tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25637657.post5209259978768467348..comments2024-02-17T19:03:04.824+11:00Comments on New England, Australia: Firminger, Belshaw & the environmentJim Belshawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10075614280789984767noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25637657.post-39534350267807611382011-07-22T17:51:49.117+10:002011-07-22T17:51:49.117+10:00I agree, Greg, but in achieving our self governmen...I agree, Greg, but in achieving our self government dream we also have to articulate and get people to share common principles that can be used to guide common action.<br /><br />One part of that is to keep on pointing out that the distribution of costs and benefits is not fair, not equitable. <br /><br />Your point about decision making is well taken. Statehood is not a panacea, but it is the only sure way of exercising some degree of local influence.Jim Belshawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10075614280789984767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25637657.post-12488273124876728642011-07-22T17:26:28.347+10:002011-07-22T17:26:28.347+10:00"A fair sharing of the costs and benefits&quo..."A fair sharing of the costs and benefits". Spot on Jim!<br /><br />To that I would add a fair sharing of empowerment in the decision making process.<br /><br />Speaking specifically for Newcastle and the Hunter and broadly for the Greater New England, there is almost no fairness and no empowerment.<br /><br />Consider coal mining. The costs are almost exclusively borne by the local communities of the Hunter (noise, dust, contamination, congestion, strain on infrastructure, loss of productive land, community health issues and dislocation etc.).<br /><br />The local benefits are in terms of jobs and economic activity. But the broader benefits from revenue for public services and infrastructure are mostly concentrated in Sydney and Canberra.<br /><br />The decision making is almost exclusively in Sydney, Melbourne and foreign boardrooms.<br /><br />We bear most of the costs, few of the benefits and none of the empowerment. The dice is very much loaded against us.<br /><br />We will never have fairness without self government for New England!Gregnoreply@blogger.com