Planning and Development Development Deals Criticized: Devil is in the Detail
We've heard about never getting between a premier and a bucket of money. Perhaps the public should avoid getting between planning gurus and a piece of dirt. Follow the money, and in the world of politics the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow is to be found in the office of a few decision makers.
Consider the lillies, Jesus said - but he was thinking of the field. The lesson for the political season just underway comes from the lilies of the pond, water lilies. It is an old French riddle. 'At first there is only one lily pad in the pond, but the next day it doubles, and thereafter each of its descendants doubles. The pond completely fills up with lily pads in 30 days. When is the pond exactly half full? Answer: on the 29th day...’
The entomologist Edward O. Wilson uses this riddle to illustrate the urgency of our ecological crisis. 'Because earth is finite in many resources that determine the quality of life - including arable soil, nutrients, fresh water, and space for natural ecosystems - doubling of consumption at constant intervals can bring disaster with shocking suddenness. Even when a nonrenewable resource has been only half used, it is still only one interval away from the end.' The 29th day can feel like a normal day - look how much room is left in the pond - but it can actually be the eve of catastrophe. Only those who are paying close attention may see the dire significance of the day, but by then their biggest problem is the complacency of those who do not know what time it is.
On the 29th day, the pond is half-choked to death, but it seems OK. Surely we have another 29 days to fix the problem. But do we? How this lesson applies to the earth's dwindling resources is obvious, but it has meaning in other areas as well.
The devil in development by Kevin Rozzoli
The developer does his development and takes his money and runs, and moves on to the next development. The poor people in the community who live next door to the development are there suffering long after the developer has gone.
· Webdiarist: Kevin Rozzoli [SMH]
· Hubris, corruption and greed in Sydney [SMH]
Protest From the backbench Lawrence still rocks the boat
She also wanted to ‘illustrate the hypocrisy’ of the US position on weapons inspections by inspecting the aircraft carrier itself for weapons as it prepared for war against Iraq.
They [the warships] wouldn't be here otherwise, it doesn't take a genius to work that out. We expect Australians should know what sort of weapons are being held at a time of war.
· Hypocricy [SMH]
· From the Desk of Carmen: Youth, Fellings, Emotions & Reasons [Web Diary: SMH]