Monday, July 30, 2007

Someone has to die - and even then

...The bureaucracy can claim its not responsible and get away with it. This ought not to be so !
Ten years ago (on this day), Australia's biggest environmental disaster happened under the noses of an NSW env department. The same department claimed on ABC news today that "you are now very safe in our hands" .
That's the trouble , the bureaucarcy is more powerful than the polys . When the stockade state history is written i won't be surprised to learn that the bureau beat bracks and thwaites or at least they beat each other in the end . At least kennett took the bureau problem seriously ( if not the solution - they take a bit of beating-- ask anyone who works with them!!!)

Where is 4 corners when you need them? Off on a nother predictable witch hunt in big business and ignoring the subtle corruption of the bureau? Both have power but whose watching the eternal activism of the well healed cf those who have to sell their souls to stay in power ?
Where are the astute reporters willing to earn an easy Walkely award? There must be some great words to go on in the reports on that little block of land in the bush.

With Tasmanians in a huge mess with their EIS ( Lennon is being led along like many polys on sus science on this ) , You just have to ask whether the env court , or all the planning reports, actually work . Are there are any different ways to have things sorted Where is the one page summary of substance - is noone allowed to be so responsible? Have things in sus science got any better 10 years on?

What's wrong with this country when you have to read 10000 pages before you can judge whether a pulp mill is going to be manageable in the Tamar valley . The air seems to be Ok (despite the waffle) so give us one page on manageing the water pollution and wood supply issues- can't be that hard surely.

If you think this waste is taswegains problem why did the Bracks govet spend millions and waste huge amounts of time delieberating over the dredging of the bay channel .

Sus science is about investing in the far future.But pol science is about settling the dust - the cloding out and the crouding out problems . To get the reactionaries and fearmongers to shut up and get the people settled ( it can be done because 10000 pages feeds a lot of chooks), ........the bureau must brief you on the basics . Did they in tasssie, did they on the channel did they on the murray darling . Can they? if they can't why can't they ?
After all , its a simple as risk science really is . You just have to have some sus scientists - mr brumby mr lennon mr turnbull
When sea level rises and ships get bigger ( sails) , the little digger woories won't even figure.
Is the glass half full or half empty? - ask a risk scientist , not a 10000 page report !