Many Port Kembla residents will throw a party at news that the 198 metre smelter stack is to be demolished. There was fear that as long as the stack remained there was always the possibility that the state government could have a change of heart - and approve a new copper smelting industry in the suburb.
Copper production at Port Kembla commenced in 1908 when Port Kembla was a small village. The suburb grew around the smelter and in recent decades the outpouring of noxious gases made residents lives a misery - and forced the relocation of the school.
Time after time new owners promised that technology would overcome the problems - but it didn't - and eventually the plant closed.
Sometime next year photography buffs will have a chance to capture interesting shots. The stack will be prepared with explosive charges which will cause it to make a spectacular fall along a chosen site - and that will not be done cheaply.
It will take thirty workers sixteen months to prepare the stack for demolition - and it's end will cost a whopping eight million dollars.
And residents will give a huge sigh of relief when it happens !
Tuesday, 7 September 2010
Monday, 6 September 2010
Those selfless volunteers !
On a day like yesterday we can only have praise for those magnificent people who leave their own families to deliver help to strangers suffering damage from the high winds that affected this region.
The personnel of the State Emergency Service ( SES ) are volunteers who are on call when danger strikes. Apart from donating their time to tarp damaged roofs, cut up fallen trees and rescue people from rising waters - they put their lives at risk by doing this work under dangerous conditions.
Without them, storm damage would be left unattended because there simply is not enough government workers on the payroll to get the work done. The SES knows this - and their dedicated people fill the gap.
They are a quiet, unassuming lot and their contribution to our welfare is often unacknowledged.
That is something that those who draw up the annual honours list should keep in mind !
The personnel of the State Emergency Service ( SES ) are volunteers who are on call when danger strikes. Apart from donating their time to tarp damaged roofs, cut up fallen trees and rescue people from rising waters - they put their lives at risk by doing this work under dangerous conditions.
Without them, storm damage would be left unattended because there simply is not enough government workers on the payroll to get the work done. The SES knows this - and their dedicated people fill the gap.
They are a quiet, unassuming lot and their contribution to our welfare is often unacknowledged.
That is something that those who draw up the annual honours list should keep in mind !
Sunday, 5 September 2010
Hearing - and safety !
Today's newspapers report the story of a young woman killed in a Sydney street accident. She was hit by an ambulance responding to an emergency - and apparently didn't hear the siren because she was wearing headphones and listening to music.
This raises an interesting question !
We are heavily fined if we drive a car and use a mobile phone at the same time. We are punished if we ride a pushbike or a motorcycle and fail to wear a safety helmet - and we will be unmercifully prosecuted if we dare drive a car - or permit a passenger to ride in that car - with seatbelts unfastened.
Fair enough ! The state is looking after our safety - and as we all know and understand - the state is far wiser than us individuals. It is not about the money ! These ever increasing fines are not revenue raising. The kindly old state is merely looking after our welfare because they need our votes at election time.
So - could this be a missed opportunity !
Surely - in the interests of safety - we need a new law to make it illegal - and to impose a draconian fine - for anybody who dares to don headphones and listen to music - while they are driving a car, riding any type of two wheeled conveyance - or walking on a public footpath.
Just think of the people potentially saved. All those idiots who listen to music while taking a walk - will eventually have to cross a road and be at risk.
And - of course - a new source of fine revenue is always handy to those kind government people who rule our lives !
This raises an interesting question !
We are heavily fined if we drive a car and use a mobile phone at the same time. We are punished if we ride a pushbike or a motorcycle and fail to wear a safety helmet - and we will be unmercifully prosecuted if we dare drive a car - or permit a passenger to ride in that car - with seatbelts unfastened.
Fair enough ! The state is looking after our safety - and as we all know and understand - the state is far wiser than us individuals. It is not about the money ! These ever increasing fines are not revenue raising. The kindly old state is merely looking after our welfare because they need our votes at election time.
So - could this be a missed opportunity !
Surely - in the interests of safety - we need a new law to make it illegal - and to impose a draconian fine - for anybody who dares to don headphones and listen to music - while they are driving a car, riding any type of two wheeled conveyance - or walking on a public footpath.
Just think of the people potentially saved. All those idiots who listen to music while taking a walk - will eventually have to cross a road and be at risk.
And - of course - a new source of fine revenue is always handy to those kind government people who rule our lives !
Saturday, 4 September 2010
An opportunity lost !
Just what are the qualifications necessary to be appointed the minister for the Illawarra ?
It would help if that person had either lived or spent some time in the Illawarra. It would help if that person had business interests here - but most of all it would help if that person had even a basic understanding of the aspirations and problems facing this region !
It is hard to see how state Treasurer Eric Roozendaal qualifies on any of the above criteria !
The job of Treasurer carries a work load only second to that of Premier, and yet we have four elected representatives of seats in the Illawarra who were bypassed and the job was given to a person who can not possibly give it the time and attention it deserves.
It says a lot about the confidence this state government has for the " seat warmers " who enjoy a good salary and all the perks that go with it simply because this is a Labor voting area - and party loyalty comes way before any consideration of ability.
And the sad thing is that most of them will probably be re-elected next March.
So much for any hope this region has of progress !
It would help if that person had either lived or spent some time in the Illawarra. It would help if that person had business interests here - but most of all it would help if that person had even a basic understanding of the aspirations and problems facing this region !
It is hard to see how state Treasurer Eric Roozendaal qualifies on any of the above criteria !
The job of Treasurer carries a work load only second to that of Premier, and yet we have four elected representatives of seats in the Illawarra who were bypassed and the job was given to a person who can not possibly give it the time and attention it deserves.
It says a lot about the confidence this state government has for the " seat warmers " who enjoy a good salary and all the perks that go with it simply because this is a Labor voting area - and party loyalty comes way before any consideration of ability.
And the sad thing is that most of them will probably be re-elected next March.
So much for any hope this region has of progress !
Friday, 3 September 2010
Not so subtle bribes !
There is something disquieting about the horse trading to secure the vote of those who hold the balance of power in the Australian Federal parliament.
One of the four - Andrew Wilkie - has declared in favour of the Labor party and it has been disclosed that the ageing Royal Hobart hospital will be given a huge injection of funds for refurbishment.
It happens that Hobart is the centre of Mr Wilkie's electorate and that hospital probably does need work - but then so do a host of other hospitals scattered across most Australian cities. It could be inferred that this promise is merely a bribe to help Mr Wilkie make a decision.
No doubt there are many promises flowing from both sides of politics to secure the votes of Bob Katter, Tony Windsor and Rob Oakshott.
Nobody can blame the four independents from seeking improvements to their electorates following their good fortune in gaining the balance of power, but we frown on sporting teams that cheat and hide player overpayments - and teams that throw matches for betting rewards. Surely holding the treasury to ransom in providing treasure is a similar form of corruption ?
Whatever colour of government emerges from this round of horse trading will surely have about it a stench that will take a long time to go away.
One of the four - Andrew Wilkie - has declared in favour of the Labor party and it has been disclosed that the ageing Royal Hobart hospital will be given a huge injection of funds for refurbishment.
It happens that Hobart is the centre of Mr Wilkie's electorate and that hospital probably does need work - but then so do a host of other hospitals scattered across most Australian cities. It could be inferred that this promise is merely a bribe to help Mr Wilkie make a decision.
No doubt there are many promises flowing from both sides of politics to secure the votes of Bob Katter, Tony Windsor and Rob Oakshott.
Nobody can blame the four independents from seeking improvements to their electorates following their good fortune in gaining the balance of power, but we frown on sporting teams that cheat and hide player overpayments - and teams that throw matches for betting rewards. Surely holding the treasury to ransom in providing treasure is a similar form of corruption ?
Whatever colour of government emerges from this round of horse trading will surely have about it a stench that will take a long time to go away.
Thursday, 2 September 2010
Double standards !
Actors and musicians facing court plead with the magistrate to not record a conviction - because if they do they will not be able to get a visa to visit many countries and this will spell the end of their professional career.
Contrast that with the actions of so called " humanitarian refugees " - who pay people smugglers to disobey international law which requires them t0 seek refuge in their first landfall - and bring them to Australia.
Once here, they disregard Australian law when it decides they are not refugees and stage riots, damaging their living facilities and in some cases injuring protection personnel.
Surely a person who is asking to be taken in by this country and granted citizenship should scrupulously adhere to our laws as evidence that they are good persons and will be a good citizen.
The moment such people willfully break our laws this should be taken as evidence that they are not acceptable here - and promptly returned to their country of origin.
If Australians must have a clean record to holiday overseas - then surely we can expect nothing less from those we did not invite - but who are trying to force their way into this country.
To do less is a double standard !
Contrast that with the actions of so called " humanitarian refugees " - who pay people smugglers to disobey international law which requires them t0 seek refuge in their first landfall - and bring them to Australia.
Once here, they disregard Australian law when it decides they are not refugees and stage riots, damaging their living facilities and in some cases injuring protection personnel.
Surely a person who is asking to be taken in by this country and granted citizenship should scrupulously adhere to our laws as evidence that they are good persons and will be a good citizen.
The moment such people willfully break our laws this should be taken as evidence that they are not acceptable here - and promptly returned to their country of origin.
If Australians must have a clean record to holiday overseas - then surely we can expect nothing less from those we did not invite - but who are trying to force their way into this country.
To do less is a double standard !
Wednesday, 1 September 2010
The nit-picking mentality !
Wollongong and the south coast desperately wants more tourists to increase job opportunities and spread the wealth. It is therefore disappointing to learn that one of our premier tourist attractions has put an exciting new development on hold - because the nit-pickers are holding up approvals.
Jamberoo Action park's " Kangaroo Island " project will involve five exciting new rides and will cost $ 30 million to create. Work can only be done in the winter off-season - when the park is closed - but frustrations with zoning has seen this year become a lost opportunity.
So - what is the problem ?
The hordes of eager people trying to get to Jamberoo in summer create a traffic problem on the road - and the car parking facilities at the Action park need expanding.
That should be no problem because the park is located in the countryside and surrounded by vacant land.
It all comes down to a matter of zoning. To park cars you need the land to meet the zoning requirements of the local council - and that has raged in a battle in the Land and Environment court - hence without finality the whole project has come to a standstill.
Another year lost - and the nit-pickers are still shuffling paper and indulging in arcane recriminations !
The unemployed of the Illawarra would like to see these sort of issues resolved quickly - so that job opportunities are not limited by such bureaucracy - and lack of project progress continues to to show this region as backward.
We deserve better !
Jamberoo Action park's " Kangaroo Island " project will involve five exciting new rides and will cost $ 30 million to create. Work can only be done in the winter off-season - when the park is closed - but frustrations with zoning has seen this year become a lost opportunity.
So - what is the problem ?
The hordes of eager people trying to get to Jamberoo in summer create a traffic problem on the road - and the car parking facilities at the Action park need expanding.
That should be no problem because the park is located in the countryside and surrounded by vacant land.
It all comes down to a matter of zoning. To park cars you need the land to meet the zoning requirements of the local council - and that has raged in a battle in the Land and Environment court - hence without finality the whole project has come to a standstill.
Another year lost - and the nit-pickers are still shuffling paper and indulging in arcane recriminations !
The unemployed of the Illawarra would like to see these sort of issues resolved quickly - so that job opportunities are not limited by such bureaucracy - and lack of project progress continues to to show this region as backward.
We deserve better !
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)