Monday, February 6th .....

Part of my walk yesterday went along the levee system put in place to help control the potential floods that could hit Launceston at any time. The main bank along the North Esk River is in pretty good repair but has been cut in two or three places for a road or, in one case, a railway line. When this happens, they put in flood gates which somebody will close if flooding is expected.
This photograph shows where the railway line goes through the levee bank. I’m no engineer, but I can see that the gate won’t close because the railway line is in the way. The other thing is that the railway line is totally rusted so no trains run on it regularly. I can’t see an issue in pulling up the tracks permanently and making the gate work as it should.

Since I wrote the post yesterday about the gardens I visited, I’ve discovered more pertinent information. It’s called Glebe Gardens and was designed and constructed by a local Master-Landscaper. He began work in October, 2009 and it currently covers 6 acres, but there is room to expand. The attached nursery is run by the landscaper’s wife. I think the plan is to encourage people to visit the garden, get ideas and spend money in the Gift Shop and Nursery. I know I was impressed and could imagine myself taking out the wallet in a moment of enthusiasm. I’ve attached another couple of photographs that I took in the garden.

I heard an interview on ABC radio last week which I now see has found its way into the Weekend Australian. Leon Compton, the presenter was talking to Sam McQuestin, the Tasmanian Director of the Liberal Party, about the source of funds being used in a series of ads attacking the Labor Government. I loved the transcript of Mr McQuestin’s reply.

“Ah, well, err, the ... the money has come from ... err ... err ... from our own ... err, resources, I suppose, Leon. Err, we have a ... consistent fundraising activity, which I don’t think I’d ... I’m keen to outline, but ... that will ... err, that continues on and on, and ... as I say, given the unstable nature of ... of this ... this government ... err, we decided it was a good opportunity to ... to u-, to use some now.”

Everybody knows they’ve accepted a donation from a big tobacco company. One of the shadow ministers was on radio this morning trying to justify the acceptance of the cash and saying that corporate donors don’t expect any favours for their largesse. Are politicians that naive?