"I'm not racist but...." Oh yes you are!

The Shadow Minister for Immigration, Scott Morrison's blatant demonising of the bereaved asylum seekers is racism, pure and simple and worthy of the label 'Hansonism.' This capacity to create an 'us and them' mentality, whereby fellow human beings in distress can be viewed through a lens of fear and difference rather than concern and empathy, is shameful. When we profess our christianity yet practice something far less than what Jesus Christ would do, we are making a mockery of everything we declare our nation to be built upon. How can any one of us begin to compare what the asylum seekers have been through, with our lives? To suggest it is unfair to assist them with burying their dead and petulantly exclaim that we wouldn't be offered the same service shows a lack of maturity and understanding of all the issues. I am ashamed that there is still a deep vein of racism running through our society, though always prefaced with the ubiquitious "I'm not racist but...." Conversely, I suggest that if you find yourself nodding along as some politician dog whistles about sight seeing tours and how these 'lucky' people have their funerals paid for then you need to engage in some self-reflection.

Phillipa Parsons - The Greens: Save Catherine Hill Bay from overdevelopment

Phillipa Parsons - The Greens: Save Catherine Hill Bay from overdevelopment

Save Catherine Hill Bay from overdevelopment

I was pleased to see at lease 500 people at the Save Catho protest this morning, on the beach at Catho! The Catho Boardriders had laid out surfboards on the sand to spell out 'Save Catho' and the Channel 7 helicopter hovered for ages filming us all, wearing red t-shirts and waving! Didn't see the Libs candidate, Garry Edwards but did see Independent Gillian Sneddon and sitting ALP member Robert Coombes. Surprised Mr Coombes was there given his previous statement that development at Catho is "inevitable".

This area was originally a mining town, set up for the purpose of housing the miners employed to work in the coal mines underneath the whole area. Now, it is an iconic reminder of our heritage and should be returned to the community as a conservation area, not turned into a mcmansion paradise with little public transport, no real amenities and poor infrastructure. It should be retained as a buffer between the expanding cities of Lake Macquarie and Wyong, not turned into a satellite suburb that will destroy the ambiance and heritage value of the place. Indeed, it is only the land deal between the rotten state Labor government and Rose Group that has seen the proposal get this far. Catho was listed near the bottom of the list of potential development sites in the Lower Hunter Regional Strategy until Rose Group called in favours from NSW Labor (see www. democracyforsale.com.au for a list of donations). This of course was only possible due to then Planning Minister Sartor's notorious Part 3A amendments to the EP&A Act - really the 'key to the door' for developers to move in on any area of NSW and bypass local councils and communities. Well, enough is enough and the people have well and truly spoken - stop any development of Catho, rezone to conservation and get rid of the dirty Part 3A to prevent anything like this happening again.