Steve GannTANSTAAFL
February 16th 2008 04:17
An Open Letter to Kevin Rudd, Jenny Macklin, Julia Gillard, Brendon Nelson and Malcom Turnbull
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To the Prime Minister and Other Honorable Members
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Greetings
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Tansstafl is a term invented or stolen by science fiction author, Robert A. Heinlein for his novel, The Moon is a Harsh Mistress. Simply stated it is There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch. It is a sentiment which is not new. There is however a corollary which is not quite as well known. This is: If Sounds Too Good To Be True, Then It Probably IS!
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Now let's talk housing, low-cost housing for the Aroriginal community. The concept is laudable BUT unless the social engineering and the logistics are not put in place, it won't work. I know whereof I speak. It has been tried before in the Northern Territory. My Dad after he resigned from being Surveyor General for the Territory discussed the situation with me on a number of occasions. He was a bit puzzled by it all. A group of Aborigines had been given virtually new houses fresh off the reservation at peppercorn or non-existent rent. In the main the project failed dismally. The toilets got blocked. In the houses, if they needed wood for fires, they tore up the flooboards and cooked their meals on an open fire. I'm talking extremes here to get the point across.
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The point I am making is that if you have a group of people who have been disadvantaged and downtrodden. If this same people have been told over and over again that they are useless and shiftless and incapable of doing anything for themselves - then cheap, affordabale housing BY ITSELF is not the answer.
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First think it through. The outcome being planned for is to have a growing segment of the Aboriginal community living in houses that they are comfortable with and proud to maintain. How do we get from where we are now, to where this is not just a dream but a work in progress? The first and most important rule is that the main engine of the enterprise should be planned, driven and with labour resourced from the Aboriginal community. From the top down it should be their enterprise. Nothing else makes sense.
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Second: It should be low cost community housing where people can contribute to the building of their own homes. The aim should be to keep the costs to a bare minimum. Use the latest innovation or the oldest technology. Whatever makes sense but include the latest safety measures, green technology and low-maintenance engineering.
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Third: Train and finance team leaders to build homes. Then have those teams train more people. Use materials which are fire-retardant and provide heat insulation. Have water tanks and grey water storage built in. Include solar hot water systems and roofing with solar cells for power. Have wind turbines to add to the power generation.
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Finally involve the Aboriginal artistic community in the architectural design as well as the design of the interiors and outside walls. Have the overall look-feel of the houses reflect the Aboriginal culture and a celebration of a new coming of age where their communities are valued and their people loved and respected for what they are.
-------------------------
It is time to lift the Aboriginal community to a level where they are truly equal to all others in our land. But we must not try to do this from outside, dictating to them what we believe they should do. We must work with them to give them the power, the resources and pride in themselves to make this happen for themselves. Power to the People. Yes! Power to All People. Yes! But the power for each of them to be able to work their own magic, from within. Oh Yes, please!
----------------------------- ------- ---------
To the Prime Minister and Other Honorable Members
----------------------------- --------------
Greetings
----------------------------- ----------------------------
Tansstafl is a term invented or stolen by science fiction author, Robert A. Heinlein for his novel, The Moon is a Harsh Mistress. Simply stated it is There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch. It is a sentiment which is not new. There is however a corollary which is not quite as well known. This is: If Sounds Too Good To Be True, Then It Probably IS!
Now let's talk housing, low-cost housing for the Aroriginal community. The concept is laudable BUT unless the social engineering and the logistics are not put in place, it won't work. I know whereof I speak. It has been tried before in the Northern Territory. My Dad after he resigned from being Surveyor General for the Territory discussed the situation with me on a number of occasions. He was a bit puzzled by it all. A group of Aborigines had been given virtually new houses fresh off the reservation at peppercorn or non-existent rent. In the main the project failed dismally. The toilets got blocked. In the houses, if they needed wood for fires, they tore up the flooboards and cooked their meals on an open fire. I'm talking extremes here to get the point across.
-------------------------
The point I am making is that if you have a group of people who have been disadvantaged and downtrodden. If this same people have been told over and over again that they are useless and shiftless and incapable of doing anything for themselves - then cheap, affordabale housing BY ITSELF is not the answer.
First think it through. The outcome being planned for is to have a growing segment of the Aboriginal community living in houses that they are comfortable with and proud to maintain. How do we get from where we are now, to where this is not just a dream but a work in progress? The first and most important rule is that the main engine of the enterprise should be planned, driven and with labour resourced from the Aboriginal community. From the top down it should be their enterprise. Nothing else makes sense.
-------------------------
Second: It should be low cost community housing where people can contribute to the building of their own homes. The aim should be to keep the costs to a bare minimum. Use the latest innovation or the oldest technology. Whatever makes sense but include the latest safety measures, green technology and low-maintenance engineering.
-------------------------
Third: Train and finance team leaders to build homes. Then have those teams train more people. Use materials which are fire-retardant and provide heat insulation. Have water tanks and grey water storage built in. Include solar hot water systems and roofing with solar cells for power. Have wind turbines to add to the power generation.
-------------------------
Finally involve the Aboriginal artistic community in the architectural design as well as the design of the interiors and outside walls. Have the overall look-feel of the houses reflect the Aboriginal culture and a celebration of a new coming of age where their communities are valued and their people loved and respected for what they are.
-------------------------
It is time to lift the Aboriginal community to a level where they are truly equal to all others in our land. But we must not try to do this from outside, dictating to them what we believe they should do. We must work with them to give them the power, the resources and pride in themselves to make this happen for themselves. Power to the People. Yes! Power to All People. Yes! But the power for each of them to be able to work their own magic, from within. Oh Yes, please!
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