One week out from the Election, democracy is dying in the Kiama electorate.For several months now, large signs, small signs, fancy professionally screen-printed signs and home-made signs have all proudly proclaimed opposition to the pumping of water from the Kangaloon Aquifer.
Sheepwash Road, Kangaloon
Sign removed from tree
Anyone who has driven around the roads of the district, from Glenquarry, Kangaloon and Robertson will have seen such signs.There was a particularly good set of signs along Sheepwash Road, the main road to Robertson from Bowral.
This weekend, large numbers of these signs have been removed.
Since when has it been unacceptable to express one's objection to an engineering program being conducted by a Government agency?
Nails still showing the
remains of signs
These signs did not infringe the Electoral Act (we have checked it out).They were not telling people who to vote for, or who to not vote for. As such, they did not require "authorisation".
They are just stating the commonly held belief of local people that the pumping of water from the Southern Highlands Aquifer is potentially damaging to the environment and to the farmers.
Some signs did attribute blame to the Iemma Government, but that is a purely factual statement.It is the Iemma Government which his doing this.
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When was "freedom of expression" banned in the Kiama Electorate? (The only place where these signs have been removed from is in the Kiama Electorate). Similar signs are still proudly being displayed in the Goulburn Electorate.
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Who is responsible?
Firstly, whoever is removing these signs is IRRESPONSIBLE.
Secondly, who stands to benefit from this repression of freedom of speech?
We are one week out from an Election.
There is only one political party in this Electorate which supports pumping from the Southern Highlands Aquifer - that is the Labor Party.
The Member for Kiama, Mr Matt Brown, represents the Labor Party in Kiama.
May I suggest that you draw your own conclusions?
Does the ALP think it can turn Democratic freedom on its head?
If so, then surely I am entitled to turn their local representative's image on its head.
May I suggest that the Sign-Nazis just go back to their Bunkers?
Leave our signs alone. We are entitled to political freedom of expression.
Firstly, whoever is removing these signs is IRRESPONSIBLE.
Secondly, who stands to benefit from this repression of freedom of speech?
We are one week out from an Election.
There is only one political party in this Electorate which supports pumping from the Southern Highlands Aquifer - that is the Labor Party.
The Member for Kiama, Mr Matt Brown, represents the Labor Party in Kiama.
May I suggest that you draw your own conclusions?
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Does the ALP think it can turn Democratic freedom on its head?If so, then surely I am entitled to turn their local representative's image on its head.
May I suggest that the Sign-Nazis just go back to their Bunkers?
Leave our signs alone. We are entitled to political freedom of expression.
7 comments:
I just hope that the electors of NSW have the savvy to realise that it is high time for a change of government in this State.
The decision on all of this is in the hands of the people.
God bless Australia.
Denis comments: I do try to leave God out of Politics.
However, for voters in NSW, it certainly is decision time this coming Saturday. That would appear to be why our signs havbe been removed.
Certainly is time for a change!
However, Is the Liberal party the viable alternative to the Labor Government? I do not believe that.
I have not heard the libs declaring clearly and loudly that they will not pump the Kangaloon aquifer.
If whatever God/Goddess (I prefer Quan Yin), is to think of and bless Australia, she/he/it will certainly not anoint the Liberal party.
Unfortunately, the Kangaloon Aquifer is only a very minor aspect of what is going on on this planet.
We, the humans, of whatever political persuasion are destroying this planet in many and varied ways.
Not many are doing anything to change that.
I don't believe that the right wing,conservative governments are interested in the environmental conservation and protection. That stance will not have the support of their Corporate friends.
Poor little Matt Brown is only interested in staying where he is and is not interested in representing his community. On that basis he is only self serving. Not a position that draws anyone's respect.
Which one of us is going to stand against Matt as an Independent???
Ah, Yurii, ever the realist (pessimist).
You might very well draw those conclusions. I could not possibly say that.
Denis
Yeah I noticed that your SWA (Save Water Alliance) signs are brought down. Why don't you bring down the "Vote 1 for Matt Brown, Robertson" political posters.
A bit of tit-for-tat !! hehe
There is a bunch of them, east of Robbo. I go walking by there, every week.
Hey, liked your upside-down picture of Matt Brown. Did Mr Squiggle took that picture? LOL
I'm all for Quan Yin!! i'm all for the separation of religion from politics but i am not sure about the necessity of separating spirit from politics. Reading a great book at the moment by Bruce Chatwin : Songlines. About the mystical Aboriginal 'songlines' that criss cross Australia and, according to them, without them singing these song lines this land would die. Maybe if we had a bit more knowledge of such things then we wouldnt want to continually screw the land to begin with! You can only hurt/attack/destroy that which you see as separate to oneself. When we feel alienated from something that is when we can kill it. The Aboriginal people seem to not have had this problem...their spiritual sight made such commercial raping of the land impossible to contemplate. If we brought back some of this into the consciousness of humanity..would things begin to change? Lets face it...politician do not lead....they follow....if we all change our view...then they would fall into line pretty damned quick...
Interesting comment. Thanks
If we all understood that we are part of nature, then most of the environmental problems would simply not occur.
With water, people see themselves as dissociated from the source, and also from the end point. Water vcomes out of a tap, and disappears down a drain - never to be thought about again. Therein lies the problem. So your comment about a sense of belonging, or of being part of the system is perfectly apt.
Thanks
Denis
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