Tag: ipswich

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.

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

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

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.

Tunnel Overprice Pressures Taxpayers Old Network

When Tunnel Trend engulfed the Brisbane and Ipswich population with the promise of easing congestion and in key areas I was keen to use the facilities whenever I crossed the into the big smoke as it did save time and pricing compared with fuel usage in gridlock was balanced and at times cheaper.Now days the maths to use the tunnels does not add up. It costs the motorist about 3-4 litres of fuel pending on prices to use the facility one way which averages about 30-40 kilometres for the modern car so it’s no wonder the tunnels are under utilised by the average driver. 

Maybe it’s their business plan to attract heavier Class 3 trucks but my experience tells me that they too are back to the conventional routes across the river.

In Class 2 normal cars and Utes the $10 plus fee return buys a lot of fuel and will do nothing to ease congestion, the reason for the tunnels initially, and I appreciate costs have to be recovered but we are not Europe, nor lazy, and while prices outweigh practically it will be long time before any yield on investment. Meanwhile the taxpayers are funding the old existing road network that is carrying the weight of privateers mismanagement again. 

Voter Ignorance stymies Democracy. 

Democracy is tough and gauging the limits of ignorance of the electorate was clearly demonstrated when that punter was shattered when they could not vote for a person that was not on the voting form and didn’t care or know the structure of the party they were so passionate to support. As the count continues that ignorance is highlighted across all electorates as the informal vote in the 3 seats contested in Ipswich is over 4301 (no it’s not a post code) but it’s people who for one reason or another distance themselves from the responsibility that people have given their lives for and others that are dying to have the right. 

You can be sure those who copped out are the same who whinge that politicians are useless, the same, and the countries going backwards or just blame Joanne Miller. 

The fact is that informal vote can change governments, a state or nations direction, employment and health outcomes and it’s a wonder as most of us were surprised that last Friday was Black Friday that no one contacted the QT and complained Trump was not on the voting slip.   

Investment in Our Youth will Deliver. 

Ipswich has prided itself since inception on its Football prowess and has dealt with its opposition by delivering good hard but fair style of play. I know because I felt the fairness quite often playing against the likes of St. Helens, Coalstars, Blackstone, and Bushrats after the match and the next couple of days. 

With that said, and recent results from the Western Pride the game is in a very good place and with the plans to involve satellite clubs in coaching and managing programs can only take Ipswich Football to a level where a A League franchise is beyond a dream. 

This needs to happen sooner than later or some serious thought will need to happen as our Queensland representative in the A League has taken the dads army approach to its playing staff, a strategy designed for survival more than progression. 

In a game where careers depend on skill, dedication, and opportunity its vitally important to have a sound base and culture for developing our talent and retaining that talent here in Ipswich.

A specifically built Sporting Academy in Ipswich involving not only Football but multi sports should be a vision supported in a catchment from Ipswich west to Toowoomba and beyond giving young talent the benefit of leading edge knowledge and facilities to practice,refine and produce. 

This concept should be supported by all facets to government which would provide employment and associated business opportunities as well as providing a sporting hub. 

We have the talent but its spread, but unfortunately the scouts often look in the mainstream established facilities letting the undiscovered fade into broken dreams because of where they live.

Mayoral Qualifications Please..

With Mayoral nominations opening in August it’s a good time for us punters to think about what we really want out of our Mayor, what issues we really need as ratepayers, and what we don’t want as well. My personal concern is speculative developments in retail and land development. Just look around our city and towns and we will find land parcels cleared of either vegetation or structures laying idle for years after great hullabaloos of Safety helmeted ,silver shovel, fluro safety jacketed media stunts.

Then we have this fixation that the more retail outlets selling the same stuff is somehow good for competition. That’s fine if they are all on the same playing field, but that’s fantasy. The bigger conglomerate the more council concessions/incentive as the smaller mum and dad shows hit the wall resulting in more vacant premises. 

I agree forward planning is imperative to running any business being council or private abut the risk management facets is where this council comes up short very short, so my I’m looking for a Mayor that can run a business, run council as a business, as well as a demonstrated skill of managing the gap between timely service provision and population growth realising that critical factor in managing not only council cash flow but extends to the cashflow of accompanying businesses as well. 

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