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The Border Watch : June 13th 2014
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8 opinion EDITORIAL A DRAMATIC upswing in Mount Gambier’s property market is certainly welcome after a tough economic period. To see a 78pc increase in the number of sales in the December quarter compared to the same period in the previous year brings a confidence boost that will stretch beyond the real estate sector. The positive statistical reflection of a recovering real estate market comes as particularly good news only days after the Mount Gambier City Council gave the go-ahead to a new major residential housing subdivision. Council’s Development Assessment Panel has approved the creation of 231 new residential allotments on Wireless Road West at Suttontown. In today’s Border Watch, the story of Kathryn Weddell-Lucas serves as an inspiration. The real estate agent lifted her chin after she was retrenched from Fimmell’s First National a year ago and started her own business. She took the brave step when the real estate market was in a slump, but has since employed a number of people to share in her success. Wildlife killings THE recent killing of native wildlife by a group of refugees sent shockwaves through the community. Nobody can deny that the act of killing possums and koalas for food was sad and disappointing. But there is more behind this incident than just brutality. It presented the Mount Gambier community with the challenge to display tolerance towards people from foreign backgrounds with different beliefs and a lack of understanding of some of our values and laws. The situation also offers the opportunity to make the effort to consider why some migrants can act at times in ways unacceptable to other Australians. Refugee Week will be held next week. Take the time to listen to the stories of those who were shaped by life in a refugee camp before coming to Australia and learn about their cultural backgrounds. COMMENT Fair questioning deserves better than sexist claims ROM THE FRONT PORCH REENWOOD R GRAHAM R 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 SCOTT GROUP OF COMPANIES The Border Watch Management: General Manager: Robin Reid Email: robin.reid@tbw.com.au Editor: Jason Wallace Email: editor@tbw.com.au Sports Editor: Rod Morris Email: rod.morris@tbw.com.au Sales Manager: Dennis Jackson Email: dennis@tbw.com.au Pre-Press Manager: Jamie Croker Email: prodn@tbw.com.au Administration Manager: Demi Hammond Email: accounts@tbw.com.au The Border Watch Audited by Audit Bureau of Circulations 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 538600 8 - The Border Watch, Friday, June 13, 2014 LACHLAN SMITH Kongorong Not really, I’m not too big of a fan. BRANDI MILLER Mount Schank Yes, I’m not a big fan but it will be good to have a celebrity in the town. BRODIE VON STANKE-DOWIE Carpenter Rocks Yes, I’ve seen him before in Warrnambool and I would be excited to see him again. FROM early in my life I was taught to respect women and treat them as an equal. At home my mother Gladys was a strong character, had a wonderful demeanour, great people skills and was clever at defusing delicate situations - similar traits that most women possess. She told me women were to be respected and treated in a dignified manner. Her advice was similar to what we were taught at school. Despite attending what was regarded as a low-class school in the east end of town at Gambier East Primary, I never witnessed a situation where girls were intimidated or bullied by boys. The teachers were strong disciplinarians and if any boy crossed the line they would have some of the toughest teachers in the city to deal with. The lessons I learnt at home and school stood me in good stead in later life. During my newspaper career and more than 25 years as an editor, gender was never a factor. I always selected the best and as a result employed more women than men, either as experienced journalists or cadets. To be honest, most of the best journalists I worked with were women and the best newspaper general manager I worked alongside was also a woman. STREET SWEEPER Are you excited about Reece Mastin coming to Mount Gambier? It is recognised that in many professions and workplaces women faced a glass ceiling and failed to gain equal pay, but that certainly didn’t apply in journalism. In fact, journalism perhaps was a trailblazer in equality. Right from the beginning, women were regarded as equal and earned the same pay. There was no such thing as male or female journalists - they were simply journalists. So, coming from that background, I found it easier to identify both sides of an argument involving claims of gender inequality or alleged sexist comments. But in recent times some in society have become too sensitive, perhaps too precious when confronted with fair and reasonable questions which might cross the gender divide. It is a clever rouse to stifle or shift debate on an issue by labelling the person asking the question as sexist. The sexist claim becomes the issue rather than the question. The latest to receive such treatment from several writers was former Essendon full forward and now commentator Matthew Lloyd. Several weeks ago, following Richmond’s dismal form, and during a discussion by other commentators about what was wrong with this once great club, Lloyd asked a simple question about Richmond president Peggy O’Neal. His one sentence question, made on the Footy Classifieds show was: “What does she bring to the table that makes her a great president?” It caused a furore among the “politically correct police”, claiming Lloyd was sexist for asking the question because Ms O’Neal was a woman. The point is, and this was well made by Lloyd’s co-commentating colleague Garry Lyon, that if commentators cannot ask a legitimate question, such as that asked by Lloyd, and debate the issue, then the world has become too precious. Lyon made the point that if the Richmond president was male, the same question would have been asked. In fact, other male presidents have faced far tougher scrutiny, either earlier this year or in the past. The entire furore that followed supported the fact that it was easier to call Lloyd a sexist rather than look objectively at the question he posed. If it had been debated maybe everyone would have learnt a little more about the strengths of Richmond’s new president. It is a question that perhaps still needs to be answered but has been lost in a gender slanging match. If that is the most difficult question Ms O’Neal is to face during her time as Richmond president, she has little to worry about. Women have every right to complain if there is any impropriety or comments made which bring them down. But there also has to be an understanding that in some cases questions need to be asked, answered and debated. Commentators should not be labelled sexist if it is a fair question, such as posed by Matthew Lloyd. ViSiT US onLinE borderwatch.com.au
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