Conversation darts about in pusuit of water

Conversation darted about as it tried to pin down the bizarrely complex, convoluted and knotty issue of water.

Nearly 50 people gathered in Shepparton’s Harder Auditorium today (February 22) to hear a little more about the seemingly never ending discussion about the future of the Murray Darling Basin.

Yesterday’s meeting was set up by the City of GreaterShepparton as a part of its role in the Murray River Group of Councils (MRGC), that is the rural cities of Mildura and Swan Hill, the Shires of Gannawarra, Loddon, Campaspe and Moira.

The meeting, set up to primarily allow discussion among participants and encourage submissions to the Murray Darling Basin draft plan, was led by Bendigo-based associate planner from consultants, RMCG, Rozi Boyle.

Shepparton mayor, Cr Michael Pollan, introduced Ms Boyle, but omitted to mention that the consultant did not actually represent the Murray Darling Basin Commission and so initially she was the target of comments from those unhappy with some aspects of the plan.

Once it was clear that Ms Boyle was simply explaining the process and in reality was neutral on the issue, most simply reverted to discussing issues with others at the meeting.

Simon Furphy, using his calm solicitor-like skills, outlined his position and seemed to find quiet and unspoken support among those at the meeting, except for one fellow who spoke up encouraging the council to include everything he said in its submission.

Yesterday’s conversation was not about if and when a plan will exist as it has been decided a plan will happen and timeline for action has been settled.

What, however, is still uncertain are what the plan will actually say and submission are still being sought, both from individuals, groups or bodies, such at the MRGC.

A further similar meeting will be held onThursday, February 23, at Mooroopna’s Westside Performing Arts Centre from 6pm for two hours.

More detail about the plan can found at www.greatershepparton.com.au or the Murray Darling Basin Authority website – www.mdba.gov.au.

Speed and road deaths inextricably linked

Death will occur in less than second in a serious road collision.

The image used by Victoria's
 Transport Accident Commission
 to encourage a reduction
in speeds.

The speed at which a person dies as their car crumples is alarming with the sequence of events that kill being explained at a Shepparton “Cool Heads” program last year.

Death arrives at a speed that exceeds human response and although its finality is catastrophic, further complexities for occupants arise when one or more are injured, severely or otherwise, and often subsequently left with devastating life-long disabilities.

The collisions are the outcome of fatigue, inexperience, inattention, stupidity, vehicle failure and, contrary to the view of a recent correspondent to this newspaper, speed.

Even the slowest of us should be able to deduce that speed – a statistically confirmed fact in the causation of road collisions – is the product of fatigue, inexperience, inattention and, most certainly, stupidity.

A motor vehicle, again it should be clear to even the dullest of us, is a heartless immobile contrivance that awaits human input and reacts to simple instructions many of which may well come from one who is tired, inexperienced, inattentive and beyond and within all that, stupid.

Therein lies a recipe for almost certain disaster, for with stupidity in control, seasoned by inexperience, inattention and fatigue, this heartless metal contrivance is taken to  speeds beyond the abilities of whoever is in charge and, of course, those of the vehicle.

Evidence explaining events leading up to road collisions are the same the world over and so it is common to read such things as: “When the facts are truthfully presented, however, the behavior of the implicated driver is usually the primary cause. Most collisions result from excessive speed or aggressive driver behavior.”

That evidence is easily found as most internet search engines will, almost as quick as you can die in a road collision, find confirmation of collision causes and without doubt will list speed as being among the prime instigators.

Gustave Flaubert

Victoria’s Transport Accident Commission is the reservoir into which the residue from the state’s road collisions collect and being acutely aware of the role speed plays as it stalks our roads, the Commission has worked tirelessly to reduce such stupidity. 

It understands how speed increases the likelihood of collisions, but faces implacable opponents who, should something go wrong because of their arrogance, ignorance or stupidity, find perverse comfort in attributing responsibility to conditions, others, vehicle failure and just about any variable, except themselves, and certainly not the fact that they drove above the applicable speed limit.

French author, Gustave Flaubert, lived and worked before motor cars existed, but seemed prescient when he said: “To be stupid, selfish and have good health are the three requirements of happiness. Though if stupidity is lacking, all is lost.”