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The Border Watch : January 14th 2015
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6 opinion EDiToRiAL THE fracking issue is bound to follow Energy Minister Tom Koutsantonis to the South East this week. Community leaders should use the opportunity in talks with the high-profile minister to voice the concerns of the public about the potential damage hydraulic fracturing could cause to our environment. Fracking is set to dominate public debate in the coming months with an inquiry into the controversial mining technique beginning next month. Proponents claim the controversial mining technique is safe, will generate jobs and economic activity and there is nothing to fear, but opponents, representing a broad cross section of the public, fear it will decimate our region and destroy our “clean and green” image as an agricultural powerhouse for the state. The Lock the Gate movement has conducted a strong campaign in the South East and those leading the protests must now put their focus to the inquiry and ensure the views of opponents are clearly outlined during the investigation process. While the industry has been critical of political moves to secure the inquiry, stakeholders in the sector should have nothing to fear if they genuinely believe fracking will not hurt the South East. The process will offer a transparent opportunity to put their views and facts on the public record to be tested through further debate. Rather than raise fears the inquiry will slow down development, both sectors should welcome the chance to clear the air on the controversial topic, allow for informed discussion and find a way forward. It would be foolish to rush into mining without first questioning whether the impacts could hurt the South East. If damage is done, it cannot be turned back. Now is the time to pause, clearly examine all issues involved and consider whether the gas giants should be allowed to expand mining activity in the South East. LETTERS To THE EDiToR RECENT letters from unionist Brad Coates and Mount Gambier resident Peter Clark have focused on the Chinese free trade deal. A further issue relates to fair trade, which is a major concern for the region’s most important forest industries. Controls needed in free trade deal Quality water best resource structural timber has not been up to standard, low density and low strength and rigidity and also low in nail holding (some low density radiata from New Zealand has been in this class). There is a world-wide requirement that wood is sourced from sustainable, well-managed and monitored forests. ESTABLISHED 1861 Published by The Border Watch Pty Ltd ABN: 78 007 828 819 Registered office: 81 Commercial Street East, Mount Gambier, SA 5290 Postal address: Box 309, Mount Gambier, SA 5290 Telephone: 08 8724 1555; Fax: 08 8724 1551 Website: www.borderwatch.com.au SMS: 0427 135 114 Proud member of the The issue of illegal logging in most of Asia and Papua New Guinea needs to be part of commitments by both countries, since illegal logging affects local people and their lands, removes government income, degrades forests and waterways. Workplace safety is ignored and safety equipment are thongs and a baseball cap, which is simply unfair to Australia. Product quality and imports must meet Australian standards, but a lot of imported forest product is of doubtful quality and has been found wanting in many structural applications, compared to Australian produced product. The Border Watch Management: General Manager: Robin Reid Email: robin@tbw.com.au Editor: Jason Wallace Email: jason@tbw.com.au Sports Editor: Rod Morris Email: rod@tbw.com.au Sales Manager: Dennis Jackson Email: dennis@tbw.com.au Pre-Press Manager: Jamie Croker Email: jamie@tbw.com.au Administration Manager: Chelsea Sargeant Email: chelsea@tbw.com.au Audited by Audit Bureau of Circulations The Border Watch Telephone 8724 1555, Fax 8724 1551 Responsibility for editorial comment is taken by Jason Wallace, 81 Commercial Street East, Mt Gambier The Border Watch proudly uses 100% recycled paper 661359 6 - The Border Watch, Wednesday, January 14, 2015 STREET SWEEpER What university courses would you like to see facilitated by the expansion of the Mount Gambier UniSA campus? STEVE GREEN Naracoorte There needs to a variety of courses suited to industry and job fields in the region, but I would like to see courses covering agriculture, forestry and viticulture facilitated at this campus. AILSA GREEN Naracoorte I would like to see more focus on the information technology courses. If there are more courses at the Mount Gambier campus it will cut costs for students and give them the opportunity to stay. EMMA BRAMICH Mount Gambier Veterinary science and law courses are difficult to get into and often require students to move to a specific campus in the city, so it would be nice to see more focus on delivering major courses in Mount Gambier. Importers must be subject to quality codes (as well as resource origin and logging codes) and the additional issue of dumping, also associated in this matter, and all is very unfair to Australia. For instance, some imported Large amounts of wood-glue products, such as plywood and particleboard from Asia, has been seriously deficient. Glue bond quality and durability has been poor, product is well below Australian standards, glues used are quite crude, particularly high formaldehyde ratio resins, which produce products that fumes in confined places and are well outside accepted standards and norms, which are examples again clearly of more unacceptable and unfair trading. For anyone interested in these matters, I suggest that one should subscribe to Timber and Forestry E-News, which is a free publication of high-quality journalism which continually covers debate within this industry and important matters such as those mentioned above, trends to cross laminated timber and high rise construction, preservative treated timber (which also is potentially a product set of serious concern in trade with China and Asia). Contact dennis@industrye-news. com and ask to be subscribed. Brian Page, Mount Gambier MY name is Lew Schinckel. I am a born and bred South East resident and have spent over 30 years of my working life as a veterinary surgeon practicing in this area. I have witnessed first-hand the rich diversity of livestock, forestry and plant production throughout this reliable, fertile region. The scale and diversity of primary production in this area is immense and even though the soils in much of the South East are not fantastic, production is maintained by the reliability and quality of our rainfall and most importantly our underground water. It therefore greatly concerns me that any industry that cannot guarantee 100pc that it will not affect our underground water could be considered an option here. Our production of beef, lamb, wool, milk, timber, grain and seeds is sustainable into the future and this should not be jeopardised by potentially risky mining techniques, whatever the short-term gains maybe. L.G. Schinckel, Kingston ViSiT US onLinE borderwatch.com.au
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