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Lock us out-that's the lastest idea. Will it work? The popularity of lockout has increased in Australia just as the USA ,sick of huge destructive burnouts in Wild West Parks have legislated to allow more management and use of their old lockout areas. They say, if we want to protect biodiversity across the board, we have to be to be more actively involved. The big biodiversity issues in SW Victoria are still outside the public land, so is the boundary still too small- the vision too limited? . S
Sunday, August 05, 2007
Imagine the buses running between the people in this photo. It happens ! The Great Ocean Road and its traffic is not seen on this photo taken recently . But it will be seen shortly . Fun on the beach is what is increasingly missing from the big picture . The environment increasingly comes in as an afterthought....... or a misguided missile?
Thursday, June 16, 2005
I was surprised that our Premier let the activists do all the talking in the newsreports .Doesn't he know what he is doing ?
Political decisions denigrate rural communities.
Creation of the enlarged Otways National Park and ‘Forest park’ in the form proposed by the Bracks government epitomises two Australian colloquialisms. They are: “Bulldust beats brains”, and “Using brute strength and stupidity”.
The bulldust is coming from the rhetoric of the green movement via the compliant Victorian Environmental Assessment Council (VEAC). (Governments never hold an enquiry or investigation unless they can control the result). The brains (proven scientific information) that expose the bulldust are ignored.
The brute strength and stupidity is coming from our state government who are making their decision on purely political grounds while dressing them up as “responsible environmentally based land use decisions”. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Take a couple of examples of the VEAC logic being used.
• Claim: The undisturbed parks will protect the rare and threatened plants and animals in the Otways. This is a strange recommendation, considering most of the rare and threatened species listed in the VEAC report, rely on periodic disturbance of vegetation to survive. It is a stupid idea based on green rhetoric instead of reality.
• Claim: Making the Jancourt Forest a Nature Conservation Reserve will provide the area with better environmental protection. It is a so much better example of the original vegetation than the adjoining Carpendeit Flora and Fauna Reserve.
This again is a strange recommendation, because the Jancourt Forest is one of the most intensively managed forests in the state (while supplying sawlogs, firewood, and lateritic gravel) for over a century. The Carpendeit Flora and Fauna Reserve has received typical ‘Park’ management (leave it alone and it will manage itself) over the same period. This self-management has obviously not worked. How could VEAC rationalise this decision?
I could go on ad infinitum, but what is the use, when the urban centric blow in greens and governments think they know everything about the country, and could not give a continental for the genuine rural community
From A local flora expert whose had enough experience to KNOW what he is talking about .
Creation of the enlarged Otways National Park and ‘Forest park’ in the form proposed by the Bracks government epitomises two Australian colloquialisms. They are: “Bulldust beats brains”, and “Using brute strength and stupidity”.
The bulldust is coming from the rhetoric of the green movement via the compliant Victorian Environmental Assessment Council (VEAC). (Governments never hold an enquiry or investigation unless they can control the result). The brains (proven scientific information) that expose the bulldust are ignored.
The brute strength and stupidity is coming from our state government who are making their decision on purely political grounds while dressing them up as “responsible environmentally based land use decisions”. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Take a couple of examples of the VEAC logic being used.
• Claim: The undisturbed parks will protect the rare and threatened plants and animals in the Otways. This is a strange recommendation, considering most of the rare and threatened species listed in the VEAC report, rely on periodic disturbance of vegetation to survive. It is a stupid idea based on green rhetoric instead of reality.
• Claim: Making the Jancourt Forest a Nature Conservation Reserve will provide the area with better environmental protection. It is a so much better example of the original vegetation than the adjoining Carpendeit Flora and Fauna Reserve.
This again is a strange recommendation, because the Jancourt Forest is one of the most intensively managed forests in the state (while supplying sawlogs, firewood, and lateritic gravel) for over a century. The Carpendeit Flora and Fauna Reserve has received typical ‘Park’ management (leave it alone and it will manage itself) over the same period. This self-management has obviously not worked. How could VEAC rationalise this decision?
I could go on ad infinitum, but what is the use, when the urban centric blow in greens and governments think they know everything about the country, and could not give a continental for the genuine rural community
From A local flora expert whose had enough experience to KNOW what he is talking about .
Friday, June 10, 2005
Hardly anyone came to look , to explore; so we know this decision is not really about sustainability . What is it about? . Now its your turn - we have done our bit.
Try and save whats still left of public resources so your grandchildren can again prove that timber harvesting, honey production ,grazing and cropping USE doesn't have to be labelled 'unsustainable' by the nimbys.
Flannery knows that putting a lock on the door is not the only way to maintain biodiversity ----and in time all will see this simpleton's decision for the shallow and quick fix that it is .
Try and save whats still left of public resources so your grandchildren can again prove that timber harvesting, honey production ,grazing and cropping USE doesn't have to be labelled 'unsustainable' by the nimbys.
Flannery knows that putting a lock on the door is not the only way to maintain biodiversity ----and in time all will see this simpleton's decision for the shallow and quick fix that it is .
Sunday, November 07, 2004
Bob Brown knows best - who needs State polys when their policies are mirror images of moving targets - the worlds most predictable recipe for unsustainable governments .
The biggest issue in australain politics before the Federal Election was supposed to be "old growth forests ". Not so after the election . Finally the press are taking the real experts and the moderates seriously and recognising that the greens don't know what they are doing . Following the greens around is an exercise in frustration for practical politicians . Will the victorian State goverenmnet learn the lesson before they lock up western Victoria or will they fall into line on the meery go round risking their future and credibility in the longer term.
The biggest issue in australain politics before the Federal Election was supposed to be "old growth forests ". Not so after the election . Finally the press are taking the real experts and the moderates seriously and recognising that the greens don't know what they are doing . Following the greens around is an exercise in frustration for practical politicians . Will the victorian State goverenmnet learn the lesson before they lock up western Victoria or will they fall into line on the meery go round risking their future and credibility in the longer term.
Monday, May 24, 2004
Good polys,while they may not always agree with them, will usually listen to experts, especially experienced local ones. VEAC, for example would be full of experienced scientific and practical experts able to speak honestly and widely without the constraints of tight terms of reference, wouldn't they? they would be able to say ( we haven't seen it yet) that if you lock up the southern fall , you will lock up some of the best tall timber growing country in the State - why we don't expect a reason to be published -though it MUST BE in the interests of VEAC 's and LCC 's integrity.
When the likes of highly experienced researchers like Attwell, Hodgson and Packam have to take the trouble in their retirement to visit NE locals to remind them they are on the right track about things as diverse as biodiversity to their recentburnem out bush fires (to yet another "lock it up" chant )- you wouldn't think any self respecting Victorian Labour person could ALLOW yet another piece of half baked legislation and bite another bit off the Otways being pushed through in the same month on the same subject . Labor members will of course ..know what they said and... if they do.. trust someone else?
This Vic Labour majority will surely be remembered in history - Not only for the number of bills , but their very poor quality . After all there approach is the old death of a thousand cuts used by al governments willing to please the fanatics. For its complacency, cyniscm and the huge range of half baked bills it excitedly pushed through in the name of the best intention ( read that hero B Shaw 's book on the subject -you still need to ) .
When the likes of highly experienced researchers like Attwell, Hodgson and Packam have to take the trouble in their retirement to visit NE locals to remind them they are on the right track about things as diverse as biodiversity to their recentburnem out bush fires (to yet another "lock it up" chant )- you wouldn't think any self respecting Victorian Labour person could ALLOW yet another piece of half baked legislation and bite another bit off the Otways being pushed through in the same month on the same subject . Labor members will of course ..know what they said and... if they do.. trust someone else?
This Vic Labour majority will surely be remembered in history - Not only for the number of bills , but their very poor quality . After all there approach is the old death of a thousand cuts used by al governments willing to please the fanatics. For its complacency, cyniscm and the huge range of half baked bills it excitedly pushed through in the name of the best intention ( read that hero B Shaw 's book on the subject -you still need to ) .
Thursday, May 13, 2004
What communities need in the face of doom and gloom is the voice of objective reason.
But no, faith and idealism is the key to good decisionmaking.
The Victorian Government are happy to bind up their scientists with ropes ( VEACC Otways brief) and make them party to an offering to the gods . Sacrifice some of the Otways- not in our backyard and ,why worry , we don't feel the loss?
In doing so, they will sacrifice some of the best timber growing country in the State . A needless burnt offering they will no doubt be remembered for - one day !
But will the new gods be satisfied? Maybe not until will all eat possums and live in bark huts ( although technically that's a timber product) Can anyone with any sense afford to play with fire in this way!
But no, faith and idealism is the key to good decisionmaking.
The Victorian Government are happy to bind up their scientists with ropes ( VEACC Otways brief) and make them party to an offering to the gods . Sacrifice some of the Otways- not in our backyard and ,why worry , we don't feel the loss?
In doing so, they will sacrifice some of the best timber growing country in the State . A needless burnt offering they will no doubt be remembered for - one day !
But will the new gods be satisfied? Maybe not until will all eat possums and live in bark huts ( although technically that's a timber product) Can anyone with any sense afford to play with fire in this way!
Thursday, May 06, 2004
Many of the very popular conservation targets of today( eg closing down timber harvestingin the
Otways ), will, like the misdirected targets of highly reactionary politicsof the 60's (eg land rights
for the poor in the 60's), will not be seen as successes in 20 years time , not because of lack of
will or good intent , but because the ACTION , if not the imperative, is faulty .
Labours willingness to ACT too quickly to popular sentiment on the environment in regard to regional
ACTION issues like the Otways , will in history, be seen as another nimby diversion and wasted
effort. The city imposes its ignorant quick fix will on the country - Doing the popular thing, but
not the right and reasonable thing - great story to add to labours darker days in the new
milleneum ? If one injustice is done to anyone in Victorian regional areas ( and we say , how many!), we all suffer, however many
silver coins are offered
Otways ), will, like the misdirected targets of highly reactionary politicsof the 60's (eg land rights
for the poor in the 60's), will not be seen as successes in 20 years time , not because of lack of
will or good intent , but because the ACTION , if not the imperative, is faulty .
Labours willingness to ACT too quickly to popular sentiment on the environment in regard to regional
ACTION issues like the Otways , will in history, be seen as another nimby diversion and wasted
effort. The city imposes its ignorant quick fix will on the country - Doing the popular thing, but
not the right and reasonable thing - great story to add to labours darker days in the new
milleneum ? If one injustice is done to anyone in Victorian regional areas ( and we say , how many!), we all suffer, however many
silver coins are offered
