The Bligh Government has arrogantly proceeded with its privatisation plans despite over 80% of Queenslanders opposing the decision.

What you can do: Attend the protest at Brisbane's Roma Street Forum at 10:30AM on Tues 9 March.

See also: the Queensland Council of Union's "Queensland Not for Sale" campaign site, saveourpublicassets.org, "Labor wrecker of 2007 claims union anti-privatisation campaign a threat to re-election of federal Labor" of 28 Feb 10.

The Queensland government plans to move koalas from a site earmarked for residential development. To where in South East Queensland, with ever more of its bushland being bulldozed by the Labor Government's developer benefactors, and how the dislocated koalas can be expected to survive, let alone thrive, is unclear.

What you can do: Contact Premier Anna Bligh at premiers [ AT ] ministerial.qld.gov.au or Kate Jones the Qld Minister for 'Sustainability' at sustainability [ AT ] ministerial.qld.gov.au and demand they end the relocation.
See also: www.savethekoala.com, Conservationist says Narangba koala relocation a death warrant ("Anger at koala 'final solution'" in printed version) in the Courier-Mail of 19 Feb 10.

Originally published on the Queensland Greens web site on 10 Feb 09.
See also: "Clive Palmer, Queensland Government announce $69 Billion Coal project" in the Sunday Mail of 7 Feb 10.

Queensland Infrastructure and planning minister, and former Property Council advisor, Stirling Hinchliffe has been given unprecedented power under Queensland’s new and deceptively named Sustainable Planning Act to ride roughshod over local government planning. (Hoffman, Opinion, Courier Mail, 6-1-2010) Hoffman also says, "There is little, the electorate can do about this having voted Labor back in..." Not true. People can do something. They can sign this petition calling for the government to resign

James Sinnamon debates Andrew Fraser on Privatisation and government encouragement of overpopulation in Queensland, proposing alternatives - Film. Filmed on Sunday, 30 November. Lasts 21 minutes. In three films on You-tube - links inside this article. 2nd & 3rd film of most interest. Please pass round to your Queensland contacts, but, since privatisation is coming up in other States again - notably in Victoria - this should interest people outside Queensland. See film inside

See also: "Courier Mail spins news of 79% opposition to fire sale to reveal its privatisation colours" of 11 Dec 09, "Queensland Rail workers strike against theft of public assets" of 9 Dec 09, "Brisbane ABC suppresses alternative candidates in state elections despite listener dismay with major parties" of 30 Apr 09, "Media contempt for facts in NSW electricity privatisation debate" of 28 Sep 08. Why I am contesting the Queensland Elections, E-petition to Qld Parliament,"Call for immediate resignation of the Queensland government and new elections," on grounds of not consulting public on privatisation.
Update: Letter of 31 July 09 to Andrew Fraser, included as Appendix 1 (12 Dec 09), Full transcript, Table of Contents, etc. added (2 Jan 10).

Is it any wonder people who care about the world feel disempowered and ineffective when they wait months for a reply from a politician and, if they get one at all, find it is a form letter that fails to address the concerns they raised?

How can you and I make a difference when our leaders aren't listening to us? Do we become apathetic and give up or do we try new tactics?

This is an ongoing blog that I invite you to contribute to by way of reply. Perhaps together we can find what does work, if anything. It's our future - if we let the corporations and leaders who are corrupted by them call the shots, we won't have one.

The Queensland Government's $15 billion asset fire sale is but the latest salvo in a long undeclared war that it has been waging on trade unionists together with the rest of the Queensland public for years. With the strike by 1,300 Queensland Rail workshop employees against the fire sale, it is finally getting a taste of its own medicine.

Update, 11 Dec 09: A Brisbane Times poll question "Do you support rail workers decision to strike against the Queensland Government asset sell-off?" had 68% of respondents voting 'yes'.

A Galaxy poll suggests "60 per cent of Queenslanders want the Government to take steps to limit the state's southeast population growth explosion." (December 07, 2009). Although Anna Bligh's government actively advertises for overseas and interstate immigrants, the Premier is quoted saying , '"she was yet to see "any sensible or legal way" to cap the population.' Population sociologist, Sheila Newman, responds: "Premier Bligh could start by ceasing to advertise for more interstate and international immigrants. Her statements implying that population caps are not possible are ridiculous, misleading and irresponsible. All societies have numerous democratic ways of controlling population, unless they are politically prevented from doing so by undemocratic governments like Anna Bligh's."

What you can do: If you are a Queensland resident and Australian citizen, please sign the petition here.

‘Water, water everywhere but not a drop to drink;’ Thus spoke the Ancient Mariner in the 18th century. A recent report  warns that without global action, demand for water in 2030 will outstrip supply by 40 per cent. Ray Brown, Mayor of the outback Queensland town of Dalby, says the town's in real danger of running out of water and restrictions may be increased to their highest level if the situation doesn't improve. Dam levels in Toowoomba, Queensland's biggest inland city, are down to 8.5 per cent.

On 5th May 2009, Members of the European Parliament voted in favour of adopting strict conditions for the placing on the market of seal products in the European Union.

The way kangaroo joeys are slaughtered by 'professionals' is comparable to that still inflicted on Canadian fur seal pups. Australian poaching of its wildlife places it culturally backward in the 19th Century. Australian society needs to wake up to what is happening outback and call for immediately bans on wildlife killing including banning the State-sanctioned industrial poaching of kangaroos. The so-called kangaroo 'industry' is no different to the fur seal 'industry'. They are each shameful practices of immoral brutality.

Tell Anna Bligh to get her hands off OUR public assets!

Time/Date: 4:30-6pm, Tues Nov 10
Meet Outside State Parliament, Cnr George & Alice Sts, City

See also saveourpublicassets.org and online discussion forums: "Out of the mainstream" of 7 Nov 09 and "Bligh’s bad arguments for privatisation" of 29 Oct 09 on johnquiggin.com, "Quiggin on Bligh’s arguments for privatisation" of   09 on Larvatus Prodeo.

How dare John Kelly of the despicable commercial kangaroo killing industry ask for handouts due to the fallout from Russia placing a ban on kangaroo meat imports! Our taxpayers should not be giving handouts to help "restructure" this vile and cruel industry.

Koalas risk extinction within 7 years through government policy of human population growth and development in Queensland.
Is Premier Anna Bligh happy to create, manipulate and profit from a human population explosion that presents a greater threat to Queensland wildlife than cane toads?

What you can do: Contact Premier Anna Bligh and let her know how you object to her Government making the plight of our endangered koala worse. Please send us any copies of correspondence to or from the Premier.

On 24 August, Queensland Premier announced plans to conduct a 4 day tour to convince the Queensland public of the necessity of her AU$15 billion public asset fires sale. This, she insists, is necessary to pay for the building projects which she claims are necessary to keep Queensland's economy moving. However, as Peter Simpson, Queensland Electrical Trades Union branch secretary pointed out, thr Premier has kept the tour itinerary secret.

Also published on Save Our Public Assets. See also: Bligh defends asset sales, works program by David Barbeler in the Brisbane Times of 24 Aug 09, Anna Bligh to tour state projects in defence of asset sales by Steven Wardill in the Courier Mail of 25 Aug 09, Bligh begins whirlwind tour to justify asset sales by Chris O'Brien on the ABC on 25 Aug 09.

In an article in the Christian Science Monitor Joseph Chamie, former director of the population division of the United Nations labels the notion that population growth is a boon for prosperity as "Ponzi Demography". In Australia, confirmation of this has come from none other than the population-growth-pushing and public asset fire saleswoman, Queensland Premier Anna Bligh.

See also: "How the growth lobby threatens Australia's future" of 24 Jan 09 republished on Online Opinion, "Is population growth a Ponzi scheme?" in the Christian Science Monitor of 17 Aug 09 by David R. Franks.

The newly formed "Billionaires for Privatisation", featuring luminaries from
recently bailed-out banks through to coal company fat cats will walk
arm-in-arm with "Anna Blight" tomorrow morning at an anti-privatisation
rally in West End.

Time/Date: 11am Sat Aug 15, Meet @ Lizard Statue, Boundary St, West End
March to Bligh's Office (90 Vulture St)
Original article by Paul Benedek published on saveourpublicassets.org.
See also: Stop Thief! Rally on 15 August to stop theft of Queensland's public assets.

In response to today's news that the Queensland government is still considering activating sleeper licences to the Cooper Creek system, the coordinator of Fair Water Use (Australia), Dr Ian Douglas, is today reported as saying: "The Rudd Government stands condemned for its failure to put an end to the dysfunctional and conflicting governance arrangements that have brought the Murray-Darling to its knees."

See also: "Qld Govt told to keep hands off SA water" on the ABC on 3 Aug 09, "Artesian basin water auction sells out environment and farmers" of  Jul 09, "'Last undefiled waterway' threatened" by Asa Wahlquist in The Australian of 13 Jul 09, fairwateruse.com.au.

Dorothy Pratt, Independent member for Nanango, exposes the deceit and shortsightedness of the Queensland Government's asset fire sale, announced not during the election campaign concluded on 21 March, but only only eight weeks afterwards.

See also: Dorothy Pratt's web-site at pratt-mp.webs.com.

James Sinnamon, who stood as an independent candidate in the 2009 Queensland state elections, put to Queensland Premier Anna Bligh that as she denied the Queensland public their democratic right to settle the issue of privatisation at the recent elections, in spite of his own hard efforts to draw her attention to the issue, that she either withdraw her privatisation plans, or put the issue to a referendum.

See also: Queensland Government has no mandate to privatise of 27 May 09,"Open letter to Anna Bligh and Andrew Fraser asking that any planned privatisations be put to the public at forthcoming elections" of 17 Feb 09, "Brisbane's local ABC radio fails to hold Anna Bligh to account over privatisation" of 28 May 09, "Brisbane ABC suppresses alternative candidates in state elections despite listener dismay with major parties" of 30 Apr 09. Courier Mail Readers comments about privatisation, 299 so far, nearly all opposed.

What you can do to prevent the theft of your property:
Sign the petition against privatisation;
Attend protests against privatisation outside the state Labor Party conference this Queen's Birthday weekend including a protest organised by the ETU for Sunday at 11am.

Postscript: 'Reply' of 16 Jun 09 from Premier Anna Bligh. Update (5 June 09): Anna Bligh's own Labor Party branch votes unanimously for her expulsion.. See story in the Courier Mail.

Brisbane's local ABC radio morning presenter Madonna King failed to use knowledge that she had in her hands that would have demolished Queensland Premier Bligh's excuse for not raising the issue of privatisation during the recent state elections. When I tried to phone the ABC to put this knowledge directly to the Premier, I was cut off.

See also: ABC's response in "ABC dismisses complaint claiming privatisation not 'newsworthy' in 2009 Queensland elections" of 10 Jun 09, "Brisbane ABC suppresses alternative candidates in state elections despite listener dismay with major parties" of 30 Apr 09, "Queensland Government has no mandate to privatise" of 27 May 09.

In response to the Queensland state Government's threat to conduct a "Shock Doctrine" style asset fire sale, James Sinnamon, who stood as an independent anti-privatisation candidate in the recent Queensland state elections sent an e-mail to the Murdoch-owned Courier Mail newspaper, which pointed out the Queensland Government had not gained any mandate to sell any publicly owned assets. Copies were sent to every state member of Parliament including Treasurer Andrew Fraser and Premier Anna Bligh.

Update: (27 May 09) (1) A Courier Mail online poll, published on 27 May had 91% of respondents answer 'No' to the question, "Should the state Government sell public assets to help the Budget?"
(2) Although the Courier Mail published a number of letters concerning privatisation, all opposed, mine was not included.

See also: "Open letter to Anna Bligh and Andrew Fraser asking that any planned privatisations be put to the public at forthcoming elections" of 17 Feb 09, "Brisbane's local ABC radio fails to hold Anna Bligh to account over privatisation" of 28 May 09, "Brisbane ABC suppresses alternative candidates in state elections despite listener dismay with major parties" of 30 Apr 09.

The Queensland Government's Draft South East Queensland Regional Plan, far from achieving its lofty claimed goals of "protect(ing) and enhanc(ing) the quality of life", landscape values, biodiversity and natural assets of the region, will, instead, turn much of that region into an economically depressed, crowded and ecologically unsustainable slum for no better purpose than to keep profits flowing into the pockets of developers who largely bankroll the ruling Queensland Labor Party.

The Queensland government actively encourages population growth, yet, when the adverse and wholly predictable consequences become too obvious to deny, acts as if it had played no part in bringing about that population growth in the first place. Its deception of the Queensland public has been assisted for years by that state's newsmedia.

See also: Section "End Queensland Government encouragement of population growth" in the article "Why I am contesting the Queensland state elections as an independent" of 9 Mar 09, forum discussion on Weekend Reflections of 31 Mar 09 on johnquiggin.com, "Courier Mail, ABC back Department of Main Roads land grab" of 29 Mar 09.

Ann Bligh's needlessly early and needlessly sudden election has disrupted the already rushed consultation for the draft South East Queensland Regional Plan 2009-2031. The Gold Coast & Hinterland Environmental Council (www.gecko.org.au), together with the Redland City Council have asked that the consultation period be extended by eight weeks so that the issues of peak oil, climate change and South East Queensland's carrying capacity can be properly addressed.

One year after the Crime and Misconduct Commission advised Merilyn Haines that Queensland Health would respond in "due course" in regard to evidence that Queensland Health had falsified tooth decay data used by Premier Bligh to justify forced fluoridation, Queensland Health still has not explained its actions. Merilyn Haines, the spokesperson for Queenslanders For Safe Water, Air and Food Inc is standing as an independent candidate against Premier Anna Bligh in South Brisbane.

See also: Web site of Queenslanders For Safe Water, Air and Food Inc at www.qawf.org.

In an open letter to Queensland's Premier Anna Bligh and Queensland's Treasurer Andrew Fraser, James Sinnamon, the Independent pro-democracy candidate for Mount Coot-tha asks for assurances that any plans to privatise any more public assets be put to the Queensland people at the forthcoming state elections.

Andrew Bolt of Murdoch's Herald Sun newspaper Melbourne in his article "Melbourne is wrecked and full" of 30 January 2009 pointed out to his readers how population growth deliberately encouraged by the Victorian Government in recent years had placed too great a strain on Melbourne's infrastructure, causing it to fail during the recent heat wave.

Yet, the Brisbane Courier Mail newspaper, also owned by Rupert Murdoch, adamantly refuses to question past and future planned population growth ...

See also: "How the growth lobby threatens Australia's future" of 24 Jan 09, "Courier Mail manipulates reporting of water recycling to demand early election" of 5 Jan 09, "Andrew Bolt: Why add 1.5 million when Victorian infrastructure can't cope with current population?" of 31 Jan 09.

Why is it that the Australian government, and other governments, principally in the anglophone world, deliberately encourage population growth when common sense and intuition, not to mention the hard evidence, tell us that a larger population cannot possibly be in the interests of the current inhabitants of this country or of the rest of the planet?

Republished on Eye on Immigration and Online Opinion (in a slightly abridged form) together with forum discussion.

See also: "Bligh Government tramples on community rights to impose over-development" of 11 Jun 08, "Redland City to pay with increased water charges for population growth" of 19 May 08, "More chickens of population growth come home to roost in Queensland" of 14 May 08, "About immigration" of 14 May 08, "Shared accommodation a necessity and no longer a choice for many in Brisbane" of 30 Apr 08, "How to end the Queensland economy's addiction to population growth?" of 26 Apr 08, "The Australian laments outcome of Queensland local government elections" of 30 Mar 08, "The Courier Mail beats the drum for more Queensland population growth" of 30 Mar 08, "Rent gouging threatens Brisbane inner city retail community" of 8 Mar 08,
Sheila Newman's 2002 Master's Thesis: "The Growth Lobby and its Absence : The Relationship between the Property Development and Housing Industries and Immigration Policy in Australia and France" downloadable from here.

Three Queensland Ministers including Premier Anna Bligh, who, in 2008, rushed through legislation to enable the addition of fluoride and other toxic substances to Queensland's drinking water against well-founded scientifically based objections, will be forced to properly investigate those objections and should they refuse to repeal the legislation, justify that decision before the Supreme Court.