Henrietta Dubb's Diary
Top-Down Presumption
Sometime back I wrote about the Moonah woodland on the south
side of the intersection where Portarlington Road meets the Bellarine Highway.
It is located on the site of the proposed Stockland development. I suggested
that any property developer planning such large-scale developments needed to
demonstrate its bona
fides to the local community. Instead of making stupid ambit
claims about an obviously unsustainable 1000 unit development, they could have
first appointed a full-time Park Officer to oversee and ensure the ongoing
care, maintenance and development of this priceless Moonah woodland. It is,
after all, also their responsibility as owners. They haven't. And so their bona fides has still not been
demonstrated to us as a community.
The previous Rip Rumour (October 2004 No 143 p.5) informed
us that Stockland is listed as a 'platinum' sponsor of the Queenscliff Music
Festival to be held later this month. I don't expect Stockland, or its
officers, to have read my Diary pages. But if they have, and if they think that
their Festival sponsorship meets my previous challenge to them about mutual
obligation, then they are seriously mistaken. Why?
A little time after reading the last Rip Rumour I walked around this
Moonah precinct again. I show it to visitors as part of their visit here and I
use the opportunity to explain the political culture of this part of the
Bellarine Peninsula. The deterioration I reported last time has continued. The
detritus of civilization in the form of burnt out motor vehicles, broken
televisions and fridges continues to accumulate. Trail bikes are still digging
up the paths, and trees are being broken and branches sawn off to make way for
the fun. Stockland has done nothing that I could see to safeguard this
treasure.
The local community might give serious consideration to
Stockland's plans if they took the local community seriously; if as owners of
the land they took their mutual obligation to us as seriously as they take
themselves. But without such demonstrated stewardship, the local community is
entitled to view its Festival sponsorship with scepticism. Stockland can be a
gold sponsor for all I care. It makes no difference when the more important
things are neglected.
Authentic expressions of mutual obligation do not just use
community events and initiatives to parade their worthiness. Without genuine
respect, and a willingness to engage with the very people your decisions effect,
all kinds of good things turn into top-down presumption which, in fact, is a
subtle way of stealing a community's obligation to make the decisions they need
to make about their own lives.
Henrietta Dubb, Christian citizen of the 21st century.
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October
2004 © Henrietta Dubb's Diary, is written and
published by Bruce C Wearne, 29 Lawrence Rd., Point Lonsdale Vic 3225
AUSTRALIA, 61-3-5258-3913. Each entry in the diary may be
photocopied or retransmitted in its entirety but shall not otherwise be reprinted
or transmitted without the author's written permission. This is a
project to encourage positive Christian citizenship, the development of
policies and political attitudes that better express our love for God and our
neighbour. Comments are welcome. Email can be sent to bcwearne@ozemail.com.au
Web-site http://members.ozemail.com.au/~bcwearne/hdd.htm |