Councils , Conservation imperatives and effective action

Despite what many newcomers to the country's conservation issues believe, the real challenges of managing your Shire well and making progress in sustainability has more to do with experience and knowledge than innovation.     Know thy territory.
Sure it's good to have  people on Council enthusiastic for change,  but budget management MUST be any new candidates priority and practice before they get on . How not to waste money and still decide things
If candidates have been paid public servants or work away from primary industry ( where rules are a bit different) they may well struggle to know that great ideas on that complex but sensitive beast called the environment,  not only have a price but normally cost us dearly when they aren't implemented properly. Its all very well to note the beasts sensitivity . What you really need to know is its resilience. Its also too easy to waste someone else's money and many Councils and Departments across Australia have been doing a lot of it in recent decades - often in the good name of Environment .

The answer to effective sustainability action is simply competence and only supporting conservation that works .
The greatest evil is done on the name of the best intention,  so Councils MUST focus on implementation ( be very practical and get practical advice!) .You can of course join the worry warriors brigade . The problem with fear is its inherent breeding capacity . Its ability to generate briefs that cultivate fear and wait for experiments and proofs -- as if they will EVER come; Piles of reports on the desk that noone dare digest . Some stupid people in Victoria  think they can map the problems and have spent the last few decades trying. Thanks to the Greens we have a new industry of self propelled reports/ maps  that decide and do nothing because of the fears and misplaced concreteness inherent inside them .The benefit of facing your fears with knowledge is the confidence to act in the environment WITHOUT ill effect.  Put me in jail for my mistakes rather than let me rot with all those reports of my over confidence : My determination to work and respect ( requires knowledge) nature --not unwisely or distantly fear it.

Good intentions are not enough to drive good planning decisions- locally informed Councillors on the site is best .
 Some Counsel of my own

1. The big mistake many Councillors are making is to only have one  expert (The proverb on the floor of parliament talks about "much advice".   You ask how do you afford many Councillors/ experts  ? You don't pay for all of them - you ask around like our forebears and earlier Councillors did ) 
2. Another huge mistake is to think one can change the culture and the atmosphere by just getting on Council . Join the esoteric brigade if that's your aim. 

To be effective you have to know your stuff ( and / know who to trust) Whatever limitations farmers and local  have ( and they do have them) , they do know their stuff a lot better than they are often given credit for.  Cynical media and distant Green party critics don't help.  Eat humble pie , ask them and test them .Then you will know something .
As a long time rural environmental planner  I would be last to  say "farmers only" on Council ( the reality  is that few have time any more they are so overworked , neither are they always objective )  --someone should show some oversight of planning decisions because with real estate, all sorts of rot goes on  . If farmers react badly to criticism in 2016 its because in last 20 years they have copped a deluge of uninformed careless criticism via the screens and armchairs of Australia.

LACK  of Local Objective advice early on environmental is the scourge of every Local Government around Australia . This situation must change and proper cadetships set up to make Universities and rural training agencies produce  industry expertise in this area .  I hope The Libs get going to change this as soon as possible because its not hard  to do - bit like having doctors of environment . Libs must FACE the dumbing down reality that well intentioned people are getting on Council but who don't have any idea really of how to maintain sound land planning processes. The Libs MUST face  that their Mr Kennett and his mates were a cynical wrecking ball and repairs are needed to rebuild public service type careers--  for the good of the Country.

Our recent experience

Most of us find the prospect of more Trump's in politics really,really scary. Could it happen here? and with our Council elections?         
Those of us in Colac, Victoria had a pleasant surprise the other night when the candidates forum, instead of being just a lot of noisy self promotion, was a place where many mature sensible people gathered together to discuss what made our region great. 

Many memories came forth of those who started our meat works,dairying companies, service agencies  and great milk products, just to name  a few.  Just like our innovative forebears,  there were at least a few candidates in the big pile who didn't just talk, but knew that "can do" (here with us and our expertise) is what made this place great and can keep it that way. 

I'm not saying the choice of candidates is ever easy , but some experience and  good attitude was there making it a very encouraging meeting of many mature practical down to earth minds.
As a long term adviser to Local governments on the complex matters of environmental planning can I encourage all readers to be very cautious about voting for people who think they are going to play merry hell with our environment,  but who simply do not know it well enough. 

We can only hope and pray that, when it comes to counsel, the new representatives will not just rely on the counsel of their own minds.

Is the prospect of more Trumps real ? Yes it is ! That's why you need to get along to a candidates meeting and find out who is representing who.