I'm a pretty average, sitting on the fence-type person most days. I'm your stereotypical voter who decides on voting for the person wearing a lovely blue shirt in the photo I saw of them, generally. I admit to swinging a bit to the green side but that's only because I like to maintain the status quo and feel green is probably the best way to maintain this.
So - reading the Weekend Australian Magazine supplement from last weekend (May 12-13) shook me up a fair bit. I really haven't paid any heed to all this rhetoric about the old pulp mill.
My thoughts have been along the lines of "Out of sight, out of mind etc etc. It doesn't really affect me, so I don't need to know about it etc etc."
I have been unbelievably disgusted at the heavy-handed attitude of our elected government of the day, and the way they appear to steamroll over every damn thing that gets in their way, but I presume many others have felt that whilst still being as unconcerned about the mill as I?
So - to read the interviews with Daniel Alps (Strathlyn), Peter Whish-Wilson (Three Wishes Winery owner), Kim Seagram (Stillwater), Mark & Marion Semmens (Marions Vineyard) and Judy & Chris Beanlands (Vintner's Rest Winery) all with their varying degrees of unemotional but very factual concerns about the mill and how it will affect their businesses was a huge eye-opener.
For instance, I hadn't either known about or realised that vines have a tendancy to soak up compounds in the air and soil, including odours such as eucalyptus. Hence, just the idea of the potential emissions from this mill are of immense concern to these people.
Many have simply put their businesses on the market. The Semmens' are off to New Zealand. This is the Tamar Valley Wine Route we're talking about here. This would be the northern equivalent of Lennon deciding to pop it down at Electrona. God! What a disaster that would be to all of us.
No wonder this issue has divided families!
So - I'm really sorry, Northern Tassie, for not paying attention, or giving your dilemma due concern and respect.
I am now off the fence and definitely AGAINST the mill.
Thursday, 17 May 2007
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20 comments:
Yes Rita, we're with you also.
Those people were very brave to go public with their views.
We can only hope that the list doesn't now become the 'Gunns 20 + 7' for their actions.
We too have felt a little too 'insulated' from this but have begun to address the balance now.
Yes - wasn't that the scariest part of that article - the fact that Gunns control so many aspects of life up there that they can withdraw enough money and support from a company that openly expresses their concerns as to finish off that business?
Talk about Big Brother! The TV program has nothing on our Gunns!
I am ashamed. Usually totally pro development and private enterprise, but this government and Gunns make me sick.
Like Federal and Ken Hoskins, I wish they would just bloody piss off...
PS
New Zealand have got it right. They absolutely recognise that premium products can and do work in "small" environments; shame we can't feel the same about ourselves..
My family owned the land opposite the proposed site (Now Chartley Estate Vineyard). I cringe as I spent most of my youth on both sides of the Tamar Valley. When will this dictatorial rule (mainly Gunns and Federal) stop. Does our Government have any scrupples?
Biased? Yes.
Frightened? Definately.
Tasmanians have become far too complacent on this issue. It not only affects us but at least the next five generations, if we can even get that far.
Maybe a class action from concerned and educated Tasmanians against Gunns and the Lennon dictatorship is our only solution.
Yes, I don't think any mill would make ordinary Tasmanians MILL-ionaires. Even if it did, is it worth it?
Sir Grumpy.
What mill debate. It has been proclaimed! From on High.
What you talking 'bout anon 5.39?
I mean I don't think we are getting a say.
Yeah - you're probably very right. That's democracy for you.
And it's the last time I vote Labor (no matter what colour shirt they are wearing!)
I won't vote for this so-called Tassie Labour mob either. I will go ALP nationally.
I can't wait for a state ALP hopeful to lob on my doorstep. the message will be, sorry mate we are Labor voters, the party's over. (So piss off).
Yeh - you're on the knocker there anon. It'll have to be ALP nationally for me too, thus leaving no options at next state election. Liberal is a no-go, Labor are bullying a-holes, so that leaves greens or an invalid vote.
What a dilemma!
Yes and there are two ways of pronouncing invalid.
The second is what we are, virtually wheelchair-bound in our hopes of finding an ALP candidate who will do our bidding instead of using his vote as a mandate to do what the hell he or she wants.
And don't dare cross the floor. Conscience vote, fat chance.
Its Green locally for me by default. Many might go informal. Libs, no chance! They'd be worse....HELP.
Of course you will all recognise me as a blue ribbon lib, BUT on all the occasions I have voted for the [[ahem]] workers party, it has been when there has been a lib govt in the other house. I think the frisson between a State govt of one colour versus the fed govt of a different colour is much needed. State and Fed govt of same persuasions actually mean more only in the first year of any term; after that, much better to be in the pork barrel. Sad in terms of any long-term strategic governance, but so [[langauge warning]] fucking true.
Who ate all the pies?
Like many things in life, Kitty, I hadn't thought about your political leanings but it's interesting to learn about the way you vote. (I'm serious with that, not sarcastic, by the way).
I've never been able to come to terms with politics. I have only observed one person (in politics) in whom I had any confidence and that was Norm Sanders. He seemed like the genuine article, and the fact that he was always accessible and in-your-face with his stall at Salamanca Market every Sat proved to me that he was the most in-touch of all. I don't even remember if he was fed or state, that's how little the politics mattered to me.
Anyway - he'd know how to deal with Paul Lennon that's for sure!
And who DID eat all the pies?
My initial reaction to your Pulp Mill blog was pure joy as it seemed to provide more evidence to justify my hatred of Gunns and the Lennon Labor Government (I should mention that the missus and I have been staunch labor voters all our lives).
However, something didn't seem quite right as I was aware that Gunns has made a very big investment in vineyards in the Tamar Valley through their Tamar Ridge vineyard and winery.
I have made some enquiries and my information is that the Tamar Ridge vineyards will be closer to the Pulp Mill than any of the vineyards mentioned in your blog. Also, the management at Tamar Ridge is confident that the Pulp Mill will have no adverse effect on their vineyards. And finally the Marions Vineyard has been on the market for some time and the reasons for the sale have nothing to do with the Pulp Mill.
I would like nothing better than for another commenter to prove me wrong (come on Sir Grumpy) but in the interests of balance I felt I should pass on this information
I'm unable to argue with you Pedro. I rarely get past North Hobart these days.
In fact, Liverpool St is usually my furthest venture northward.
I prefer the balmy (not barmy) southern playgrounds.
Mind you Pedro, do you know Sol Trujillo?
You might have shared a bowl of nachos with him at some stage, perhaps.
Gringo Grumpy
Hi Pedro - re your comment, I'm sorry but I have to confess to not being able to refute or comment on it as I just don't know enough about it. The reason I wrote the post in the first place was my surprise after reading the Weekend Australian article, seeing the food-related issues generated by the debate. I hadn't thought about it in those terms before. Only vaguely heard all the news items re the mill itself and the positioning, the Gunns debates, the Warwick Raverty debates etc.
No one had ever written or spoken about it in these terms before - not that I'd seen anyway.
So - like Sir Grumpy, I'll have to bow out of that particular discussion. I know if I was Gobbler,I'd have a ready response but I don't! Sorry.
But - I DID see tonight on the news the Lobster fishermen getting together with their huge concerns about the possible effect of the mill on their industry.
They've got a point - it'll be too late after damage has been found to have been done. Their clean image will be blown.
Pedro - are you really that niave that Messers Pirie and Co. down at ol' Tamar Ridge are going to rubbish their own company. Privately I am sure they have serious concerns and misgivings, but with a back up plan (the huge Freycinet vineyard development)I am sure they won't miss the Kayena site. Anyway I'm sure if they spoke up the would be internally sued.
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