Hello David Gibson

I would love to get some feedback from a member of Nationals on whether you think I am on-track with my views on sustainability, and whether it is even remotely possible for the Nats or a new ‘conservative’ party to genuinely address it.

How predictable.

Beattie resigns and Ronan Lee is no longer able to provide the kind of access to legislators for the Wilderbeast Society.

What will they do?

Suddenly Laurence Springborg jumps up with talk about a new conservative party and The Wilderbeast Society is sniffing around them immediately.

“Is this the opportunity we have been looking for?” ponders Schneiders.

“If I appear to be politically ‘aware” (forgive them for massive tree clearing) and perhaps play on their desperations (using green issues) they just might become our new Trojan horse’

How pathetic.

I can just see it, The Wilderbeast Society [along with their political appendage "The Qld Greens"] goose stepping with the Nationals and Liberals in a new eco-friendly, Right Wing, Consersavative Party.

What a sight to behold!

Springborg with dreadlocks moon dancing at Bryon? I can't see it.

Sschienders sucking up at a National Party convention to whoever? Its not beyond him.

Ideologically they all share a fundamentalism and conservatism that might work - they are well suited to each, especially their views on blackfellas and blackfella issues.

Scratch the surface and you'll find the same dog with a different haircut.

Ludwig, I do think there is a possibility for change. I'm not going to pretend that we will see a seismic shift in the policies of the conservatives immediately but there will be a shift. One of the strengths of the National Party is that it is a grass roots driven party (much like the Greens) and its membership is as much a part of shift in community attitudes on sustainability as any other group. The establishment of a new conservative party bring with it new opportunities as well as new risks.

It would be misleading to try and portray any new party as having a policy transfusion but I do believe it will provide an chance for new ideas to come forward for discussion and consideration, and from that we should see development of new policy.

As too your views on sustainability, I agree that we need a new political paradigm. Part of the problem is the willingness to use the environment for short term political gain without any real assessment of the long term costs. A good example of this is the proposed dam at Traveston Crossing – It sounds good to the people of Brisbane that Labor are building a dam therefore the water crisis will be solved, but the EIS has shown that there is no in depth assessment of the long term impacts both in the Mary Valley and the down stream impacts not only in the Mary River but into the Great Sandy Straights and onto Fraser Island.

How do we bring about that change in paradigm? I don’t have an easy answer. I guess its by people like you and me being involved in the debate, understanding the issues and then trying to understand where the other stakeholders are coming from. It will still involve concessions and the changes may not be as fast as many would like but it is the best we can do in the current circumstances.

Bounce me an email to gympie@parliament.qld.gov.au and maybe we can catch up to have a chat about this in more detail.

Cheers David.

I will now take up the discussion with you in private.