GOVERNMENT’S PRECINCT CALL MAKES US LESS SAFE
IT has been a week since my letter of June 25 asking Police Minister Mark Ryan to kindly explain to the people of Townsville why the suburbs of Townsville will be protected by 10 less police officers on Friday and Saturday nights following the decision of the Palaszczuk government to scrap funding of
$2.5m for the Safe Night Precinct.
Ten officers out of the suburbs to cover the now gap in the CBD, a kind of rob Paul to pay Peter decision that compromises the safety of the citizens of Townsville.
But predictably, Police Minister Ryan, in true Labor form, has decided to go to ground and just refuse to answer any questions.
What is it about Labor politicians and their lack of respect to constituents and their enthusiasm to just go into hiding when any difficult questions are asked?
Any student of politics would know how these tactics spectacularly failed the Labor candidate in Herbert at the last federal election.
Whichever Labor backroom adviser has come up with this overused disgraceful tactic needs to get the sack.
Or is it simply that a backbone is not part of a Labor politician’s anatomy?
Given I gave Scott Stewart, Aaron Harper and Less Walker a far from satisfactory report card in the same letter, how sadly predictable and weak of them to continue in hiding.
What does it take to get these three out of the bunker?
Which brings us to another problem for the Townsville community.
On June 15 Attorney-general Shannon Fentiman excitedly announced the Palaszczuk government will be looking at new legislation that prevents criminal recidivist offenders under 14 years of age from ever facing detention.
She boasts they will still be held criminally responsible, just never punished.
Wow Ms Fentiman, this is really going to protect the community in Townsville, not.
Your local comrade Aaron Harper has repeatedly claimed in this newspaper that the Palaszczuk government is lowering crime, not promoting it.
Perhaps she can show she has more backbone than her male colleagues Ryan, Stewart, Harper or Walker and explain her ideas, no matter how misguided they are.
So my challenge to Ryan, Fentiman, Stewart, Harper and Walker just stop this political tactic of arrogantly hiding that seems ingrained in Labor’s DNA, display some strength of character, get out of the bunker, answer questions put to you by members of the public.
Please explain how and why we are going to be under protected by 10
less police officers on Friday and Saturday nights, and why you intend introducing legislation that prevents the detention of juvenile criminals which is only going to make the crime chaos worse for the longsuffering people of Townsville.
I await your replies in eager anticipation.
BARRY DAVIES, Cranbrook.
INGHAM NEEDS SCANNER
In response to the statement from the former Townsville City councillor and Labor candidate for Hinchinbrook, Paul Jacobs.
I ask the question, how could anybody possibly speak against better health services for regional Queensland?
While it baffles me, this is a prime example of an ex-labor candidate’s vision and expectation of rural healthcare for our regions.
The fact Mr Jacobs is of the opinion the Ingham Hospital doesn’t require a CT scanner because the majority of my constituents live in the northern suburbs of Townsville, highlights the views shared by his colleagues in the southeast centric Labor government – that adequate healthcare facilities outside of our cities are of no importance.
I hope Mr Jacobs never suffers a stroke and has to go to the Ingham Hospital after hours with a condition that requires a CT scan. I would also
suggest he times a trip on the Bruce Highway from the northern districts of Ingham to the Townsville University Hospital with the current roadworks.
He clearly indicates in his letter that he couldn’t care less about
12,000 people that live in the Herbert district.
Lastly, I suggest Mr Jacobs should attend at least one Ingham Health Service Community Advisory Network meeting and ask our hard working medical staff what they need to do their job properly before making such a ridiculous public statement.
Alongside my fellow Katter’s Australian Party members, we believe regional Queenslander’s deserve the same healthcare services as the state’s cities.
Which is why I will continue to be unapologetic about lobbying for necessary health infrastructure upgrades and medical equipment in the Hinchinbrook electorate.
NICK DAMETTO MP, Member for Hinchinbrook.
NO CASE FOR DAM
Having read Debra Gibson’s opinion (TB June 29) on the virtue of dams, I was motivated to read the current feasibility report for Hells Gates
Dam.
It presents an extremely weak case for risking $5.4bn (minimum) of borrowed funds to add to our current
$1 trillion in national debt. The project has zero NPV unless Asian markets can be found for the vast quantity of perennial crops it may produce.
This is due to the fact that it will be Australia’s most expensive irrigation water.
If markets can be found in Asia why are we not testing the market using land in the Burdekin irrigation area?
Probably because nobody can make the numbers add up to a profit.
Water for Townsville is not required for well over a decade in 2035.
No detailed study has been undertaken into the viability of hydro or pumped hydro power.
This will require further major expense and have a slow rate of return if viable. Pumped hydro power at Kidston is only viable because the water storages already existed at no cost.
The report claims over $1bn in additional economic activity (GRP) but has not got a proven market or farmers willing to purchase average soils and Australia’s most expensive irrigation water.
No private enterprise would touch this project with a barge pole.
Further business case studies will need to think of something extra special to make this project add up. GLENN WHITE,
Kelso.