Coronavirus Covid-19 information - Has the Mid West Port Authority been honest with the people of Geraldton?

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Thousands around the world are dead and dying, and the novel coronavirus/SARS-CoV-2/Covid-19 is barely getting started. (The virus is SARS-CoV-2, it is a type of coronavirus, and the disease it causes is called Covid-19 Link).

This has resulted in a mixture of responses from people and governments across the world. Some, like Italy, took virtually no steps and continued to welcome all foreigners, and now their hospitals are overwhelmed, the nation is in complete lockdown, and doctors are having to decide whether to even give beds to older people as it may be best just to use the limited equipment on younger people with a better chance of survival. Link.

Other nations like the USA decided to engage in a “don’t test don’t tell” strategy. The New York Times just uncovered the mind blowing account of government agencies deliberately stopping scientists from testing and discovering who had the virus (link) and their country has since gone from “meh” to “WTF this is the worst thing ever” in 2 days. Supermarket shelves are emptied, ATMs are emptied, and no one was prepared. Yesterday the Ohio governor admitted publicly they estimate they have well over 100,000 infected people. Link. That’s JUST IN OHIO!

Despite this publicly available information, local authorities are still extremely slow to do or say a thing. Melissa Price and her colleagues, instead of banning travel to the USA, have been so slow to respond. For some strange reason, Minister Peter Dutton went to the USA and contracted covid-19 himself. STILL no travel bans to or from the USA have been implemented.

Political expediency is STILL being placed BEFORE the lives of Australian citizens.

It took WAY too long for the Liberal Party to ban travel to or from China. And even when they eventually did, they refused to ban travel from countries that were not banning China travel. That is to say, Chinese people could still infect people in Europe, and Europeans were then welcome to come and infect people here in Australia.

Anyone sounding the warning bell was labelled an alarmist. People who saw the writing on the wall and began to stock up were attacked in the press.

The world is slowly starting to realise this is the worst health crisis, worst crisis of any kind, we have seen in our lifetimes.

Denmark has just announced all their borders are closed to everyone except their own citizens. Link.

Czech Republic has closed its borders. Link.

Slovakia has closed its borders. Link.

Cyrpus has closed its borders. Link.

Poland has closed its borders. Link.

But authorities here seem to have a fatalist approach, telling everyone they’re all likely to get it and hoping it will result in herd immunity.

Facts about Coronavirus Covid-19 that still seem to be largely unknown by many Australians:

  • It is at least 10 times, perhaps 30 times, deadlier than influenza. (Link)

  • The medical community has grave concerns for the long term health impacts of people who survive the illness. Authorities claiming those who recover from serious infection will just return to normal are being misleading. Link.

  • It can travel through the air. Washing your hands does little if you’re breathing the same air as someone with the virus. Link. Study. The World Health Organisation was previously telling people it was not airborne, but recently removed this from their website.

  • It survives on various surfaces for up to 9 days. Link.

  • We have no certainty that herd immunity will eventuate. Link.

  • People can have the virus for more than 2 weeks before symptoms appear. Once you find out someone near you has covid-19, you’re 2 weeks or more behind. CDC data shows a patient with an incubation period of 28 days, and others ranging 7 to 17 days. Link. We know for a fact that telling people you haven’t been somewhere dangerous for 14 days simply isn’t sufficient.

  • People with absolutely no symptoms can spread the virus. “Screening” at airports and ports simply is not sufficient. Link. Telling people you can “screen” for this virus is outright misleading.

…countries that are prepared will see a fatality rate of ~0.5% (South Korea) to 0.9% (rest of China).

Countries that are overwhelmed will have a fatality rate between ~3%-5%

Put in another way: Countries that act fast can reduce the number of deaths by a factor of ten. And that’s just counting the fatality rate. Acting fast also drastically reduces the cases, making this even more of a no-brainer.

Link.

What is extremely mind blowing is that instead of arming the public with the cold, hard facts, politicians and the media have bent over backwards to try and downplay this because they don’t want to be accused of causing panic.

What Australians need are the facts, no matter how grim they are.

Despite all this publicly available information…

There are still people in our community claiming this is “just a flu”. The utter disregard for the safety and lives at risk, especially among people who are overweight, over 60, asthmatics, anyone with compromised immune systems, and health care workers who will be constantly exposed to this, is mind blowing.

Comparing the numbers of a virus that has just starting spreading for a month, with mammoth efforts to mitigate it, against an entire year’s worth of deaths from the flu, shows utter ignorance of statistics and maths, and is outright dangerous. This pseudo-empiricism is all over Facebook and network television at the moment, and it is having a very real effect on how vulnerable people choose or choose not to prepare themselves for the coming virus.

Our vulnerable elderly community members could have been steadily preparing themselves for the last six weeks, but instead the constant message from social media pundits, the media, and politicians, has been “there’s no need to stock up on supplies.”

If these people are best off self-isolating for a few months in order to reduce their risk of death, stocking up on supplies is the FIRST thing they should have done!

This is, in statistical language, a fat-tail problem (link). As it grows, its effects get exponentially worse and worse. If we had 10 years worth of influenza in two months, can you imagine how over burdened our health care system would be? It would have an order of magnitude effect on everything.

Nurses and doctors will get sick, thus there will be less health care workers. Schools will close, meaning parents will need to care for children, meaning even less doctors and nurses will be available. Respirators and other equipment will be in global short-supply, meaning you won’t actually get the proper care you hope for when you do get sick, meaning your chances of survival reduce.

Unless we slow the rate of infection for this thing NOW, we simply won’t be able to care for the sick as they present to the hospitals.

But I thought the risk was low?

The GLOBAL risk assessment according to the World Health Organisation is VERY HIGH. Link.

Telling someone the risk of transmission is low is incredibly misleading. It is as if there is a category 5 cyclone off the coast heading straight for us, and it is getting stronger every day. Telling people not to bother to prepare TODAY and that the risk is low, simply because the storm isn’t on our shores yet, is beyond absurd. We can see it coming. We have to act BEFORE it gets here. What’s more, not acting now is exactly HOW this particular storm gets here quicker.

We have seen EXACTLY what happens if we act like Italy or the USA, or we can treat this seriously and admit it is not low risk at all.

What’s even sadder is if you contract this virus right now and get sick, and you don’t know who you may have got it from, Australia WILL NOT TEST YOU! Only people who have travelled overseas, and people who know to whom they may have been exposed to it from, will be allowed to be tested. Link.

The Australian government has not made enough resources available for everyone to be tested!

This is an absolute disaster in the making, and is the OPPOSITE approach South Korea engaged in which eventually slowed the spread of the virus, in testing everyone who had any symptoms.

Ok this is serious! So what should we do?

Close all borders BEFORE it becomes widespread here. And engage in social isolation BEFORE you find out your friends and neighbours have the virus.

Continuing to wait for what “the authorities” say you should do is what has lead us to this point. Australia’s incompetent government waited WAY to long to close the borders to China, still haven’t closed the borders with the rest of the world; the USA govt engaged in a deliberate effort to stop testing from happening; the Chinese government arrested the doctor (who later died from covid-19) who tried to warn the world about this virus; Italy criticised other countries who closed the border to them early; the Japanese government expressed outrage and was offended when people suggested the Olympics might not happen and promised the world they would happen… the list goes on and on. Politicians have consistently put public perception ahead of public health.

The people in Government are not smarter than you, and do not have access to secret information about how we’re all going to be ok. They are flying by the seat of their pants. No one alive has ever had to deal with something like this. And despite scientists warning us about something like this for years, we did nothing to prepare, stockpile, nor did we act early and effectively once we knew this was coming.

We all have to take personal responsibility for our actions, and DEMAND the public servants currently at the helm put our safety AHEAD of politics and money. It might mean you need to send emails, make phone calls, or write letters. But if you value the health of yourself and your loved ones more than the health of the share market, then make sure your voice is heard.

But what if we over react?

If we take extreme preventative action now, before the virus is out of control here, the same thing that happened after the GFC and y2K bug will happen again. A whole bunch of ignorant people who have no idea how bad things almost were will all tell each other “ha ha those idiots over reacted. See! It wasn’t that bad after all.”

I admit this makes it a no-win for politicians. If they don’t do enough, they will be blamed for the deaths and carnage that ensues.

If they do what they should, and they stop this in its tracks, they will be blamed for the economic fall out that results and told they over reacted.

What we need to do now is look at the potential downside for each option.

Take drastic measures ? = people laugh at us for over reacting.

Don’t take drastic measures ? = people die.

But I’m healthy. I’ll be fine! I’m low risk.

If you had a cold you wouldn’t visit the intensive care ward of a hospital.

You stopping your healthy 30-something self from getting this thing isn’t just about you. During the incubation period you will spread it to your parents, your grand parents, the old lady shopping at Coles, the elderly couple at church… the list goes on.

Ok. But we’re all going to get it, so let’s just carry on as normal. Nothing we can do!

Please don’t spread this message. It’s absurd. We don’t all have to get this.

But even if it was true, the death rate will be FAR higher if the health care system is overwhelmed. Slowing this virus is saving lives, so when people DO get it, there are resources available to treat them.

So why hasn’t the Mid West Port Authority stopped all the cruise ships?

All across social media Geraldton community members are expressing grave concern than the Cruise ships are still coming, despite evidence showing the virus cannot be detected for over 2 weeks in many people.

The CEO of the Mid West Port Authority, Dr Dr Rochelle Macdonald, yesterday defended her decision to keep the ships coming, with a post claiming the actions the port is taking are sufficient. The actions the port said they’re taking include “screening”, and this clearly wasn’t enough to change Geraldton residents’ minds.

A poll on Everything Geraldton’s facebook page about the ships showed an overwhelming majority of people want the ships stopped immediately.

This is the full text of the post from Dr Rochelle Macdonald:

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update

The safety of our staff, stakeholders and the Mid West community is our highest priority and we take our obligations extremely seriously with this regard. Mid West Ports is working closely with our stakeholders and Government to reduce exposure of COVID-19 virus, particularly in relation to cruise ships visiting our port.

The risk of transmission of COVID-19 in Australia remains low, however MWPA recognises the situation is evolving and the need to remain vigilant.

We understand there is some concern in the community around the visitation of cruise ships to our port, however please be mindful that we have strict and well established protocols in place to ensure serious infectious diseases, including COVID-19, are identified and appropriately managed.

The Western Australian Government is confident the arrival of cruise ships into WA ports present minimal risk to the health of West Australians.

All ships entering our port, including cruise ships;
1. Have their passengers and crew screened by our Marine Team, regardless of if they have been screened by another port or company;
2. Are to have no crew or passengers to have travelled to high risk areas in the 14 days prior (COVID-19 incubation period) to the ships arrival to Geraldton; and
3. Are required to complete and submit a Health Report by the ships master which is assessed by MWPA prior to accepting their request to berth in Geraldton.

MWPA;
1. Practices and protocols have been implemented by ports nationally, meaning we are leading the way in our safety approach;
2. Has a representative on a Canberra led weekly teleconference with federal and state departments, meaning we have an understanding of progress at a national level; and
3. Will continue to ensure we are a part of the COVID-19 response conversation to be in a position to take appropriate measure as they are identified.

Further information
• Health information is available at www.healthywa.wa.gov.au/coronavirus
• Coronavirus information hotline – 1800 020 080
• The Western Australia Government has a new page which includes official information regarding COVID-19 in WA - www.wa.gov.au/covid19
• Smartraveller – information regarding travel advice for Australians - www.smartraveller.gov.au

If you have any further concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at communityfirst@midwestports.com.au

Dr Rochelle Macdonald
CEO

Is the information supplied by Dr Rochelle Macdonald accurate?

At first glance, the information provided by Dr Macdonald may lead one to believe that anyone getting off the boat is guaranteed not to have a SARS-CoV-2 infection. After all, they are “screening” people.

What the letter from Dr Macdonald is not telling you is that the port is not stating they are doing lab tests for SARS-CoV-2 infections in passengers, and it appears they are only looking for people who display or report actual symptoms. This is despite authorities being well aware that the virus spreads through people who display no symptoms whatsoever.

It is not clear why Dr Macdonald is telling the public at large that the risk of transmission is low. The World Health Organisation says the opposite of this.

Dr Macdonald, in her letter, says the port can “ensure” covid-19 is detected. It is not clear how this can be done without lab tests.

It is open to debate whether an ordinary member of the public would be lead to believe that the port is actually able to prevent anyone with a SARS-CoV-2 infection from entering Geraldton, or if that is what they are claiming they are able to achieve.

One community member asked what was actually involved in a “screening”. Mid West Port Authority did not directly answer this question. It’s not clear if they take temperatures, do swabs and lab tests, just do a survey… we still don’t know what how a screen can “ensure” patients with the virus that display no symptoms can be detected by the Mid West Port Authority per Dr Macdonald’s claims.

They did provide this response though:

“All passengers and crew on all ships are screened for having travelled to or through high risk areas. No passengers or crew are permitted in port until they have met the 14 day exclusion (coronavirus incubation period). All ship masters are required to submit a health report on all persons on their ship which is assessed by the ships agent, and our Marine Team. Any persons presenting with coronavirus and/or presenting with systems would result in the ship being declined berthing rights at Geraldton port. We must mention that ship agents and ship masters have been very cooperative and forthcoming with this information. Our pilots will only board a ship once the all clear is given by our Marine Team. Once on board, if our Pilots detect any health concerns they have authority to return the ship to anchor for further investigation. Emergency procedures in place, are implemented immediately to reduce the exposure of any illness to our Pilots, and immediate notification to State Government will occur. To date this has not occurred.”

Note the port is also re-stating their belief that the coronavirus has an incubation period of 14 days, despite information from the CDC describing a mall incident where multiple people were infected showing a range of incubation periods of up to 17 days.

Another concerned community member pointed this out to the port authority, and asked “ If they are asymptomatic they aren't going to show any signs of illness are they 🤔”

The Port did not respond to that comment.

Link.

Note, it is possible the port is deliberately using the language of “covid-19”, that is the actual disease with external symptoms, rather than the term “SARS-CoV-2” infection. The letter from Dr Macdonald states “ensure serious infectious diseases, including COVID-19, are identified…”.

Scientifically speaking, detecting Covid-19 is not the same thing as detecting a SARS-CoV-2 infection.

However, in the minds of the regular person, this distinction is not apparent, and the port should be forthcoming about its ability or inability to detect a SARS-CoV-2 infection in someone with no apparent symptoms.

This video will help you understand covid-19 coronavirus.

So we just flatten the curve but we all get the virus?

Despite the good intentions from the flatten the curve meme going around which we linked to above, there is evidence containment works. It may be economically painful, but the “flatten the curve” graphs give an illusion that we may actually have capacity to handle everyone getting sick over the next year or so. The graphs though have no numbers, and don’t seem to take into account how many patients will need ICU. THIS ARTICLE explains it in more detail. We need to copy China’s strategy and completely shut down and exterminate this thing. Planning a “let it burn through the population” strategy instead of a “containment” strategy is extremely risky at best, and catastrophic at worst.

Rates, Rates, Rates

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Please don’t mistake this short piece as any kind of excuse for the rates we are currently charged. I can barely keep my lunch down when I see the City of Greater Geraldton using our money to employ staff to put out press releases telling us how wonderful they are for giving some of our own money back to us in the form of services and street art we never asked for.

But before I digress into a libertarian rant, the point of sitting at the keyboard tonight was to discuss the issue that is currently being thrown about on Facebook regarding rates, and specifically as to whether the recent rate rises, which have been relatively low, are justified at all.

If you cast your mind back, the CGG CEO during the time of the 27% rate increase disaster was extremely clear about the rationale behind the hike. At the time, the City explicitly told everyone it was not their fault. Rents had increased dramatically due to the property boom, and you should direct your anger at the valuer general for telling the City we were all so rich now. The ‘rate in the dollar’ hadn’t increased, our property values had just gone up so much.

Ah, wonderful. We’re wealthier, so we pay a little more. Makes sense.

Not everyone bought it, but enough did that there weren’t French Yellow-Jacket style riots in the street. I mean hey, if our incomes go up, we pay more income tax. So it seems fair, right?

Riiiiiight.

Except conveniently the narrative has now changed.

Rents and property values have PLUMMETED. You can pick up a house in virtually any suburb in Geraldton for less than 2005 prices. Not inflation adjusted less. Like ACTUALLY LESS DOLLARS. And the price falls haven’t abated. Even just last month prices kept falling by a lot in both Perth AND the regions.

So by all the logic the City used before, we should be seeing steep decreases in our rates, right?

Of course not. Because conveniently, as always, that was a different CEO and Mayor.

But here’s the catch. By the time boom-time hits again (as it eventually will but who knows when) we will likely have yet another CEO and Mayor. When property prices spike, can we expect the logic to once again reverse, and our new-found wealth being the source of large rate increases? Who will hold our current administration accountable for their rhetoric and the continued increases in the face of our present rapidly declining wealth?

No one.

So what is the current narrative regarding the continued increases in rates?

Well, it’s the fact that actual costs born by the City of Greater Geraldton are in no way connected to the potential rental income of Geraldton’s inhabitants. The costs largely hinge State Government expenses like electricity prices, labour costs, and the legislative requirements as to what services a local government is required to provide.

That is to say, the State Government tells the local governments what they have to do, and what they have to pay, and then leaves them to be the bad guys collecting your rates, so you don’t realise that it’s Mark McGowan who is in charge of what your local government is allowed and not allowed to do, and what they can and cannot do to raise revenue, and how much they actually need to raise.

It gets even worse when you zoom right out. Because it’s Melissa Price and co in Canberra who have the bulk of the nation’s purse strings via income and business tax, and who get to decide where that precious GST revenue gets sent. And while they can freely cut or increase services they run as revenue waxes and wains, they in turn put demands on the States through all sorts of mechanisms to get them to keep certain standards or pass certain laws, as no Premier wants to be the guy who can’t fund the new “whatever project” because he burnt Canberra. The federal government also hands out grants like Santa Claus to local governments, boasting about providing funding to some project for this or that, as if they personally earned all that money and weren’t merely giving us back our own funds.

Before I wrap up, I don’t place the full blame at the feet of the state and federal governments. Surely the local government here, like most bureaucracies, is bloated in some areas. For example, regular businesses can’t compete with them in terms of what they pay staff. The irony that they take rates off us in order to out-compete us for the limited talent pool of staff is not lost on me.

But in this author’s opinion, the crux of the problem is not local. It’s in Perth and Canberra.

One of these two things need to happen to see any long term change:

  1. Local governments need to stop existing altogether and just be rebranded what they really are, which is administrative departments of the state government, with the State responsible for setting and collecting land rates, and dealing with the political fallout from all that follows; or

  2. Local governments need to be legitimate independent bodies with actual power to make decisions over their regions, raise revenue as they choose, and to live without fear that any decision they make can be quickly overridden by a tribunal in Perth completely disconnected from the goings on in the region.

As they currently exist, local governments are the perfect scape-goat and revenue raiser for Mark McGowan and Co. State Labor suffer none of the flak for our rates constantly increasing while our home values plummet, but get to dictate all the services that shall be provided AND they get to sell overpriced electricity etc to those local governments in order to extract more revenue from us. And whenever a local government does something the State Govt disapproves of, they can simply override the decision or make a quick legislative amendment and viola, the democratically elected local government’s decision is null and void. All the while, whenever someone complains that our rates keep going up, Labor politicians point to our Mayor here in Geraldton and his National Party affiliations and tell us all that that is where we should direct the voice of our dissatisfaction. Of course, I’m not saying these issues started with the Labor party. This problem of misaligned incentives wasn’t birthed with the latest incarnation of State Labor. It’s been this way for a long time.

I take my hat off to ANYONE who chooses to serve us in the the capacity of local government, state government, or federal government. Politics aside, Labor, Liberal, whatever, I have a lot of respect for all of them. It’s easy to sit in the peanut gallery and opine as to how much of a better job I could do if I wasn’t so busy watching The Politician on Netflix (great show btw).

My argument is simply that sometimes blame over particular issues we are facing may not lie at the feet of a particular individual, but more so with the way a system has been designed, and the incentives it begets.

Warning to motorcycle & push bike riders in Wandina

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Local residents have contacted EG over safety concerns caused by a large concrete block that is not visible to riders coming from one direction, which has been placed on a dirt track near Eakins Crescent and Bellimos Drive in Wandina.

The concrete block appears to have been placed there to deter would-be riders. However, the concern the locals who contact EG hold is that the block is not visible to people coming from the other direction, and poses a serious hazard.

Rangers from the City of Greater Geraldton were alerted to the risk but the community members. However when presented with the safety concerns they said they were told “that it was placed there to stop people using the track. We were told that people should not use the track!

The locals say the concrete block is now something of a “man trap” and they hold concern that “someone will be seriously injured if something is not done to remove this hazard, even another block on the other side of the hill.”

We all need to follow this example: Jim Jefferies interviews Jordan Peterson

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Jim Jefferies, an Australian comedian famous for sounding like an Australian version of a redneck, using the word "c###" a lot, and yet somehow making the American left love him because he attacked US gun culture in a Netflix special once.

I found it odd to see Jim Jefferies (JJ) had chosen to interview Jordan Peterson (JP). On the cover it seemed like the highschool pot head deciding to go toe-to-toe with Einstein. 

But I watched the interview anyway. 

As one expected, 90% of the video is JJ speaking over snippets of carefully cropped footage chosen to support the narrative being painted. Much of it was patently misrepresenting JP, which was hardly a surprise given the audience JJ is clearly pandering to. 

But there were two notable surprises in the video. 

The first I want to mention is how the video ends, which is with JJ essentially agreeing with JP that people should be allowed free speech. This appears obvious, and it then seems absurd most of the video was spent trying to discredit JP. 

The other interesting point is where JJ points out a double standard JP would be holding by saying it's good to force businesses to serve black people but bad to force businesses to serve gay people.

What's admirable on JP's part is he doesn't hide from JJ's (or JJ's producer's) observation. He acknowledges it and says "maybe I was wrong about that." The issue deserves more than 15 seconds of a YouTube clip to parse, but what we do get to see of JP there was him honestly addressing the point being made and having the integrity to admit he may need to change his opinion.

This is a practice both the left and the right are in desperate need of adopting. When we're in an argument, it should be our goal to discover the truth, not win the argument. If truth appears from the person I'm arguing with, I need the courage and insight to stop arguing and agree with their position.

A tweet about rape, Darren West, and the Liberal Party of Western Australia

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Background

22-year-old Eurydice Dixon was raped and killed sometime between 10:30pm on Tuesday and 3:00am on Wednesday in Melbourne, according to Victorian Police. 

Victorian Police tried to be helpful in warning the general public (cough, women) to take responsibility to avoid being raped. Detective Inspector Stamper told the media: “My message is that people need to be aware of their own personal security. If people should have any concerns at any time about their personal security, call triple-0.” 

The internet lost its $#!✝️

Women were sick of being told it was their job to avoid being raped and murdered, and somehow the onus rested on them to stay safe. The helpful "advice" from the police was tantamount to victim blaming in the minds of many people, men and women alike. 

Stories from around the world flooded our news feeds as women shared exactly what it's like to be ever mindful that one wrong move could result in the worst imaginable thing ever happening to you. 

I spent some time pondering this. I'm a 6 foot 4 male. I never worry about whether someone is going to rape me, and I rarely worry if someone will murder me. Usually when I'm walking along a dark street at night, depending whether I'm wearing a hoodie or a blazer, people are nervous about my presence. I imagined how tiring it must be to constantly make sure you take the long way home, sit in groups, text your friends constantly regarding your safety, etc etc. I felt a genuine empathy towards women and the joke that is society warning them to be the ones to "take precautions" all the time, rather than actually deal with the perpetrators effectively. 

Do you know who else felt empathy towards women following this story?

Darren West, MLC, Labor WA politician, Member for the Agricultural Region.

Darren West

So Mr West tweeted an old list that the women's rights movements circulated back in 2015. It's a great list, sarcastic in nature, that makes a very clear point: It's not the woman's job to avoid being raped, it's the rapist's job to NOT RAPE! It was endorsed by famous feminists like Sarah Silverman and many more. 

Here it is for posterity:

A similar list also circulated around the same time carried a footnote: “Rape culture directs women to police their clothing, beverage, behaviour and sexuality at all times to avoid men. It portrays men as powerless against their violent sexual urges. Rape culture demeans everyone and everyone should speak out against rape culture."

Now, anyone with an IQ above 65 could tell you that Sarah Silverman, widely hailed as a remarkable feminist (link) is not mocking rape victims by sharing this list. Anyone with an iota of understanding of the context in which the western world is operating right now, namely, rape victims being told it is THEIR job to avoid rape, would be able to put 2 and 2 together and get the point of this list. 

Sarah Silverman has around 12 million followers on Twitter and no woman on the planet called for her to apologise for sharing this list. 

Why? Because of brains.

We used our brains, understood what the list meant, and agreed her point was very valid.

Would you like to know what everyone's reactions to Ms Silverman's tweet were? Type "sarah silverman 10 Rape Prevention Tips" into Google. (or click here)

She was roundly praised, and the men who complained about her tweet were widely condemned. 

We know something needs to change. 

We are SICK of having to train our daughters on how to avoid being sexually assaulted or worse. 

And so when Darren West, in solidarity with Sarah Silverman and the millions of others who feel the same way tweeted this list recently, was he praised just like Ms Silverman? 

No. 

Because there's a by-election happening in Darling Range, and the Liberal Party are trying desperately to spin this into a "rape joke" incident.

Today I received a press release from the Liberal candidate for Darling Range, Alyssa Hayden, demanding Mr West be sacked because he published this old viral list. 

“There is no defending his tweet about rape and no excuse he attempts for posting his tweet is acceptable," Mrs Hayden said.

“You don’t joke about such a serious subject and if he believes it was a serious post it shows a lack of judgement – and not for the first time – which warrants his removal from his senior post in the Government.”

Questions

The questions I have for Alyssa Hayden and the Liberal Party are these:

1. Does Alyssa Hayden understand the point of the list?

2. Does Alyssa Hayden agree with the point the list makes?

3. If Alyssa Hayden honestly believes this list is insulting to rape victims and condemns anyone who tweets it, is she also condemning Sarah Silverman and all the feminists who made this list viral in 2015? 

And the media have been in fine form as well. Caitlin Barr from Channel 9 seems to also have completely miss the point of the list, expecting Mr West to apologise for standing with women. (link) I wonder if Ms Barr expects Sarah Silverman to also issue an apology. 

The response to Darren West's tweet from the Liberal Party is beyond "political correctness gone mad", because Darren's tweet is perfectly politically correct. 

What Mrs Hayden and the Liberal Party have done is basically said anyone who tries to make a salient point that rape victims are not to blame will have their words twisted and spun such that THEY will appear to be the ones who are insensitive to rape. 

I have had multiple family members who have been raped, sexually abused, and domestically abused. None of them are offended by this list. They ARE offended when Police tell them it is their job to avoid being abused. 

Not only did Darren West do nothing wrong by posting this list, but he is to be commended for having the courage to stand alongside victims of rape, and encouraging a conversation where we start thinking maybe it's not the woman's job to constantly avoid being raped. Maybe we should be focusing our message on the would-be attackers. 

I highly recommend reading this article "Everyday steps women take that would shock men" that was published recently by news.com.au (link)

Alyssa Hayden did not respond to attempts to contact her prior to publication of this article.  

The Geraldton Mayor and Free Speech

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In case you missed today's "here's what we should be outraged about" article from the taxpayer funded ABC, here's a link. 

In a nutshell, Laura Meachim from the ABC has done a piece about a "formal complaint" following Van Styn's comments that someone didn't like on social media. 

The comment in question was in relation to the community outrage the ABC says was occurring over the release of the Boulder man who killed a 14 year old boy. 

Regarding the outraged, Shane Van Styn pointed out that cricket bat killer we all remember well also received about the same amount of jail time, and Van Styn questioned why there wasn't the same level of community outrage then?

Consider these two scenarios:

Scenario 1

Your colleague at work comes up to you and looks you dead in the eye. He's about to insult you. 

His mouth opens. 

"You're an idiot!"

You're instantly offended. How dare this person insult you like that. 

Scenario 2

Your colleague at work comes up to you and looks you dead in the eye. He's about to insult you. 

His mouth opens. 

"You're a cloud!"

You instantly laugh. You know you're not a cloud, and your colleague is clearly misinformed. 

Why do we choose to be offended by scenario 1, but we would simply brush off scenario 2?

Because a little voice inside us thinks that maybe scenario 1 is correct, and then another voice says no it's not, then we have internal conflict, then we direct that turmoil outwards in the form of being offended and retaliation. 

In reality, the conflict lies within us. 

Because when someone calls us a cloud, we don't think it's true in the slightest, and there's no inner dialogue demanding we defend our honour.

If Van Styn had said something that was obviously untrue and absurd, we'd all laugh at him and pay him no mind. 

But instead people have chosen to be offended by what he wrote. News articles are being written. 

And, counter to what the complainer actually wanted, Van Styn's comments are now getting even MORE publicity and attention. 

Rather than argue the merits of Van Styn's arguments, point out why they disagree with him, or make a case for why the cricket bat murderer deserved a lesser sentence than the 56 year old Boulder man, the complainer would prefer Mr Van Styn not be allowed to express an opinion at all. 

From what I can tell, this "formal complaint" is just an email with the words "without prejudice" at the top. 

As a general rule of thumb, one writes "without prejudice" at the top of a letter when they DON'T want what they have written to be held against them in court.

Interestingly, the Maddington based author of the email is Lindsay Councillor, an uncle of the cricket bat killer.

But what Van Styn actually wrote is beside the point.

What's concerning here is that someone calling for silencing of someone's free speech rights has been given the time of day by the ABC and wasn't abruptly dismissed by Labor politician and Minister for Local Government, David Templeman. 

In Australia we are very capable of having civilised debate of competing ideas without appeal to authority to shut the other side down because they wrote or said something we didn't like. 

It reminds me of my 2 year old coming in to my office complaining that his brother called him a name. 

Without freedom of speech, we wouldn't have been able to make so much progress on women's rights, indigenous rights, gay rights, and more. The entirety of western democracy is built on the reliable fact that we can argue about ideas and opinions freely. 

That said, I wholeheartedly support Lindsay Councillor's freedom of speech and his right to send complaint emails to public servants. 

But we need to call out the obvious efforts by many among us who are attempting to silence anyone they don't agree with. 

Your decision to choose to be offended is on you. You don't have any right to silence people you disagree with or who you decide are offensive. 

The argument for Van Styn not being allowed to have an opinion is that it comes across like he's speaking in his role as Mayor. 

But what politician among us has agreed to no longer voice an opinion?

If Mr Van Styn was using the CGG ratepayer funded media department to spread propaganda and his own personal opinion, then I think he would have something to answer for. 

But calling for local government representatives to not ask questions about double standards in the daily-outrage-virtue-signalling-world-of-social-media is not the direction we want our society to head.  

I don't agree with everything Shane Van Styn says, but I'll defend his right to say it.

When the government brags about creating jobs

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A few weeks ago I stumbled across a weird political stunt which ended up backfiring on the Labor party in WA. They set up a fake Twitter account that looked like it was run by state opposition leader Mike Nahan, and linked to a "Meet Mike" url, which was loaded with Labor's own propaganda. 

However, what made me take umbrage was the argument made by Labor that Nahan wanted to destroy 10,000 jobs by cancelling Metronet. The implication here is that the government spending actually creates jobs. 

What gets completely lost on these folks with their misdirected sense of self importance is that in order to create these 10,000 jobs they had to destroy at least that many jobs already. 

How? you ask. 

Taxes.

The government doesn't create wealth except through taking it from me and you. And when they take my money, I can't afford to pay someone to mow my lawns, fix my car, or build me a new computer.

Every time I go shopping, one eleventh of the bill goes straight to the government, (GST), reducing my ability to do as much shopping as I otherwise would like. 

Because I have to pay so much tax I can't afford to employ more people in my business. I can't afford to invest in new projects. I can't afford to go on a holiday in WA with my family. 

The nerve of politicians bragging about "creating jobs" with the very money they just took from me under threat of violence is galling.

If Metronet, or any other public spending project, warrants the investment, then fine... argue the case for its existence. 

But don't pretend you're "creating jobs" when the very people who are funding those jobs, had they not had to pay such high amounts of rates, rego, stamp duty, income tax, GST, and more... would have created the same number of, if not more, jobs in our economy. And we would be creating the jobs that the market actually demanded. 

Building infrastructure just because you think you're "creating jobs" is how we get left with school facilities that aren't needed, roads that no-one uses, and overpasses that are just expensive ornaments. If people had kept their money and spent it on what they personally thought was good value, jobs that were actually wanted might have been created. 

The next time your local parliamentary member starts bragging to you about all the jobs they create, remind them of all the jobs they destroyed in the process by taxing you so heavily. 

Geraldton Real Estate update

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Latest numbers from REIWA show the Geraldton-Greenough region experienced strong sales numbers for the final quarter of 2017. 

Once sold properties for the quarter have settled, it seems total house sales for the region will be close to 135 with a median price of approximately $300,000. This would represent an appreciation of 1.7% in the median house prices over the previous quarter and a massive 57% rise in sales activity.

House listings have increased by 7.4% against the previous quarter and are 3.6% higher than the same time last year.

The average time to sell a house has remained constant at 101 days.

Western Australia's population was estimated at 2.58 million people, which is up 0.8% from 2016. Geraldton’s population in 2017 was recorded as 38,289, which was a decrease of 1% from 2016.

In residential rentals for the local region news is positive. It is reported that 285 total properties of houses and units leased over the quarter, which is an increase of 11.3% from the September quarter.

However the overall median weekly rent in the area came in at $265 per week, which is $8 lower than the September quarter.

Our thanks to REIWA and Geraldton Property Team for the information. 

Cautious Optimism about Geraldton's future

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I'm quite positive with respect to the economic stability of Geraldton long term, and can personally attest to Geraldton being one of the best places in the country to live if you're looking for a great balance of lifestyle, affordability, and beauty. 

I'm not bullish because I am sure there are going to me thousands of high paying jobs in 5 years though. I'm positive because Geraldton has a fundamental handful of things that make it great. There's enough jobs if you have the right skill set or are willing to undertake training or education. There's few better places in terms of beaches and a wonderful outdoor lifestyle. And you don't need to be a multi millionaire to live near the beach, like you would in Sydney, Melbourne or Perth. 

Yet as a media publication, it's very challenging to publish anything that questions a bullish narrative around Geraldton's economic prospects. 

The bulk of our advertisers are both business and property owners, and they, as you expect, have a natural desire to see a positive story about Geraldton's economic future be the constant narrative. 

But the last decade plus of unquestioned positivity has lead to lots of members of the public being left holding investments that are now worth far less than they paid. I personally know people who owe far more on their homes than what they could reasonable be expected to sell them for today. 

Sure, it's not the first time real estate prices have fallen in Gero, but the fact that many of these purchases were made under an irresponsible narrative painted by those in various levels of Government, and indeed, us in the media, is a problem. Why are there more and more empty shops around Geraldton each month? Why has the population dropped so much in the last 3 years? Why are we still building new shopping centres in the midst of this? Why did the federal government incentivise massive amounts of development and new homes built when landlords struggled to even find tenants for existing properties?

Rewind to 2006. Property prices around WA were booming, in large part due to the insatiable demand for WA's iron ore from China. And of course there was the O word.

Oakajee. Word on the street was that the Oakajee Port, north of Geraldton, was going to go ahead, and when it did, you could expect basically a repeat of what happened in Karratha and Port Hedland, where people were paying over $2000 per week to rent a shack, and they had to hand over the marriage rights to the eldest daughter. 

I earnestly jumped into the property market during this heady time, paying ABOVE asking price for a fibro home in Rangeway. It felt great when I discovered my home had increased in value by at least 50 grand within a few months too. I knew it was in part because of economic fundamentals I had no control over, but I couldn't help patting myself on the back for being so smart and buying when I did. 

During this same period in 2006, way before I ever decided to launch Everything Geraldton, I realised it was super hard to get any local news online. So I built a small website where I posted any news content about Geraldton I could find. Literally no-one but I used it, but it led me to become quite engrossed in what was happening with respect to Oakajee.

Essentially, a Chinese backed mob thought they had the rights to build the port. They planned on actually doing it too. They had money lined up, but right when they were about to press the big green button, McTiernan and Labor in their infinite wisdom, decided the agreement that the original mob had was too old, and now we should open the process up to tender. 

That decision added at least a year of dicking around to the Oakajee process, and in the end, the Japanese backed competitors won the tender. 

Except they never built it. During the time of all the fluffing around, the costs of labour (people working, not the political party) went through the roof, and the effects of the US economic disaster was starting to be felt around the world. I remember there was a week there where you literally couldn't get a bank loan, everyone's super was frozen, and all of a sudden it became super unlikely Oakajee was still viable. 

But the hype around Oakajee didn't die just yet. In fact, there was an "Iron Ore Alliance" that had formed in the Mid West that had produced a publication that prophesied Geraldton's population was going to hit between 75,000 and 100,000. I scratched my head at how a bunch of pencil pushers came up with these numbers. 

I read through everything I could about Oakajee. The entire port was going to ship about 45 million tonnes a year, maaaaybe 60 million in a stretch. 

"60 million?" I exclaimed one day. "That's nothing."

Up north, BHP and Rio would ADD a 300 million tonne port before breakfast. And here we are thinking a 60 million tonne port is going to make us all property millionaires?

Not going to happen.

Meanwhile, the City of Geraldton was hiking rates like they were in the rate raising olympics. Property, all of a sudden, didn't seem like such a great investment. 

Nationally syndicated writers, economists and property "gurus" boldly kept predicting Geraldton was the next "boom town", and that it was a "gateway" to the North West and to the Mid West. 

Oakajee Port was not built. 

Fast forward a few years. 

I remember attending a rates meeting briefing with the CGG a few years ago, where they presented rates predictions over the next decade. I raised my hand with a question. 

"You're predicting in those charts that the Geraldton population is going to hit 75,000. Where are you getting those numbers?"

It seemed to me an important question. Here we are budgeting for the future based on an assumption that Geraldton is going to spike in population within a foreseeable timeline. Based on what I knew about Geraldton's economy, what was coming to town, and the downturn globally in commodities, I couldn't see why 40,000 people were going to decide to move to Gero all of a sudden. 

I was told the numbers were from different "official sources". 

There was no explanation about how those official sources made their predictions, but if reading Nassim Taleb has taught me anything, I was right to be skeptical. 

As you know, the exact opposite happened. Geraldton's population declined in the following few years. 

Now, to Alannah McTiernan's credit, she DID try and calm the mindless hype about Geraldton down a little. "Cautious optimism" was what she publicly called for at an economic forum in Geraldton. She was a little drowned out by others predicting untold riches who thought China had a special money printing machine that never turned off. 

But perhaps her message was the narrative we should have adopted all along. 

"Cautious optimism." 

Invest only after doing your own due diligence.

Don't borrow more than you can afford to repay because you don't know if you'll be able to sell this asset later. 

Maybe Oakajee Port will get built, maybe it won't. But even if it IS built, it will only employ a couple of hundred people when it's finished. 

Maybe the investors who are saying China's economy is grossly overheated are correct, and we're going to see a very, very painful economic collapse from our largest customer. 

Cautious optimism. 

Now I don't write this brief overview to say "I told you so"... because I didn't tell anyone so. If the banks would have given me more money, I'd own 7 units in Rangeway right now wondering why God hated me so much by allowing me to make such a decision. 

At best I was a bit skeptical.

And hey, maybe history could have gone differently. Maybe the US never allows stupid loans to be written to people who couldn't afford them and we don't have the GFC. Maybe Oakajee Port gets built AND the surrounding land gets developed into a thriving industrial precinct.

Maybe that pile of land near the airport sitting dormant the City of Geraldton tried to turn into a technology park gets bought by Amazon and we have a thriving little tech community employing developers and software engineers.

But those things didn't happen. And instead, those "gurus" who made the heady predictions about Geraldton's growth lost no money. They're off doing other things, making money predicting the future somewhere else. They had no skin in the game, but we listened to them because they told us what we wanted to hear. 

The people who paid the price are those who didn't possess the ability to dig below the surface, and made investment decisions that they now regret. 

I realise that all of us in business want to see positive economic sentiment that will help raise the tide of all our boats. 

But lets make sure we don't repeat the mistakes of the last decade. Let's ignore the instinct to only listen to economic predictions that we WANT to be true. 

And let's dispense with the hype. 

I don't need hype. I need facts. 

Update: Correction around who had rights to originally build port. 

Bitcoin, my advice, my experience, and a warning

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I'm not writing this article to jump on the Bitcoin bandwagon and get some page views while the topic is hot. 

I'm writing because I see a lot of people wanting to get involved with it, and they don't know what to do, and some are getting sucked into scams. 

I am not here to tell you whether it's a good investment strategy or not. But, if you decide you want to get involved, here's my experience. 

So you're aware, I personally purchased some Bitcoin before the recent price spike, and I also own a couple of other crypto currencies. I love the technology behind it, and I am bullish on the future of the technology being used more and more for transacting, and as a store of wealth. I am not predicting the future price of Bitcoin though. 

The technology the coins are based on is amazing. I am a big believer in it, and love transacting with crypto currencies. I won't bore you with the technical details. If you want to chat about it, give me a call. 

This is written for people who are not technically minded and don't know the difference between a blockchain and a neckchain. If you already have a great understanding of Bitcoin, you won't learn anything new here. 

What not to do.

DO NOT sign up for a company called USITech or USI-Tech. They are a scam. It's a very obvious ponzi scheme. They make claims that they're engaging in bitcoin mining, trading, etc. But no evidence exists of any such activity. One of the founders has already been banned from running businesses in Portugal, and the company is based in Dubai, with a Chinese phone number that doesn't get answered. As long as they keep signing up new people, they'll be able to pay people who signed up sooner. But there are HEAPS of scammers out there taking advantage of people who say "bitcoin" on the news, and want to get in, but don't understand it. Some people will make money, but the ones left holding the bag will suffer. It's very easy just to buy some bitcoin yourself if you want to be exposed to it. 

There are many others that are running around trying to get your money right now too. Be very careful. If you're unsure, you should probably stick to simply buying Bitcoin yourself (see below). 

What TO do. 

So you said to yourself, "I want to buy some bitcoin. Maybe just a few hundred bucks to see what happens."

Sign up for a service called Coinbase. Here's a link that will give you a bonus $10 once you've traded. Here's a link: https://www.coinbase.com/join/5333c19737f789f98a000d71

I will also get $10. 

This company is very reputable. And they are insured. 

You can only buy with a credit card. 

Australians can't sell their Bitcoins on Coinbase. So when you decide you don't want your bitcoins (BTC) any more, you will want to transfer them to another platform. See below. 

Coinbase will set a small limit on how much you can buy each week. This is because it's easy to make a credit card purchase, transfer out your bitcoins, then cancel the transaction, leaving them screwed. They will also charge 4% (or higher for tiny amounts). 4% is well worth it, as their price is substantially cheaper, often, than the Australian exchanges. 

You'll need your ID handy, and they'll also put two tiny charges to your credit card to verify your card is legit. 

NEXT

If you want to buy a lot more than what Coinbase will allow you, you need to sign up for one of these two platforms as well (you still want Coinbase as they're so much cheaper to buy from). I have found them both to be reliable. They are Australian based and owned. 

BTC Markets

Independent Reserve - referral link. 

These services do not sell you bitcoin the way Coinbase does. They are exchanges. Which means you're buying and selling Bitcoin (and other currencies) with other people directly, and just paying these sites a small commission. This means the price may be different on each platform, and certainly different to Coinbase. 

Take a look at their fees, and familiarise yourself with their platforms to make sure you're comfortable with what you're doing. 

Some things to remember. 

You don't have to buy a full bitcoin. You can buy $2 worth if you want. 

Bitcoin is not a company. No-one owns it as such. It is a way of communicating value, with a network that registers each transaction to prevent fraud. You can store your bitcoins in what is called a wallet offline, or if you trust Coinbase, you can leave them there. (Coinbase are insured for what it's worth.) Spend some time on Google, Reddit, and talk to people you trust, if you want more of a technical understanding of what it is. The nightly news is not a great place to learn about it. 

The world is going nuts over Bitcoin right now. Coinbase is absolutely swamped with people signing up. So be patient if you need to contact their customer support. 

 

Prepare for Thunderstorms - Alert

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The following alert has been issued by the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES).


Time of issue: 08:09 AM
Date of issue: 09 August 2017

Get ready now for thunderstorms in parts of the Midwest-Gascoyne, Perth Metropolitan

If you live in the area from Geraldton to Perth including Eneabba, Jurien Bay, Lancelin and Yanchep you need to get ready now for the thunderstorms coming this afternoon.

A strong westerly flow and cold air mass in the wake of a cold front is developing over the south west of the state. The westerly flow will ease during this afternoon. Thunderstorms and showers associated with the cold air mass may produce DAMAGING WINDS to 100 kilometres per hour and could cause DAMAGE TO HOMES AND PROPERTY.

This weather is not unusual for this time of year, but could damage homes and make travel dangerous.

WHAT TO DO:

DFES has these tips to help you and your family get ready now: 

  • Store or weigh down loose objects around your home like outdoor furniture that could be picked up and thrown by strong winds, causing damage or injury
  • Ensure your emergency kit is complete including a battery operated radio, torch, spare batteries and first aid kit
  • Ensure pets and animals are in a safe area
  • Move vehicles under cover
  • Boat owners should securely moor their boats
  • Campers should find safe shelter away from trees, powerlines, storm water drains and streams
  • Unplug electrical appliances and avoid using landline telephone if there is lightning.

If you are away from home contact family or friends to prepare your property


WEATHER DETAILS:

At 09/08/2017 07:29:00 the Bureau of Meteorology advised SEVERE WEATHER WARNING for DAMAGING WINDS For people in parts of the Central West and Lower West districts.


ROAD CLOSURES AND CONDITIONS:

Some roads may be closed

Take extra care on the roads and do not drive into water of unknown depth and current.

Road information may also be available by calling Main Roads WA on 138 138 or visiting www.mainroads.wa.gov.au or your local Shire.

WHAT EMERGENCY SERVICES ARE DOING:

  • DFES is monitoring the situation.


IF YOU NEED ASSISTANCE:

  • If your home has been badly damaged by a storm, call the SES on 132 500
  • In a life threatening situation call 000

After a storm SES volunteers make temporary repairs to homes that have been badly damaged, such as roofs that have been ripped off or large fallen trees on homes or cars. Please contact your insurance company to organise permanent repairs.

KEEP UP TO DATE:
Visit www.emergency.wa.gov.au, call 13 DFES (13 3337), follow DFES on Twitter: https://twitter.com/dfes_wa, Facebook: https://facebook.com/dfeswa/, listen to ABC Local Radio or listen to news bulletins. 

Updates will be provided when the situation changes.

#PrayForRain - This photo paints a stark picture of what farmers are dealing with this year

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Thanks to Jenna May McGregor for sharing this photo.

It gives those not directly involved with the farming industry a pretty clear understanding of what the lack of rain this season means for local farmers. 

The photo is from the Mullewa area. 

It is time to fix this intersection

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Update 4:20pm 30 May 2017 - Statement from Police:

On Sunday 28 May 2017 a traffic crash occurred at 11:35am at intersection of North West Coast Highway and Hosken Streets in Bluff Point.

18 year old female driver (drving Suzuki Vitara) from Mount Tarcoola was stopped at the intersection preparing to make a right turn. The other vehicle (Toyota Hilux) was being driven by 28 year old female driver from Waggrakine, travelling in the left turning lane to turn off the highway into Hoskin Street.

The Vitara proceeded into the intersection crossing and collided with the Hilux. As a result the Vitara crossed the lanes, mounted the kerb and collided with a street sign before coming to rest off the road. 

Both vehicles have extensive damage as a result of the impact.

The 18 year old was extracted by FESA and  conveyed to Geraldton Regional Hospital for treatment to her legs after being injured during the crash.  

Driver of the Vitara has been charged with:

(1)    Fail to give way to oncoming vehicle or pedestrian on terminating road or near intersection

Note: The footage below seems to contradict the statement from the Police that the Hilux intended on turning left. We have asked for clarification.

As you may have heard, there was yet another car accident at the Hosken St / North West Coastal Highway intersection in the Geraldton suburb of Bluff Point on Sunday. 

Footage of the incident

Editor's note: While we're mindful of the general distaste for images of car accidents felt by much of the community, given the widespread calls for safety improvements at this intersection for many years, and in the interest of bringing attention to the problem, we have decided to publish this footage that was provided to us. 

Members of the Geraldton community shared information regarding the incident. 

Everything Geraldton has also contacted the Geraldton Police regarding the incident.

Why hasn't this intersection been fixed yet?

In September last year EG published a short article on this intersection following a near miss that could have ended badly. Click here to read.

Responding to that article, MLA Ian Blayney, the member for Geraldton in state parliament, wrote:

"I've been working on this for a while. Main Roads are ready to start on it, but have been held up because the City want to consider a new intersection at Mitchell St/ NWCHwy. If this happens, Main Roads will have to reconsider what they do at Hosken St. I have been working on it, the solution is ready, funds are in place."

Everything Geraldton spoke with Mr Blayney today regarding the intersection. While his party is no longer in government, Mr Blayney is still the member for Geraldton. Mr Blayney reiterated his comments from last year, confirming that hold-ups to the improvements were because of pending decisions regarding developments on the Spalding side of the highway. 

What is the new government doing?

Darren West, MLC for the Agricultural Region sent Everything Geraldton a Letter to the Editor in September 2016 regarding the known danger the road posed, and his efforts to get the problem addressed. Click here to read. In the article he asserted that the intersection "was listed in the RAC’s Risky Roads Survey, October 2015 Report Card at number two for dangerous intersections in Regional WA." The letter also included references to a 2014 Geraldton Guardian article on the intersection. Mr West is referenced in the article as campaigning for improvements for the intersection. 

Now that Labor has formed government, Everything Geraldton contacted Darren West to discuss the intersection. 

"I was pleading with previous government. Now we're in government it's a priority to get it fixed. We will be instructing Main Roads (to improve the intersection) and looking at the most cost effective way at remediating and making that intersection safer."

Mr West floated the idea of possibly lowering the speed limit for parts of the day, similar to what has been done on some Perth roads. 

"I'd really like this time next year to have this intersection sorted out, with whatever treatment is cost effective."

 

Where does the City of Greater Geraldton stand?

Everything Geraldton also contacted the City of Greater Geraldton. We spoke with Mayor Shane Van Styn about the intersection. 

Mayor Van Styn emphasised that the intersection in question was the responsibility of the state government. He mentioned the CGG's ongoing campaign to have Main Roads open up the Mitchell Street intersection, with traffic lights, and granting better access to Spalding. 

"The City has a position that for the safety of both traffic and pedestrian, opening up Mitchell St (should be a priority). But the road is a state road, and is an entire matter for the state government."

He also expressed concerns should a roundabout be installed at Hosken Street, and the consequences of trucks trying to use it. 

"They need to look at the area holistically," says Van Styn. "If they were serious about fixing the traffic on NWCH they’d get on with building the inner bypass, which Ian Blayney opposes. We’d divert heavy traffic from as far back as Rudds Gully Rd, connecting to an extended Webberton Road."

"Too often state governments apply bandaid solutions to North West Coastal Highway instead of getting on with the job of building the inner bypass."

Mr Van Styn spoke about the CGG's efforts to try and revitalise Spalding. "The bigger picture with Spalding is it's hard to get in and out of. We see Mitchell St as a bigger part of urban planning." 

I questioned whether the inner bypass or lights at Mitchell Street would do anything to fix the issues at Hosken St, such as the blind spots created by cars turning left from NWCH onto Hosken. "You could ban right hand turns at Hosken St (onto NWCH). You can't go straight there anyway. If you signalised Mitchell St and banned right turns at Hosken, that solves the problem."

Why did Everything Geraldton post that question about getting rid of the Mayor?

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Why did Everything Geraldton post that question about getting rid of the Mayor?

Does Jason from EG hate Shane?

What's going on?

Jason Smith from Everything Geraldton clearly doesn't understand the law!

Ok folks, here's the question that was posted:

Your say: Do you support removing the position of Mayor completely from the City of Greater Geraldton to save money, given the predominately ceremonial nature of the position and the fact that it costs ratepayers more than 3 councillors?

So does the leading nature of that question imply Jason Smith from Everything Geraldton actually wants to get rid of the Mayor?

No. I don't want to get rid of the position of Mayor.

And no, I'm not enemies with Shane Van Styn. I quite like Shane. Shane knows this. But that's irrelevant.  I'm not going to stop questioning his actions because I like him. 

Now, some of you know that Shane Van Styn has recently started posting things online to suggest that council could or should reduce the number of councillors in the near future.

I know most of these people who serve on council. I believe they all work hard to serve the community. I also see them debating each other in the council chamber, and I cannot see how the small cost saving that getting rid of a few of them would give us would make up for their loss.

I mean, technically we could do the job with just a handful of councillors. But would we have more robust debate in the chamber? Would more ideas spring forth from our elected representatives? Would the accountability that they hold each other to be higher or lower?

Technically you could also get rid of the Mayor and save a hundred grand or so each year. Sure, you'd have to get the state government to change a few laws, but essentially one of the councillors could chair the meetings, and the other councillors could all take turns going to all the events the Mayor goes to.

Do I think that's a good idea? No! It's a stupid idea. The position of Mayor serves a lot of purposes. 

And I also think we get value out of all of our councillors. Which was the point of the question. 

So the answer to do I think we should get rid of the Mayor's position is an emphatic no, and the answer to do I think we should cull some of our councillors, who also work hard and provide value to residents, is also no. I don't see them as less valuable than the Mayor. 

And as much as I love Shane, and genuinely think he's doing what he thinks is best for the people of Geraldton, I've watched when councillors have stood up to him and disagreed with him on different matters, and I think they need their numbers to be able to continue that when required.

You don't need to point out that the decision is not up to me. Ultimately the councillors themselves will need to decide on their own future, and that of future councils.

Shane ran on a platform of reducing the council's responsibilities. And I'm sympathetic to that view. I don't understand why some councils try to discover fusion energy with ratepayer funds. But I don't see the concept of "small goverment" as meaning small in physical number of elected representatives. It's meant to mean small in scope of services provided by government. Besides, just a decade ago what is now covered by just the CGG councillors, was previously covered by Geraldton, Greenough, and Mullewa councillors. Plus our population was lower. So we already have drastically reduced the level of representatives, AND we've increased the population. It's hard for me to see why we need further reductions. 

If it's arguable that the position of Mayor is well worth the money we spend, I'd say so are the councillor's positions. Just because you always see Shane's face on all the Facebook posts about things happening in Geraldton, doesn't mean he's the only one working to make the good stuff happen. Not that he claims that to be the case. In the comments of the post in question, the Mayor publicly gave credit to all the councillors, saying that all of them together is what allowed them to achieve great things.

Which is my point.

Together. All of them.

Let's keep the Mayor, and consider keeping all the councillors too. Their small cost is a tiny price to pay for the extra accountability they provide. 

Racism, Geraldton, 18c and Freedom of Speech

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Part 1. Childhood. 

1992. Year 6. Waggrakine Primary School. I had moved from Perth to Geraldton for a term to live with my Dad. The pressure on an 11 year old to choose which of his divorced parents he loves more is pretty fucked up. But others had it worse I guess. 

I hated having to make friends every time I moved school... which was a lot. My mother was as nomadic as they come. She loved moving, it seemed. It was more of a "life sucks at the moment and clearly the only way to fix it is to move house and change schools" kind of thing actually. But by 11 I was already crushed by it. 

I was fortunate though. I had found a technique for fitting in each time I moved school, a kind of shortcut for making friends. I was tall, and loved basketball. So I'd head to the school's basketball courts and see what happened. 

Sport has a funny way of levelling everything. No-one gives a crap if you're the new kid, if you're white, black, or some kind of mixture. Can you play ball? That's all that matters. And if you're half decent, by the end of lunch time you've made 8 or more friends and the other boys trust you. 

So it was at Waggrakine Primary. Within a day or two I was playing with the other kids and holding my own on the court. 

And I made a friend.

Alfred Farrell. I'll never forget him. He was a little Aboriginal kid. He was fast and a great basketball player. And he was kind to me. 

Not with a "tolerate the new kid" type of kind. But with a "I want to be your friend" kindness. 

Despite having some Aboriginal blood myself, my skin is Point Moore lighthouse... either very white or very red/sunburnt. So skin colour was not the thing that connected myself with Alfred. What bonded us was his kindness and my loneliness.

His house was directly across the road from mine. We hung out all the time. We played heaps of basketball after school, and caught up on weekends. 

At the end of the school term I was faced with the choice of returning to Perth or staying in Geraldton and living with my Dad and step family. I chose to return to Perth to be with my mother and brothers. 

The day I was to leave, Alfred came across the street and handed me a Hallmark card. 

I'll never forget that card. He was thanking me for my friendship. 

It shocked me so hard I think I cried. He had written how he was going to miss me. It ended with:

love, Alfred.

I hadn't realised he was actually going to miss me, and my friendship had meant something to him. 

I sat in my Dad's carpet shop waiting for my bus to Perth, and decided I would get Alfred a card too. It felt reactionary though, a bit "you got me one so I get you one too" kinda thing. But I was just so blown away by his card I didn't know what else to do. 

I got on the bus. 

And I never spoke to Alfred again. 

About every 6 months or so since that time, I have thought of Alfred. 

To me, he's my symbol of why racism is so stupid. We were just two boys, a very black kid, and a very white kid, hanging out. 

I was going through perhaps the roughest time in my childhood, and he had chosen to care and be my friend when I needed a friend more than anything in the world. To us at the time, there was no "race narrative" running through our minds. In fact, to me he wasn't black. He was Alfred, my friend. I wasn't white. I was just Jason.

It was only later as I would start reading the news, would my conscience become infected with society's need to categorise everyone. 

I'm blessed today to live next to wonderful Aboriginal neighbours. As I watch my boys and their boys play with each other in the street, oblivious to the fact that there's so much racial angst in the world, my heart is encouraged. 

Part 2. Freedom of Speech. 

Chances are you've seen a lot of articles recently about the RACIAL DISCRIMINATION ACT, and the changes proposed to it. I've noticed rarely do the articles include the wording of the actual law. 

The section of interest is not very long. Please take a moment to read it:

RACIAL DISCRIMINATION ACT 1975 - SECT 18C

Offensive behaviour because of race, colour or national or ethnic origin

(1)  It is unlawful for a person to do an act, otherwise than in private, if: 

(a)  the act is reasonably likely, in all the circumstances, to offend, insult, humiliate or intimidate another person or a group of people; and 

(b)  the act is done because of the race, colour or national or ethnic origin of the other person or of some or all of the people in the group. 

You read that correctly.  

In our law, simply OFFENDING someone with anything to do with race, colour or ethnicity could be construed as unlawful. According to how this law is written, it doesn't matter what the intent of the offender was... just if someone was offended. 

For example, that controversial Bill Leak cartoon. 

In August 2016, on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children's Day, a Leak cartoon in The Australian depicted an Aboriginal policeman holding a teenage male and telling the youth's father that he needed to teach his son about personal responsibility. The father, with a can of beer in hand, replies "Yeah, righto, What's his name then?". - Wikipedia. 

These laws were used against Leak. It didn't matter that the message he meant was "Aboriginal people need to take accountability for the behaviour of their own children," a sentiment echoed by much of the community and Police. 

Personally, even though I got the point the cartoon was trying to make, I saw how it could have made any Aboriginal person feel degraded. Cartoonists say things with cartoons. I don't have a suggestion for a better one Leak could have done to make the same point. But all the same, I'm not surprised there was offence taken. 

So, after receiving a complaint, the Australian Human Rights Commission pursued Mr Leak and The Australian. 

After much hullabaloo, and receiving another 2 complaints, the complaints were dropped and nothing happened, other than cause a lot of hassle for Leak and his employer. You can read a lot more about the cases online. 

Another case that came about because of 18c, was the QUT (Queensland University of Technology) case. 

What was the case about?

From "The Conversation"

On May 28, 2013, (Alex) Wood and two other students were using a QUT computer lab when (Cindy) Prior asked them whether they were indigenous. They replied they weren’t. Prior then asked them to leave.

Later that day, on the “QUT Stalkerspace” Facebook page, Wood posted:

Just got kicked out of the unsigned Indigenous computer room. QUT stopping segregation with segregation…?

Many people commented. Powell posted:

I wonder where the white supremacist computer lab is….

These kids were shocked that they got kicked off computers because they were white. They made their point via a post, and a snarky joke. And they ended up in court.

The Conversation article goes on to tell how that case went to "Federal Circuit Court against QUT, certain QUT employees, and a number of QUT students including Wood, Thwaites and Powell. Prior’s claim was for A$247,570.52. Prior alleged that the students had breached 18C. She also alleged that QUT and its employees had breached section 9 of the RDA."

That's right. The person who took these kids who complained about the treatment they received on Facebook were asked to pay a quarter of a million dollars to Cindy Prior to compensate her for how "physically sick and abandoned" she felt.  

How we can live in a world where we can't even have a conversation about whether white kids should be kicked off computers because they're white, is absurd. They clearly felt like they were the ones being discriminated against. And for saying it, they faced a hell of a ride. 

Ultimately the case failed in court, but the point is, these people were able to be dragged through the courts, vilified in the media, and had their lives turned upside down because they published their opinion, and someone was "offended".

The kids that took the case all the way to court had to come up with copious legal fees.

And the kids that couldn't afford it, actually SETTLED with Cindy Prior for $5000. 

I know, right. Mind blowing.

This woman getting bulk coin for what everyone now agrees was a ridiculous law suit, only encourages more of these to happen in the future.  

So now, understandably, some people want to change the poorly worded law.

But the proposed changes are drawing a line in the sand once again throughout the nation. It's like Australia Day all over again.

According to one side of the debate, if you support the changes you're a racist. 

Freedom of Speech

I understand the power of words. I use them for a living. So I support robust laws that shut down hate groups. 

And I also support effective measures to improve the welfare of our Aboriginal brothers and sisters. I have family in the Kimberly. If you think it's rough in Gero, take a trip up north. Australia still has a lot of progress to make. 

But we can't find real solutions to our problems if we're all silenced in to not offending anyone. 

That's, in part, why I completely support freedom of speech laws also. 

And the way the law reads at the moment, it's scary to do anything online or in print that even mentions specific races. 

The law as it stands is not breeding reconciliation. It's breeding resentment from those who feel silenced. 

They're staying silent, sure. Congratulations, you're shutting them up with a stupid law. 

But I see what they say outside of the public eye. They're not happy.

They're not racist. But many of them carry a certain growing resentment for a system that doesn't want to hear their side of an argument.  

They feel vilified for having an opinion on anything. They've stopped contributing to public debate on how to solve a lot of VERY REAL PROBLEMS. They're closing off and staying in their own communities. They're changing how they vote. And they're leaving the people who need help the most to fend for themselves. 

And the actual racism isn't going away at all. Because it's so easy to stay anonymous online, the true racists can't be prosecuted at all.

I know, because I play whack-a-mole with them on Everything Geraldton. Some people in the community think we allow that type of thing, but you only see the comments we miss. We delete and ban trolls all the time. And I'm pretty sure the accounts we ban are just the same 3 idiots creating new accounts each week. 

Unless you start suing YouTube, Twitter, 4Chan, Reddit and Facebook, you're going to find that we live in a global community now anyway, where 18c doesn't apply.

I hate racism.

I hate it when people won't rent their homes to Aboriginal people. I hate it when a white person is abused at the train station for using an Aboriginal word and has to spend 10 minutes explaining that she's married to an Aboriginal and that's why she speaks that way. I hate it when someone is assaulted for their ethnicity. I hate it when someone is called a white dog while they walk down the street. I know these are real problems. 

But I also know that the vast majority of Australians are not racist in the slightest. 

Most of us love each other, work together, live next to each other... and we get along perfectly. But that never makes the news for some reason. 

Most of us who support changes to section 18c of the Racial Discrimination Act abhor racism, we just support freedom of speech and more sensible ways to stop racial discrimination. 

And to be very clear, the proposed changes to the law still make overt racist acts of harassment illegal. All those stories you've read online about people's racist experiences in Australia, supposedly to justify keeping the law the way it is, would actually remain illegal under the proposed changes. 

If you honestly want to engage working class Australians and allow them to contribute to progressing our nation, then they need to know they're not going to have to pay tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees because someone was "offended" by their opinion. 

Sometimes people are harassed because of their race. The law needs to remain robust enough to protect us ALL from this. 

And sometimes people will have opinions that aren't politically correct. But if you scream "racist" and sue them each time they pipe up with an opinion you don't like, guess what. They'll stop trying to help, and they'll stop voting for people trying to help. 

Regarding 7 day trading and deregulated trading hours in Geraldton

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To lighten a Monday morning, I posted a tongue in cheek message on our Facebook page about CGG not being open on Sunday. 

Anyone who's been following Everything Geraldton for more than 5 minutes knows we've been supporters of deregulated trading hours for a long time. But I acknowledge the fact that those who make the laws that will affect the days retailers have to work, are themselves not compelled to work on a Sunday. Hence the post. 

Mayor Van Styn rightly pointed out that the services that make sense for the CGG to open on a Sunday, such as Aquarena, the tip, and the Library, are in fact open. Not to mention others such as the Visitor Centre. 

So while I personally fall on the side of free trading hours for all business owners, I DO understand some of the arguments against 7 day trading, and am sympathetic to them. 

But as always when this topic rears its head, most often the arguments are made by those with the most to gain/lose. 

For example, a few years ago we pointed out the hypocrisy when a certain local supermarket that is open each Sunday, funded a campaign that argued that Sundays were a family and sports day, and thus businesses should not be open. Except them of course. 

During council meeting debates another local business owner stood up and argued that he could not sell Vegemite as cheap as Woolworths or Coles, and that's why the big supermarkets shouldn't be allowed to open on Sunday. 

I nearly choked. Here a man was arguing that council needed to do what was best for HIM, rather than what was best for the 40,000 Geraldton residents. 

Hey, I'm sympathetic to a small business trying to compete. Try launching a small media start-up in a town like Geraldton and see how well treated you are by the likes of SevenWest.  But believe me, the council has never had a mandate to protect the interests of a handful of millionaire businessmen over the needs of the single parent trying to make ends meet. 

So what does deregulated trading hours actually mean?

When you walk around a shopping centre in Perth or Mandurah on a Sunday, you'll notice something very interesting. Many, sometimes most, of the independent retailers are closed. They don't have to open. And they choose not to. Coles / Woolworths / Kmart etc are always open. 

So just because the CGG is trialling deregulated trading hours, doesn't mean retailers will be obligated to open. 

In addition, most small retailers ALREADY have deregulated trading hours. 

This fact is often lost in the debate. 

So why are some business owners opposed to deregulated trading hours?

Competition. Plain and simple. The biggest losers of full deregulated trading will be anyone who owns small supermarket. Their unique selling proposition is (mostly) that they're open more often. 

There is one other reason, and it has to do with the fact that it is best for a community if EVERYONE is closed on Sunday. I can see the logic to this argument, and there are in fact business owners in town that subscribe to this view. These business owners COULD open if they wanted, but they put their money where their mouth is, and you can't call them hypocrites. 

Other businesses also have overlap with places like Target and Coles.

These businesses currently survive without having to open on a Sunday. But, should we all decide that Sunday is our new shopping day, Target would pick up that trade, leaving smaller business with a tough decision... open on Sunday to compete, or lose money, or go broke and close the doors. 

Some small business owners argue that as soon as Coles, Woolworths, Target etc have eliminated enough of their competition, they'll simply go back to trading whenever suits them, and that may or may not include Sunday, thus leaving Geraldton worse off in the long run. 

A case in point is the Woolworths fuel when it moved to Geraldton. 

For a short while, they were super competitive on price. They would always be lower than all the fuel stations in town, and there was just no way any fuel station nearby could compete. Woolworths could sell fuel at a loss for a century without blinking. Sure enough, the other fuel retailers in the centre of town closed down completely. And guess what Woolworths did after that. Yes, they raised their prices. By a lot. The other fuel stations learned the lesson, and didn't try to compete on price with Woolworths any more, making sure their price each day was slightly more than Woolies, and Geraldton went back to having fuel prices substantially higher than Perth, with MLA Ian Blayney having to send letters questioning why our fuel is so dear. (Although it should be noted, right now Geraldton fuel prices are on par with metro prices).

But it's hard to argue that deregulated trading is bad for jobs or tourism. Surely it's quite the opposite. And small businesses around WA seem to be doing just fine everywhere else there's deregulated trading hours. Moreover, it's council's job to make decisions that will be best for ALL of the residents, not just a handful of business people.  

Some of the laws currently make no sense!

There's a few businesses that currently can't open on a Sunday that make no sense at all. For example, BCF, the kind of store you desperately want to visit on a Sunday, cannot trade on Sunday. But Bunnings right next door is ok to open on Sunday. And certain franchises, because of how they are corporately structured, even though they're owned and run locally with just a small staff, are not allowed to open on a Sunday. 

There's also a limit on the amount of staff you can have if you open on a Sunday. So some busy stores that trade on Sunday are forced to NOT HIRE MORE STAFF because they'd lose their ability to trade on Sunday, which they love. 

So what does it come down to?

The decision regarding deregulated trading hours basically comes down to whether you believe the following:

1. All business owners should be allowed to choose when they open and close. 
2. Council should decide when each businesses should be allowed to open and close. And the more successful businesses should be penalised. 

How will this trial work?

It's worth noting that even in this trial, trading hours are not completely deregulated. 

You can click here to read about the CGG deregulated trading hours trial. 

The CGG have said that "At the end of the 12 month trail period a review will be conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the deregulation of general retail trading hours as a means to stimulate economic activity and meet community needs and preferences."

It would be nice to know the exact parameters the CGG are using to measure the success or lack-thereof with this trial. It's unclear what "a review" will consist of. It could be the Mayor walking around town asking 5 people and getting a rough feel for things. Or it could be based on actual trading figures from dozens of retailers.

If the public is given, up front, a very clear picture of how the review will be carried out, and how the success of the trial will be determined, we could rest easy knowing that if it's clear that the new trading hours are not in the public's interest, it will be scrapped. And if it is in our interest, it will be implemented permanently.