Comments on: Queensland – The Smart State

By: alternate existence at creativity/machine

alternate existence at creativity/machine — Wed, 20 Dec 2006 23:04:41 +0000

[...] reading the paper (although sometimes I wish I hadn’t) [...]

By: Jason W

Jason W — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 18:00:36 +0000

Shameful, sad. I am not only from Queensland but from Townsville, the nearest city to Palm, and I have some idea of what that community has been up against for so long, not least from the racist elements of white Townsville (definitely not smart dressers), and I know this kind of decision will confirm a lot of dumb, local readings of the whole, terribly sad and sickening story. On that local level, it will help to perpetuate the mutual hostility and suspicion that creates such a gulf between two communities which are only separated by a pretty narrow stretch of water, and which share State and Federal representation. As Melissa says, it will confirm the idea, already expressed out loud by some people on Palm, that justice is made by and for white Australia, which is neatly symbolised there by the journey Palm Islanders have to make to the court houses in Townsville for hearings, or the one they have to make to visit the disproportionate number of of their fellow Palm Islanders who are in Stuart prison.

More broadly, its difficult to see how the people of Palm Island – among the most loyal labor voters in Queensland (see here http://www.ecq.qld.gov.au/elections/state/state2006/results/booth84.html have benefited from Queensland’s boom years, or, indeed, the glorious expansion of biotech, creative industries etc. To cooperate with this community in bringing a share of the ‘lifestyle’ benefits enjoyed by residents of the Capital, or even Townsville to them (and don’t forget that per capita incomes are actually higher in T’ville than Bris) would require act of political courage and imagination that the ALP, and PB in particular, decided long ago were too electorally risky. I know Palm Islanders who have worked with (and for) the ALP as organisers in the hope that this might deliver something to the island. For them, the government’s role in bringing this particular conclusion to these events must be acutely painful.

By: Kimberella the Pirate Queen

Kimberella the Pirate Queen — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 11:44:43 +0000

I disagree vigorously that we’re not good dressers. Well, some of us anyway.

But on the more important questions, here’s a trackback:

http://larvatusprodeo.net/2006/12/19/we-need-a-new-fitzgerald-inquiry/

By: seonaid

seonaid — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 09:20:06 +0000

(^ that’s funny, but sad, because we’re not very good dressers either.)

By: Adam

Adam — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 07:07:38 +0000

Maybe it means smart, as in well dressed – like in the phrase ‘smart casual’.

By: Seonaid

Seonaid — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 05:52:59 +0000

Well said (as usual). Not a smart (intelligent) place really at all. I would add that the current issues you raise are emblematic of a certain force of deep incompetence in relation to complexity that characterises ‘our’ collective personality. More minds and voices must be tuned to the articulation of this complexity with clarity and meaning (in addition to yours, that is)!