Category: Opinion

The Power of the Editor

Opinions are abundant when it comes to the fate of the ICC depending on who you choose to give a ear but one thing is absolutely clear, ipswich needs and deserves better but I’m finding it difficult to accept the selective memory of some in regards to past history.

Up front I was one who felt the wrath of the punter when he people of ipswich rejected politics in council however one would be totally naive to believe politics stopped and has ever stopped since.

Looking at the track record of new blood in council it’s pretty clear the inner network worked well under the popularity of the former mayor right down to having the partnering electoral signage sites, advertising, of sitting members each feeding off the his popularity, so it was convenient to forget at times for the alleged independents until elected , then the old chestnuts reappear after. Look at me .. I’m independent!!

Choosing Public Life and service is a choice and a accountability not only to your electorate but to your entire Council and the real question is why things went unchallenged until the Red Pyjamas then it was shock, horror? Why were the uncomfortable questions not asked in council or complaints investigated?

The standard you choose to ignore is the standard you accept.

For the new inductees of the council my heart goes out as they walked in on a existing landmine of not of their making but and if the ccc investigation is still ongoing the state government cannot act if sub judiciary concerns apply.

In the eyes of many, dismiss or not, the old principle applies, you fly with the crows you will be shot as a crow.

The Fish Rots From the Head Down.

Where are we headed.?

We as a nation have accepted the genocide of people trying to escape persecution treating them as invaders, we see our aboriginals cultures slowly be decimated for non conformity, we allow our churches to protect and hide known pedophiles and when caught out protect them then do everything to stop full compensation while their hierarchy’s bath in gold.

America withdraws from The Human Rights Council as it caught doing what the Nazi did separating mothers from children as a punishment, as we watch Israel systematically crush a civilisation with the blessings of our gutless leaders too scared stand up for what they must know is wrong but choose to ignore it for political or monitory gain.

Who is asking the hard questions, who is putting the alternative point of view? Certainly not main stream media. Are They are lapdogs to the system and I wonder where is the journalistic ethics taught in their diplomas gone?

The standard you choose to ignore are the standards you accept.

Public opinion still has power but people need to be informed and that information is power and as we are witnessing the attack on the ABC for questioning government. Thats their job. All governments dislike scrutiny and attacking the ABC messenger is par for the course whoever is in power.

Please ask yourself now if this trend continues, what type of a society will we leave our grandkids.?

They went to war to save us what we are seeing and accepting now as the new normal, or is it just too hard?

I don’t accept the present standard, do you?

The fish rots from the head down.

Edited extensively in the QT.

Cyber Attack Self Inflicted.

It is now with monotonous regularity we are alerted that our security has or has the potential to be infringed.

At a cost of billions governments has set up new Departments, employed millions of staff and in fact created a total industry that obviously far off the pace of the hackers.

We always know why as the excuses are so repetitious but how is never actually revealed and not shocking that most of the alleged hackers are coming from countries with closed networks.

In our exuberance to open ourselves to privatisation we surrendered security of our communication system to the shareholder, and anyone that paraded as a communications employee was given instant access to our exchanges, pillars and cross connecting equipment. Even today no one challenges a unmarked ute or van parked outside a business , house or now fibre distribution point as most have been conditioned that’s its legitimate activity.

Those of us who were trained in communication security before privatisation predicted this viral trend and was duly redundant.

As the network now is more condensed yet more accessible to the would be perpetrators, security is now left to on site cyber walls owned and operated by commercial interests. Yep that’s safe, you must agree?

It’s up to governments, not commercial interests to protect our commercial and private data and subletting accountability is not acceptable, and every time you hear or see security breaches remember its self inflicted and think how good privatisation of our communication carriage has made Australia, and if it’s personally worth it.

Then in saying that if you’ve never had it you’ll never know, until it’s you that’s hacked.

Media Watch Highlights Ipswich Culture

This Article was Censored out of The Queensland Times

We all have our biases or perceived biases but in a world where truth is hard to find it important for people can go to a place where one can trust news for at least 90% of copy.

Mine is the ABC as was my parents and theirs possibly theirs as they were the only ones we could get outside cities.

Today the ABC is under attack and the debate is framed to so it must conform with government spin which the commercials outlets gladly produce as part of their owners wishes or be defined as left leaning, then blackmailed by funding cuts.

Locally ipswich people can’t thank 4 corners for exposing issues like or waste dumping debacle, and many others uncomfortable to all governments and councils.

Now with a issue close to my heart Media Watch has thrown a broader light on a subject closer to home our very own QT and past editorial standards.

I will not dwell or regurgitate past infringements of standards, but mud does stick to those who tried to expose truth and were dennergrated, professionally and privately in this city, and many rode on the coat tails of those actions for advantage and I now believe with this revelation and the future council decision pending its time for that new start whatever decision

Is handed down.

I have complete confidence with our present QT team from top down, and me like the ABC sometimes say things that are not conducive to my peers ears, or the critics, but this cities reputation is the pillar for its future and needs some urgent maintenance and I hope my funding is not cut.

Please see link Below.

http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s4849335.htm

Emotion Overrides Player Welfare.

The weight of winning on possible the worlds biggest stage outside the Olympic Games and the World Cup , those of us who watched the UEFA Final witnessed a series of incidents where a professional sportsman just had a bad night and a night that will be career defining in not only in his profession but within his ability to ever reach the mental capacity to regain enough confidence to even set foot back in his goal ever again..

For those who have or had any involvement in Football know the codes expectations, and rewards at the highest level and although it’s a team game each and every person from the kit washer to the goal scorer has a role to play if the club is to be successful., and the fans play a vital part in keeping that dream of success.

Sadly though on the final whistle the keeper was left alone by his teammates and club staff and only when the opposition Real Madrid’s staff attended him did the Liverpool’s staff finally arrive.

In a world where every players health and well-being is paramount this was a lesson of how emotions can override responsibility, that lesson that should ring around every single dressing shed and boardroom in the world at every level the game is played..

The glory of winning as a team is great but last for a short time, but the mark of a great team and club is how it looses together without recriminations.

Its Just Not Funny Mr. Cartoonist.

In a world where we the punters have to really access what is real news and what is fabrication it’s getting increasingly difficult to get a balanced view from the broadsheets as sadly they too are influenced by their billionaire owners agendas and personal beliefs.

I can honestly say this outlet’s team does a remarkable job most of the time delivering balanced news with the exception of the cartoonist.

My interpretation of what a cartoonist is is to bring into shuttle focus of local and international events encouraging thoughtful reflections with a dash of humour, a skill many of our great professionals of the art especially in Australia have entertained the populations nationally and internationally.

Sadly our scribes asphyxiation is and has been totalling focused on union bashing and portraying the association of workers and their right to join a union and have a say in how politicians perform, a association the other side of politics has with its core base big business and corporate entities and very rarely if nor ever highlighted.

Not one week has gone by where the CFMEU has been portrayed negatively sometimes multiple days and the sad thing is it’s just not though provoking or even funny. It’s plain properganda suitable for a Coalition News letter, not a paper who is trying to maintain and improve a circulation base.

In past letters I raised the inappropriateness of his views on women’s issues, hurtful to some but open to interpretation it may be claimed, but severely lacking in the core element of a cartoonist, humour.

Most politicians regard it as a honour to be the subject of a professional and displayed the skill be it complementary or not, bIn a world where we the punters have to really access what is real news and what is fabrication it’s getting increasingly difficult to get a balanced view from the broadsheets as sadly they too are influenced by their billionaire owners agendas and personal beliefs.

I can honestly say this outlet’s team does a remarkable job most of the time delivering balanced news with the exception of the cartoonist.

My interpretation of what a cartoonist is is to bring into shuttle focus of local and international events encouraging thoughtful reflections with a dash of humour, a skill many of our great professionals of the art especially in Australia have entertained the populations nationally and internationally.

Sadly our scribes asphyxiation is and has been totalling focused on union bashing and portraying the association of workers and their right to join a union and have a say in how politicians perform, a association the other side of politics has with its core base big business and corporate entities and very rarely if nor ever highlighted.

Not one week has gone by where the CFMEU has been portrayed negatively sometimes multiple days and the sad thing is it’s just not though provoking or even funny. It’s plain properganda suitable for a Coalition News letter, not a paper who is trying to maintain and improve a circulation base.

In past letters I raised the inappropriateness of his views on women’s issues, hurtful to some but open to interpretation it may be claimed, but severely lacking in the core element of a cartoonist, humour.

Most politicians regard it as a honour to be the subject of a professional and displayed the skill be it complementary or not, but I’m our man will never reach that level until he takes a much broader view of his subjects and moves away from portraying to us his lazy style of punching the same old punching bag

Israeli Victim Card Overstated and Overplayed.

Why is it every time we see troubles in the Middle East, Gaza in particular Israel is always reported as the victim?

I saw people waving a flag shot by snipers, people running away shot in the back, yet Israel was defending itself from protesters unarmed protesters. No Israeli casualties reported.

Yes, Palestine does retaliate as Israel continues to expand and its become more evident Israel is not part or just plays lip service to any two state solution and Trump has supported that ideology within his embassy shift.

Make no mistake the move of embassy secured funding for his Republican Party and Netanyahu knows money reins supreme, and action the rest of world would regard as terrorism can be bought off by the threat giving or withdrawing currency, media outlets included.

If in any other place this latest Trump/Netanyahu decision outcome would be described as a massacre, but media outlets chose to totally downplay the deaths and show the nationalistic images of celebrations of new beginnings.

Ironical isn’t it thats exactly what Hitler did as he expanded.

Ipswich’s Joke is Coming Down.

Like many watching the day by day shenanigans unfold with our Council one can’t help seeing the comparison of them and the Trump town. Shocking revelations, denials, secret deals, lies, and counter lies all resembling the history of the infamous “Joke” that was part of the culture among the Queensland politicians and public servants in the Bjelke Peterson era.

As it was then and now good people will be tarnished with the guilty but over time the truth will emerge as it did Fitzgerald inquiry .

Ipswich people needs root and branch inquiry to clear the decks and regain confidence as did Queensland and probably as do other councils, but my concern is our employees that know the culture, are probably afraid to come forward without that legal protection or preferred anonymity.

Reinstatement of the status quo will bury that opportunity for the honest or the ones feel unjustly treated to have their time in front of a independent entity to tell their story without bullying or intimidation because with the evidence already revealed that must have occurred by some officials.

And yes to get the record straight the media must take responsibility for its role as well as the Government for not taking Millers voice seriously being ridiculed, and demonised and reputation tarnished, by those elected members now wishing to divorce themselves from those currently under investigation. Her lone voice was was proven right in this case and a apology from both would be a indicative of how seriously they view current situation support a outcome in which Ipswich people can regain confidence and without that full shakedown Investigation occurring no elected official in this era will clear the stigma that started with the red silk pyjamas

Edited on Publishing .. QT.

Springfield Succession Question Needs to Be Asked.

I may be slightly paranoid but I’m getting the distinct signal that Springfield and its surrounding developing metropolis is making noises that indicate at the most opportune time it will succeed from the Ipswich City Council, and to be quite honest it has developed into a autonomous entity with hospitals universities ect.

My question to the council is have we any risk management plans in place if and when that separation occurs?

They have in the past threatened going to Brisbane as saw that demographic a higher end marketable opportunity but we’re assured at the time Ipswich would look after them. What deals were stuck by the former council is unknown but as we see massive developments being heralded while inner city and country residents have been waiting kerb channeling for 40 years and estates like mine still with the original hot mix laid by the developer in the 70’s.

Yes their will be revenue loss, and that is what Risk Management role is, but so is the spread of equatable expenditures to the ratepayers who like us get our bins picked up and that’s about it.

To be fair the new age conditions put on developers, basic service provision are part of the deal but for those who reside in older suburbs pre those agreements are falling behind which should be accounted for by the new developments springing up well inside the old Ipswich/ Moreton areas.

It goes without saying Springfield is a new age community with a distinct business and community ideologies built on its original concept of a satellite city but we now have a distinct divide between them and the rest of the Ipswich Council area and older areas need equal attention and that equality will not occur while the uncertainty of that succession hangs over all current ratepayers.

The first job for our new man is to sort that out pronto.

The Youth 16 Vote Comes with Conditions.

With the suggestion of the voting age being dropped to 16 I’m sure we will hear the arguments of maturity and political awareness be put to suit the whoever think they will profit or loose from its expansion.

Looking back in my life as a baby boomer I was a apprentice bat 15, a union member at the same age and yes with the education from my parents I was pretty well versed on both sides of the divide and it was up to me to decide and like many our kitchen table became great parliaments at times..

Fast forward to today how we have changed and I was part of the problem we have with todays youth.

Like all boomers we put our kids first when it come to our family priorities and Parents we secondary unlike the our parents who struggled through the war and depressions with nothing other than survival in mind. We had to share when we acquired, our parents were the most important for our survival and we knew that and respected it.

We thought we were doing the right thing changing the family priorities for the kids sake but we did them and our culture a terrible injustice. We lost that respect we gave to our parents over time and now we cry our kids have no respect, they know nothing about life, government,or they live in a technological bubble.

We boomers took our eye off the ball, handed them everything we never had, sparing our youth the experience of working and waiting, and in many cases handed over parenting to schools and our protective services.

So yes if we can use this voting age change as a catalyst to claw back self responsibility earlier, if we can encourage big picture dialogue and civic responsibility then it must be a debated, but we as the grown ups need to improve our parliamentary behaviour as that example again does nothing for the case of maturity by example.

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