Storms and tirades
The fury of the storm that wreaked havoc across Melbourne is well matched by the passionate fury expressed by so many at the bull headed devastation of our Bay.
The pic here is of the Bay just after the worst of the storm. The clouds were about to spit muddy rain onto our created world.
I went to the local Blairgowrie beach yesterday (3rd April). As I watched, the dreaded dredger was quietly making its way towards the heads. To think of continuing with this massive project in the wake of such a storm is mind boggling – such stupidity and arrogance plus.
I watched and wept inside myself. A seagull with a fish hook in its mouth sat next to me. Two gulls covered in oil kept shaking their feathers and another was gagging and vomiting nearby.
As if that is not enough, today, the same day the widening of the heads begins, Victorian Government is holding a Climate Change summit. Here, the Premier boasts that Victoria is on cue :
” For nearly nine years the Victorian Government has shown national and international leadership on policy and actions to reduce emissions.” Victoria’s Climate Summit
This is stated with confidence despite all the evidence to the contrary: the Government’s new fleet of expensive petrol-guzzling cars, the decisions on the Goulburn water fiasco, the introduction of GM crops, the dredging of the Bay … and so on. These people seem to truly believe in the their own mythologies. In mental health terms – this is referred to as ‘delusional’. Kenneth Davidson in the Age is kind with his words: he refers to this Victorian Government as “the main residents in La La Land.” Oh dear! Somewhere along the Way, common sense has been swamped by a plethora of pigs at the trough and self promoting experts.
There are the intrepid who truly care.
Today, Judy O’Donnell is out on the Bay with Judy Muir and a group of Bay lovers, on Polperro , showering the dolphins with warnings, protection and love.
Operation Quarantine has organised a protest at the heads for tomorrow.
You can gather at Sorrento to encourage the intrepid warriors, at Point Nepean, and at Point Lonsdale.
Saturday 5th of April
On- Land supporters Meet at:
Point Lonsdale Pier at 11.30 am
Boats meet at Sorrento Pier at 10 am or at the dredge at 12 noon
Distress signals from land and water 12.30 pm onwards.
The Blue Wedges and Operation Quarantine sites will keep you up to date with activities.
The monitoring of the Bay will be carried out by the POMc team PLUS, the EPA will continue to monitor all beaches all year throught the two year project PLUS the Australian Conservation Foundation will be conducting their own in depth monitoring and reporting.
Whatever damage occurs to our Bay through this arrogant bullying behaviour – will not go unnoticed for long. Continue to campaign in whatever way you can.
The Friends of the Earth petition is awakening global awareness; local petitions and mandates coninue to put the official guardians on notice.
The earth will recover, the Bay will recover, and we shall not forget!
Melbourne and its disinterested folk and insensitive developers, will learn. Minister Garrett will learn. Premier Brumby and POMc will learn.
The Bay hurts and needs our love.
This is a planet of learning, of ‘whoops’ and ‘ouch’ and bumbling errors and patch ups, cover ups and avoidances of responsibility – until we learn. On it goes, generation after generation. There will continue be challenges to be met and problems to be solved. With our creativity, our expressive natures, through innovation and by initiating, we learn.
*pic by Jewelz Bould. [after the storm]