Stand up for Australia
TOWNSVILLE businesses should be primed to benefit from the flow- on effect of the Haughton pipeline duplication project.
The project was recommended as the best solution to Townsville’s water shortage in times of drought by The Townsville Water Security Taskforce.
Now, Water Taskforce chairman Brad Webb is backing local businesses to be able to get the job done.
He is confident they have the capabilities to fill contracts for construction of the project, including the huge steel pipeline which will carry the water from Burdekin Dam to Ross River Dam.
Such a large- scale project would be a major boon for local businesses and provide much- needed jobs.
Townsville Mayor Jenny Hill is keen to see the work start as soon as possible and has a 2019 finish date in mind.
Cr Hill is even prepared to break the work up into smaller packages to ensure the load is spread as widely and evenly as possible.
It is important that Townsville businesses are ready to apply for the work when it comes online.
They have been given plenty of notice to gear up and will only have themselves to blame if they are not fully prepared to make competitive bids.
Thompson one of our best
RETIRING North Queensland Cowboys player Ray Thompson will be remembered as one of the club’s quiet achievers.
Many footy fans would be surprised to learn Thompson, not one of the club’s highprofile players, has played 111 NRL games for the team he loves.
This is way more than the average for an NRL player of about 40.
It puts Thompson in elite company, but the fact his career spanned nine seasons reflects the struggle he had with injuries throughout his career.
As a youngster, Thompson was highly regarded and considered to have the potential to be a future leader at the club.
Injuries meant he was never able to nail down a permanent position in the team and his knee problems have now forced him to hang up the boots at the age of 27.
Thompson is the embodiment of what the Cowboys are about – giving youngsters an opportunity to play in the NRL without having to leave the North.
Well played Ray. G’Day – that is an Australian greeting if we are allowed to say it anymore.
Dr Farvardin Daliri wrote recently that we should celebrate our Australian culture united with pride.
I agree. We as Australians should be proud to be Australians but sadly we have allowed our culture and our uniqueness to be eroded by political correctness.
Where is the past freedom, when we could laugh at ourselves and others, in the good old Australian larrikin way with freedom, dignity and the way of life many of our fathers fought for.
The movie They’re A Weird Mob would not be allowed to be shown today, as it might offend someone. Yet it celebrates the genuine will of a New Australian, to embrace and integrate into our society although different from their own.
I am horrified and offended by the Labor State Government, with the latest Queensland education system directive that discriminates against our children and the tradition to give Christmas cards. A sign of loving and caring and wishing others well at Christmas time in the playground. Are we to lose Christmas trees, Easter, free speech and saying you believe in Christ?
Is the Labor Party suffering Christian phobia? This is social engineering at its worst. Changing our culture to accommodate other cultures and religions who do not believe in our way of life.
Cultures who do not intend to integrate, rather they prefer to live in a parallel society and to separate Australia by religion.
The Christian religion is not the enemy and our children should not be ashamed to give out Christmas cards. If there is a religion that is teaching radicalisation and fundamentalism, then the parents of those children have to be looked at to see where the seed of radicalisation is sown.
We as proud Australians should be asking that the national anthem should be played in schools to show our pride in Australia, and our way of life. Our history should be taught, not only the first Australian history about the invasion of Australia. Europe is being invaded now.
How about teaching the camaraderie, the wonders and history of the hard fought wars, the love and sacrifices made by the pioneers and convicts who were treated like slaves to build this great country.
Now we find the Queensland Labor Government is hell bent on social engineering, tearing our cultural values and pride down bit by bit. Shame on a Government who does not stand up for all Australians and our way of life.
The Government should solve the state and national deficit, electricity prices, water shortage, and jobs before they embarked on any other agenda.
Where is our national pride – if we do not stand up for Australia who will? Do not take the Australians out of Australia. SANDRA CHESNEY,
Jensen.