Tag: ipswich

Murdock Butchers our Local Newspapers

For those who are not so News aware the Murdock Press has made the decision to cease all hard copy news papers to the regional and country areas across Australia and go digital.

This action in effect sends the little and older generations into news darkness as many have no IT or basic computer knowledge.

This may have been self inflicted by some granted as they refused to grow with the times and others unable to grow due to educational limits.

With all that’s said, the facts are people will loose the fabric that binds smaller communities together, a lifestyle that is incomprehensible to the self centred generations living their little boxes with make believe acquaintances online, many unable to communicate face or face let alone read and comprehend a news article.

A bit savage you may think? Yes but truthful and if you need proof, spend a hour or two on a polling booth and see humanity in its raw form doing something that should effect their lives and their family’s.

You will be amazed at the ignorance not only of the political systems but of general manners expected of a human being.

That said as true to form as you can get from Murdock the said they’d keep regional and small papers on takeover from APN and they lied, nothing new again from these bottom feeders of toxic text, and they will expect you to buy the Courier Mail if you want a hands on paper which in fact is nothing more than a LNP newsletter as I have stated many times and subedited out or simply consigned to the junk mail.

Truth and Murdock should never be put in the same sentence, as you now know from their actions.

In my case my editorial days may be limited as many times before my View does not sit with the owners ideology and I have been extremely lucky to have a editor who still feels balanced reporting is a key factor in a democracy, but like the QT she too is moving and many of the contributors may join me in the junk mail due to our views clashing with the owners ideology also.

That’s life but it does not help those who have been thrown into darkness, those businesses who’s adds were accessible freely will not have a presence of picking up a paper, the sporting body who wants any press to help them survive, the cocky who wants the cattle prices, the auctioneer, the church, the garage sale, and you can go on all gone to the iPad or smart phone of the fortunate.

To be honest I’m looking at community radio as a service, not a competitive entity but NFP (non for profit) organisation and any other media stream APP to try and compensate the losses, and any ideas please fill in at the bottom of this blog. Also Periscope the live App has been mentioned.

And I cannot close without mentioning the silence of the Hanson’s, the Katters, the Nationals all supposed to represent country people but obviously terrified to upset their puppet master Murdock, their absolute silence says why we as a nation need to govern ourselves for ourselves not run the agenda of a non tax paying overseas jerk , but not one of the conservatives have the guts to call him out. Political Harlots. All looking for that headline from Rupert.

Self Monuments are Inappropriate

It’s refreshing to see our Mayor and new councillors reviewing the policy and habit of past councillors erecting monuments to themselves.

To be clear and contrary to many beliefs they are public servants and they work for is ratepayers, we are the boss, an pay them to perform, and before the tribal followers of past servants erupt I would encourage them to look up Ipswich City Council Conduct Register and they may discover some furphies they’ve swallowed we’re not fact.

The commission chose not to peruse complaints if the councillor indicated or swore they would not seek re-election as I imagine a cost saving decision for the ratepayers legality and labour, certainly not a get out of jail free card as portrayed by some.

As I have stated it’s sad to that all past councillors were swept up in the sterilising process of the CCC as some were new and naive to the “Culture” but that ignorance should never happen again as long as full Corporate Governance is applied and monitored independently.

Wayne Offer

Mr. Bean Masterstrokes

Why is it that whenever you think we as a nation are getting some sort of consensus some see it advantages to seek to divide?

Its beyond my recall when our states and federal governments has put politics aside yet we have examples of late where the true characters of some who need conflict to elevate their flailing or failed profiles.

I will not back away from the fact our State Government has undergone surgery and reshuffles and resignations have taken place locally as is done by all of Political parties in their tenure as government and we were reminded when a former State Member and now Somerset councillor rose from his Ipswich hideaway to weight in on fractional pranks, a game he played and lost in his one term debacle under Cambell Newman.

Then we have Mr Christensen the self appointed Foreign Minister who when he is in the country declares takes aim at our biggest export nation China without thinking things like international diplomacy protocols exist and the fallout of that ignorance. Totally out of his pay grade, and intellectual capacity.

Then we have Mr Dutton, the cruise ship king lecturing a treasurer on the quantitive steps to keep Queenslanders employed and Tourists industries fluid, and outback air service retained after himself failing to count his own caucus to see if he had the numbers to challenge for PM, a Mr. Bean masterstroke.

If we are to build back faith in our political processes and democracy we could start by sticking to your appointed day job, serving your constitiuents well and not grandstanding.

Wayne Offer

Our Working Poor Does not Fit Scotty From Marketing’s Model.

It’s rude to eves drop. It’s probably unethical to write about it but this is a story that needs to be told.

While shopping in a major chain complex i inadvertently overheard two employees discussing if one had received a email from management re a issue. A negative reply then the conversation expanded into why the email was generated as one employee dared to question a manager.

The end result was that employee lost hours, and then the fear of that happening to them fully revealed how we allowed our people be manipulated as throw away human beings.

When loosing one hour is the difference of having a roof or on the streets for a family it becomes inconceivable to some who live in the land what we regard normal Australians.

These people are the working poor and in some cases destitute. They have pride and often present well clothed from charitable outlets or in uniforms and the only thing they have to trade is their labour and when your that low in the labour chain you are expendable and the ruthless employers prey on that vulnerability.

My initial thoughts was seek union advice but this contract society has taken away that safety net, and keep in mind millions of these are officially employed although they may only have 4 hours or less and do not appear on national un employment data, and then we wonder why our crime rate continues to rise as people struggle between New Start and manipulating employers of survive but when it gets down to feeding your kids or loved ones people resort to desperate measures, filling our courts and costing the community billions in enforcement.

Scotty from Marketing’s “have a go get a go” slogan does not apply to this level as his rejection of New Start increase is rejected and big business gets tax breaks about sums up the care factor to raise the living standards of all Australians not just the Silent Ones.

Wayne Offer

Pathetic Planning destroyed Ipswich Retail

When the shoe is on the other foot how quick do we forget the sins of the past.

After seen a once thriving business sector turned into a ghost town by diabolical decisions of incompetence beyond comprehension, I cringe in agony the bleating of the Riverstink owners in regard to the city revamp.

How this company got the go ahead to build where it is on a flood plain, destroy historic heritage still I feel needs to be investigated and the damage those decisions made to existing retailers, many long standing icons of Ipswich business history is clear evidence of why administrators and planners should make valued judgments based on data not councillors.

We saw a thriving city of three major retail outlets with the centre being ipswich city hub fully leased by retailers from the top of town to Queens Park be destroyed in one foul swoop by a stroke of genius equaling that of Frank Spencer.

Then let’s not forget how Riverlink was not to open until the footbridge was completed. Another deal done to accomodate a Developer at the detriment of existing retailers in the mall, and let’s also not forget the effect it had on retail traffic to other lease holders in other centres who saw traffic counts crash as rents went up.

Don’t get me wrong here I bleed for those mum and dad retailers who are paying exorbitant rents trying to make ends meet in a city of ever decreasing disposable income and I sincerely hope when the new centre opens rents will make it more than competitive to entice those type of businesses away from the conglomerates who fleece the small businesses and reward the multi national tenants rent wise.

Grandchildren Taking Up the Baton.

While driving down the ipswich motorway listening to the radio with my son at my side on came the news about the protesters and the disruption they were causing.

Both agreed about the importance of the fact of being allowed to protest but the method and the timing became the debate.

Recalling my youth in the 60’s and 70’s we too caused disruptions while protesting with issues such as work conditions, moratoriums on wars, nuclear armaments, Tasmanian Wildernesses, and many others but the world kept turning and our protests did impact.

Then we both realised the next generation, my sons, went relatively free with possibly the Rights at Work campaign kicking in when all those conditions fought for in my time came under threat.

Today we are seeing the grandchildren era taking up the fight with a cause holding more gravity as we saw in the 60’s and 70’s but this time it’s not nationally it’s internationally..

For those who didn’t fight, and looked on with distain took the conditions and the benefits anyway as it flowed on though the system, and it was only when those conditions come under threat they shifted alliance and dismissed the government.

That time in history is repeating when the youth is taking control because we the keepers of all knowledge have succeeded technologically, and value adding personal life style achievements not thinking too much about if out kids will have the same opportunity by taking earth for granted.

In reality our grandkids are doing exactly what we did only this time it’s not living standards it’s Life on Our earth standards.

That Rat is Smelling Stronger for the LNP.

Another media scramble, more accusations on political donations, and all we can hear is the sound of cash registers of the legal profession as loud as the F16 over West Ippy.

Like it or not the CCC in Queensland are doing a job of public transparency and shaking the trees of our elected or public appointees if they smell a rat, and rightly so, therefore I am completely astounded why this Federal Government is so dead against a Federal ICAC while the rest of Parliament see it as common sense..

Not often do you witness a political party under scrutiny itself call for greater powers to weed out corruption, fraud, or other offences at the highest level which begs the question of why this Federal Government wants to block it.

It fought doggedly against the Bank Enquiry, the investigation into Child Abuse in the Churches and other monumental cases all of which proved wrongdoing at the highest level and still would have been thriving if let be.

Yes that rat is smelling more and more the longer this government tries to delay its being and like all the other instances the chook will come home to roost.

Class War is exactly What it is.

It’s pretty clear the present federal government is in a position it never thought it would be and all its past would be forgotten and would have been quite happy to be in opposition watching Labor cope with a crumbling economy on the verge of recession, retail and wage stagnation accompanied by increased poverty and working poor and don’t start me on health.

All of the above in their eyes is acceptable as long as that phantom surplus is announced with the one and only policy of the ends justifying the means.

In ipswich alone we have destitute people living out of charity food trucks and barns feeding families and many not on the streets yet but just surviving in any accomodation they can.

This government has to think if giving a person food and a shower to get them off New Start will impact on their mantra of achievement. What a mantra to carry, watching its own people starve and die in squalor, yet having the power and resources help but choosing to give cash to people who are quite comfortable.

It seems to be a crime not only here in Australia but in America too to have a social conscience or empathy with the fear of being branded a socialist yet it is politically and socially acceptable to give money and incentives and hand outs to high end tax evaders who can afford to manipulate the system, call them astute, while we see wage theft becoming a minor inconvenience when caught and not a civil crime.

If the politicians have difficulty or fear backlashes by calling it Class War then so be it but I will call as I see it.

Keeping Council Under Watch

First rule of the change process is to inform the people involved what is the new direction intended and listen to the usually negative arguments as they usually highlight underlying often personal reasons of why change cannot be achieved. The council debate has achieved in that trumps.

For too long ipswich has been culturally divided by areas and demographics and it’s time we matured into a city of one direction where transparency of the our ratepayers rates distribution should be seen as fair and calculated.

The days of “look at me what I have done in my patch” mentality was highlighted when none of the old councillors allegedly knew what was going on across the entire council and run to their bunkers when the hammer fell. That’s pathetic corporate governance, and undeniable.

As stated by the administrator the new elected councillors will have to have broader skills and adaptability, and as a resident I too have to adjust. From a place where our one streetlight was a cause for a party to a place where our population is increasing that much the infrastructure cannot cope, the days of town and country reluctantly but factually are over. The city expansion and all its ugly traits are here and we not only need good councillors on the ground we need good competent administrators to provide ongoing advice and support across the entire spectrum of our local council areas.

Like it or not, local governments are not stand alone entities and are arms of state governments and when the dust has settled we will still need the oversight of statutory authorities like the CCC and the press freedom and vigilance to ensure we never revert to our previous state of disfunctuallity. .

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