In-ground bunkers
America has tornadoes and in-ground bunkers. Australia has firestorms and NO in-ground bunkers.
Rather than batts in a ceiling in the stimulus package, a real good fire hazard, how about the Federal Government pay and supply a fire proof bunker to ALL houses in proven bushfire zones. Or even offer a rebate via a State Government share of cost. It is done to protect water. How about protecting people?
The people of Helensburgh and district are pretty nervous seeing the same sort of area burnt out in Vic, that they live in. After the fiasco of the Helensburgh and district 2001 fires, we know the fires will come again with every hot day a possibility. The only way out is through kilometres of bush. Well, Federal and State Governments?
Talk is cheap. Life is not.
Alan Bond
Money driven developments endanger life
With the tragedy in Victoria of the Holocaust of the fires, one can easily envisage that this could have been the same result around Helensburgh and district back in the 2001 Christmas bushfires. Then only homes were lost and no lives.
The Victorian tragedy is only a reminder that next time it could easily go that way.
With developers trying to open up Maddens Plains on the Illawarra Escarpment to a single home on 40 acres, and the allowance of Links Living’s over 400 living quarters, a few speculative 7d Hacking River Catchment landowners are trying desperately to have their land opened up around Helensburgh to allow building under the new LEP 2009.
Despite previously a Commission of Inquiry and over 5,000 objections resulting in a refusal of their demands. Objections that still stand solid.
These developments etc, are all in the proven extreme high risk bush fire zone.
Placing homes in the same conditions as those wiped out in Victoria.
Meanwhile more and more people are moving into the district by the allowance of tiny 450 size blocks within the designated residential areas. Complete idiocy, where 9 houses can be placed down a single bush strewn driveway.
The Helensburgh area has very limited road access meaning that wherever you are, you have to travel through bush to escape. Bush that is tinder dry.
These inappropriate money driven developments must not be allowed to endanger any life.
Alan Bond
Has the University of Wollongong gone into the real estate business?
It sure looks like it.
I find it astounding that Professor Don Iverson, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences and Director of the Health and Medical Research Institute is on the soap box of promoting the Links Seaside in the advertising. This is completely outrageous.
Maybe it should be the Dean of Questionable Behaviour.
Absolutely demeaning for the Uni.
What next, Sir David Attenborough soap boxing the virtues of Links Living Golf suburb on Maddens Plains because it’s slap bang in the middle of a highly sensitive biodiversity area? Is the Uni going to promote this one, too?
As for the professor, what the heck does he know about what people want? Does anyone?
This business of making people over the age of 55 sound like they have one foot in the grave is opposite to the fact. You can’t get a seniors pension till you’re 65. Besides 50 is the new 30, and we are not exactly washed up yet.
I never thought the Uni would sink so low, but I guess that’s innovation. This is a subject certainly worthy of research in the public interest.
Alan Bond
No one knows your friends like your friends’ next door neighbours
It is known that residents have had backyard "fires" disguised as wood burning barbecues going for at least 6 hours in Stanwell Tops.
Ashes and smoke drifted everywhere. After 3 hours, it was reported to Triple-O as it appeared no one was home.
A NSW fire brigade attended only to find someone in the closed up house. The smoke started up again after the fire brigade left. Alarmed residents were told by Triple-O it was a barbecue and the people had permission from Council.
The residents were told to contact Council as this sort of thing has happened before. The concerned residents contacted Council only to find that there was no permission. As a matter of fact, these particular residents had been previously warned about it and would be heavily fined if it happened again.
What was the outcome? Council has not sent a conclusion letter to the alarmed residents even after 3 months.
Through circumstance, it was mentioned to a resident by police that the fire was actually started to annoy the alarmed resident!
Despite photos and video, the Council Rangers have said they must catch them in the act. What, on a Sunday? In view of the tragic fires in Victoria, this sort of buck passing nonsense shows scant regard by our own authorities who show that they are prepared to do nothing despite evidence.
So much for reporting suspicious activity, even when it is as blatant as this.
Alan Bond | 
