MORE HYDRO SPIN

Just couldn't resist putting this up ... Does it ring any bells??

"Our Vision and Values provide direction on what kind of organisation we are and how we conduct business. Our vision To be Tasmania's world-renowned renewable energy business. Our values

• We put people’s health and safety first
• We strive to deliver outstanding service
• We always behave with honesty and integrity
• We work together, respect each other and value our diversity
• Our positive and determined approach ensures our success
• We are committed to creating a sustainable future
  

Our values are truly 'ours'. They were formed from input from all of our people and are reviewed periodically to ensure they are still reflective of who we are. Our values provide direction and clarity about the way we make decisions, achieve our goals, provide service to our customers, work together and care for the environment."

OH REALLY!!!???

THE HYDRO'S SPIN

Click here for the Hydro's spin on the Cataract Gorge's needs and theirs

The Gorge Gets Another Political Workover

IN THE EXAMINER TODAY

"Increase for Gorge 'trickle'
BY ALISON ANDREWS CHIEF REPORTER
08 Apr, 2011 08:32 AM

AN alderman has dismissed a promised one- cubic-metre increase in water flow through Launceston's Cataract Gorge as a disappointing trickle.

Hydro Tasmania announced yesterday that it had concluded its two-year review to determine the appropriate environmental flow through the Gorge.

Hydro business sustainability manager Andrew Scanlon said it had decided to increase the base flow from 1.5 cumecs to 2.5 cumecs.

"We think that this is a good result for the Gorge and a good result for Launceston," Mr Scanlon said.

"There was not a lot of difference to be seen between 2.5 cumecs and 3 cumecs. ... click here to go to the article

NOW, Mr. Scanlon's assertions and assessments are being challenged. Their veracity is in question and given that this is a hot issue in Launceston we can expect to to the politicians line up to lob their grenades into Mr. Scanlon's backyard. It should not be forgotten either that this is ELECTION YEAR for Aldermen and the coveted posts of Mayor and Deputy Mayor.

The Esk Rivers and the Tamar come together to form one of Tasmania's most contentious waterways. Unsurprisingly the Hydro is in the thick of the contention and mostly because their assertions and assessments are typically self-serving and arrogant – lacking in veracity too more often than not.

For now just watch this space as rancor unfolds and the recalcitrant Hydro ducks and dives in an attempt to unblot their copy book even if it is way past time for that. Their reputation is probably irrevocably stained.

The Hydro & The Cataract Gorge Launceston

LETTER TO THE EDITOR _ GORGE FLOWS

Click on the image to enlarge
Click here to go to its source

The energy in this image is palpable
Click here to go to The Examiner's Gorge in Flood Gallery

PATHETIC is the only way to describe the outcome of Hydro Tasmania's Cataract Gorge Flow Review, (The Examiner, 7 April), which has proven to be (as I said it would at the start) nothing more than a sham, a mockery and a whitewash with a pre-determined outcome.

Last financial year the Hydro returned a profit of $73 million, YES $73 million, and can easily afford to increase Gorge flows well above the extra miserly 1 cubic metre per second they intend to release; then they have the gall to state this will reduce their income by a mere $600,000 per annum.

By not significantly increasing Gorge flow above this level Hydro Tasmania are completely ignoring: scientific opinion, the wishes of the Launceston community; Launceston City Council and the environmental needs of the Cataract Gorge and Tamar Basin.

To use the excuse of threatened species of flora as a reason not to increase Gorge flows is nothing more than an insult to the communities intelligence who would like to know how it managed to survive pre Trevallyn Dam when Gorge flows were 'significantly' higher than they are now?

As a stakeholder I am 'ashamed' to have participated in this review and enabled Hydro Tasmania to say they have consulted with the community; they certainly did but then ...completely ignored what they had to say!

Yours sincerely,
Jim Collier,
Tamar River

QVMAG: GRAND EXPOSE AT WELLINGTON STREET

Click on the image to enlarge

This weekend in Wellington Street Launceston’s ratepayers and other will be given a glimpse of where all their money has gone and is going at the Queen Victoria Museum & Art Gallery. The promise is that they’ll “be blown away” and they probable will.

The chances are that they will be given that something approaching $10 million has been in invested in the project – approx dollar for dollar Government and Council funding apparently. Some will be amazed at just what you get for that much money and inevitably there will be some who will say that the money could have been better spent elsewhere and in ways that delivered better social outcomes.

Depending on what goes on in this refurbished building they could be right or very wrong. Nobody will see much of a hint of any of that this weekend. After all, in the end, this is just a building and what goes on it that is likely to justify the expenditure.

However, looking at the building from the street if you wish to be impressed by your glimpse of the future, and what is in store for you, you had better not glimpse upwards on the way in or from across the street. Those pesky and abominable air conditioning ducts are still there in all their glory and announcing the fact that if you do not manage the details you compromise the overall effort and its goals.

If you are spending near enough to $10 million you would think that you might spend some time getting the details right, this is an art gallery after all. The promise was that it would happen but looking at the roofline it does not seem so. Apparently these ducts are going to be camouflaged so as they will visually disappear. Is it leopard spots or tiger stripes that are being considered?

It is an interesting idea that seems to have more bureaucratic credibility than visual integrity. It is sadly an indicator that near enough seems to be good enough no matter how much you throw at a project and pay the project managers.

However, look downwards on the way in and look for more positive signs when you turn up to see how the money (your money) has been spent.

HENRY ST. AGAIN

It is interesting how the General Manager keeps on turning up in The Examiner trying to explain the inexplicable. Here Council has clearly earned their stripes and an acknowledgement of that might have offered a way forward, But oh no, even if it was before his time, he seems to lack the humility to acknowledge a mistake when he is presented with it.

NOW on page 57 of today's Examiner Mr Dobrzynski bleats on about AFT Tasmania failing to respond to correspondence when he himself is a serial non-performer in this regard. To quote, and not altogether out of context, "It's disappointing that we wrote to [Scott Wade] on July 28, 2010, following discussions we'd had and we've not had a reply ... I've had a distinct view of disinterest from AFL Tasmania as evidenced by the fact that eight months later we're still waiting for a response to that letter." ... click her to read the full story

This seems to tell us that Mr Dobrzynski seems to require people to behave in ways he doesn't always.There are ratepayers waiting for a response from Mr Dobrzynski and who know as he says he does, that the first thing they've got to do is respond because "you cannot have a one-sided conversation."

Ratepayers are increasingly trying to hold two way conversations with LCC without success.