These last several weeks I've had to take on the task of my member of parliament.

Some fellow acting as the representative of a sub-contractor informed me verbally, and with only a few hours notice, that he intended to place an unbalanced, high capacity 11 kilovolt conductor within an unsafe distance (3 metres at closest) from our home.

Cutting to the chase and having to research the situation I came to realise that our former city council had approved and signed off situating a new electricity sub-station directly beside an existing, council built, children's playground. Much ancillary cabling encroaches on other dwellings and a nearby state school.

Now, I'm not an electrical engineer but am an engineer of 40 years experience.
I'm quite used to reading technical papers to do with most engineering and scientific disciplines.
While it is true that health risks and defecits associated with non-ionising radiation are not 'conclusively proven', according to Australian stakeholder organisations, their own 'rules of engagement' recognise that 'prudent avoidance' should be exercised at all stages of planning,installing and operating any form of emitter of such radiation.

Naturally the Australian standards are generally less stringent than just about everywhere else in the world.
The big question is more complex than that; however the core issue about two tiers of government and two firms of sub-contractors colluding towards keeping quiet about the community impact fairly indicates the future of governance in Australia.

Perhaps ours isn't the only community being denied right of comment about such project decisions.
Please send in those cards and letters.

Dear Non Farmer,

I'd love to help - however could you please
provide a bit more information. When writing
to Members of Parliament/and or local Councils -
you have to be specific
and tell them exactly what you want them to do -
in order to achieve anything.

You don't name the playground, where it's located
et cetera. This information would help us - when
framing our letters.

Thanks.

Hey Foxy,
Thanks for yours.
I hear what you say but in any case know all about what you say within your advice.
I have nibbled my fingernails down to my armpits while deciding how to express my cold outrage about how certain communities are systematically denied any semblance of 'governance'.
By 'certain communities' I do most certainly indicate mine.

Okay. In my experience the concept of "Whole of Government/Governance" may be interpreted as a set-up whereby all AusGovernment agencies/departments are more involved with spin/damage control than they are with actually solving problems for citizens.
But my family and I happen to live in a region where decisions appear to be made on behalf of some oligarchy – some sort of local, self appointed, royalty, almost.
I’d assume that I have a right to indicate how and where the elect in our region may have overplayed their game of stuffing their back pockets with the filthy lucre.

But I’m not sure.
Maybe they are too stupid to play their own cards effectively. Maybe they’ve been taken advantage of too.
Do you see – when you live in an area where almost everyone else expects some ephemeral ‘someone else’ to do their dirty work for them – then we have the collapse of society.

But since you ask – The Past Bundaberg City Council in full meeting approved and signed off a document permitting a major sub-station, electric to be located immediately beside a playground/skatebowl. They also approved high voltage/high current cables close to dwellings and the nearby South State School.
These last few days my own research finds Local Gov/t, State Gov/t, The energy Utility, Ergon, Their sub-contractors, Tenix and BT Communications entirely at fault by way of their refusal to share the nature and impact of this project upon this community

But back to the title and Leukemia – Yesterday, one very junior gentleman asked me about my view of the health risk. I gave him my view. He supplied his. Our concerns differed not one iota.

Dear Non Farmer,

Sorry it's taken me this long to get back to you
but here's what I've found out.

My husband is an architect who has worked on residential,
commercial, hospital, and school projects where high-energy
cables and power transmitter volts have been installed.
The electrical engineering design company had checked out
all the safety issues with the relevant Victorian safety
standards before the design and installation was commenced.

In Victoria - the Energy Safety Authority is interestingly
called - Energy Safe - Victoria. There are stipulated
distances from variable levels of energy in cables,
transformers and sub-stations.

In Queensland you should take up your concerns with the
Department of Employment and Industrial Relations.
Telephone number: (07) 3225-2000. They should send out
inspectors to examine the installations concerned.

Hope this helps, and let me know of the outcome.

All The Best.

Hello Foxy,
Followed your suggestions, used your Q-Gov contact - and for about the first time in my rapidly advancing years was put through to a bloke who understood the principles.
He didn’t shout me down, hang up, or abuse me – as usually happens here.
He listened, we compared notes for some time.
Doesn't mean he can help.
If he tried he’d undoubtedly be sacked tomorrow.
We live in Queensland. That is its nature.

Meanwhile I've had calls from My ‘Division Counsillor’ of our new regional council and from a bloke from the electricity utility.
Neither are empowered as ‘decisionmakers. We all face a situation that gives none of us satisfaction.

Queenslanders are either in work and fear the sack at the first show of ethical standards - or out of work, therefore have no influence whatsoever.

Then there are the temporary royalty.
The core issue is about how, Despite the interesting (had a chuckle about your implication there) name, (Energy Safe – Victoria) your advisory body, there is no equivalent in the Deep North.
Other than raffle winners (used to be called MLAs , elect members of legislative assembly in Bjelke Petersen’s time – now MP – perhaps Meretrix Proximus) there are no ‘decisionmakers’ in Qld.

I'd believed our luck might change with a Queenslander as PM.
Now I have to concede that Qld may have supplied just another raffle winner.
He might look cute in a suit. He’s still the product of this joke of a state.
I wonder if he’d pass the old State School civics/social Studies exam?

I’d tried to raise this matter with the ‘media’.
They don’t care about health risks facing our infants.
No problem, refugees, indigenous matters, the drug affected, the ruthless and toothless white shoe set – meanwhile heaps of spin about ‘bikies’ (should I hand in my scooter license) and a continuum of rot.

In closing, Foxy - thanks for the input but the entire lack of other comment convinces me to give this turnout a miss.

The environment is a joke and Aussies are feckless lemmings.

Dear Non Farmer,

Thanks for getting back to me and I'm sorry
to hear that you didn't have much success.

I again went and spoke to my husband about your
situation - and he suggests that you try one more
thing.

Contact - the following electrical engineers consulting
firm - GHD - 201 Charlotte Street Brisbane - Telephone:
(07) 3316-3000 and ask to speak to the - Chief Electrical
Engineer.

Ask him for advice on safety issues relating to distances
of power cables, transformer volts, and sub-stations from
residential development, schools, and public facilities.
If he's unable to help maybe he could refer you to a company
in Brisbane that could give you that advice.

It's worth a shot.

Good Luck.