Please reply, Mr Whiteley

Kim Taylor

I have written to Mr Whiteley, along with numerous MPs, Senators local and state government representatives on the issue of substandard road works being approved by Local Councils, especially in relation to the Waratah/Wynyard Council. I have also informed him that the developer in question is conducting these road works himself. This is despite the developer’s permit stating that the developer was to engage an appropriately qualified contractor with personnel suitably trained in the placement and erection of road works signage. To date I have had no response to the issues raised and it will be interesting to see if Mr Whiteley responds with action on this issue or like the rest of all government appointees, ignores it or makes an excuse for such.

As a follow up to my last post ( Road toll and Wynyard Council )

I would like to address the following media release, Dated: Friday, 12 January 2007, Authored by Brett Whiteley MHA on the subject of,

“TASMANIAN DEATH STATISTICS CAUSE FOR ALARM” (http://www.tas.liberal.org.au/default.cfm?action=news_detail&ID=6447)

As well as continuing the topic of Tasmania’s road toll and the approval by Local Government of substandard road construction.

I would also like to raise points in favour of Local Council Amalgamation.

Mr Brett Whiteley MHA makes the opening statement in the link above, “People are far more likely to die in Tasmania from road trauma, fire, suicide, falls, and unintentional poisoning than in any other State. The findings of a new Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) Report, published today, are very alarming and demand a thorough investigation by the Lennon Labor Government”.

He also goes on to say, “It is unbelievable Tasmanians are so much more likely to die from injuries, and other causes, than they would in other states,”– ” Tasmania’s rate of deaths arising from transport-related injuries in 2003/04 was 13 per 100,000 people, or 50% higher than the national average”,– ” Tasmania’s rate of all motor vehicle traffic deaths was 10.4 per 100,000 people” and “If the government doesn’t know why Tasmania has recorded such a grim result, it needs to find out and explain what it intends to do to reduce such appalling statistics.”

I have written to Mr Whiteley, along with numerous MPs, Senators local and state government representatives on the issue of substandard road works being approved by Local Councils, especially in relation to the Waratah/Wynyard Council.

I have also informed him that the developer in question is conducting these road works himself. This is despite the developers permit stating that the developer was to engage an appropriately qualified contractor with personnel suitably trained in the placement and erection of road works signage.

To date I have had no response to the issues raised and it will be interesting to see if Mr Whiteley responds with action on this issue or like the rest of all government appointees, ignores it or makes an excuse for such.

Despite asking the WWC Engineer Mr Gary Neil to explain why a non qualified person or personnel are being allowed to carry out road construction/upgrading, he has refused to respond.

On the Subject of local Councils, it was with interest that I read in today’s Advocate Newspaper, the response from the central Coast Council in regards to amalgamation with neighbouring councils.

The only democratic response from this council came from Cr Jan Edwards, who stated “I believe that before we would make any move on this decision, we should consult the community.”

It is heartening to hear that at least one councillor in Tasmania is democratic and believes that the community should be consulted on council decisions.

Tasmania has all these small local councils and councillors that all consider themselves as rulers of a very small universe, that being their own electorate area. Little tin gods that make judgments on development applications and push their own agendas, despite the guidelines set out by planning schemes or municipal resident wishes.

There are far too many Local Councils within Tasmania and the cost of maintaining them is beyond a joke.

We are a small state, with numerous inconsistencies in the various Council planning schemes.

It is time for this waste of ratepayer funds to be abolished and for councils to consolidate/amalgamate, twenty nine individual councils within Tasmania, all with different planning schemes and guidelines is absurd.

Each of these small Local Councils and councillors look only at the small picture of this state, being their own small area.

We are one State and that is Tasmania and of all Australian states, we have an abysmal road safety record, workplace safety record, etc.

Local councils in Tasmania need to be amalgamated into North, East, West and South coast Councils all with planning schemes that are particularly consistent with the development needs of those areas.

If someone out there could be bothered to add up the tax payer funds wasted throughout Tasmania/Australia, supporting the various councils, government parties, opposition parties and all their shadow governments etc, I’m sure all TT readers would receive a huge wake up call.

I for one am totally sick of the deception in correspondence given by State, Federal and Local government employees, whether they be Senators, MPs, or Local Government employees in relation to questions asked of them.. It is time that the Residents of Tasmania and Australia realised that power in reality is in the hands of the population. Not in the personal agendas of public servants.

Unfortunately, this is where the greed of business and the approval of such by government bodies come in to the equation.

If we want to be heard by these government bodies, Australians/Tasmanians need to stick together.

When required to vote for any government decision, party or body, either vote for what you believe in or support, or instead of abstaining from the voting process or casting a Donkey vote. Make it clear on the ballot papers or by personal correspondence that none of the government decisions or candidates meets your approval and if you can and your reasons for your decision.

This is the way I for one get at least one of my opinions through to Government employee’s in my electorate.

I urge readers to consider not only what their own needs may be in relation to the future development and Government of Tasmania, but to look forward and consider the state that we are caretakers of for our children and grandchildren.

We, the population of Tasmania/ Australia today are only temporary caretakers of this state and the planet in general.

Please consider the generations that will follow us when voting for a decision by Local Government, State Government or Federal Government Bodies. The future of generations to come is currently in your hands.

Tasmania has far too many small local councils and councillors that all consider themselves as rulers of their own universes.

They consider themselves to be “Little tin gods” that make judgments on development applications and whilst pushing their own agendas, despite the guidelines set out by planning schemes or municipal residents’ wishes.

It is time that these little councils and councillors that view themselves as community appointed tin gods, that consider themselves rulers of their own isolated universe, were melted down and the funds spent on them put to a more constructive and economical use.

Ms Kim Taylor

Marshalls Rd

Flowerdale 7325

Tasmania

PS: This probably does not come as a surprise, but I for one am sick of the lack of honest or otherwise responses from all government departments.

As a result of which I am more than considering giving up on a lifelong commitment to Tasmania and its environment and finding a rural home on the mainland.

All Government Departments and their associations are far too (compromised) for my liking and I am getting to the stage where I can see no future in Tasmania.

I only wish here was a way to change this sell-everything-above-and-below ground attitude of the Tasmanian Govrnment and its lower subsidiaries.