Dear Doug Parkinson …

To: Lin Thorp; Allison Ritchie
Cc: Doug Parkinson; Michael Aird; Terry Martin
Subject: Almost lost for words …
.. but not quite.

Dear Lin and Allison

It’s taken some days to digest the significance of events last week in the Legislative Council, and be calm enough to personally respond in a measured way. I have read and re-read the Hansard, particularly your contributions and those of Terry Martin, Jim Wilkinson, Kerry Finch, Sue Smith and Norma Jamieson. The contrasts are stark and worth noting. On the one hand, we have MLCs who are prepared to defend the RPDC, stand up for democracy and against a bullying Premier and corporation. On the other, we have lame justifications for doing what you know is wrong and in the process facilitating the passage of an immoral, unjust, perverse excuse for legislation.
Lin, I — like many talkback callers and emailers in recent days — was infuriated by your statement on the Friday Forum that people who are concerned about the process (and letting you know) are not in a position to make an informed judgement on the mill, or the Gunns’ bill. I’ll bet you are now sorry you worded it that way. I’ll also bet you haven’t read the Gunns’ IIS, or delved into too many of the submissions on the RPDC website … before they were made irrelevant. I have read plenty but of course not all, and believe if you were even half cogniscent of the facts, you would not only not support the Gunns’ bill and a flawed assessment that undermines the planning system, but you would also not support the mill as it is currently proposed. Submissions by the AMA, National Toxics’ Network, Surfriders’ Tasmania, CSIRO scientists, Paul Sandery, Naomi Edwards, the Wilderness Society and the Tasmanian Greens together tell a far more complete and worrying picture that this fallacious new assessment process will come anywhere near describing.

On Ralphs Bay specifically … I just don’t know why you think an assurance from the Premier on ANYTHING means anything to those of us who want Ralphs Bay and our coastline safe from canal estates and corporate excess. You were not acting in the best interests of the Bay by supporting a bill which bypasses proper planning process to suit the explicit wishes of a corporation. Quite the reverse.

Terry Martin’s courage held the cowardice of the Labor Caucus — many of whom must despise Lennon — in the brightest light. He restored our faith and sought to defend democracy, the environment and planning in Tasmania. Just imagine, if you had followed your conscience along with Terry. In one fell swoop, this terrible Labor Premier’s reign would have been set well asunder.

Opportunity lost, and how long will we have to wait and how much more damage can he do to Tasmania and the ALP before it ends?

Very sorry that it has come to this.

Yours sincerely

Cassy O’Connor
South Arm

Dear Cassy,you asked for it!

Coming from a shining light in the ranks of the breastbeating selfrighteous, your comments do not surprise me at all.

Your support of the moral, the just, the true, and the brave is commendable, but you must see so few of them as to keep you in a state of constant depression.

I find it not only sad, but deplorable that you would by implication label the majority of MLC’s and other MP’s, who on this occasion have not supported your view, as immoral, unjust, perverse and cowardly.

The possibility that the majority ( representing as they do the vast majority in their electorates ) genuinely felt they were implementing an assessment process equal to or better than that charged to the RPDC, seems beyond comprehension.Quite obviously you believe strongly in assessment by suffocation — at least where a pulp mill is concerned.

On Ralphs Bay I am sure you would accept no outcome other than a refusal of the Walker plan, and if the RPDC decides otherwise you would no doubt label that decision perverse, unjust, immoral etc.

I note your support of Terry Martin’s ( who incidentally told The Australian that I live in Fantacyland ) strange behavior and conclude that your favourite character in “life” must be the man of La Mancha.

You and the rest of your Green Party cohorts are obviously stressed at the strong leadership being shown in the Labor Party, first by Jim Bacon and now by Paul Lennon.

Regards,

Doug Parkinson

You’re a funny guy Doug. Love the last line … just cracked me up!

Nice try … but I called the mill bill unjust and perverse, not the people who voted for it.

If you think this discontent stems from some sort of green plot (and I know how some of your people do see leprechauns absolutely everywhere), you should get out more.

Cassy.