Times Chomping

At The Bit

SARI RUSSO NEE HYYTINEN

STILL here in Townsville, waiting for Lil Miss Russo to make her way into the world whilst chomping at the bit.

There are so many stories happening out and about now that are hard to follow up on from Townsville.

Fascinating to me are the choices that our Government is constantly making.

I am not sure who they listen to, and in my opinion, it isn’t scientists or their constituents.

When considering the potential destruction to our native environment that will occur due to the construction of the windfarms starting inland of Ingham through the Tableland area that have or are currently in the process of being approved by the Queensland State Government, the lack of respect of Indigenous cultural heritage in the areas they plan on destroying to create these windmills, the lack of appropriate response to the community consultation who do not want these windmills to go ahead, the lack of Australian ownership of the windmill facilities being created makes me wonder who does our Government represent?

I know it will not be a favourable opinion for me to share for some people. Still, in my mind, our politicians are just celebrities who don’t care about their constituents but only care about getting themselves voted back in. And they don’t care what they destroy in the process.

So even though the destruction being created to our natural environment by pushing the slogan that the choices being made support the environment (despite the fact this isn’t the case and a scientist can quickly tell you differently) is the only slogan, they will push.

How do we get back to grassroots representation of the people whose lives are being affected by the poor choices our Government is making?

Over the last six years of being in media, I have witnessed the lies talked about small independent farmers and the lies told about independent fishers. Now the lies are about the good impact of these windmills. Yet, anyone who goes and looks for themselves can see that nothing that is being said is based in fact or is in any way beneficial to the Australian community.

On Behalf Of Minister For Transport And Main Roads The Honourable Mark Bailey

ONE million people in Queensland, or 19 per cent of the population, now have a recreational marine driver's licence. This includes Recreational Marine Driver’s Licences (RMDL) and Personal Watercraft Licences (PWCL). The one-millionth licence was recently issued in the greater Brisbane region. About four in every five RMDL holders are males, with females making up 18 per cent.

The Brisbane maritime region, which includes the Gold and Sunshine Coasts, has 64 per cent of the state's RMDL holders.

The Gladstone region (inclusive of Wide Bay and Rockhampton) has 15 per cent, Mackay five per cent, Townsville seven per cent and Cairns (including Torres Strait and the Carpentaria Coast) eight per cent.