Burswood Gaming benefiting Swan/Canning

[Brad Y]

Just watched an interesting story on ABC news about Burswood Casino being allowed more gambling machines and the state government increasing gaming tax by 0.5% to a total of 2%. Their plan is to fund education, and monitor and attempt to reduce nutrient flow into the rivers etc, to attempt to clean up the Swan/Canning system.

It all sounds good to me but whats everyones opinion? Just another scheme for world domination?:D Or does things like this make a difference.

Interesting to hear peoples view in regard to gambling addictions/river health/fishing addictions....

Lets elaborate

[Dave Press]

With the revenue that the casino generates...a half % increase will bring a significant amount of cash into the govt coffers!

Got to wonder whether it will actually make its way to looking after the Swan or not though.

Gambling addicitons can destroy peoples lives - destroy families, and make kids suffer!

To profit from it to help restore a river is questionable ethics at best IMHO.

That said like all funds they will be subject to pork barelling! They will only go to some constituency where votes in marginal labor seats can be bought, based on past pactice!

Some good may well ensue for the river - the outcome MIGHT be good in th eoverall scheme of things from river health perspective!

THat said, usually because of pork barelling, the funds go to yet more studies, conflabs, and environmental impact statements etc - i.e. they feed those in the inner or govts favored purple circle of consultants, and rarely if ever, evolve into a person actully doing something at the coal face to improve the river itself.

If the breamers showed up and said we want $ to buy trees to plant to assist in re-establishing riparian vegetation - to filter nutrients from storm water before it entered the river etc - likely you wouldn't get a cent - likewise if you asked for riverkeepers funding!

All the same - you still have to apply for the funds, if only to prove to yourself, what you already suspect.

It doesn't matter which party is in power - pretty much the system works the same.

Imagine all these storm water drains into the Swan from out Morley Dianella & Bayswater areas (lightindustrial & shopping areas as wel as urban housing). The water just rushes down a central channel then underground thru pipes etc straight to the river!

Imagine the nutrient stripping that COULD take place on th same plot of groundif the water course zig zagged thru a vegetated nutrient stripping pond system all the way, just be redesigning the existing drains, having rock falls to oxygenate the water - plants etc to filter the nutirents and pollutants!

Imagine the habitat that could be created for frogs & birds etc

The answrs are there - but do you see any of these funds earmarked for local govt councils to actually DO any remedial works on these drainage systems?

All of the ones I've seen (and I've been and looked) are choked with plastic shopping bags, and paper rubbish, dog excrement, discarded fit packs, condoms etc etc etc...

Many of them are just a square hole in the ground surrounded by concrete festering with mosquitoes and disease and deadly to any form of aquatic life! (One opposite Galleria In Morley a callsic example!).

If it was done right it would be an aquatic waterpark you could sit around to eat lunch as it is - you have to hold your nose to walk past!

Sure a little more misery for the families of addicited gamblers will fix this! :rolleyes:

The kids won't mind not being fed, clothed, and left unattended in locked cars in the carparks in summer etc etc - heck lets extend the carparks so they can squeeze a few more white trailer trash in! :rolleyes:

This is even a topic to debate?

Symptomatic of a Govt with no direction, being led by vested interests, if you ask me!

Cheers!