observation, not a scientific opinion, it is quite possibly just alarmist, partially informed, Ludite psuedo-science...
But apart from my theorising, there are the realites of what this and other Aquifers mean to local agriculture, Mt Gambier's water supply, Forestry, aquaculture and fisheries, etc.
Improving water quality and availability are critical to continuing what we have now, let alone improving things into the future. And so in a very round-about way that leads to 'Why We Must Triple-Use Water' because water is so critical that if I could think of four ways to use the same drop of water, then I would write about that...actually...I think I just did...so;
Tomorrow: How To Use Water Four Ways
Ooo...make that five...I think
This Arvo: TFTIM Russell Peate
Former CEO for the Grant District Council, now CEO with the Mid-Murray Council.
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
TFTIM: Lawyer Bill DeGaris
Bill DeGaris was the local lawyer who represented myself and other parents during the early stages of attempted Court action (2004-05) to resolve the St Martins Lutheran School Child Abuse Cover-up.
When I and another parent spoke to 'the Court' via a phone conference (late 2005) in DeGaris Chambers (then on Wehl St Sth), the Master of the Court (Mr Rice) was unable to even state what sort of case it was, eg, a class action? a series of individual claims?...how does a case get into Court without that first being established?
Only weeks later other parents were deliberately manipulated and tricked into dropping the case, but
because there are others involved I will not discuss that Court action further.
The first time I actually met Bill Degaris was a few months before that (approx July 2005) when Child Abuse Commissioner Ted Mullighan met with myself, several other parents, Bill, and his associate Nicola Atchinson at DeGaris Chambers.
It was Ms Atchinson whom described the Lutherans Sexual Abuse Policy as "bizarre" and 'contradicting Mandatory Notification laws'.
Bill Degaris was giddy as a school girl, just so excited to have Comm Mullighan there, but we just wanted him to get our problems sorted.
I attended another meeting with Comm Mullighan at DeGaris Chambers a few months later, and I believe there was a third that I didn't attend.
I speak only for myself, but I believe that Bill DeGaris is just another person who has promised to help resolve the St Martins issue and then betrayed us...just another fundamentally weak and corrupt person.
I do not believe the issues of malfeasance re the SERDE Penola Rd Building Sale are specifically related to the St Martins betrayal, but who cares, both show clear behaviour that Bill DeGaris needs to be held to account for.
Un-related acts of malfeasance and grubby selfishness at the expense of others are still acts of malfeasance and grubby selfishness.
Tomorrow: Why We Must Triple Use Water
When I and another parent spoke to 'the Court' via a phone conference (late 2005) in DeGaris Chambers (then on Wehl St Sth), the Master of the Court (Mr Rice) was unable to even state what sort of case it was, eg, a class action? a series of individual claims?...how does a case get into Court without that first being established?
Only weeks later other parents were deliberately manipulated and tricked into dropping the case, but
because there are others involved I will not discuss that Court action further.
The first time I actually met Bill Degaris was a few months before that (approx July 2005) when Child Abuse Commissioner Ted Mullighan met with myself, several other parents, Bill, and his associate Nicola Atchinson at DeGaris Chambers.
It was Ms Atchinson whom described the Lutherans Sexual Abuse Policy as "bizarre" and 'contradicting Mandatory Notification laws'.
Bill Degaris was giddy as a school girl, just so excited to have Comm Mullighan there, but we just wanted him to get our problems sorted.
I attended another meeting with Comm Mullighan at DeGaris Chambers a few months later, and I believe there was a third that I didn't attend.
I speak only for myself, but I believe that Bill DeGaris is just another person who has promised to help resolve the St Martins issue and then betrayed us...just another fundamentally weak and corrupt person.
I do not believe the issues of malfeasance re the SERDE Penola Rd Building Sale are specifically related to the St Martins betrayal, but who cares, both show clear behaviour that Bill DeGaris needs to be held to account for.
Un-related acts of malfeasance and grubby selfishness at the expense of others are still acts of malfeasance and grubby selfishness.
Tomorrow: Why We Must Triple Use Water
The SERDE Penola Rd Sale to Bill DeGaris
I must 'fess up to a very compromising conflict of interest, namely, because of his involvement in manipulating and betraying us parents and our children re the St Martins Lutheran School Child Abuse Cover-up, I have a deep and abiding loathing for Bill DeGaris; not a Rory McEwen sort of DAAL, but a DAAL none the less.
In my capacity as a self-declared 'politician', I was approached and asked to look at the Tender Process for the sale of the Penola Rd building. It is my understanding that the building was originally effectively 'gifted' to the people of Mt Gambier to be managed as such by SERDE.
South-east Employment Resource Development Enterprise have a website, but it is entirely un-encumbered by information; no mission statement, governance guidelines, Board membership, etc, just a couple of 'motherhood, blue-sky statements'.
When I rang (mid 2011) I spoke with Ms Grace McNally but she was reluctant to give me the names of SERDE Board members instead directing me to Tender Agents Malseed Real Estate, who were unwilling/unable to provide me that specific information.
Shortly there after the Tender Process was closed/ended without the building being sold, and it was effectively withdrawn from the market.
But then suddenly the building was declared as having been sold to Bill DeGaris.
Bill DeGaris himself, in a long 'advertorial' in the Lifestyle 1 magazine Issue 416 February 9-15 2012, outlines the origins of what is a clear corruption of appropriate process, potentially a breach of contract, and just a piece of general scumbagness;
"Last year, when Bill started his search for a new home for DeGaris Lawyers the possibility
of leasing the former SERDE Building was on the table but Bill was looking to buy. Discussions
and negotiations ensued and Bill and Lyn DeGaris became the proud owners of 19 Penola Rd."
This 'reportage' conveniently skips the entire Tender Process, but identifies that SERDE was originally looking to lease the property, via Herbert Real Estate.
The building was then put up for Sale By Tender through Malseed Real Estate, and as above, the Tender closed.
Somehow from there the building was suddenly sold to Bill DeGaris via Herbert Real Estate without being 're-Tendered' or even advertised.
It is my belief that the "discussions and negotiations" between the SERDE Board and Bill DeGaris led to a decision to sell the property to Mr DeGaris and that the subsequent 'Tender Process' was merely about being seen to be doing the right thing.
All involved knew that simply selling to Bill DeGaris would be seen for exactly what it was, a corrupt favour for a mate.
My justification:
The SERDE Board were 'allegedly' looking to Lease the property via Herbert Real Estate, moved to a Tender Process via Malseed Real Estate, let that run out, and without re-advertising or re-tendering sold to Bill DeGaris via Herbert Real Estate, again.
To my understanding, Malseed Real Estate were contracted for the Sale By Tender process and that therefore there are issues of 'Breach of Contract'; Malseed's have clearly done all the hard work, only to be dumped by SERDE and, I assume, not paid the commission specific to the sale.
As a matter of courtesy, I contacted Malseed's, and while they were obviously unable to discuss specific details, they did confirm the timeline of events as above...from Herberts to them and then suddenly sold via Herberts.
Perhaps they were complicit, but I don't think so...I believe that Malseed Real Estate was un-wittingly manipulated by the SERDE Board, used to give some sort of 'credibility and deniability' to the sale that was decided well before the process ever got to Malseeds.
To try and find out what had happened, I rang SERDE again 22/02/2012 and spoke with Grace McNally again. She again refused to give me the names of Board members and directed me to contact Chair Nic Kentish via a PO Box number. Instead I rang Mr Kentish about 30 mins later.
First try, someone answered but immediately hung-up, so I checked the number and called back. Mr Kentish answered and, without asking who I was or why I wanted to know, when I asked for the Board members names, he simply reeled them off, including Grace McNally.
Mr Kentish clearly knew who I was and was very much expecting that call..Ms McNally had rung him and warned him. In two conversations about the Board, Ms McNally did not identify herself as a member.
I have addressed this particular deceit and the entire episode with letters to the Board, including new Chair Mrs Coke, but they have refused to provide me with the requested information or a specific explanation, and the matter remains un-resolved.
The presence of Russell Peate on the SERDE Board makes me consider that their may be a number of Board members who were not specifically involved in this corrupted process. Every issue that I look at with Russell Peates name attached goes a strange shade of murky.
I will make more enquiries and re-visit this issue....I promise.
This Arvo: TFTIM Bill DeGaris
In my capacity as a self-declared 'politician', I was approached and asked to look at the Tender Process for the sale of the Penola Rd building. It is my understanding that the building was originally effectively 'gifted' to the people of Mt Gambier to be managed as such by SERDE.
South-east Employment Resource Development Enterprise have a website, but it is entirely un-encumbered by information; no mission statement, governance guidelines, Board membership, etc, just a couple of 'motherhood, blue-sky statements'.
When I rang (mid 2011) I spoke with Ms Grace McNally but she was reluctant to give me the names of SERDE Board members instead directing me to Tender Agents Malseed Real Estate, who were unwilling/unable to provide me that specific information.
Shortly there after the Tender Process was closed/ended without the building being sold, and it was effectively withdrawn from the market.
But then suddenly the building was declared as having been sold to Bill DeGaris.
Bill DeGaris himself, in a long 'advertorial' in the Lifestyle 1 magazine Issue 416 February 9-15 2012, outlines the origins of what is a clear corruption of appropriate process, potentially a breach of contract, and just a piece of general scumbagness;
"Last year, when Bill started his search for a new home for DeGaris Lawyers the possibility
of leasing the former SERDE Building was on the table but Bill was looking to buy. Discussions
and negotiations ensued and Bill and Lyn DeGaris became the proud owners of 19 Penola Rd."
This 'reportage' conveniently skips the entire Tender Process, but identifies that SERDE was originally looking to lease the property, via Herbert Real Estate.
The building was then put up for Sale By Tender through Malseed Real Estate, and as above, the Tender closed.
Somehow from there the building was suddenly sold to Bill DeGaris via Herbert Real Estate without being 're-Tendered' or even advertised.
It is my belief that the "discussions and negotiations" between the SERDE Board and Bill DeGaris led to a decision to sell the property to Mr DeGaris and that the subsequent 'Tender Process' was merely about being seen to be doing the right thing.
All involved knew that simply selling to Bill DeGaris would be seen for exactly what it was, a corrupt favour for a mate.
My justification:
The SERDE Board were 'allegedly' looking to Lease the property via Herbert Real Estate, moved to a Tender Process via Malseed Real Estate, let that run out, and without re-advertising or re-tendering sold to Bill DeGaris via Herbert Real Estate, again.
To my understanding, Malseed Real Estate were contracted for the Sale By Tender process and that therefore there are issues of 'Breach of Contract'; Malseed's have clearly done all the hard work, only to be dumped by SERDE and, I assume, not paid the commission specific to the sale.
As a matter of courtesy, I contacted Malseed's, and while they were obviously unable to discuss specific details, they did confirm the timeline of events as above...from Herberts to them and then suddenly sold via Herberts.
Perhaps they were complicit, but I don't think so...I believe that Malseed Real Estate was un-wittingly manipulated by the SERDE Board, used to give some sort of 'credibility and deniability' to the sale that was decided well before the process ever got to Malseeds.
To try and find out what had happened, I rang SERDE again 22/02/2012 and spoke with Grace McNally again. She again refused to give me the names of Board members and directed me to contact Chair Nic Kentish via a PO Box number. Instead I rang Mr Kentish about 30 mins later.
First try, someone answered but immediately hung-up, so I checked the number and called back. Mr Kentish answered and, without asking who I was or why I wanted to know, when I asked for the Board members names, he simply reeled them off, including Grace McNally.
Mr Kentish clearly knew who I was and was very much expecting that call..Ms McNally had rung him and warned him. In two conversations about the Board, Ms McNally did not identify herself as a member.
I have addressed this particular deceit and the entire episode with letters to the Board, including new Chair Mrs Coke, but they have refused to provide me with the requested information or a specific explanation, and the matter remains un-resolved.
The presence of Russell Peate on the SERDE Board makes me consider that their may be a number of Board members who were not specifically involved in this corrupted process. Every issue that I look at with Russell Peates name attached goes a strange shade of murky.
I will make more enquiries and re-visit this issue....I promise.
This Arvo: TFTIM Bill DeGaris
Monday, March 25, 2013
TFTIM: Mt Gambier CEO Mark McShane
Like so many other local politicians, I've probaly met Mr McShane in Council meetings, run into him several times at functions where he has walked right past me, etc, but the first time we've actually spoken was when I happened upon him and Frank 'The Ghost' Morello outside the Civic Centre.
I was hand-delivering a letter to Council (July ? 2012) because Mr McShane was not responding to my attempts to contact him, and there they were, enjoying the sunshine. I have written repeatedly to Mr McShane about issues at St Martins Lutheran School, alleged fraud re Greg Muller and the Main Corner, etc.
He knows these things...can't say he doesn't....but that won't stop him trying. Indeed, in the 'secret report' that Council released about me (see posts re P and F) he avoids any of these issues under "allegations against others".
Greg Muller employed Mark McShane...enough said....but...still...I feel driven to hurl the scurrilous imputation that Marky McMark joined the Funky Bunch (that's Council) to ensure that business remains as usual......and for Greg Muller that means $344,000 de-frauded, literally millions mis-spent and/or missing at the Main Corner Project which was then handed free to a Councillor's son, and no covered pool, no proper bus shelter...(oh god, he's off again-Ed)...no Rail Lands Parklands, no proper public transport, increasing City debt and therefore rates, etc.
At the above convergence/meeting/thingy Mr McShane was his usual amicable self - I'm not sure that he actually said anything to me; I greeted them both, said "what a pleasant coincidence", handed him the letter and asked for a response, gave them both a big smile, and went about my business.
I regret somewhat that I did not 'confront' him on the spot, but I am always acutely aware of trying to engage with these issues and these people in an appropriate manner, and so I often err on the side of caution...I am a reasonably large person so if I display any sense of conflict or tension it can distress people.
Cue Frank 'The Ghost' Morello.
Frank, former Editor of The Border Watch newspaper, with whom I had many 'animated discussions' in the foyer of TBW about the St Martins issue.... I'm certainly not bragging about it though...I feel quite embarassed for the effect this may have had on others present... I never swore or yelled or anything but I do a very large serve of un-happy.
'The Ghost' because every time I see him he goes a deathly shade of extremely pale. When I ran into him and Mark McShane outside the Civic Centre they were standing with their backs to me as I approached, meaning that I loomed into their view, directly to Frank's left, as I said hello from only feet away....he was delighted.
Suddenly the sun wasn't shining so much for Frank...he was petrified/horrified/stupified and all the other 'fieds' you can think of....it was absolutely hilarious...and here's why...
It's not the first time in my life that someone has looked at me like that....he was thinking exactly this...if he were as big as me, and I had screwed him around the way he has me, then he'd thump me, and therefore he assumes that is what I'm thinking, and therefore at any moment that could still happen.
I am merely a mirror to his guilt...and so should it be...Anyone who actually knows me knows that I am absolutely genuine in my statements of pacifism....Anyone who has seen me debate issues publicly knows that I always try be calm and balanced, but even this can go awry.
In some circumstances I have had people get 'more scared' because I remain relatively very calm; they apply the above 'Frank template', assume I'm violently furious, and therefore get even more concerned because I'm not reacting in the violent manner that they understand and expect. The calmer I stay, the more concerned they get.
They expect that at any moment the 'mask of serenity' will rupture into the violent assault that their own life experience and/or guilt puts them in mind of....and so there goes young Frankie.
Poor fella...suddenly there I am, only feet away, smiling broadly at him....In every other context I would seek to avoid causing such distress, but I genuinely laugh at this one particular moment for it is my right...I've earned it.
Tomorrow: The SERDE Penola Rd Sale and Bill DeGaris
Dodgy deals blah, blah, blah....insider trading blah, blah, blah.....just once I'd like to get stuck into an issue without having to wade through the corruption first...but it ain't gonna be this one, and will lead nicely into;
Tomorrow Arvo: TFTIM Former Grant District Council CEO Russell Peate.
But to try to be a little more positive;
Day After Tomorrow: Why We Must Triple-Use Water.
Cheers.
I was hand-delivering a letter to Council (July ? 2012) because Mr McShane was not responding to my attempts to contact him, and there they were, enjoying the sunshine. I have written repeatedly to Mr McShane about issues at St Martins Lutheran School, alleged fraud re Greg Muller and the Main Corner, etc.
He knows these things...can't say he doesn't....but that won't stop him trying. Indeed, in the 'secret report' that Council released about me (see posts re P and F) he avoids any of these issues under "allegations against others".
Greg Muller employed Mark McShane...enough said....but...still...I feel driven to hurl the scurrilous imputation that Marky McMark joined the Funky Bunch (that's Council) to ensure that business remains as usual......and for Greg Muller that means $344,000 de-frauded, literally millions mis-spent and/or missing at the Main Corner Project which was then handed free to a Councillor's son, and no covered pool, no proper bus shelter...(oh god, he's off again-Ed)...no Rail Lands Parklands, no proper public transport, increasing City debt and therefore rates, etc.
At the above convergence/meeting/thingy Mr McShane was his usual amicable self - I'm not sure that he actually said anything to me; I greeted them both, said "what a pleasant coincidence", handed him the letter and asked for a response, gave them both a big smile, and went about my business.
I regret somewhat that I did not 'confront' him on the spot, but I am always acutely aware of trying to engage with these issues and these people in an appropriate manner, and so I often err on the side of caution...I am a reasonably large person so if I display any sense of conflict or tension it can distress people.
Cue Frank 'The Ghost' Morello.
Frank, former Editor of The Border Watch newspaper, with whom I had many 'animated discussions' in the foyer of TBW about the St Martins issue.... I'm certainly not bragging about it though...I feel quite embarassed for the effect this may have had on others present... I never swore or yelled or anything but I do a very large serve of un-happy.
'The Ghost' because every time I see him he goes a deathly shade of extremely pale. When I ran into him and Mark McShane outside the Civic Centre they were standing with their backs to me as I approached, meaning that I loomed into their view, directly to Frank's left, as I said hello from only feet away....he was delighted.
Suddenly the sun wasn't shining so much for Frank...he was petrified/horrified/stupified and all the other 'fieds' you can think of....it was absolutely hilarious...and here's why...
It's not the first time in my life that someone has looked at me like that....he was thinking exactly this...if he were as big as me, and I had screwed him around the way he has me, then he'd thump me, and therefore he assumes that is what I'm thinking, and therefore at any moment that could still happen.
I am merely a mirror to his guilt...and so should it be...Anyone who actually knows me knows that I am absolutely genuine in my statements of pacifism....Anyone who has seen me debate issues publicly knows that I always try be calm and balanced, but even this can go awry.
In some circumstances I have had people get 'more scared' because I remain relatively very calm; they apply the above 'Frank template', assume I'm violently furious, and therefore get even more concerned because I'm not reacting in the violent manner that they understand and expect. The calmer I stay, the more concerned they get.
They expect that at any moment the 'mask of serenity' will rupture into the violent assault that their own life experience and/or guilt puts them in mind of....and so there goes young Frankie.
Poor fella...suddenly there I am, only feet away, smiling broadly at him....In every other context I would seek to avoid causing such distress, but I genuinely laugh at this one particular moment for it is my right...I've earned it.
Tomorrow: The SERDE Penola Rd Sale and Bill DeGaris
Dodgy deals blah, blah, blah....insider trading blah, blah, blah.....just once I'd like to get stuck into an issue without having to wade through the corruption first...but it ain't gonna be this one, and will lead nicely into;
Tomorrow Arvo: TFTIM Former Grant District Council CEO Russell Peate.
But to try to be a little more positive;
Day After Tomorrow: Why We Must Triple-Use Water.
Cheers.
The Australian Press Council - Why Bother?
Given the 'gouge from the hip' trampling of proper Democratic process, relentless spin-doctoring, and desperate 'stunt-pulling' that defines the governing of Labor under Julia Gillard, this kerfuffle about 'Media Rules' looks, acts and stinks like another giant Red Herring.
Time and again Labor drags these issues onto the beach, pokes them with a stick, kicks them about a bit, and then runs off because something shiny over there grabs their attention.
The issue is then left to fend for itself while Labor runs around in small circles playing 'Pin the Knife on the Leader'; their behaviour is selfish and in-appropriate...beneath contempt.
Again; these people are our employees, they work for us, not the other way round. Despite their clearly apparent sense of self-importance, it is their place to serve us; we were not put here to participate in their self-worship. But I digress, except for the 'Media Laws' fiasco of the past fortnight which has been left to flap about on the shore until it expired.
Some facts; Australian media is already highly regulated; I believe we are in the high 20s headed for thirty on a list of countries with 'best press freedom'. To the other extreme, the Australian Press Council is a toothless mullet that to my experience is grossly un-professional and deceitful.
Basically, for every genuine hatred within these political/press circles, there are a dozen mates writing whatever they like about their opponents; the relationship between government, vested interests, and media is more often complicit than conflict, eg, Gina Rinehart giving Andrew Bolt a TV show.
Not withstanding this, several journalists have stated to me the example that the current regulations mean that something like the 'Watergate' expose/scandal would not, could not happen in Australia.
My personal experience of the APC illustrates the other extreme where media (newspapers) can do what they like; the difference seems to be that strict regulations apply depending on who your mate is and/or how they may enhance or hinder your interests, and it's open season on plebs like me....the truth be hanged.
In January 2005 The Advertiser newspaper printed a pro-Lutheran, pro-Rann government story, relative to the St Martins Child Abuse issue, and despite multiple phonecalls, letters, and a personal meeting with a sub-editor, The Advertiser flatly refused to print anything from us parents...not one line...and my complaint to the APC was "lodged too late" (APC).
However, in March 2010 I lodged official written complaints with both the South Australian Electoral Commission and the APC regarding The Border Watch newspaper's grossly biased even corrupt Pro-Don Pegler coverage of the 2010 state election...in which I was a candidate.
I re-iterate; TBW senior political reporter Sandra Morello was printing Don Pegler's press releases (prepared by her husband and former TBW Editor Frank Morello) as actual news items under her byline, and therefore at the very least conflicted with guidelines on Electoral Advertising. (Sandra Morello tried to stop me lodging any information with TBW)
Electoral Commissioner Kay Mousley acknowledges my complaint (16/03/2010) but states that;
"I do not consider that a media release is electoral advertising when printed as an article
by a newspaper. I understand that it is common practice for news agencies to reprint or
broadcast information directly from a media release."
The concerns you make appear to be in relation to the journalistic ethics of the newspaper.
I note that you have now referred the matter to the Australian Press Council."
Ms Mousley words, "...the journalistic ethics of the newspaper."
Ethics...cue the APC.
My written complaint was acknowledged 18/03/2010 in an email from Jack R Herman, where he basically bounces responsibility back to the SAEC, but states that he will;
"...be contacting the newspaper immediately to see what, if any, action it might take to
ameliorate your concerns. When I have the publication's response I will write again to
you and you can determine what further action you want to take."
I faxed through all the articles as he requested, and waited.....but did not hear from Jack R Herman until I rang him Monday 26 July 2010. He stated outright that he had not heard from TBW, but then emailed me on the Wednesday 28th;
"Thank you for your phone call Monday. I have now had the opportunity of reviewing
the file on your complaint.
There was some confusion for which I have to accept some blame, and apparently a
misunderstanding, which has arisen as a result of the impression of my letter March 18.
In that letter I said I would be in touch when I heard back from the newspaper, but I
also said that I could not further process your matter as a complaint in the absence of
further information from you. That letter outlined the additional information I would
need in order to take up the matter further.
In line with the procedures detailed in the booklet you were sent with that letter, I
waited two months for further information from you. I received the informal advice of
the Border Watch that it stood by its coverage and had provided you with "reasonable"
coverage. I should have passed that along to you, and I apologise that I did not.
At this stage, with four months having elapsed since I sought additional material from
you, it would be too late to take the matter up again."
Jack R Herman lied to me not once but repeatedly, he openly admits it but tries to excuse it as "confusion" and "misunderstanding". On 26/07/2010 he stated that he had not heard at all from TBW, then two days later he claims/admits (who knows?) that he had spoken to them, and, oh gee whiz "I should have passed that along to you".
And all the while trying to blame me...and again, 'it's too late now'.
Accountability seems to be a matter of will rather than legislation, and I therefore do not support increasing 'restrictions on reportage', but rather much stronger legislation on Accountability.
This Arvo: TFTIM Mt Gambier CEO Mark McShane
Tomorrow: The SERDE Penola Rd Sale to Bill DeGaris
Time and again Labor drags these issues onto the beach, pokes them with a stick, kicks them about a bit, and then runs off because something shiny over there grabs their attention.
The issue is then left to fend for itself while Labor runs around in small circles playing 'Pin the Knife on the Leader'; their behaviour is selfish and in-appropriate...beneath contempt.
Again; these people are our employees, they work for us, not the other way round. Despite their clearly apparent sense of self-importance, it is their place to serve us; we were not put here to participate in their self-worship. But I digress, except for the 'Media Laws' fiasco of the past fortnight which has been left to flap about on the shore until it expired.
Some facts; Australian media is already highly regulated; I believe we are in the high 20s headed for thirty on a list of countries with 'best press freedom'. To the other extreme, the Australian Press Council is a toothless mullet that to my experience is grossly un-professional and deceitful.
Basically, for every genuine hatred within these political/press circles, there are a dozen mates writing whatever they like about their opponents; the relationship between government, vested interests, and media is more often complicit than conflict, eg, Gina Rinehart giving Andrew Bolt a TV show.
Not withstanding this, several journalists have stated to me the example that the current regulations mean that something like the 'Watergate' expose/scandal would not, could not happen in Australia.
My personal experience of the APC illustrates the other extreme where media (newspapers) can do what they like; the difference seems to be that strict regulations apply depending on who your mate is and/or how they may enhance or hinder your interests, and it's open season on plebs like me....the truth be hanged.
In January 2005 The Advertiser newspaper printed a pro-Lutheran, pro-Rann government story, relative to the St Martins Child Abuse issue, and despite multiple phonecalls, letters, and a personal meeting with a sub-editor, The Advertiser flatly refused to print anything from us parents...not one line...and my complaint to the APC was "lodged too late" (APC).
However, in March 2010 I lodged official written complaints with both the South Australian Electoral Commission and the APC regarding The Border Watch newspaper's grossly biased even corrupt Pro-Don Pegler coverage of the 2010 state election...in which I was a candidate.
I re-iterate; TBW senior political reporter Sandra Morello was printing Don Pegler's press releases (prepared by her husband and former TBW Editor Frank Morello) as actual news items under her byline, and therefore at the very least conflicted with guidelines on Electoral Advertising. (Sandra Morello tried to stop me lodging any information with TBW)
Electoral Commissioner Kay Mousley acknowledges my complaint (16/03/2010) but states that;
"I do not consider that a media release is electoral advertising when printed as an article
by a newspaper. I understand that it is common practice for news agencies to reprint or
broadcast information directly from a media release."
The concerns you make appear to be in relation to the journalistic ethics of the newspaper.
I note that you have now referred the matter to the Australian Press Council."
Ms Mousley words, "...the journalistic ethics of the newspaper."
Ethics...cue the APC.
My written complaint was acknowledged 18/03/2010 in an email from Jack R Herman, where he basically bounces responsibility back to the SAEC, but states that he will;
"...be contacting the newspaper immediately to see what, if any, action it might take to
ameliorate your concerns. When I have the publication's response I will write again to
you and you can determine what further action you want to take."
I faxed through all the articles as he requested, and waited.....but did not hear from Jack R Herman until I rang him Monday 26 July 2010. He stated outright that he had not heard from TBW, but then emailed me on the Wednesday 28th;
"Thank you for your phone call Monday. I have now had the opportunity of reviewing
the file on your complaint.
There was some confusion for which I have to accept some blame, and apparently a
misunderstanding, which has arisen as a result of the impression of my letter March 18.
In that letter I said I would be in touch when I heard back from the newspaper, but I
also said that I could not further process your matter as a complaint in the absence of
further information from you. That letter outlined the additional information I would
need in order to take up the matter further.
In line with the procedures detailed in the booklet you were sent with that letter, I
waited two months for further information from you. I received the informal advice of
the Border Watch that it stood by its coverage and had provided you with "reasonable"
coverage. I should have passed that along to you, and I apologise that I did not.
At this stage, with four months having elapsed since I sought additional material from
you, it would be too late to take the matter up again."
Jack R Herman lied to me not once but repeatedly, he openly admits it but tries to excuse it as "confusion" and "misunderstanding". On 26/07/2010 he stated that he had not heard at all from TBW, then two days later he claims/admits (who knows?) that he had spoken to them, and, oh gee whiz "I should have passed that along to you".
And all the while trying to blame me...and again, 'it's too late now'.
Accountability seems to be a matter of will rather than legislation, and I therefore do not support increasing 'restrictions on reportage', but rather much stronger legislation on Accountability.
This Arvo: TFTIM Mt Gambier CEO Mark McShane
Tomorrow: The SERDE Penola Rd Sale to Bill DeGaris
Sunday, March 24, 2013
TFTIM Mayor Steve Perryman
It was only a few weeks after the June 2002 removal of Glyn Dorling from St Martins Lutheran School that I was introduced to Mr Perryman by another father at something at the Civic Centre...can't remember what...it might have been a Council meeting.
For that conversation I basically stood back and let Steve, the father, and a couple of others I didn't know discuss what had happened, and of course Steve already knew because his mother works at the school.
I would normally consider having a swipe at someone's mum to be entirely in-appropriate, but Mrs Perryman Snr has been a senior St Martins employee for 15+ years, and one of several 'Lutherans' who have seen fit to abuse me in public.
I genuinely believe that it was this repeated public abuse through late 2002, 2003, and into 2004, that at least contributed to and even possibly created my 'Agorophobia'.
But I digress; what Mr Perryman did not know before that conversation was explained to him during it. If anything at that stage I felt mildly sorry for both Steve and his mother, because I considered that we were all effectively on the same side of the fence, that we had all been deceived by Glyn Dorling.
Unfortunately we parents always considered that because the St Martins matter was being dealt with by SAPol, and then the Teachers Registration Board, etc, we have never really pursued the issue with Council to the degree we have with those authorities that could/should do something about it.
The fact remains that I and other parents have repeatedly discussed St Martins with Mayor Perryman, former CEO Greg Muller, new CEO Mark McShane (Tomorrow's TFTIM) and numerous Councillors.
It is not an exaggeration to suggest that all Councillors know; even if I haven't told them it has been in the local media often enough.
As Mayor, Steve Perryman always remained 'adjacent' to the St Martins issue, sort of compromised because of his mother's involvement but not really sort of 'legally' responsible; that situation entirely changed though when he won Liberal pre-selection for the 2010 state election.
As Liberal candidate he made himself fundamentally responsible for what was happening; the fact that they completely cocked-up the election is irrelevent.
As per previous blog, what ever had or hadn't happened up to the March 2010 Election Forum at the Sir Helpmann Theatre, Mr Perryman's behaviour at that forum showed him for what he is.
When a near weeping parent falteringly raised the St Martins Issue as the last question, Mr Perryman was snidely mouthing off in my left ear "is there a question in this (father's name)?"; to me, who he knows is one of the fathers involved....it was pretty much the whole reason I was on that stage.
And then, having had so much to say during the question, Mr Perryman just sat there with fellow candidates Viv Maher, Don Pegler, and Henk Bruins; all with hands crossed, all heads bowed, all staring at the desk...all silent...all complicit...all beneath contempt.
Mr Perryman's personal political aspirations have been pursued to the greater detriment of Mt Gambier; see any of my posts re development issues, eg, the Main Corner, the Rail Lands, or Bunnings/Penola Rd, etc, really where-ever you care to look.
Those aspirations have been encouraged by other Liberal members like former City Councillor Tony Pasin, but Mr Perryman has clearly outlived his usefulness there as well with Mr Troy Bell winning/ being offered pre-selection for the 2014 election....not that that's a bad thing as best I can tell.
Mr Perryman will feature frequently in many future blogs, eg, for his in-excusable comments dismissing as irrelevent the loss of the International Tennis Tournament; but not always as you might think. For example, most people struggle to believe that I lodged a complaint with the Australian Press Council in March 2010 asking the APC to investigate and address the massive anti-Perryman bias in Election reporting in The Border Watch.
Which leads nicely to...
Tomorrow: The Australian Press Council - Why Bother?
For that conversation I basically stood back and let Steve, the father, and a couple of others I didn't know discuss what had happened, and of course Steve already knew because his mother works at the school.
I would normally consider having a swipe at someone's mum to be entirely in-appropriate, but Mrs Perryman Snr has been a senior St Martins employee for 15+ years, and one of several 'Lutherans' who have seen fit to abuse me in public.
I genuinely believe that it was this repeated public abuse through late 2002, 2003, and into 2004, that at least contributed to and even possibly created my 'Agorophobia'.
But I digress; what Mr Perryman did not know before that conversation was explained to him during it. If anything at that stage I felt mildly sorry for both Steve and his mother, because I considered that we were all effectively on the same side of the fence, that we had all been deceived by Glyn Dorling.
Unfortunately we parents always considered that because the St Martins matter was being dealt with by SAPol, and then the Teachers Registration Board, etc, we have never really pursued the issue with Council to the degree we have with those authorities that could/should do something about it.
The fact remains that I and other parents have repeatedly discussed St Martins with Mayor Perryman, former CEO Greg Muller, new CEO Mark McShane (Tomorrow's TFTIM) and numerous Councillors.
It is not an exaggeration to suggest that all Councillors know; even if I haven't told them it has been in the local media often enough.
As Mayor, Steve Perryman always remained 'adjacent' to the St Martins issue, sort of compromised because of his mother's involvement but not really sort of 'legally' responsible; that situation entirely changed though when he won Liberal pre-selection for the 2010 state election.
As Liberal candidate he made himself fundamentally responsible for what was happening; the fact that they completely cocked-up the election is irrelevent.
As per previous blog, what ever had or hadn't happened up to the March 2010 Election Forum at the Sir Helpmann Theatre, Mr Perryman's behaviour at that forum showed him for what he is.
When a near weeping parent falteringly raised the St Martins Issue as the last question, Mr Perryman was snidely mouthing off in my left ear "is there a question in this (father's name)?"; to me, who he knows is one of the fathers involved....it was pretty much the whole reason I was on that stage.
And then, having had so much to say during the question, Mr Perryman just sat there with fellow candidates Viv Maher, Don Pegler, and Henk Bruins; all with hands crossed, all heads bowed, all staring at the desk...all silent...all complicit...all beneath contempt.
Mr Perryman's personal political aspirations have been pursued to the greater detriment of Mt Gambier; see any of my posts re development issues, eg, the Main Corner, the Rail Lands, or Bunnings/Penola Rd, etc, really where-ever you care to look.
Those aspirations have been encouraged by other Liberal members like former City Councillor Tony Pasin, but Mr Perryman has clearly outlived his usefulness there as well with Mr Troy Bell winning/ being offered pre-selection for the 2014 election....not that that's a bad thing as best I can tell.
Mr Perryman will feature frequently in many future blogs, eg, for his in-excusable comments dismissing as irrelevent the loss of the International Tennis Tournament; but not always as you might think. For example, most people struggle to believe that I lodged a complaint with the Australian Press Council in March 2010 asking the APC to investigate and address the massive anti-Perryman bias in Election reporting in The Border Watch.
Which leads nicely to...
Tomorrow: The Australian Press Council - Why Bother?
Fundamental
It' such a good joke that I'm going to use it twice;
Fundamental - what you do with that tiny percentage of your tax dollar that goes to paying my Disability Support Pension.
I have covered much of the following in previous posts, but it is important in explaining who I am and why I behave the way I do.
In early 1997 I was a full-time, self-employed Courier in Adelaide, when my ex-partner moved back to Mt Gambier; I immediately quit the fulltime job, began working part-time nights, travelled weekly, etc, and quit that job to move full-time to Mt Gambier late 1998.
I really struggled to make aquaintances, let alone friends, until some-one explained to me that the 'negative' response I was getting when people asked me 'Why are you here?', and I responded - to be near my child -was because they didn't believe me.
People were not able to understand the context and therefore the reality; they had no experience of a man who would literally give up everything and move to Mt Gambier, and therefore applied their own context, one they could understand.
And that context? My ex-partner was fleeing a violent and/or problematic relationship and that I had followed her to Mt Gambier to continue the harassment and/or abuse, etc. It was one of those whirrr-clunk moments when so much immediately becomes clear under the right lense.
This general attitude of others, this other context, has plagued me through-out my existence in Mt Gambier, and I still occasionally see that certain look on peoples faces. Being a large man is not always a positive.
After winning an Unfair Dismissal against the Gambier Hotel in 2001, I was rendered effectively 'un-employable', and was 'working' full-time doing volunteer work at my child's school, Lifeline, etc, to assuage my sense of guilt for receiving the dole. Very different to pre-fatherhoodness when I just didn't give a stuff.
Point is, that I was fully participating and broadly functioning, albeit well outside of normal paradigms; not particularly unusual for me...but then something changed.
Following the June longweek-end 2002 removal of teacher Glyn Dorling from St Martins Lutheran School, which I believe I may have mentioned in previous posts, the many balls that I had in the air hit the house of cards I'd built and in a cacophany of mixed metaphors, the whole lot blew away...and with it went my mind.........sssuui....here boy...sssuui...come on....
By early 2003 I was irretrievably in the grip of a massive psychological trauma forced on me by the Lutheran Church, the rancidly corrupt Rann Labor government and particularly Rory McEwen, a gutless, pointless Opposition, SAPol, supposed 'Child Protection Providers, etc, as they all involved themselves in the Cover-up of the abuse of my child and dozens of others.
I asked for help, often, and in early-mid 2003 (will try to find exact date) I attended an appointment at Centrelink with their Psychologist Luciana (last name unknown). Her 'report' states;
"...Primarily, I would recommend developing a good rapport with Nicholas, however, the
boundaries must be clear. He is seeking affirmation, and the PSP worker must be careful
not to give this to him. Once rapport is established, Nicholas would benefit from referral to
a Psychiatrist. He requires a full assessment of his presentation - this will also assist in
developing the intervention plan. Individual counselling would also be useful, preferably
psychological counselling with a Psychologist......
...He reports volatile relationshipwith* most individuals, and talks of writing to Ombudsman,
the Premier and Prime Minister. He is of the belief that hehas* been wronged, and that he is
totally justified in seeking retribution." (*I have copied her typos)
This is unfortunately a not entirely un-accurate description of how I 'presented', but the fact remains that I received none of the support or counselling identified, whilst this report pre-haunted me around a 'system' that was being officially told 'don't listen to him'; the language above specifically describes me, without using the actual word, as delusional.
Oh, how I wish...nothing would please me more than to have completely imagined the last 10+ years, then I could just have a nice tall glass of Lithium* and go on a long holiday...well away from here. Unfortunately, the reality is the reality, and I'm here 'til it gets sorted.
(*this is an attempt at humour to highlight the fact that despite the extreme nature of my experience
as I claim in this blog, that even with the below diagnosis, I am not now nor have I ever been
on any prescribed 'mental health' medication. I suggest this is because of the basic truth of what
I am saying)
My continued pleas for support took me through Viv Maher's counselling rooms amongst others, but I never received any proper support until I ended up with a local 'Mental Health Provider' (psychologist), who in February 2012 subsequently diagnosed;
"Major Depressive Disorder"
"Generalised Anxiety Disorder"
"Panic Disorder With Agoraphobia"
and I was placed on the Disability Support Pension.
I do not mind sharing this for two reasons;
1) these are real issues and nobody who suffers these "Disorders" should bear a stigma for it, and;
2) because I consider that it highlights rather than diminishes what I have achieved, eg, for all the anger
and mental trauma, etc, I have never raised my hand. Other than to pick up a pen...or a lap-top.
Receiving the DSP has driven me to try harder so as to assuage the increased sense of guilt as above (more benefit, more guilt), fueled by the relentless sense of failing my child and all the others. (please refer previous posts)
This Arvo: TFTIM Mayor Steve Perryman
Fundamental - what you do with that tiny percentage of your tax dollar that goes to paying my Disability Support Pension.
I have covered much of the following in previous posts, but it is important in explaining who I am and why I behave the way I do.
In early 1997 I was a full-time, self-employed Courier in Adelaide, when my ex-partner moved back to Mt Gambier; I immediately quit the fulltime job, began working part-time nights, travelled weekly, etc, and quit that job to move full-time to Mt Gambier late 1998.
I really struggled to make aquaintances, let alone friends, until some-one explained to me that the 'negative' response I was getting when people asked me 'Why are you here?', and I responded - to be near my child -was because they didn't believe me.
People were not able to understand the context and therefore the reality; they had no experience of a man who would literally give up everything and move to Mt Gambier, and therefore applied their own context, one they could understand.
And that context? My ex-partner was fleeing a violent and/or problematic relationship and that I had followed her to Mt Gambier to continue the harassment and/or abuse, etc. It was one of those whirrr-clunk moments when so much immediately becomes clear under the right lense.
This general attitude of others, this other context, has plagued me through-out my existence in Mt Gambier, and I still occasionally see that certain look on peoples faces. Being a large man is not always a positive.
After winning an Unfair Dismissal against the Gambier Hotel in 2001, I was rendered effectively 'un-employable', and was 'working' full-time doing volunteer work at my child's school, Lifeline, etc, to assuage my sense of guilt for receiving the dole. Very different to pre-fatherhoodness when I just didn't give a stuff.
Point is, that I was fully participating and broadly functioning, albeit well outside of normal paradigms; not particularly unusual for me...but then something changed.
Following the June longweek-end 2002 removal of teacher Glyn Dorling from St Martins Lutheran School, which I believe I may have mentioned in previous posts, the many balls that I had in the air hit the house of cards I'd built and in a cacophany of mixed metaphors, the whole lot blew away...and with it went my mind.........sssuui....here boy...sssuui...come on....
By early 2003 I was irretrievably in the grip of a massive psychological trauma forced on me by the Lutheran Church, the rancidly corrupt Rann Labor government and particularly Rory McEwen, a gutless, pointless Opposition, SAPol, supposed 'Child Protection Providers, etc, as they all involved themselves in the Cover-up of the abuse of my child and dozens of others.
I asked for help, often, and in early-mid 2003 (will try to find exact date) I attended an appointment at Centrelink with their Psychologist Luciana (last name unknown). Her 'report' states;
"...Primarily, I would recommend developing a good rapport with Nicholas, however, the
boundaries must be clear. He is seeking affirmation, and the PSP worker must be careful
not to give this to him. Once rapport is established, Nicholas would benefit from referral to
a Psychiatrist. He requires a full assessment of his presentation - this will also assist in
developing the intervention plan. Individual counselling would also be useful, preferably
psychological counselling with a Psychologist......
...He reports volatile relationshipwith* most individuals, and talks of writing to Ombudsman,
the Premier and Prime Minister. He is of the belief that hehas* been wronged, and that he is
totally justified in seeking retribution." (*I have copied her typos)
This is unfortunately a not entirely un-accurate description of how I 'presented', but the fact remains that I received none of the support or counselling identified, whilst this report pre-haunted me around a 'system' that was being officially told 'don't listen to him'; the language above specifically describes me, without using the actual word, as delusional.
Oh, how I wish...nothing would please me more than to have completely imagined the last 10+ years, then I could just have a nice tall glass of Lithium* and go on a long holiday...well away from here. Unfortunately, the reality is the reality, and I'm here 'til it gets sorted.
(*this is an attempt at humour to highlight the fact that despite the extreme nature of my experience
as I claim in this blog, that even with the below diagnosis, I am not now nor have I ever been
on any prescribed 'mental health' medication. I suggest this is because of the basic truth of what
I am saying)
My continued pleas for support took me through Viv Maher's counselling rooms amongst others, but I never received any proper support until I ended up with a local 'Mental Health Provider' (psychologist), who in February 2012 subsequently diagnosed;
"Major Depressive Disorder"
"Generalised Anxiety Disorder"
"Panic Disorder With Agoraphobia"
and I was placed on the Disability Support Pension.
I do not mind sharing this for two reasons;
1) these are real issues and nobody who suffers these "Disorders" should bear a stigma for it, and;
2) because I consider that it highlights rather than diminishes what I have achieved, eg, for all the anger
and mental trauma, etc, I have never raised my hand. Other than to pick up a pen...or a lap-top.
Receiving the DSP has driven me to try harder so as to assuage the increased sense of guilt as above (more benefit, more guilt), fueled by the relentless sense of failing my child and all the others. (please refer previous posts)
This Arvo: TFTIM Mayor Steve Perryman
Saturday, March 23, 2013
Simon Crean - A One Man Fifth Column
Is it just me?...it is, isn't it?...I mean, I know I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed (more of a mattock really, possibly the anvil) but surely I have somehow mis-interpreted Simon Crean's previous statements, because I could have sworn that he had repeatedly stated that the world's palest rapper K Ruddy (Puff Kevvy, Flo Rudda, Vanilla Nice...whatever) was not the man for the job, whatever that job was...um, is...err, will be?
Has anybody ever before called a leadership spill against a leader whom they do actually support, and then nominated themselves as potential new deputy leader? Sorry, that is a genuine question...I don't know...maybe it isn't so unusual...I am not a political expert by any means, but it does seem really odd.
However, to my mind, Simon Crean has acted on behalf of Julia Gillard not against her.
Oh, I'm so confused...my head hurts already...and it appears that my malady is contagious because I'm watching various commentators over the last 48 hours saying much the same thing...oh, yeah...except for former Labor advisor and Gillard supporter Cassandra Wilkinson (I think that is her name-sorry)(on the ABC The Drum program)...yet another example of an intelligent person whose opinion is entirely compromised by their subjective attachment to the subject matter.
I don't have that problem.....when it comes to politics, I have a bristling, almost resentful loathing for pretty much everybody involved....so no problem there.
Right, let's deal with what has happened for sure ...and hopefully the rest will follow.
On the day they apparently wanted to apologise to those who suffered the horrors of Forced Adoption, the Gillard Labor government decided to have a leadership squabble that pretty much everyone else doesn't care about. I have made jokes about swearing, but neither is appropriate in this context.
It is not bizarre; it is a fundamentally selfish and otherwise in-explicable piece of stupidity; an absolute insult to all of the people who should have had at least one day of genuine apology. I personally feel much the same about the Stolen Generations Apology, that I had hoped would be much more than just one day, and it's really not my place to say much more than that because I am not an Aboriginal person.
It is not for me to tell Aboriginal people about their experiences. But I'm well happy for them to express their opinions, concerns, etc, to me...and they do.
But I digress: Is Mr Crean simply setting himself up (or being set up) for a Messiahnaic Re-de-volution as the former current leader of a Labor Party that is an exact replica of the Liberal Party?
And I'm sure that we will all be the winners.....yeah, that's sarcasm.
I've already heard a number of 'commentators' stating how noble Creany is by sacrificing himself for the good of the party, and this is Rudd's fault, etc. Listening right now to Crean saying that Rudd supporters urged him to do this, Rudd says he texted Crean saying 'I won't run', etc.
Did I mention my head hurts? I thought I had a bunch of opinions, but the more I learn about politics, the more I understand the fundamental reality that we all edit what we hear, it's editted before we hear it, and our eyes do deceive us...all of our senses deceive us....and even if you watch/read/write enough political debate that your head explodes, your own personal biases will decide for you the veracity of the argument.
Again, I don't have that problem...I hate all of them equally....ahahaha
But Simon Crean, the Minister for the Regional Dismantling of Australia....oh, bazinga, I've been dying to use that one...but seriously... Mr Crean; dead set champ, your response to those who were deeply offended by your ludicrous behaviour, both of which I've just heard on ABC Radio news (complaint and response), your response was un-acceptable.
I would hope that the specific quote is repeatedly raised with Mr Crean, indeed preferrably shoved quite emphatically right in his face. I do not have it to hand but it shouldn't be hard to find somewhere in the ether.
If I may paraphrase...'stuff happens, get over it'...
A 'Fifth Columnist' is someone who pats you on the back to find where the knife will go in easiest, someone who pretends to help, to sympathise, etc, but actually seeks to undermine and betray. So to the Ruddmeister, Simon Crean is the fifth column, but to Gillard and Co, he is the vanguard.
To everybody else he's just another tool...ohh, it's a bazingafest...
But who knows, maybe he had to shank Rudd to get to Gillard's back...at this point I do not know and nothing would surprise me, but whatever, his nick-name should be Smokey....Smokey S Crean....a very tired bazinga.
Tomorrow: Fundamental
One of my favourite words, and what you do with that tiny percentage of your tax dollar that goes toward paying my Disability Support Pension.....well, if one cannot laugh at oneself....
No Arvo (afternoon) Post this Arvo, but Tomorrow Arvo: TFTIM Mayor Steve Perryman
Has anybody ever before called a leadership spill against a leader whom they do actually support, and then nominated themselves as potential new deputy leader? Sorry, that is a genuine question...I don't know...maybe it isn't so unusual...I am not a political expert by any means, but it does seem really odd.
However, to my mind, Simon Crean has acted on behalf of Julia Gillard not against her.
Oh, I'm so confused...my head hurts already...and it appears that my malady is contagious because I'm watching various commentators over the last 48 hours saying much the same thing...oh, yeah...except for former Labor advisor and Gillard supporter Cassandra Wilkinson (I think that is her name-sorry)(on the ABC The Drum program)...yet another example of an intelligent person whose opinion is entirely compromised by their subjective attachment to the subject matter.
I don't have that problem.....when it comes to politics, I have a bristling, almost resentful loathing for pretty much everybody involved....so no problem there.
Right, let's deal with what has happened for sure ...and hopefully the rest will follow.
On the day they apparently wanted to apologise to those who suffered the horrors of Forced Adoption, the Gillard Labor government decided to have a leadership squabble that pretty much everyone else doesn't care about. I have made jokes about swearing, but neither is appropriate in this context.
It is not bizarre; it is a fundamentally selfish and otherwise in-explicable piece of stupidity; an absolute insult to all of the people who should have had at least one day of genuine apology. I personally feel much the same about the Stolen Generations Apology, that I had hoped would be much more than just one day, and it's really not my place to say much more than that because I am not an Aboriginal person.
It is not for me to tell Aboriginal people about their experiences. But I'm well happy for them to express their opinions, concerns, etc, to me...and they do.
But I digress: Is Mr Crean simply setting himself up (or being set up) for a Messiahnaic Re-de-volution as the former current leader of a Labor Party that is an exact replica of the Liberal Party?
And I'm sure that we will all be the winners.....yeah, that's sarcasm.
I've already heard a number of 'commentators' stating how noble Creany is by sacrificing himself for the good of the party, and this is Rudd's fault, etc. Listening right now to Crean saying that Rudd supporters urged him to do this, Rudd says he texted Crean saying 'I won't run', etc.
Did I mention my head hurts? I thought I had a bunch of opinions, but the more I learn about politics, the more I understand the fundamental reality that we all edit what we hear, it's editted before we hear it, and our eyes do deceive us...all of our senses deceive us....and even if you watch/read/write enough political debate that your head explodes, your own personal biases will decide for you the veracity of the argument.
Again, I don't have that problem...I hate all of them equally....ahahaha
But Simon Crean, the Minister for the Regional Dismantling of Australia....oh, bazinga, I've been dying to use that one...but seriously... Mr Crean; dead set champ, your response to those who were deeply offended by your ludicrous behaviour, both of which I've just heard on ABC Radio news (complaint and response), your response was un-acceptable.
I would hope that the specific quote is repeatedly raised with Mr Crean, indeed preferrably shoved quite emphatically right in his face. I do not have it to hand but it shouldn't be hard to find somewhere in the ether.
If I may paraphrase...'stuff happens, get over it'...
A 'Fifth Columnist' is someone who pats you on the back to find where the knife will go in easiest, someone who pretends to help, to sympathise, etc, but actually seeks to undermine and betray. So to the Ruddmeister, Simon Crean is the fifth column, but to Gillard and Co, he is the vanguard.
To everybody else he's just another tool...ohh, it's a bazingafest...
But who knows, maybe he had to shank Rudd to get to Gillard's back...at this point I do not know and nothing would surprise me, but whatever, his nick-name should be Smokey....Smokey S Crean....a very tired bazinga.
Tomorrow: Fundamental
One of my favourite words, and what you do with that tiny percentage of your tax dollar that goes toward paying my Disability Support Pension.....well, if one cannot laugh at oneself....
No Arvo (afternoon) Post this Arvo, but Tomorrow Arvo: TFTIM Mayor Steve Perryman
Friday, March 22, 2013
TFTIM: MLC Anne Bressington
Such a long day...must post....so many opinions...
Ms Bressington convened/attended the Anti-Flouridation Meeting held at St Martins Lutheran School in late 2010 ( sorry-I'll have to check date) and I spoke to her afterwards in her car in the carpark about the Statutory Authorities Review Committee and St Martins (previous posts).
We met again the next day (with another father) and discussed her position as a member of the SARC and the issues with Child Abuse at St Martins, and how it had been handled by authorities, and of course particularly the Teachers Registration Board, etc.
She heavily criticised former MLC Nick Xenophon (who helped establish the SARC Inquiry that she was a member of) as being a "fifth columnist" who had deliberately led us into an Inquiry that would not achieve anything, and I defended Mr Xenophon as per my previous blog, that is, he didn't have to do anything and what he did do gave us an 'official credibility'.
In response to our concerns (indeed sharing our concerns) that the SARC would simply be another official failure, Ms Bressington promised us she would produce a "Dissenting Report", but I am unaware of any such report.
Instead, Ms Bressington has signed her name to the final report. Check it out for yourself on Hansard; SARC Report no.54.
Ms Bressington was not present when I gave evidence to the SARC but we had already discussed the realities of the St Martins Child Abuse Cover-up, and as far as I'm concerned, signing that Report no.54, makes her part of the Cover-up....I would be genuinely happy to be very wrong....
I literally don't know what else to say. Please read my previous posts to understand why I would be so angry and so sad that this is what people do...turn their backs....what's that thing about no evil in the world, only good people who see wrong doing and look away...something, something....
Tomorrow: Simon Crean - The One Man Fifth Column
Please, please, please tell me nobody's going for this latest farcical Clash of the Demigogues currently being rammed down our throats by Simon Crean, as anything more than orchestrated pantomime with solely one motivation...to stuff up Kevin Rudd.
It is absolute rubbish that Crean is acting like an 'Elder Statesman for the good of the party', but even that shows the focus....the Party not the people.
Ms Bressington convened/attended the Anti-Flouridation Meeting held at St Martins Lutheran School in late 2010 ( sorry-I'll have to check date) and I spoke to her afterwards in her car in the carpark about the Statutory Authorities Review Committee and St Martins (previous posts).
We met again the next day (with another father) and discussed her position as a member of the SARC and the issues with Child Abuse at St Martins, and how it had been handled by authorities, and of course particularly the Teachers Registration Board, etc.
She heavily criticised former MLC Nick Xenophon (who helped establish the SARC Inquiry that she was a member of) as being a "fifth columnist" who had deliberately led us into an Inquiry that would not achieve anything, and I defended Mr Xenophon as per my previous blog, that is, he didn't have to do anything and what he did do gave us an 'official credibility'.
In response to our concerns (indeed sharing our concerns) that the SARC would simply be another official failure, Ms Bressington promised us she would produce a "Dissenting Report", but I am unaware of any such report.
Instead, Ms Bressington has signed her name to the final report. Check it out for yourself on Hansard; SARC Report no.54.
Ms Bressington was not present when I gave evidence to the SARC but we had already discussed the realities of the St Martins Child Abuse Cover-up, and as far as I'm concerned, signing that Report no.54, makes her part of the Cover-up....I would be genuinely happy to be very wrong....
I literally don't know what else to say. Please read my previous posts to understand why I would be so angry and so sad that this is what people do...turn their backs....what's that thing about no evil in the world, only good people who see wrong doing and look away...something, something....
Tomorrow: Simon Crean - The One Man Fifth Column
Please, please, please tell me nobody's going for this latest farcical Clash of the Demigogues currently being rammed down our throats by Simon Crean, as anything more than orchestrated pantomime with solely one motivation...to stuff up Kevin Rudd.
It is absolute rubbish that Crean is acting like an 'Elder Statesman for the good of the party', but even that shows the focus....the Party not the people.
Dental As Anything - Tanya Plibersek Stole My Teefff
Immediate apology for a technical error in that Ms Plibersek didn't write directly to me or specifically sign her name to any correspondence, but the two letters I refer to below are both headed thus;
and the 'reminder' letter I received in October 2012 (?)* states that;
"On 29 August 2012 the Minister for Health, the Hon Tanya Plibersek MP, announced
a $4.1 billion Dental Reform package. This package builds a fairer dental system."
*(sorry, could have been as late as November; first letter Sept/October; both letters unsigned and undated
and received well after the issues already covered in media)
I have previously referred to the CDDS as the Enhanced Dental Care Scheme...that is how it was originally described to me...same animal.
As a former Cancer patient (previous post) I was extremely fortunate to qualify for and be put on the CDDS in April 2011 when a new dentist happened to begin practising in Mt Gambier who happened to be accepting CDDS patients; at the time I had a bad cyst under one tooth and a second infection starting to develop on the other side under another tooth.
Within weeks the infections were resolved, and within months the rest of my teeth were effectively saved; I only lost one tooth....good dentistry...good dentistry.
When that dentist left Mt Gambier (early 2012) the other dentist took over her CDDS patients, as per previous post...good humanity...good humanity.
I did have to pay the 'gap' of about $1,000 across 18 months, but I have received approx $3,500 of funding for work that would not have been done at the Mount Gambier Hospital because the public dental services have a specific limit as to how much time and money they are allowed to spend per tooth...literally.
I do not know exactly what these limits are, and even whether they are officially 'written down' somewhere, or if dentists are officially told, whatever...the limit exists and its a very low bar.
The two tooth-saving 'root canals' that I had treated under CDDS would not have survived the South Australian Public Dental Service cost criteria...three teeth gone.
The remaining CDDS work saved two more teeth with major cavities, and fixed several other problematic teeth with minor cavities, etc...five teeth gone and more still going.
I have spoken to several other people who have accessed the CDDS at different stages, and unfortunately a couple of those could not get their work completed, and others who failed to qualify despite having quite obvious dental health issues, not least of all because they've shown me..."...I've got this rotten tooth here, look....", etc.
The current Public Dental Service waiting time in Mt Gambier is 4 years...four years...not days...or weeks...or even months...years...I chose a bad expletive deleted week to give up expletive deleted swearing!
And that is why Ms Plibersek's letters are so offensive, because she either just doesn't know or jusn't care that she/the Gillard Labor Government are destroying a system that clearly does work, and dumping those patients back into the already chronically over-loaded PDS;
"Most patients who accessed services under the Chronic Disease Dental Scheme are
eligible for services in public dental services. From December 2012, $344 million will
be available to the states and territories for public dental services to assist many former
Chronic Disease patients to get access to public dental services much sooner.
From July 2014, an additional $1.3 billion will be prepared to the states and territories to
further strengthen the public dental system and get services to those people most in need."
That is throwing responsibility to the states and territories, and particularly in South Australia, means that whatever small sums do actually eventuate for SA will be spent entirely in Adelaide.
Far more likely that that money sees new chairs in the Premier's office before it does in the SA PBS.
Destroying a system that is working and dumping those patients back into a PDS that isn't, and then blaming that demise on a few alleged rorts and/or the dentists, and trying to excuse the whole thing with empty promises of an un-funded program that they will never get to implement because of the electoral backlash they are sailing into....expletive deleted....explet....wait...^#@**)@$?><?))#.....oh yeah....*^*$#@%?>? @*%)_##.....that's the stuff....
I reiterate: proper school based dental clinics offering on-site early childhood intervention using trainee technicians, etc, in a preventative strategy, with mobile units for Regional areas. This also frees up the PDS to address current adult problems....it is just that simple.
And get that flouride crap out of the water supply; it is undeniably a scattergun application of an alleged medication via the water supply...which reminds me...
Ms Plibersek was recently on Q and A (an ABC TV political panel show) slinging the same sloppy non-science and personal denigration at Flouridation opponents as Paul Willis (of Catalyst) recently did on the ABC Radio (as per previous post).....I feel a song coming on....
Well I do know why I came here to write,
I got a feelin' that somethin' ain't right,
So scared we'll lose all of our dental chairs,
And I don't know how I'm not goin' to swear,
Clowns to the Left of Julia, Jokers to the Right,
Here I am, stuck in the middle with you. (extreme apologies to all musicians concerned)
I am not a dentist, doctor, health technician, etc, please access professional health advice should you require it, however, some truths are 'self-evident' - the best way to address dental health issues is always by prevention, by pre-emptive programs of education and regular childhood check-ups.
This Arvo: TFTIM: MLC Anne Bressigton
oh boy...the excitement (yes, that is absolutely sarcasm)
Australian Government
Department of Health and Ageing
Notice To Patients
Closure of the Medicare Chronic Disease Dental Scheme
"On 29 August 2012 the Minister for Health, the Hon Tanya Plibersek MP, announced
a $4.1 billion Dental Reform package. This package builds a fairer dental system."
*(sorry, could have been as late as November; first letter Sept/October; both letters unsigned and undated
and received well after the issues already covered in media)
I have previously referred to the CDDS as the Enhanced Dental Care Scheme...that is how it was originally described to me...same animal.
As a former Cancer patient (previous post) I was extremely fortunate to qualify for and be put on the CDDS in April 2011 when a new dentist happened to begin practising in Mt Gambier who happened to be accepting CDDS patients; at the time I had a bad cyst under one tooth and a second infection starting to develop on the other side under another tooth.
Within weeks the infections were resolved, and within months the rest of my teeth were effectively saved; I only lost one tooth....good dentistry...good dentistry.
When that dentist left Mt Gambier (early 2012) the other dentist took over her CDDS patients, as per previous post...good humanity...good humanity.
I did have to pay the 'gap' of about $1,000 across 18 months, but I have received approx $3,500 of funding for work that would not have been done at the Mount Gambier Hospital because the public dental services have a specific limit as to how much time and money they are allowed to spend per tooth...literally.
I do not know exactly what these limits are, and even whether they are officially 'written down' somewhere, or if dentists are officially told, whatever...the limit exists and its a very low bar.
The two tooth-saving 'root canals' that I had treated under CDDS would not have survived the South Australian Public Dental Service cost criteria...three teeth gone.
The remaining CDDS work saved two more teeth with major cavities, and fixed several other problematic teeth with minor cavities, etc...five teeth gone and more still going.
I have spoken to several other people who have accessed the CDDS at different stages, and unfortunately a couple of those could not get their work completed, and others who failed to qualify despite having quite obvious dental health issues, not least of all because they've shown me..."...I've got this rotten tooth here, look....", etc.
The current Public Dental Service waiting time in Mt Gambier is 4 years...four years...not days...or weeks...or even months...years...I chose a bad expletive deleted week to give up expletive deleted swearing!
And that is why Ms Plibersek's letters are so offensive, because she either just doesn't know or jusn't care that she/the Gillard Labor Government are destroying a system that clearly does work, and dumping those patients back into the already chronically over-loaded PDS;
"Most patients who accessed services under the Chronic Disease Dental Scheme are
eligible for services in public dental services. From December 2012, $344 million will
be available to the states and territories for public dental services to assist many former
Chronic Disease patients to get access to public dental services much sooner.
From July 2014, an additional $1.3 billion will be prepared to the states and territories to
further strengthen the public dental system and get services to those people most in need."
That is throwing responsibility to the states and territories, and particularly in South Australia, means that whatever small sums do actually eventuate for SA will be spent entirely in Adelaide.
Far more likely that that money sees new chairs in the Premier's office before it does in the SA PBS.
Destroying a system that is working and dumping those patients back into a PDS that isn't, and then blaming that demise on a few alleged rorts and/or the dentists, and trying to excuse the whole thing with empty promises of an un-funded program that they will never get to implement because of the electoral backlash they are sailing into....expletive deleted....explet....wait...^#@**)@$?><?))#.....oh yeah....*^*$#@%?>? @*%)_##.....that's the stuff....
I reiterate: proper school based dental clinics offering on-site early childhood intervention using trainee technicians, etc, in a preventative strategy, with mobile units for Regional areas. This also frees up the PDS to address current adult problems....it is just that simple.
And get that flouride crap out of the water supply; it is undeniably a scattergun application of an alleged medication via the water supply...which reminds me...
Ms Plibersek was recently on Q and A (an ABC TV political panel show) slinging the same sloppy non-science and personal denigration at Flouridation opponents as Paul Willis (of Catalyst) recently did on the ABC Radio (as per previous post).....I feel a song coming on....
Well I do know why I came here to write,
I got a feelin' that somethin' ain't right,
So scared we'll lose all of our dental chairs,
And I don't know how I'm not goin' to swear,
Clowns to the Left of Julia, Jokers to the Right,
Here I am, stuck in the middle with you. (extreme apologies to all musicians concerned)
I am not a dentist, doctor, health technician, etc, please access professional health advice should you require it, however, some truths are 'self-evident' - the best way to address dental health issues is always by prevention, by pre-emptive programs of education and regular childhood check-ups.
This Arvo: TFTIM: MLC Anne Bressigton
oh boy...the excitement (yes, that is absolutely sarcasm)
Thursday, March 21, 2013
TFTIM: Former MLC Nick Xenophon
In previous posts about the Child Abuse Cover-Up at St Martins Lutheran School, Mount Gambier, I have regularly mentioned Senator Nick Xenophon (Federal Upper House) and his role in establishing the Statutury Authorities Review Committee Inquiry into the Teachers Registration Board October 2008-July 2011 as then Member of the Legislative Council (Upper House of parliament in South Australia).
Mr Xenophon travelled to Mount Gambier in Sept 2006 specifically to meet myself and four other parents at one families home.
We spent well over two hours (nearly 3?) decribing what our children had been through and the failures of the 'Child Protection System', the outrageous response from the Lutherans in attacking us parents, etc.
Mr Xenophon repeatedly expressed his concern and sympathy, asking over and over 'why didn't police do this?'; 'why didn't the police do that?'; 'why didn't your lawyer tell you this?; 'why didn't so and so do such and such?'.....for over 2 hours.
Literally every response from parents brought a furrowed brow, a shaking of the head, and a furious scribbling of notes. He was, I believe, genuinely shocked at the length and breadth of the Cover-Up.
Parts of his statement made in the parliament in September 2007 calling for the SARC Inquiry was reported in The Border Watch October 2nd 2008;
"I believe that their concerns about process are legitimate, their concerns about the way
the matter was dealt with are legitimate, and they ought to be the subject of an Inquiry."
On ABC Local Radio Mr Xenophon stated;
"...as a parent, I'm glad it hasn't happened to me."
Please refer to the many previous posts on this issue (and indeed the many to come, eg, I haven't finished with the Crown Solicitors Office, barely started on the Lutherans themselves, and have merely scratched the surface with SAPol, etc) to understand what it is that Mr Xenophon is referring to specifically when he states that, "...their concerns...are legitimate...".
Numerous people, eg, MLC Anne Bressington, have alleged that Mr Xenophon is a 'fifth columnist' who deliberately helped Rann Labor lead us into an Inquiry that had no power to resolve anything, in effect a protracted dead end....interesting observation from Ms Bressington a member of the SARC, whom sat on the TRB Inquiry.
I believe that Mr Xenophon got us the insipid Inquiry he knew he could get established, as opposed to trying for a more powerful Inquiry that neither major party would allow....must keep those skeletons in those closets.
I believe that he gave us the credibility of an official parliamentary Inquiry in a context where he didn't have to do a single thing.
And Ms Bressington; still waiting for that Dissenting Report (to the SARC Report no 54) you promised me to my face....oh, and of course there was another father there so that's technically a witness to a verbal contract blah, blah, blah... now that deserves it's own post;
Tomorrow Arvo: TFTIM - MLC Anne Bressington
whom I met at the Anti Flouride meeting held at St Martins in 2010, which works very nicely because,
Tomorrow: Dental As Anything - Tanya Plibersek Stole My Teeff
I must remember to write to Ms Plibersek to thank her for;
(1) cancelling (December 2012) the excellent Enhanced Dental Care Scheme that has saved
many of my teeth well into the future, and then;
(2) writing to me to explain what a huge favour she'd done me by destroying my dental care,
followed by ludicrous, un-funded promises of some super new service to be introduced in 2014.
Mr Xenophon travelled to Mount Gambier in Sept 2006 specifically to meet myself and four other parents at one families home.
We spent well over two hours (nearly 3?) decribing what our children had been through and the failures of the 'Child Protection System', the outrageous response from the Lutherans in attacking us parents, etc.
Mr Xenophon repeatedly expressed his concern and sympathy, asking over and over 'why didn't police do this?'; 'why didn't the police do that?'; 'why didn't your lawyer tell you this?; 'why didn't so and so do such and such?'.....for over 2 hours.
Literally every response from parents brought a furrowed brow, a shaking of the head, and a furious scribbling of notes. He was, I believe, genuinely shocked at the length and breadth of the Cover-Up.
Parts of his statement made in the parliament in September 2007 calling for the SARC Inquiry was reported in The Border Watch October 2nd 2008;
"I believe that their concerns about process are legitimate, their concerns about the way
the matter was dealt with are legitimate, and they ought to be the subject of an Inquiry."
On ABC Local Radio Mr Xenophon stated;
"...as a parent, I'm glad it hasn't happened to me."
Please refer to the many previous posts on this issue (and indeed the many to come, eg, I haven't finished with the Crown Solicitors Office, barely started on the Lutherans themselves, and have merely scratched the surface with SAPol, etc) to understand what it is that Mr Xenophon is referring to specifically when he states that, "...their concerns...are legitimate...".
Numerous people, eg, MLC Anne Bressington, have alleged that Mr Xenophon is a 'fifth columnist' who deliberately helped Rann Labor lead us into an Inquiry that had no power to resolve anything, in effect a protracted dead end....interesting observation from Ms Bressington a member of the SARC, whom sat on the TRB Inquiry.
I believe that Mr Xenophon got us the insipid Inquiry he knew he could get established, as opposed to trying for a more powerful Inquiry that neither major party would allow....must keep those skeletons in those closets.
I believe that he gave us the credibility of an official parliamentary Inquiry in a context where he didn't have to do a single thing.
And Ms Bressington; still waiting for that Dissenting Report (to the SARC Report no 54) you promised me to my face....oh, and of course there was another father there so that's technically a witness to a verbal contract blah, blah, blah... now that deserves it's own post;
Tomorrow Arvo: TFTIM - MLC Anne Bressington
whom I met at the Anti Flouride meeting held at St Martins in 2010, which works very nicely because,
Tomorrow: Dental As Anything - Tanya Plibersek Stole My Teeff
I must remember to write to Ms Plibersek to thank her for;
(1) cancelling (December 2012) the excellent Enhanced Dental Care Scheme that has saved
many of my teeth well into the future, and then;
(2) writing to me to explain what a huge favour she'd done me by destroying my dental care,
followed by ludicrous, un-funded promises of some super new service to be introduced in 2014.
Tonight at Mt Gambier City Council - 19/03/13
This exciting new series of posts is not generated by a desire to embarass or ridicule Council....they do enough of that for themselves....a very small and highly predictable bazinga; and in future will be posted the evening of the meeting or next day.
I genuinely appreciate the feedback I'm receiving 'off-blog' (and some of it is actually quite positive), and if there is something you see you know is wrong, or you have specific information to contribute, etc, please let me know.
Mt Gambier City Council meetings are a farcical 'Ground Hog Day' rubber-stamping of matters that are decided outside the Chamber; there have been at least two internal complaints about exactly this.
I view with grave concern that Council's Development Assessment Panel members are the same people involved in those complaints; and the appalling self-interest and gross nepotism of their decisions are there for all to see in the ugly, pointless, elitist Main Corner....annex...thingy...building...corner of an old aircraft hangar randomly slammed into the side of a beautiful, heritage-listed building...fiscal black-hole...etc.
There also appears to be a direct connection between how funding is approved for many other projects, eg, sports facility upgrades, and Councillor's connection with those clubs, organisations, etc.
Most extraordinary is the conduct of Councillor's when it comes to issues of 'Conflicts of Interests'.
This is covered in numerous previous posts.
For example; the massive Main Corner cost blow-outs that included a near million dollar Commercial Kitchen, creating a brand new function facility that Mayor Steve Perryman and Councillor Des Mutton's son Lachlan tendered for, and Mutton Jnr was subsequently given exclusive, free control of the entire facility and exclusive catering rights to the many functions that Council forces through there.
Millions of dollars of rate-payers money spent on an entirely un-neccesary function facility, then handed free of charge to a Councillor's son....
I know I've said it all before but it just doesn't get any less corrupt by just talking about it; and I apologise that I have not taken these issues to SAPol, the Ombudsman, etc, as promised, but I have no faith they'll move on any of it and/or it'll disappear into the 'Star Chamber' style secrecy of the ICAC for years and nothing will happen...that's why you set up a 'secret ICAC'...We've been put through that crap time and again with the St Martins Child Abuse Cover-Up.
On 19/03/13 Cr Lee suddenly excused himself on 'Conflict of Interests' re an already rejected application for a Food Van, but I'm sure he has remained in the Chamber on other occasions when this was discussed, and Cr Mutton whose son owns Sorenttos Cafe stayed put...his behaviour alone on 'CoIs' is random and unprofessional.
I'm certain they both have stayed in the Chamber for many votes on Main Corner issues, eg, the December 2012 meeting in previous post.
Council spent more time (19/03/13) on 'removing native trees from Valley Lake' than any other issue, but that did include Cr Maher quite correctly arguing that not all Eucalypt species are limb-dropping killers and that semi-mature natives should replace those natives removed.
I believe that Council employed professional arborists to assess the trees, but those experts should be looking at the large trees literally right in Council's own front yard, the Cave Gardens.
Ten years ago I was helping set up a stall at the Cave Gardens prior to the Christmas Pageant, when a largish bow fell from the tree nearest the new Library, and landed right where someone was setting up their small ride-on train; if that bow had fallen an hour after the pageant rather than before, dozens of people would have been hit.
I formally urge Council to review those trees that I note are literally being held together by ropes and/or cables tied from one branch to another; I will write to Council today.
It is not disingenuous or irresponsible to suggest that Council has a very specific 'Duty of Care' with those trees and the people of Mt Gambier, because of the Rail Lands Retail Agenda (previous posts).
Instead of events being held at an open Rail Lands Parkland with appropriate permanent cover and suitable native shade trees, an amphitheatre, etc, Council's clearly definable attempts to 'force' the Main Corner onto people (and a lack of alternative) means Council is specifically directing people to be under those dangerous trees.
Has Council had those trees "assessed" by their professionals? Surely they must have, particularly after the limb-fall as above.
Are those trees still standing purely because of where they are?
Is Council knowingly putting people at risk? That is the 'Duty of Care'.
On 19/03/13 Council also approved a new $42,000 car for (Grant Humphries or Daryl Sexton...not sure)
instead of the $30,000 option...but that's just fine according to CEO Mark McShane because the cheaper car somehow 'de-values' twice as much as the expensive one...he's "researched it"...so thorough.
On a much more positive note Council unanimously passed/agreed on a 'Social Inclusion Charter' that should be available on their website or at their offices.
Whilst I genuinely and fully support any such initiative, I haved earned the right through my personal experience of Council, to suggest that Council needs to do more about issues like "Respect" and "Equity" than write it on a page.
Beyond that, I genuinely believe that there are those on Council who are beyond help, beyond ever really having "Respect", or treating the community with "Equity".
I do not believe that the Old Hospital, Rail Lands, New Swimming Pool, or Bus Shelter issues were discussed at all, other than reference to external Committees...guess I'll have to start going to those meetings as well.....
This Arvo: TFTIM former MLC Nick Xenophon
I genuinely appreciate the feedback I'm receiving 'off-blog' (and some of it is actually quite positive), and if there is something you see you know is wrong, or you have specific information to contribute, etc, please let me know.
Mt Gambier City Council meetings are a farcical 'Ground Hog Day' rubber-stamping of matters that are decided outside the Chamber; there have been at least two internal complaints about exactly this.
I view with grave concern that Council's Development Assessment Panel members are the same people involved in those complaints; and the appalling self-interest and gross nepotism of their decisions are there for all to see in the ugly, pointless, elitist Main Corner....annex...thingy...building...corner of an old aircraft hangar randomly slammed into the side of a beautiful, heritage-listed building...fiscal black-hole...etc.
There also appears to be a direct connection between how funding is approved for many other projects, eg, sports facility upgrades, and Councillor's connection with those clubs, organisations, etc.
Most extraordinary is the conduct of Councillor's when it comes to issues of 'Conflicts of Interests'.
This is covered in numerous previous posts.
For example; the massive Main Corner cost blow-outs that included a near million dollar Commercial Kitchen, creating a brand new function facility that Mayor Steve Perryman and Councillor Des Mutton's son Lachlan tendered for, and Mutton Jnr was subsequently given exclusive, free control of the entire facility and exclusive catering rights to the many functions that Council forces through there.
Millions of dollars of rate-payers money spent on an entirely un-neccesary function facility, then handed free of charge to a Councillor's son....
I know I've said it all before but it just doesn't get any less corrupt by just talking about it; and I apologise that I have not taken these issues to SAPol, the Ombudsman, etc, as promised, but I have no faith they'll move on any of it and/or it'll disappear into the 'Star Chamber' style secrecy of the ICAC for years and nothing will happen...that's why you set up a 'secret ICAC'...We've been put through that crap time and again with the St Martins Child Abuse Cover-Up.
On 19/03/13 Cr Lee suddenly excused himself on 'Conflict of Interests' re an already rejected application for a Food Van, but I'm sure he has remained in the Chamber on other occasions when this was discussed, and Cr Mutton whose son owns Sorenttos Cafe stayed put...his behaviour alone on 'CoIs' is random and unprofessional.
I'm certain they both have stayed in the Chamber for many votes on Main Corner issues, eg, the December 2012 meeting in previous post.
Council spent more time (19/03/13) on 'removing native trees from Valley Lake' than any other issue, but that did include Cr Maher quite correctly arguing that not all Eucalypt species are limb-dropping killers and that semi-mature natives should replace those natives removed.
I believe that Council employed professional arborists to assess the trees, but those experts should be looking at the large trees literally right in Council's own front yard, the Cave Gardens.
Ten years ago I was helping set up a stall at the Cave Gardens prior to the Christmas Pageant, when a largish bow fell from the tree nearest the new Library, and landed right where someone was setting up their small ride-on train; if that bow had fallen an hour after the pageant rather than before, dozens of people would have been hit.
I formally urge Council to review those trees that I note are literally being held together by ropes and/or cables tied from one branch to another; I will write to Council today.
It is not disingenuous or irresponsible to suggest that Council has a very specific 'Duty of Care' with those trees and the people of Mt Gambier, because of the Rail Lands Retail Agenda (previous posts).
Instead of events being held at an open Rail Lands Parkland with appropriate permanent cover and suitable native shade trees, an amphitheatre, etc, Council's clearly definable attempts to 'force' the Main Corner onto people (and a lack of alternative) means Council is specifically directing people to be under those dangerous trees.
Has Council had those trees "assessed" by their professionals? Surely they must have, particularly after the limb-fall as above.
Are those trees still standing purely because of where they are?
Is Council knowingly putting people at risk? That is the 'Duty of Care'.
On 19/03/13 Council also approved a new $42,000 car for (Grant Humphries or Daryl Sexton...not sure)
instead of the $30,000 option...but that's just fine according to CEO Mark McShane because the cheaper car somehow 'de-values' twice as much as the expensive one...he's "researched it"...so thorough.
On a much more positive note Council unanimously passed/agreed on a 'Social Inclusion Charter' that should be available on their website or at their offices.
Whilst I genuinely and fully support any such initiative, I haved earned the right through my personal experience of Council, to suggest that Council needs to do more about issues like "Respect" and "Equity" than write it on a page.
Beyond that, I genuinely believe that there are those on Council who are beyond help, beyond ever really having "Respect", or treating the community with "Equity".
I do not believe that the Old Hospital, Rail Lands, New Swimming Pool, or Bus Shelter issues were discussed at all, other than reference to external Committees...guess I'll have to start going to those meetings as well.....
This Arvo: TFTIM former MLC Nick Xenophon
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