Heat on candidates to tackle some big issues

Posted to Monash Weekly on 25/11/2009 at 10:41 PM

Commenting on “Heat on candidates to tackle some big issues”

http://www.monashweekly.com.au/news/local/news/general/heat-on-candidates-to-tackle-some-big-issues/1684907.aspx

Whether one is a believer or sceptic, all the discussion about global warming, climate change, ETS are nothing more than just talk fests, trying to prevent or slow down further deterioration of the climatic conditions. In concurrence to all these debates and discussions, researches on global cooling should be funded to help reverse the trend. We must think outside the square, and release the trapped warm air to higher layers of the atmosphere, or improve air exchanges. Greedy opportunists and hoaxers on climate change are no different from the Y2K vultures, making millions and billions on human fallacy and frailty. Why pay other countries to grow trees, to green the earth, while we, the hypocrites keep polluting the environment? It is too much to ask the candidates to tackle big issues; the only big issue they all have in common is to the win the election by saying things that the voters like to hear. Unfortunately, they have no concept of looking at "big pictures". By the way, ETS may be aptly represents "Environmental Trickery Scam"!

Interview with candidates standing for by-election for Higgins, electorate of former Treasurer Peter Costello

Mayor hits out on developers bypass Council

Posted to Monash Weekly on 25/11/2009 at 10:09 PM

Commenting on “Mayor hits out on developers bypass Council”

http://www.monashweekly.com.au/news/local/news/general/mayor-hits-out-as-developers-bypass-council/1684902.aspx

If the Council is powerless to do anything about this, it is either the local planning law or Council is irrelevant. In the present shape and form, VCAT has too much on its plates, and in many cases, its decisions are generally also irrelevant, and work against the interest of the community. VCAT has become a battlefield for the rich and powerful, and trying to win a case that costs substantial sum is a drain to the Council budget, and hence leads to rate increase in subsequent years. Planning laws need to be changed, Council be given more power to oversee proper compliance. VCAT has become irrelevant, too!

VCAT stands for Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal which Deals with disputes about consumer matters, credit, discrimination, domestic building, guardianship/administration, residential/retail tenancies, etc.