Time to speak out

Polly Watch

A direct attack has taken place on an important part of the justice system — land use planning and the right of citizens to have input into planning decisions. If the attack isn’t addressed, there will be no comeback if Lennon does a deal with corporate salesmen — Tasmania will be seen as ‘up for grabs’ to the highest bidder, without adequate financial, environmental, and community sustainability safeguards in place. We have ample evidence of this occurring with State forests and casino gambling contracts. Coastal development and the Hobart waterfront are likely to be next.

What is Launceston Council, Burnie Council and West Coast Council doing, as the State’s independent planning system is trashed by one man, a man with the limited vision of a blue-collar union leader?

Hobart Council’s Alderman Briscoe is moving, at the next Council meeting, that an urgent report be compiled to consider the implications of fast-tracking developments outside the planning scheme system.

What is the justice system doing? We are told that there is a separation of powers between governments and the legal system. But what happens when that separation is trampled as we have just witnessed? Where is the process for dealing with such trampling? We are told that the government allegedly doing the trampling has to refer the matter on for investigation and if they refuse, that is the end of the matter. This scenario is a framework for corruption.

Under Lennon’s government, we have seen the last two chairmen of the RPDC indicate that they were ‘heavied’ and the sudden retirement of the head of RMPAT, to be replaced by a man of Lennon’s choosing, with no recruitment process carried out beforehand to ensure the best person for the job got the job.

A direct attack has taken place on an important part of the justice system — land use planning and the right of citizens to have input into planning decisions. If the attack isn’t addressed, there will be no comeback if Lennon does a deal with corporate salesmen — Tasmania will be seen as ‘up for grabs’ to the highest bidder, without adequate financial, environmental, and community sustainability safeguards in place. We have ample evidence of this occurring with State forests and casino gambling contracts. Coastal development and the Hobart waterfront are likely to be next.

There are already rumblings that Lennon’s government wants to take control of water in the State — and if that occurs, how will it be distributed? To the highest bidder with the best sales pitch?

The last Anti-Discrimination Commissioner was interviewed by Airlie Ward before her departure from the State, after claiming she was bullied and abused during her tenure. Her words should be considered now in light of the latest claims by Mr Wright: http://www.abc.net.au/stateline/tas/content/2003/s1226200.htm

Education is a privilege and it is time for the educated to repay a debt to the Tasmanian community — speak out publicly as the heads of UTAS and the medical profession have done about the inadequate fast-tracking process and the dangers of a pulp mill in the chosen site. Apart from former judge Wright and Dr Raverty, the legal fraternity and scientific groups are sitting on the fence.

And why isn’t the Liberal Party and the Greens and moderates in the Labor Party standing together to push for an on-going independent body to investigate allegations of corruption in Tasmania? What level of crisis will there have to be before educated politicians come together to ensure the State is protected for this and following generations — politicians have children don’t they and they would expect to have grandchildren and great grandchildren?

Wake up Tasmania. State assets are being flogged off cheaply to corporations, whose directors have a responsibility only to unknown shareholders. Employees are expendable, along with the welfare of the State’s residents, wildlife and ecology.