An open letter from John Parsons
Hi Geoff,
I have just read your article Salutations from the high ground in the Bass Coast Post.
Firstly, pardon my language but I am only using words that have been used by certain others in your article.
I know that you and I are poles apart on many issues including this one, but we still manage to have an amicable discussion about just about everything. So with some trepidation (because I still want to remain friends) I make the following points to you.
I think we both agree that climate change is occurring. It has for millions of years. We have had ice ages and we have had ages where it has got so hot that flora and fauna have died and ice has melted as proven in our own waterline area where the sand is mined after the seas had risen so many millions of years back. So what can we do about it?
Hi Geoff,
I have just read your article Salutations from the high ground in the Bass Coast Post.
Firstly, pardon my language but I am only using words that have been used by certain others in your article.
I know that you and I are poles apart on many issues including this one, but we still manage to have an amicable discussion about just about everything. So with some trepidation (because I still want to remain friends) I make the following points to you.
I think we both agree that climate change is occurring. It has for millions of years. We have had ice ages and we have had ages where it has got so hot that flora and fauna have died and ice has melted as proven in our own waterline area where the sand is mined after the seas had risen so many millions of years back. So what can we do about it?
Point one. A lot of the message that you conveyed was about the fires that we have had this year. I strongly believe that the Aboriginal people before white settlement looked after the land in a far better manner than we do at the moment. Indeed you state "Author Tony Birch spoke passionately about the need to listen to the voice of Aboriginal women. They are the carers for country.”
I believe that today’s Labour Party and the Greens have much to answer for. They are the "fuckwits that are in power" in this state for not allowing controlled burn offs and not allowing collection of wood on the sides of the road. Fire is, after all, a State Government issue. You talk about the Department of Land, Water and Planning not giving any money to do things (in reference to Jam Jerrup) and Parks Victoria cannot fund anything as well, because this government won’t give them any money. Everything has gone to the city and there is nothing left for the country … as dictated to by the Greens. We have a neighbour who is clearing fire breaks for Parks Victoria behind the Dandenongs who has confirmed the lack of finance and the build up of flammable vegetation caused by government policy.
I see recently that only 35 per cent of people believe that climate change and global warming was the cause of recent bushfires, whereas 56 per cent believe they were caused by the failure of state and territory governments to conduct adequate hazard reduction to lower the fire risk. The majority have spoken and I hope that our own State Government takes note.
This was written by a local Gippsland farmer after the fires: "Many will not like this post, bit confronting, but what we as farmers get to face and deal with, the aftermath of the fire last night, we fought tirelessly all night with the CFA alongside us and the aircraft above to save a mates place along with both his and our stock. Courtesy of the greens and dickheads worried about burning baby birds and a bush flower or a bit of moss, has devastated so many lives with their lifetimes of hard work gone up in flames. The bush is a MESS, a bomb just waiting to go off, minimal back burning allowed, special protected zones NOT allowed to be burnt, with the effects of the drought on top of the bullshit, one part of the bomb erupted and devastated so many, to the dickheads out there, where were you last night, were you safe, had a good nights sleep, didn't see any of yaz out helping us all last night or clean the mess you've created today, didn't see u helping us shoot our stock or help us bury them either, spose our dead stock don't matter as there not a flower, a baby bird or a piece of moss! You people have a lot to answer for, PS thanks for the loss of our livelihoods, as if the drought hadn't taken enough from us already, hope your all proud of yourselves!!"
Was there anyone at your conference offering an alternative point of view or was it all one sided?
On reflection I thought that I needed to ask you if you learnt anything from the National Climate Emergency Summit that you attended in Melbourne. The article in the Bass Coast Post did not touch on this and I would have thought that this was the most important thing that the readers would have wanted to know. So, did you learn anything new, and did you obtain any ideas that would be of benefit to Bass Coast residents and ratepayers? I am sure there are many readers who will look forward to your response regarding this.
Point two. These are also the real “fuckwits”: We have a neighbour who contacted me a while ago to ask if he could put my name to an email he was writing to Russell Broadbent to ask what the Federal Government was doing about climate change. After I said no, and then sent him an email stating what the Federal Government was doing, he sent the following text to me:
“Hey, Just wanted to thank J for her article yesterday. (Incidentally she had written nothing on FB … but quite possibly I may have done!!) Up until reading a hearsay account of something that occurred 150 years ago we had been believing peer reviewed scientists. Imagine that! Also, can I please get the address of your shaman? I can't imagine you would be such a hypocrite as to be using science to treat your medical issues. Finally, those of us who won't be around much longer should definitely continue thwarting action on our children's future. Good work! Regards”.
Now this is the type of mindset that we have to deal with when confronting people with climate change issues, and one wonders why there are so many (that’s the majority like myself) who just want them to go away….permanently! These are the real fuckwits!! Climate change itself is understandable and debatable. Climate change zealots like this are the ruination of this country and our children.
Point three: Wearing a tee shirt that says AUSTRALIA DOES NOT EXIST is a typical inflammatory statement and nothing to be proud of. I am happy to wear an Aboriginal tee shirt and indeed I was wearing one last time we met. I respect Aboriginal culture and their people, but not this person. Where is the reconciliation? We are all equal in this country. Do the Aboriginal people not want to close the gap?
At a recent Indigenous All Stars game they chose not to play the Australian national anthem as it does not represent them and the rest of Australia is supposed to suck it up and not be offended. And yet when the RSL in Western Australia bans the Aboriginal flag at ANZAC ceremonies they get offended and the rest of us get labeled. The hypocrisy is staggering.
My understanding is that the “welcome to country” and the “Aboriginal flag” did not exist prior to the 1970s. The Aboriginal people who fought in WWI and WWII fought under the Australian flag and provided a great service to this country. Australia does exist, and we are all part of it, fighting for it, and fighting for solutions. We are one country, one flag, one anthem and one people!
At least we should be!
John Parsons
Comments are welcome but personal abuse is not. Please stick to the issues.
I believe that today’s Labour Party and the Greens have much to answer for. They are the "fuckwits that are in power" in this state for not allowing controlled burn offs and not allowing collection of wood on the sides of the road. Fire is, after all, a State Government issue. You talk about the Department of Land, Water and Planning not giving any money to do things (in reference to Jam Jerrup) and Parks Victoria cannot fund anything as well, because this government won’t give them any money. Everything has gone to the city and there is nothing left for the country … as dictated to by the Greens. We have a neighbour who is clearing fire breaks for Parks Victoria behind the Dandenongs who has confirmed the lack of finance and the build up of flammable vegetation caused by government policy.
I see recently that only 35 per cent of people believe that climate change and global warming was the cause of recent bushfires, whereas 56 per cent believe they were caused by the failure of state and territory governments to conduct adequate hazard reduction to lower the fire risk. The majority have spoken and I hope that our own State Government takes note.
This was written by a local Gippsland farmer after the fires: "Many will not like this post, bit confronting, but what we as farmers get to face and deal with, the aftermath of the fire last night, we fought tirelessly all night with the CFA alongside us and the aircraft above to save a mates place along with both his and our stock. Courtesy of the greens and dickheads worried about burning baby birds and a bush flower or a bit of moss, has devastated so many lives with their lifetimes of hard work gone up in flames. The bush is a MESS, a bomb just waiting to go off, minimal back burning allowed, special protected zones NOT allowed to be burnt, with the effects of the drought on top of the bullshit, one part of the bomb erupted and devastated so many, to the dickheads out there, where were you last night, were you safe, had a good nights sleep, didn't see any of yaz out helping us all last night or clean the mess you've created today, didn't see u helping us shoot our stock or help us bury them either, spose our dead stock don't matter as there not a flower, a baby bird or a piece of moss! You people have a lot to answer for, PS thanks for the loss of our livelihoods, as if the drought hadn't taken enough from us already, hope your all proud of yourselves!!"
Was there anyone at your conference offering an alternative point of view or was it all one sided?
On reflection I thought that I needed to ask you if you learnt anything from the National Climate Emergency Summit that you attended in Melbourne. The article in the Bass Coast Post did not touch on this and I would have thought that this was the most important thing that the readers would have wanted to know. So, did you learn anything new, and did you obtain any ideas that would be of benefit to Bass Coast residents and ratepayers? I am sure there are many readers who will look forward to your response regarding this.
Point two. These are also the real “fuckwits”: We have a neighbour who contacted me a while ago to ask if he could put my name to an email he was writing to Russell Broadbent to ask what the Federal Government was doing about climate change. After I said no, and then sent him an email stating what the Federal Government was doing, he sent the following text to me:
“Hey, Just wanted to thank J for her article yesterday. (Incidentally she had written nothing on FB … but quite possibly I may have done!!) Up until reading a hearsay account of something that occurred 150 years ago we had been believing peer reviewed scientists. Imagine that! Also, can I please get the address of your shaman? I can't imagine you would be such a hypocrite as to be using science to treat your medical issues. Finally, those of us who won't be around much longer should definitely continue thwarting action on our children's future. Good work! Regards”.
Now this is the type of mindset that we have to deal with when confronting people with climate change issues, and one wonders why there are so many (that’s the majority like myself) who just want them to go away….permanently! These are the real fuckwits!! Climate change itself is understandable and debatable. Climate change zealots like this are the ruination of this country and our children.
Point three: Wearing a tee shirt that says AUSTRALIA DOES NOT EXIST is a typical inflammatory statement and nothing to be proud of. I am happy to wear an Aboriginal tee shirt and indeed I was wearing one last time we met. I respect Aboriginal culture and their people, but not this person. Where is the reconciliation? We are all equal in this country. Do the Aboriginal people not want to close the gap?
At a recent Indigenous All Stars game they chose not to play the Australian national anthem as it does not represent them and the rest of Australia is supposed to suck it up and not be offended. And yet when the RSL in Western Australia bans the Aboriginal flag at ANZAC ceremonies they get offended and the rest of us get labeled. The hypocrisy is staggering.
My understanding is that the “welcome to country” and the “Aboriginal flag” did not exist prior to the 1970s. The Aboriginal people who fought in WWI and WWII fought under the Australian flag and provided a great service to this country. Australia does exist, and we are all part of it, fighting for it, and fighting for solutions. We are one country, one flag, one anthem and one people!
At least we should be!
John Parsons
Comments are welcome but personal abuse is not. Please stick to the issues.