arbilp3

That's ok, I'm just giving an alternate point of view. You don't have to be convinced.

By calling the SMH article a puff piece and only picking the outcome of one petition and disregarding the other 13 you do not make much of a case for your argument, however.

As to your last point, which is important, I'll get back to you. I've made an enquiry because I also want more clarification. Thank you for that.

BTW, why the double title?

I forgot to add that environment and other activist organisations find that if their petitions to government are well supported by the general public it gives them more ammo to advocate for causes.

You make very valid points but I don't think they are the end of the story. Petitions form a number of functions (this list is not comprehensive). They:

• can and have influenced outcomes. The following is a fairly old article but it gives you an idea: https://www.smh.com.au/national/people-power-14-online-petitions-that-changed-australia-in-2015-20151222-gltgyb.html
• bring awareness about issues to people and communities who may not have been aware previously
• give people the opportunity to become involved, even if at arm's length. There is a great deal of apathy in Australia. People who don't even sign petitions are hardly likely to get really active as you indicate. People who are active will be the first to sign and share petitions for the issues they care about. I say this because I know such people
• give politicians and planners a sense of where people are at and what sort of issues they feel strongly about.
• may be used by politicians (cynically or not) to identify sectors of the population to address
• are used by social historians to map community development and salient issues over time (see for example, https://www.aspg.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Petitions-a-voice.pdf)

Finally, the above petition is for all Australians to sign, not just Gold Coast locals. It is very unlikely that someone living in Perth would contact their MP or one covering the Gold Coast to follow the situation. I am one of those people who write individual letters to politicians about issues. More often than not, they fob you off with unctuous polliespeak, so, that IS a waste of time.

To sign a petition is to put a small amount of energy into a significant cause (usually) and join others rather than not put in energy at all and sit on the side lines feeling helpless, alone and grumbling.

I'd just like to please ask you to keep your language less vulgar.

We have a greater glider nest box project happening in the area where I live and where there's a lot of large trees being cut down for residential development. If it wasn't for the care and commitment of a few, we would have lost many more endangered species by now. That's why it's so important that many more people get on board and do what they can to save our amazingly unique and beautiful native animal species. Here's a pic of a GG joey to prove the point:

That's a tough one 😜

I disagree with you. Not all get their requests met, but many do. Numbers mean votes so a point comes when local politicians see their position at risk when there are very large numbers of people against what they are pushing. Mind you, being Qld, it's harder to say.

Sorry if it sounded like I'm blaming refugees. I agree with everything you say. But if incoming numbers increase significantly (and we should definitely welcome them as our govt has sat by as the situation has become drastic in some parts of the ME) and we are still not catching up with the housing construction (and the expense to build growing because of oil price volatility), the problem will become worse. Imo, our govt should increase support for well-made prefabricated homes which are now much better quality than they used to be and perhaps even start a govt-owned prefabrication enterprise for social and affordable housing at scale, which would also provide manufacturing and related jobs.

Great advice, thanks.

I like the name of your movement. It gives me the giggles and reminds me of a song / jingle that was popular more than a decade ago. It wasn't about buying dumb shit but about doing dumb stuff in metro stations and risking your life. You might recognise it when you see it (but you might be too young). Anyway, have a look and enjoy it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJNR2EpS0jw

It's true that they look pretty ok after all that time but the taste, maybe I'm imagining it, doesn't feel right.