3rd February 2003

Missing the point of balance

Email: eacademy@gsat.net.au

How close does the holocaust have to come before our parliaments realize our green label leaders don’t have what it takes to run agendas in the country? Conservation is fine, but missing the bigger picture and confusing preservation with conservation is a failure parliaments now have to wear.

How long will it be before the current Victorian government realizes its “leading edge conservation policies” are also fatally flawed by doing the same old park after park trick- leaving fire and footprint out of the big picture? Maybe governments should manage something, rather than chant “do nothing” slogans that continue to send us all into a stupor?

What’s wrong with our democracy that, even with the biggest majority ever, the majority are still being forced to do what powerful, often moving target ,minorities want us to do?

Most importantly, 51% of the people can, at any one moment, be wrong. Many Australians will change their minds about the details of these “big political fixed agendas” when they realize, as keen conservationists, that they are not, for one thing, now small picture preservationists; thereby tipping the balance. The media and some leaders haven’t always been presenting the big picture. Only when the people move, or when nature bites and we learn , will some leaders follow.

We and the government, as true blue conservationists, should always act with the bigger picture in mind. Sooner or later we hope that will happen.

Rural people, despite knowing nature’s cycles and acting early , have for too long had to bear the brunt of carelessly imposed “green” and quick fix imperatives that act too late, cost too much tax and don’t work . This doesn’t mean the participants are always right .

I hope for both for our country and the custodian’s sake that deeper, cheaper and more dynamic environmental management policies will be more widely recognized and come sooner rather than later.

For more information contact eacademy@gsat.net.au.

John Modra

Update : Did you see Tim Flannery ( ABC Science series) article in “The Age” Saturday 29^th March .

Postscript 4^th April

We need all shades of green to make our most livable home even better . Being on steep and sometimes cul de sac learning curves youthful enthusiasm for the great cause and challenge needs to respect independent professional and other competences , filter the media hype. Listen but not act , Mr Bracks ,,,,,or else the people involved will get burned!!!

We need all greens and city professionals to act as observers PROVIDED there is justice and not QUICK FIX over the practical issues . The dark greens are great on IDEAS but very light on IMPLEMENTATION. Listen but don’t act too quickly.

You can support people who know what they are talking about by subscribing to Our Parks ( email us )