Marree Man

I personally think Mr Turner might have made a very big mistake by re-instating what was originally an illegal piece of artwork, anyway.

This is not the 1960's, where you could go out in the bush and carve up anything you liked, without reference to anyone.

We live in the 21st century, where the EPA rules, where the Aboriginal Heritage Act rules, where Depts of Parks & Wildlife rules, where Aboriginal Land Councils must be consulted and their approval gained, before any landscape changes are carried out - and where, if you propose any developmental work, artwork, or flora and fauna destruction, you have to submit plans and get approval from the various ruling authorities, and meet their specific guidelines, and follow their specific and often strict instructions.

You have to submit reams of information relating to development plans, how flora and fauna destruction will be managed and minimised, how re-vegetation will be carried out, how increased water runoff will be minimised and controlled, how increased erosion will be controlled, how contamination of water supplies will be avoided, and how increased soil salinisation will be avoided or controlled.

There are dozens of laws and regulations to be conformed with when undertaking any landscape-changing works. Often the Mining Act regulations can also apply to any surface earthmoving operations of any kind - let alone the amount of EPA, and Aboriginal Lands laws, that would apply here.

I speak as a former earthmover and mining contractor, and sizeable business operator (with over 100 employees at one point), who started with bulldozers in the early 1960's - when we could do pretty much what we liked, where we liked - and who went right through to the strict operating conditions of today, where even breaking branches off a few trees, can see you go to jail.

We have at least one farmer in W.A. who has gone to jail for illegal clearing without abiding by the current laws - and several others who have narrowly avoided jail for the same reasons.

My stepdaughter works for Beach Energy at Moomba as a senior HSE manager - and she is responsible for the control and minimisation of any environmental damage by Beach Energy, as well as health and safety issues.

The things she tells me about the onerous EPA regulations and laws that apply to the oil and gas companies, if even the smallest wilful, or even accidental environmental damage is caused - in even the most remote part of central Australia - would make your hair curl.

Just a small leak in an oil pipeline is enough to initiate a major environmental investigation with the accompanying major penalties.

For someone to carry out a major landscape-altering exercise, as Mr Turner has done, with no reference to any authority, with no investigation or logging of Aboriginal Heritage sites, and the importance of any sacred sites found, recorded and cleared with Aboriginal Councils - is an act pretty much ensuring you will almost certainly front a magistrate, charged with multiple counts of violation of numerous Acts, Laws and regulations.

Cheers, Ron.

Here is theChannel 10 News report video.

Political stupidity and bureaucratic idiocy and lunacy aside, nice to see "The Man" back!!! I flew over him (as a passenger) many years ago and was wondering what had become of him in more recent times. I trust he is there in his entirety, and has not had his "credentials" covered up.
OBJ

This is Phil. Met him last year. Don't under estimate his knowledge and understanding of bureaucracy. He was a senior consultant in Canberra for 40 years including for my then department (immigration) in IT until he got a bit weary of it all and ended buying the Maree pub.

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Environmental vandalism if you ask me, but that is my opinion.

What ever floats your boat.

Steve