DOES IT MATTER?

[Maureen K Clifford]

DOES IT MATTER?



I went to work this morning past the dairy paddocks green.
The last few acres now left close to town.
When I returned from work the lush green paddocks were gone.
replaced with raw, torn earth in shades of brown.

We have to keep on building – that’s the way our councils think,
for there’s people moving up here all the time.
Why can they not just purchase a house already built and there?
Demolish and rebuild or redefine.

At least this way our country would have chance to draw a breath,
without needing more infrastructure to grow.
With the expanding population on the move around this nation
I suspect it would be better if ‘twas so.

For no matter that we sometimes have no water due to drought.
No matter parking’s short at bus and train.
No matter that the buses sometimes leave passengers out.
Just as long as local councils make a gain.

Our fertile farming country is now giving way to housing.
Farmers can’t grow crops on arid land and stones.
They’re already doing it hard, how many will hold on,
battling natures ire, high transport costs and loans.

It’s no wonder that our food costs seem to escalate each year,
as they will, as more farmers walk off the land.
I wonder when some common sense our councils will impose?
What part of stupid don’t they understand?

We need the country paddocks and the trees to bring the rain.
Those trees that help to lessen our pollution.
Acknowledge fact. Something our Aboriginal brothers understand.
Decimation is not a long term solution.

Don’t we care when water shortages are felt here - due to drought?
Don’t we care if forest giants are felled? Huge trees.
Have we ascertained the cost of pushing farmers further out
and pollutions effect on lands salinity?

For surely all can understand we’re running out of everything
and all can see farming land disappear.
Pray tell me who we think it is who works to feed us all?
What will we do when that man isn’t here?

We’ve sold the farm, we’ve sold the land, and sold our rights to water.
We’ve sold the rail and sold off all the coal.
We export our uranium to less than friendly countries.
Tell me is our own destruction our main goal?

And will it really matter if we’re just tenants in our country?
Is this why our fore fathers fought and died?
Or did they fight for freedom and the right to live in peace?
The right to own some land, and Aussie pride?

Well best take a look around and face the harsh reality
for soon of Oz there will be nothing left
that we recognize as ours – save perhaps the bloody flies
far to late when all is gone to be bereft.

Perhaps then the entire world will hear a plaintive bleat
as history once more plays out its hand,
and we may realise that we are strangers in our country
a fact our Aboriginal brothers understand.


Maureen Clifford ©

[Bob Pacey]

Notice in the local paper today Maureen. New small city approved for picturesque land between The Causeway and Mulumbin beach. My message to the paper another slice of paradise gone and people forget just why they moved here, Not grazing land but same scenario.



A very revelant comment Thanks Bob.

[Maureen K Clifford]

We are still selling off the farm according to the news last night - no surprises there as far as I was concerned. If we keep selling off our farming land to overseas countries and our own companies to off shore developer - we may be a suburb of China sooner rather than later.

[Neville Briggs]

It's so depressing Maureen. Working against the interests of your own country used to be a capital offence called Treason.