In response to the overwhelming rejection by residents of plans to erect a massive 31 story residential and commercial tower atop the Milton Railway Station, Minister for Infrastructure and Planning Stirling Hinchliffe has declared the project to be of state interest and "called-in" the development approval proces so that the normal legal avenues can be bypassed. However, Concerned Residents Against Milton's Excessive Development are determined to stand up to Hinchliffe and have called a public meeting to protest his decision.

What you can do: Please show your support for the embattled residents of Milton by attending the meeting at 6.30PM, next Thursday at the Milton State School, Vote against the use of call-in powers on Westside News's online poll. More information: Ph 0404 833057, 0408 101117, enquiries[AT]cramed.org, cramed.org.

See also: Mitchelton residents resist imposition of congestion nightmare of 16 Apr 10, Have your say: Tussle over Milton tower project in the Westside News of 14 Apr 10, ...

Developers have in their sights, a tract of open space in the Brisbane suburb of Milton, formerly occupied by the Milton Tenis courts on which they plan to erect high rise appartments that will house at least an additional 2,000 extra people. The total combined number or residents and workers that would be jammed into the suburb of Milton, from this and an existing proposal for residential and commercial development above Milton Station, could be 12,000, that is as many as live in the rural town of Warwick.

What you can do: (1) Attend meeting of CRAMED to oppose these developments at the Milton State School at 6.30PM on Monday 29 March. (2) Attend the protest to save the Koala and to stop overdevelopment at the Queensland Government Growth Summit 11.00AM Tuesday 30 March at the main entrance of Queensland State Library, Southbank.

In 2007, Andrew Fraser, as Local Govenment Minister, imposed council amalgamations against the overwhelming wishes of affected residents, even threatening to dismiss councillors who dared hold ballots on amalgamation. For many months, the angry backlash threatened Labor's federal election prospects. In 2010, the same Andrew Fraser, as Queensland Treasurer, claims that the unions' campaign against his unpopular $15 billion fire sale, opposed by 79% of the Queensland public, will threaten Labor's federal election prospects.

What you can do: Attend Queensland Council of Union's Rallies to stop the Sell-off before it starts: Innisfail - 28 Feb, Cairns - 2 Mar, Mackay - 3 Mar, Rockhampton - 3 Mar, Gladstone - 6 Mar, Brisbane - 10.30AM 9 Mar at Roma St Forum
Sign the petition calling for new state elections and the repudiation of assets sale legislation. (You have until 2 March. See also "Why Queenslanders must demand new and fair state elections" of 12 Jan 10).
See also: "Unions 'aiding and abetting' Abbott: Fraser" by Jessica Marszalek in the Brisbane Times of 27 Feb 10, "Anna Bligh faces rural anger in Queensland" in the Courier-Mail of 28 Feb 10 , "Peter Beattie bent on destruction of Rudd's chances" of 9 Aug 07 by Margo Kingston in WebDiary, "Cate Molloy : Forced council amalgamations planned by Property Council of Australia" of 7 Sep 07. ...

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).

Grounds are that the government failed to inform people during the last Queensland State elections of their intentions to privatise Queensland assets to the value of $15billion.

If you are a Queensland resident and Australian citizen, please sign the petition.

Whilst Brisbane's Courier Mail rightly recently exposed the ecological vandalism of Consolidated Rutile on North Stradbroke Island, it and the rest of the Queensland newsmedia, have largely ignored a proposed extension of sand and gravel mining on the nearby mainland, which may prove to be even more harmful for the Moreton Bay region. Local residents are determined to fight the expansion, but apart from newsmedia indifference, also face a local council and a state government so far resolved to put the interests of corporate greed above the interests of the local community and the environment.

See also: "Bald Hills Flats under threat", an excellent six minute YouTube broadcast published on 9 Aug 09 (also embedded in this article), "Residents launch campaign to fight quarry plan" by Joel Gould and Miranda Forster in the Pine Rivers Press of 20 Aug 09, "Parents blast plan to mine sand and gravel near school" by Tanya Chilcott in the Courier Mail of 20 Aug 09 (almost identical copy to be found here), "North Stradbroke Island eaten away by sand mininig" by Greg Stolz in the Courier Mail of 15 Aug 09.

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.

Queensland State Treasure Andrew Fraser claims that he has no option but to sell off yet more state-owned assets in order to solve Queensland's financial crisis. In this article, Ellen Brown, author of "The Web of Debt" urges Arnold Schwarzenegger the Governor of California, which faces financial difficulties similar to those faced by Queensland, to follow the example of North Dakota, which has its own bank, in order to create money to lend itself in a manner no different to the way that private banks create money to lend Governments, but at interest rates much lower than would be charged by the private banks.

Original article published as "But Governor, You CAN Create Money! Just Form Your Own Bank." on 29 May 09 on Op Ed News
See also: "Revive Lincoln's monetary policy - an open letter to President Obama" of 9 Apr 09 by Ellen Brown (also published here), "Cash-starved states need to play the banking game:
North Dakota shows how" of 2 Mar 09, "Take back the power to create money from the private banking industry" - submission by Ellen Brown to President Barack Obama's Open Government Dialogue of   of 29 May 09.

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 over-the-top enforcement of noise pollution laws has driven live music from your local pub. Consequently youth have to travel long distances to music venues plagued with drugs and violence to obtain their entertainment.

James Sinnamon, independent candidate for Mount Coot-tha, has attempted to get the Labor and Liberal National Parties to make a clear commitment to Queensland electors, who are overwhelmingly opposed to privatisation, to block any further sell-off of state government owned assets, but has yet to get a clear response. So, far state Labor Treasurer, against whom James Sinnamon is standing, has given three different responses.

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, "Independent candidate seeks categorical assurance against privatisation from Laurence Springborg" of 11 Mar 09, "Why I am contesting the Queensland state elections as an independent" of 9 Mar 09, citizensagainstsellingtelstra.com.

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.

Queensland's Courier Mail newspaper, which supported the Beattie Government's anti-democratic forced local government amalgamations in 2007 is now breaking the news to Queensland taxpayers and ratepayers that the amalgamations, made at the behest of the Property Council of Australia will, indeed, cost them dearly, exactly as amalgamation opponents had predicted.

Queensland Premier Peter Beattie and his Local Government Minister Andrew Fraser have forgotten the meaning of the word 'democracy'. Mayors who consult with their own constituents over the question of the abolition of their local governments face instant dismissal. These provisions were added to the legislation which forces many Queensland local councils to amalgamate with neighbouring councils at the last minute when the legislation was rushed through in the early hours of Friday 10 August.