tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7878592054777492431.post7486179962179292647..comments2024-01-20T10:32:53.309+10:00Comments on CairnsBlog.net: I choked on my cornflakesMichael P Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02890121680113642715noreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7878592054777492431.post-6505909415085744262008-02-14T09:59:00.000+10:002008-02-14T09:59:00.000+10:00STOP ALL THE ROBUST DEBATE!you are scaring away th...STOP ALL THE ROBUST DEBATE!<BR/>you are scaring away the Unity candidatesAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7878592054777492431.post-53772776728327819352008-02-13T21:36:00.000+10:002008-02-13T21:36:00.000+10:00Labour!Liberal!National Party! Democrats!Union Mem...Labour!<BR/>Liberal!<BR/>National Party! <BR/>Democrats!<BR/>Union Member! <BR/>Non-Union Member!<BR/>Catholic!<BR/>Islamic!<BR/>Seventy Day Adventist!<BR/>Mormon!<BR/>Christian!<BR/>Church of England!<BR/><BR/>When will everyone get their head around the facts! It is irrelevant your own personal beliefs be they political or religious. <BR/>When you are elected to office of Councillor, you are there to represent the people of your electorate, you are a PUBLIC SERVANT if you cannot wear this tag or get your poor little head around it don’t stand. <BR/><BR/>For people the likes of Sno Bonneau or Paul Freebody go into the next room and see if there’s a grown up in there and ask them to explain any big words to you very slowly. <BR/>As for the reference to the FNQ CPI figures, Australian Advertising Standards, The Australian Electoral Commission or the Office of Fair Trading will sort that for you. If you’re lucky they might even shut the web site down for a period. You see you must be HONEST when you advertise shame it doesn’t carry through to Council proper! <BR/><BR/>EnjoyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7878592054777492431.post-83702056580761498752008-02-13T20:22:00.000+10:002008-02-13T20:22:00.000+10:00I think that was "Coops" commenting on "the jury i...I think that was "Coops" commenting on "the jury is still out on the effectiveness of unions".<BR/>As a former journo you would think the Toowong breast cancer cluster and the role the union played might have changed her mind about "effectiveness" of unions.<BR/><BR/>Isn't it bloody marvellous where ideology throws commonsense to the winds?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7878592054777492431.post-55636303260490546152008-02-13T18:42:00.000+10:002008-02-13T18:42:00.000+10:00anonymous above is a little behind the times about...anonymous above is a little behind the times about unions, with "the jury is still out about how effective they are.....".<BR/>All those women suffering from breast cancer at the Toowong ABC studios wouldnt have had a chance at compension if it hadn't been for their union, for a start.<BR/>Second, you great dill, George Bush's darling, Johnny Howard was ousted from office largely through the efforts of Australia's union movement.<BR/>Phooey, some people keep on regurgitating and regurgitating the same ole same ole, despite history marching on.<BR/>Wake up to yourself, you clown.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7878592054777492431.post-66352254595560444782008-02-13T13:47:00.000+10:002008-02-13T13:47:00.000+10:00Gday coops. I have a sure fire way for you to get ...Gday coops. <BR/><BR/><BR/>I have a sure fire way for you to get voted in to council. You are well known around town and certainly have knowledge of media and promotions. It is also evident that many residents are very dissapointed you have aligned yourself with Byrne. <BR/><BR/>So here goes...I suggest at some stage during this campaign you call a media conference to announce that you are RESIGNING from the Unity team. Imagine the circus! It would be shock horror. Why?, they will ask. Tell them you simply cannot be associated with someone who has shown such contempt for the people of Cairns and simply do not agree with the negative vision that KB has.<BR/><BR/>Believe me, you would gain massive respect, get voted in by a mile and help in doing Cairns the greatest service imaginable, getting rid of Byrne.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7878592054777492431.post-82701920143927059092008-02-13T09:56:00.000+10:002008-02-13T09:56:00.000+10:00Dear Council Worker,This is precisely why I have b...Dear Council Worker,<BR/><BR/>This is precisely why I have been loathe to continue any kind of debate through this forum. You are now presuming that I don't care/don't have an answer but the reason why I didn't answer yesterday is because I went out doorknocking for 2 hours, I went to a business event, I then picked up my kids and helped them with homework and then I went to a 4-hour Leukaemia meeting. <BR/><BR/>I have been thinking seriously about how to respond to your question about union membership because you are going to automatically think that I'm a fence-sitter, so please hear me out. In principle I agree with unions and their right to fight for the majority. In saying that, the jury is still out on how effective they really are because I have personally been involved in a strike where many union members lost their jobs - with no recourse. Also, as far as collective bargaining is concerned, I still haven't seen major results for groups such as nurses so it is difficult for me to say "Pay your union fees and you'll be looked after". Realistically, some unions are stronger than others.<BR/><BR/>Please don't result to name-calling until you are aware of what else has gone on in my day.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7878592054777492431.post-11268432450600977072008-02-13T08:10:00.000+10:002008-02-13T08:10:00.000+10:00Both of the published Unity advertisements make re...Both of the published Unity advertisements make reference to a population for our 'cities' regional council of 165,000. This is described as "a region with a population 75% of the size of Tasmania and 45% more than the Northern Territory" which seems odd?<BR/><BR/>The 2006 census population for Tasmania is 476,481 and 75% of this is 357,360. The census population for the NT is 192,898 and 45% more than this is 279,702. So none of these stated numbers correlate with each other and the comparisons seem rather inflated? But hey, whats a discrepancy of 100% or so? <BR/><BR/>A theory has also been postulated that if we divide the Mayor's hat size by the value of free food consumed at Villa the result is his brain/body mass ratio although this has not been emprically tested.<BR/><BR/>With Kevin on the calculator and Freebody on the typewriter the next month should certainly be entertaining.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7878592054777492431.post-2791886236450876582008-02-13T06:44:00.000+10:002008-02-13T06:44:00.000+10:00LIGHTWEIGHT LINDA! what a shame you can't answer a...LIGHTWEIGHT LINDA! what a shame you can't answer a question that goes beyond what's in your CVAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7878592054777492431.post-2344132021029617872008-02-12T22:07:00.000+10:002008-02-12T22:07:00.000+10:00Well if its relevant nerdy issues we want a quick ...Well if its relevant nerdy issues we want a quick examination of the issue raised by thersites should be relevant as it directly relates to the claims in the Unity advertisement posted here in the blog.<BR/><BR/>The Mayors most recent budget speech states: "The residential minimum general rate has been set at $625 – up from $595. This means 67 per cent of all residential ratepayers will pay no more than a 5 per cent increase."<BR/><BR/>Ummmm, well actually Mr Mayor that increase in the minimum rate for the lowest value properties IS more than 5% (5.04% Actually). So when we combine this large chunk of ratepayers on the minimum rate with the apparent 33% who suffered an even larger increase then the rate rise for the majority of ratepayers must be more than 5% (not including service fees and charges).<BR/><BR/>This is way above even the CPI rate which is currently causing concern for the Reserve Bank and results in interest rate increases. The joke here is that Unity have promised no rate increases above the inflation rate when their own rate increases are a principal component of inflation in FNQ.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7878592054777492431.post-40344345398911152102008-02-12T22:01:00.000+10:002008-02-12T22:01:00.000+10:00Dear CoopsI realise that you have been bombarded w...Dear Coops<BR/><BR/>I realise that you have been bombarded with correspondance here, and you have been most gracious so far...<BR/><BR/>but I really would like a response to my comments and question.<BR/><BR/>thanksAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7878592054777492431.post-62383759842877288632008-02-12T21:34:00.000+10:002008-02-12T21:34:00.000+10:00Hear, hear roisin. Commentators should stick to t...Hear, hear roisin. Commentators should stick to the issues...God knows there are enough of them!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7878592054777492431.post-88778636602279330802008-02-12T15:12:00.000+10:002008-02-12T15:12:00.000+10:00Everyone has a right to comment on this blog and s...Everyone has a right to comment on this blog and some choose to do so anonymously. That's all well and good but some anonymous posts are just disgraceful. I refer to the anonymous post re: Bill Philips-Turner. If the writer has not got the guts to say such things with a name attached, don't say them at all. I have actually met Bill Philips-Turner on a few occasions and found him to be a decent man. Indeed, for that reason, I was surprised that he decided to stand as a unity team candidate. Don't get me wrong, I won't be voting for Bill or the Unity team leader, not because of Bill's oversight with EPA regulations, but because I don't agree with the Unity team policies or past performance. It's obvious that much of the electorate of Cairns (or at least the ones that post comments to this blog) are wholly sick and tired of the current regime, but can we try to stick to the issues. One thing that hasn't been mentioned about the Unity team ad is that it's not the job of an elected council to interfere with the day to day "running" of things. That's the job of the paid staff. The elected council should focus on representing the aspirations of their communities and deliver on policy, based on those aspirations. That, in my opinion, is where the current elected council has failed.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7878592054777492431.post-31112369670999980472008-02-12T13:15:00.000+10:002008-02-12T13:15:00.000+10:00Well it's interesting that 'Coops' wont tolerate a...Well it's interesting that 'Coops' wont tolerate anything not fair or just but it seems her 'integrity' will allow her to tolerate anything misleading if it means a vote. <BR/><BR/>I'm particularly curious about the promise in the above ad for "no rate rises above the FNQ CPI" and wonder if 'Coops' could explain more precisely what this means as many ratepayers have experienced rate rises way in excess of any CPI under KB and Unity? <BR/><BR/>Most particularly i'm curious about the reference to the "FNQ CPI", as the Australian Bureau of Statistics would appear to know nothing about this? The published CPI stats are a weighted average of 8 capital cities and there is no published CPI for FNQ? So what is this index that is referred to 'Coops'??<BR/><BR/>Oh, also, the Unity Team (sic) website doesn't appear to carry any authorisation which I think is required by the electoral act? For a Team (sic) with a campaign based on experience there doesn't seem to be much evidence of integrity, knowledge or professionalism?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7878592054777492431.post-14229467892196187492008-02-12T12:28:00.000+10:002008-02-12T12:28:00.000+10:00G'day Coops,Good to see you have replied to some q...G'day Coops,<BR/><BR/>Good to see you have replied to some questions, however I too believe you have sold your sole by aligning yourself to Byrne. I have some questions for you...<BR/><BR/>1. Can you guarantee the current Douglas Shire water filtration system will remain? Even if the stategovt tries to force flouridation on it, will you oppose it?<BR/><BR/>2. Can you guarantee the Unity team, if they win, will keep the rule in Port Douglas which says you can't build anything higher than the tree line?<BR/><BR/>3. Do you support retaining the Cairns Yacht Club?<BR/><BR/>4. Do you believe that the False Cape development should have been approved?<BR/><BR/>Appreciate it if you can answer these. Good on you for having the guts to respond on here. I may have more questions yet. Please no wishy wishy political answers either please.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7878592054777492431.post-45612207195627953162008-02-12T10:56:00.000+10:002008-02-12T10:56:00.000+10:00Sorry anon - probably just over-excited (I am a ve...Sorry anon - probably just over-excited (I am a very passionate person). Have definitely been listening to residents of Division 6 and have a massive sheet of issues that they have raised in the area that I am helping out with.<BR/><BR/>Would love to catch up with you to hear what you have to say. And I do appreciate the advice.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7878592054777492431.post-35744660216296339092008-02-12T09:55:00.000+10:002008-02-12T09:55:00.000+10:00An $88k paycheque?? Whew, and you don't even have...An $88k paycheque?? Whew, and you don't even have to give up your normal job?!!!! <BR/>HEY PEOPLE, I AM THE MOST EMPATHIC, CARING AND SHARING, SHARING AND CARING, AS GOD IS MY WITNESS COMMUNITY MINDED CARING AND SHARING PERSON WHO WAS EVER BORN. Work? I don't know the meaning of relax. I carry doggie bags to collect my waste products as I work.......Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7878592054777492431.post-73330192789462988692008-02-12T08:45:00.000+10:002008-02-12T08:45:00.000+10:00Hi there 'Don't Dine At Villa'. Thanks for the rad...Hi there 'Don't Dine At Villa'. Thanks for the radio comment. It's just a shame that breakfast radio doesn't start until 8am - then I would've been able to see my kids in the morning and I wouldn't have ever left. I tried to get the radio exec-heads to switch forward the clocks but for some reason they weren't into it.<BR/><BR/>For the record, and in Kevin's defence, I approached him to say that I wanted to run as a Councillor and at no time was the salary mentioned. He is aware, as are all the people that are close to me, that I'm not motivated by money. Don't get me wrong, I like the nice things in life, but that has never been the reason of why I've chosen particular jobs (eg: .... radio announcer!)<BR/><BR/>And I wouldn't know how to only work 3 days a week - not in my nature sorry.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7878592054777492431.post-65498917137074738602008-02-12T08:07:00.000+10:002008-02-12T08:07:00.000+10:00thanks coops,If all this is true, then I still don...thanks coops,<BR/><BR/>If all this is true, then I still don't know why you are on this team. <BR/>Clearly, this kind of honesty and integrity won't sit well with the Major and it is obviously naive of you to think it will, just ask Blakey about the bribery affair....<BR/>By the way, can you tell me your veiw on union membership and the right for employees to collectively bargain?<BR/><BR/>regardsAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7878592054777492431.post-66906971924772548402008-02-12T08:01:00.000+10:002008-02-12T08:01:00.000+10:00Hey Coops!!!!! The first OPEN Unity player too c...Hey Coops!!!!! The first OPEN Unity player too comment on here.<BR/><BR/>You are great (miss u on radio!!) <BR/><BR/>So why are u slepeping with the devil?? Why Unity sweetie darling???<BR/><BR/>If u are honest and up front - u will soon learn that Kev;s gunna be no mate of yours.<BR/><BR/>Was it the lunch you had with him where he convinced you to run and said "Want a $88K a year job for three days a week work?<BR/><BR/>I think it was. He said the same to my friend and she told Big Kev where to get off.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7878592054777492431.post-31635602928750106512008-02-12T07:57:00.000+10:002008-02-12T07:57:00.000+10:00More importantly.. when was the last time you spot...More importantly.. when was the last time you spotted a caravan around visiting Cairns? <BR/><BR/>They simply don't come here now.<BR/><BR/>They know this City Council got rid of almost every one over the last 8 years.. <BR/><BR/>SO they do the Tableands.. but the Grey Nomads, as they're called - bypass Cairns altogether.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7878592054777492431.post-73978413284148718692008-02-12T07:03:00.000+10:002008-02-12T07:03:00.000+10:00Enough Rope,Yes I will commit to being a full-time...Enough Rope,<BR/><BR/>Yes I will commit to being a full-time councillor and yes I will expose/report corruption if I discover anything untoward. Inherently I cannot tolerate anything that's not fair and just.<BR/><BR/>Linda Cooper<BR/>Unity Team Candidate Division 6Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7878592054777492431.post-87131127684981662082008-02-11T23:25:00.000+10:002008-02-11T23:25:00.000+10:00How many caravan parks or boarding houses left in ...How many caravan parks or boarding houses left in Cairns??? Once upon a time, there were lots.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7878592054777492431.post-90038251809900017702008-02-11T22:32:00.000+10:002008-02-11T22:32:00.000+10:00Linda,Congratulations on all of your achievements ...Linda,<BR/><BR/>Congratulations on all of your achievements throughout the Community.<BR/>You almost sound too nice to be associated with the other thugs on the unity team.<BR/>Two questions for you,<BR/>1; are you going to commit to being a full time Councillor or continue to be in as many paying rolls possible?<BR/>2; would you expose/report corruption within Council if you were suspect/discover it?<BR/><BR/>Over to you<BR/><BR/>Enough Rope.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7878592054777492431.post-22946430962575601512008-02-11T21:40:00.000+10:002008-02-11T21:40:00.000+10:00Hi Michael, Whilst I understand that this site (Ca...Hi Michael, <BR/>Whilst I understand that this site (Cairns Blog) is a support mechanism for Cairns 1st, I would like to correct the record in regards to your paragraph:<BR/><BR/>"Also, it’s hard to find people amongst the Unity Team that are community-minded, something that should be high on the agenda of local government....<BR/>Those that are from the grass roots, know how it feels to contribute to a community and make a real difference in the important things in people’s lives." <BR/><BR/>Politics aside - my parents would be appalled to think that I have not been considered a community-player. They spent the better half of their lives raising five children who place community and family issues above everything else. <BR/><BR/>Here is a list (by no means exhaustive) of what I've done for this community over the past few years: <BR/>- President of the Leukaemia Foundation and volunteer for 10 years (children and hubby also volunteer) <BR/>- Currently managing the refurbishment of a children's oncology room at the Cairns Base Hospital <BR/>- Committee member for fundraising and installation of children's playground at CBH <BR/>- Patron for several years of CoCA <BR/>- Organised and fundraised a $10,000 event to send 10 local swimmers to the National Swimming Championships <BR/>- Fund raised in excess of $10,000 for the orphaned Mitchell children of Redlynch <BR/>- Assisted Harald Falge in awareness of Harald's House when first launched <BR/>- Previous mentor for Lead On - Creator of Operation Blanket appeal for 3 years for the Salvation Army <BR/>- Ran a campaign which collected and distributed 15 tonne of furniture, food and clothing for victims of the ACT bushfires - Instigator of the original Christmas Cavalcade <BR/>- and tuck-shop mum. <BR/><BR/>This does not include the many years (prior to marriage/children etc) of volunteering with the Cerebral Palsy Association (highest fundraiser in Perth in 1989) and the Royal Institute for the Blind (where I was sent for 3-months to the USA to teach the visually impaired how to water-ski). <BR/><BR/>I don't expect any political support from you but would appreciate not being lumbered with the notion that I don't support this community. <BR/><BR/>Kind regards, Linda Cooper Unity Team Candidate for Division 6<BR/>_______________<BR/>Linda Cooper<BR/>President<BR/>Leukaemia Foundation Queensland<BR/>Cairns Branch<BR/>mailto:linda@cooper.name<BR/>http://www.cairnsunity.net.au/cooper.html <BR/>0419 656 995Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7878592054777492431.post-50949029585077691312008-02-11T21:03:00.000+10:002008-02-11T21:03:00.000+10:00Of course they put Rip van Winkle Phillips Turner ...Of course they put Rip van Winkle Phillips Turner on the You-nit-eh ticket. He'll be saluting the Loo-tenant right away. <BR/><BR/>Poor old Dildo Phillips-Turner missed the drum muster last year eh? Jeezus Bill, how many drums of oil and farm chemicals do you use each year? I snuck along to have a look and there would have been upwards of 300 drums not the 100 reported in the paper. As a former farmer we wouldn't have used 300 drums total in 30 years.<BR/><BR/>No wonder our river pH_ucked. Lying bastard will fit right in with the rest of the "team".Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com