published in The Islander, 2011-05-26
Dear Editor,
I refer to your news item in The Islander 19th May. Firstly the naming of Rosalie Chirgwin, implying that there was something wrong with her wanting to read a draft copy of newsletter no8. I agree with her that councillors should be able to read an important document at their leisure not 10 minutes. It was not confidential. The first seven newsletters were found to be less than clear.
In other places as in governments it is normal for authors to pass a draft around to make sure nothing in it can be taken as politically incorrect, ambiguous, obfuscating or even misleading. After all a draft is just what it says and will hold no meaning until the final draft is distributed. To suggest anything else makes it appear there maybe something hidden in the text that could be said more clearly.
Secondly, with the greatest respect for GMAS Andrew Boardman I draw your attention to the heading and analogy to an elephant. He says “Penneshaw CWMS is an elephant. And how do you eat an elephant? In small chunks” Did he realise that the 220 people who signed a petition against the CWMS would certainly call it an elephant of the “White” variety?
I also wish to inform the community about the impact SA water increases will have on the CWMS project. The annual service charge which would prevail if the scheme goes ahead and finished by late 2012 will be:
As per SA water website an increase of 6% for 2011/12 would be $551.00 per year for sewerage additional to rates and a likely similar increase of 6% in 2012-13 would make the annual charge $585. However, SA water website states that increases for water of 26.3% for two years 2011/12 and 2012/13 which equates to $391 per year savings if irrigating waste water onsite. Obviously, if we opt for self-management it will save us this annual impost and provide us with potential savings in water bills once our old systems need upgrading. Affordability and sustainability are also issues.
randsk@internode.on.net
Shirley Knight