People Power Provides Wake-up Call For Pollies

Illawarra Mercury

Wednesday June 7, 2006

HEARING that the NSW, Victorian and Federal governments had backed away from their determination to sell the Snowy Hydro Scheme to private enterprise was as pleasing as winning a major prize in the state lottery.

I congratulate all those people and organisations, regardless of their political affiliations, who participated in a campaign of opposition to privatising one of Australia's greatest icons.

Australians, for the first time in many years, witnessed a classic example of eleventh hour democracy involving people from all walks of life in the backing down of governments representing both sides of politics who had seemingly started to believe it was their right to sell off public assets without a mandate or any prior reference to the electorate.

Now that people power has been shown as an effective moderating influence on governments which fail to listen or consult, it is hoped our elected leaders are more circumspect about disposing of public assets from now on. Better and more responsible government could be an obvious spin-off from this.

- BOB HARRISON,

Albion Park.

Come on everyone

COME On Aussies, Come On, Come On! Now let's stop them sinking Telstra, let's use the future fund to buy back the Commonwealth Bank and Qantas. Then buy back the rest of the family silver.

- REG WILDING,

Wollongong.

Buy NSW shares

AS the Federal Government has decided not to sell its 13 per cent stake in the Snow Hydro Scheme, and it has a nice fat surplus, perhaps the Federal Government might buy the NSW Government's shares.

- P FERGUSON,

Berkeley.

Greens puzzle

I AM happy that the sale of the Snowy Mountains scheme is not proceeding, but why were the Greens party members complaining? If they were in power, they would never allow such a scheme to be built in the first place.

Still, I am grateful for this schizophrenic Greens policy, because if they were genuine and consistent they would be asking for all those dams in the Snowy scheme to be dismantled.

- GRAEME JACKSON,

Calderwood.

Forget about it

ANYBODY hoping the Federal Government would reverse other unpopular policies following the Snowy Hydro back-flip should forget about it.

John Howard only did a U-turn because he'd never had any strong feelings about privatising Snowy Hydro and because he saw an opportunity to embarrass NSW Labor.

A change of mind on things like industrial relations, other planned privatisations and Iraq would constitute an abandonment of core Coalition beliefs and would be interpreted as a victory for Labor.

People who don't like the Government's high-profile policies will have to vote against the Coalition, not wait for more road-to-Damascus conversions in light of public opinion.

- BRENT HOWARD,

Rydalmere.

Question of logic

YET again, there's a reply to one of my letters.

Marie Walsh (June 3) claims I am under the common misconception that state governments have sole responsibility for hospitals, education and roads. I made no assumption at all. I claimed the states were the culprits in the debacle. Federal governments supply the finances for these services. Have you ever heard of federal schools, hospitals etc?

With every Australian state in Labor, it isn't all that strange that most of them have problems - and most of them are money based.

With such logic as yours, Marie, it's no wonder we have problems.

- BARBARA WITTE,

Barrack Heights.

Reduced to tears

I TURNED to page 5 of the Mercury, June 2, and read the story of the poor little dogs subjected to such cruelty and poor living conditions. The look on their faces reduced me to tears. Why has this problem been left for so long and who is responsible?

I wonder if the persons responsible have animals of their own. How would they feel if, for some unfortunate event, their dog ended up there?

- SANDRA PODMORE,

Figtree.

Drop councillors

SO some councils are doing it tough, is it any wonder? One wants to cut its councillors from 12 to nine to save $70,000. Using my superior knowledge of mathematics, I suggest getting rid of the lot and saving $280,000.

Another wants a 9 per cent rate rise. They definitely have to go, including the general manager.

As for Wollongong, there is no need for a rise at all, it is obvious they are flush with funds. Donating tens of thousands to Indonesia after the Government gave $1 billion. Tens of thousands to the airport, gallivanting around the world, even giving themselves a pay rise when they feel like it. Now they are coming at John Howard's caper, a levy.

There is no doubt there are some good people on council but there are also the parasites and they are the ones that need to be weeded out.

Councils today are an expensive non-event because the minister overrules them anyhow. Now is the time to get rid of the lot and put in administrators, that way only one person is accountable and if he does not perform he can be replaced.

- K ABERCROMBIE,

Figtree Heights.

History lesson

TOM Atherton's lack of knowledge of the Magna Carta is surprising for an Englishman (Mercury, May 31).

The Encyclopaedia Britannica states in part - "Magna Carta - the great charter of English liberties, was granted by King John in 1215 under threat of civil war, it was reissued with omissions and alterations in 1216 and again with further changes in 1217.

"It was also reissued by King Henry III in 1225 after he had been declared of age by the Pope. It is this great charter of 9 Henry III and not its prototype of 1215 that is the Magna Carta of English law and history."

- ALLAN PARRISH,

Figtree.

© 2006 Illawarra Mercury

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