outraged!

 i tend to get a bit self righteous about these things, but when Peter Garrett went into federal politics I really thought he might be a bit better at the game....(surprisingly, my terse tone didn't get much of a response from Pete....)

Dear Mr Garrett,

I am writing to you to express my deep disappointment in your decision to approve the development of the Four Mile uranium mine in South Australia.

I have followed your activism from when I was a young child in the 1980s and saw you as a great voice of reason within the Australian political landscape. Your stance on Aboriginal rights and environmental issues was inspiring to me. I no longer view you as having such integrity, instead I see another firm example of how the need to conform and tow a party line can corrupt one's deepest held values.

Your decision about this development and others regarding Aboriginal land are frustrating and horribly sad. The lack of genuine consultation and destruction of the environment for years to come were not inevitable events but clear choices made by you. I think the thing that strikes me the most is the way in which you justify the decisions you have made. I really thought that someone in your position would wield more influence in making a positive change in mainstream politics rather than becoming a puppet for party conservatives.

You are certainly better than any alternative that we have had for an environment minister in the Howard years, however the public shedding of your environmental skin is one of the saddest developments I have seen in modern Australian politics.

Hopefully the decisions that you make in the future will give us some hope that the old activist that we knew and loved is still able to act with integrity and responsibility. Until then, I won't be holding my breath.

Sincerely,

Me