Hi all,
I don't often comment on this list, but I also saw the Australian's poll and
found it -to be blunt- offensive.
Why not have an equally divisive and loaded question such as: "Are planning
policies and building codes to blame?"
This kind of 'poll' -including the loaded question itself- detracts from any
kind of credibility the Australian might like to be portraying in its
reportage. As a social scientist, I find the poll question leading and
suggestive and overall, highly offensive. I suspect the question reveals little
more than the editors' opinions about anything and everything connected with
the term 'conservation' rather than any attempt at serious social analysis.
After more than a decade of employment in environmental anthropology, I am
tired of seeing the blame for wildfires placed conveniently on rangers and
conservation agencies when others are free to ignore basic guidelines about
wildfire prevention. I would hope that the entire community will look carefully
at broader planning policy in the face of the climate change that is already
upon us rather than dump upon a soft and easy target. This is not in any way
meant to detract from the tragedy or pain of those affected by this. Clearly,
there is no single factor to blame but a complex of factors -except where fires
were lit by arsonists.
Shame on the Australian for trying to create false blame to boost hits on their
web page and their editors' shallow egos.
Amanda Markham
> From:
> To:
> Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Biodiversity> Bushfire vote in the Australian - Is
> conservation policy to blame for the bushfires
> Date: Wed, 11 Feb 2009 19:27:10 +1100
> CC:
>
> Another personal opinion is that i can't honestly say that i have any
> knowledge of what the conservation policy is, and all i know about
> what started/continued the fires is what i have heard on the news.
> Therefore whilst i would love to vote NO in an attempt to support the
> "green side", i can't with any conscience do so truthfully. I'm just
> not anywhere near qualified to answer it.
> I do thank Wendy for bringing it to our attention though and i do
> honestly hope that environmental concerns won't be hijacked in the
> future because of this horrible tragedy.
>
> Cheers,
> David Stowe
> Sydney
>
>
> On 11/02/2009, at 4:46 PM, Evan Beaver wrote:
>
> I suggested ignoring it because the Oz's intent here is not reason or
> debate, but another wedge to create tension. In either direction; even
> if the 'Greenies' did come out on top, it will just be another reson
> for them to create simplistic us versus them division between groups.
> Drama creates tension, and tension sells newspapers.
>
> I think the 'political message' argument is also an extremely weak
> one. Call me naive, but I very much doubt that politicians are making
> decisions based on a poll in a privately owned newspaper, on line, and
> from a news company which has shown form on their stance on Climate
> Change and green issues in general.
>
> As they say in the internet forums; Don't Feed The Trolls.
>
> On 11/02/2009, Jeff Davies <> wrote:
> > G'day Evan,
> >
> > From a political point of view, ignoring these stupid polls is
> > simplistic
> > and not an option and if someone wants to post a link to suchlike
> > then maybe
> > you should just leave it alone and not tell everyone why you
> > personally are
> > not going to respond. In your own words ignoring it should mean
> > exactly
> > that, not immediately putting up a post to counter Wendy's efforts.
> > There
> > will be a huge backlash against the environment in the aftermath of
> > this
> > catastrophic event and the politics of conservation will become
> > difficult,
> > this is not the time to ignore it.
> >
> > Cheers Jeff.
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From:
> > On Behalf Of Evan Beaver
> > Sent: Wednesday, 11 February 2009 3:49 PM
> > To: Wendy
> > Cc: Birding-aus
> > Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Biodiversity> Bushfire vote in the
> > Australian -
> > Is conservation policy to blame for the bushfires
> >
> > An alternative option is to not justify this divisive madness in the
> > Oz, and give it the ignoring that it deserves.
> >
> > On 11/02/2009, Wendy <> wrote:
> >>
> >> I, like everyone else, have been shocked and deeply saddened by the
> >> loss
> > of human and all other life in the Victorian bushfires. People I
> > know have
> > died, including prominent conservationists.
> >> Please consider contributing to this poll.
> >>
> >> Wendy Moore
> >> Coburg, Vic
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> > ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
> > ----
> >>
> >> From:
> > On Behalf Of
> > Richard
> > Hughes
> >> Sent: Wednesday, 11 February 2009 1:56 PM
> >> To: undisclosed-recipients
> >> Subject: Biodiversity> Bushfire vote in the Australian - Is
> >> conservation
> > policy to blame for the bushfires
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> Hi everyone
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> A poll in today's Australian has 65% of respondents blaming
> >> conservation
> > policy for the the Victorian bushfires.
> >>
> >> Please vote now!
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> > http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,22073824-5013404,00.html
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> __._,_.___
> >>
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> >>
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> >>
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> >>
> >>
> >> To find out more about the Biodiversity Alliance and its activities
> >> go to:
> >> http://www.vnpa.org.au/whatsnew/biodiversityalliance.htm
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> > ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
> > ----
> >>
> >>
> >> .
> >>
> >>
> >>
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> >
> >
> > --
> > Evan Beaver
> > Lapstone, Blue Mountains, NSW
> > lat=-33.77, lon=150.64
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> --
> Evan Beaver
> Lapstone, Blue Mountains, NSW
> lat=-33.77, lon=150.64
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