Thread: I just don't understand sometimes

I had to submit my tax return on 1/11/04 as the online system refused to let me submit (Oh, a few people have said that, wonder if they followed up?).
Had miss 10 with me when I left the building and she noticed the ATO sign, a group of female ATO upstarts were passing us when MIss 10 asked what the 'T' stood for.
THIEVES, the glare from the party was priceless, and they didn't know who I was................I hope.

Vee know where you live.

Originally Posted by barnsey

At the risk of being guilty of railroading Peter R's original post and turning this into a MissingLink discussion - I'll try and take it back to whence it came

Railroad away folks. I don't mind in the least. The fact that I have opened a discussion makes me feel good.

I think that it is an essential part of harmony that one listen to other people's opinions and problems. It is not necessary to comment or offer advice as the listening shows that you care, and that can, sometimes, be enough.

I am a fairly solitary bloke, my choice so don't go Awww!. My social intercourse is limited to a few close friends, this forum and my little mate Cindy Lou whom, if I may, I will introduce to you all. Cindy is 8 months old and in the designer dog catagory would be called a Milky, a cross between a Silky and a Maltese. CIndy makes my life worthwhile.

I do not have any other type of intercourse these days as I was zapped for PC a couple of years ago - now you can go Awwww!
A long face

So railroad away.

Peter R.

[QUOTE=jackiew]The issue of employing people with poor English skills in public roles is an interesting one.

I agree with you whole heartedly, and I can tell you that it is a darn sight worse when you have a hearing problem.
I have a better chance of understanding accents when I am face to face but on the phone it is often hopeless.
I have spoken to supervisors at various businesses and organisations trying to establish an ethic where in the event of a customer not being able to understand the operator that some polite method be allowed to ask for someone else.
(A lot of verticle pronouns) I have asked for someone else, being as polite as I could be and was put on hold for almost ten minutes. I could be wrong, but....

Peter R.

Having worked in a conservation agency for thirty plus years I might be able
to give some insight into what is being said.

For a start we are not a foreign breed that just do our job and don’t care. The majority of employees care as much and are just as passionate about our environment as any one else. The problems are that it cost big bucks to repair the damage, results aren't immediate and the solution will displease sectors in the community or conflict with industry.

Examples of this are

Controlled burning to reduce fuel levels. Science has shown that controlled burns significantly reduce the risk of wild fires thus protecting native plant and animals as well as towns and other human assets. Most of Australia has evolved with fire so the environment actually needs fire to stay species rich.

The Canberra fires are probably a good recent example of how wild fires can destroy a community. People quickly forget these lessons and criticise controlled burns for smoke levels and other reasons.


Salinity. Clear felling natural vegetation for farmland has caused a massive problem and some areas will never recover. Natural Wetlands and farms are being destroyed at an alarming rate and even if a solution is found it will be years before some areas recover if at all. A lot of the solutions offer only a temporary reprieve or just shift the problem downstream. When farmland no longer serves it purpose and the owners walk off then who is responsible for repairing the damage?


Forest Production. We all like to have timber to play with in the shed and to provide a roof over our heads. Can you imagine the uproar if current conservation policy was applied in the fifties or sixties to our native forests. Obviously it wasn’t and it was years after this period before it was recognised by the public that production should match new growth. Governments enjoyed the timber royalties and the public enjoyed the cheap resource so the voice from the conservation agency was ignored. Greenies saw it coming but were dismissed because they were generally untidy looking radicals and thus lacked credibility. It was not until it hit the general public in the face that the policy changed.


I could keep going on but the truth of the matter is if you want something changed then you have to make it happen. Winging to each other about public servants is not going to change anything.

We whinge about banks and service from business but it will not change unless we make it happen. If we refused to use bankcards for a month in protest of the fees and interest rates charged then banks would listen.

If we refused to shop at XYZ because they do not provide the service we expect then they would listen.

A government agency does have some influence but it does not have the power to change what the public perceive as being acceptable.

The public want more land vested as parks and reserves but the public do not want to pay extra taxes to care for the environment.

Think about the royalties gained from harvesting natural resources that are filtered through to our general revenue and not returned to the environment. The last major injection of environmental funds was from the partial sale of Telstra. Tasmania and Queensland benefited the most because of political reasons and not environmental priority.

Don’t look at the employees of conservation agencies as scape goats for the lack of action on environmental damage. The ranger or conservation officer you talk to is likely very passionate about the environment and just as frustrated as you about the state of some areas.

While I have defended the role of conservation agencies I do not condone poor performance of rude behaviour of public counter or other staff. Unfortunately they leave a lasting impression on government employees as a whole.

I have my flack jacket on so “Bring it On”

Rod,

'Sallright mate you can take the flack jacket off on this one

I support your consideration of the people behind the desks or in contact with the apathetic, self absorbed public.

My criticism is not directed there but at the directors of the organisations, whoever they might be, incidentally where does the buck stop??? :confused:

In general business circles we are drilled consistantly to be proactive not reactive. The only thing about government departmental direction is "will I stay in parliament". The only forward thinking that exists is as far away as the next election and then it is compromised by how much financial support will I get if I do it? :mad:

I agree that collectively we all need to stand up and demand those changes but frankly there are very few issues that have been publicly directed and been successful in the last 50 years and I expect that will get even worse while we reward our politicians the way we do :mad: :mad:

For God's sake, they are there for the service of the public, That's why it's called the "public service" :mad: :mad: :mad:

OK OK OK I'm on the soap box again
I just find it maddening that short term individual benefit outweighs that of our children and theirs. :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

Thanks Peter R for providing a thread for us to relieve the frustrations but I'm at a fair dinkum loss to how we have these rabbits running our country. Those pomms sure have a lot to answer for
Then again maybe we just need more foxes
Then we could revive the horses and hounds!!

So that's how they survived

Jamie

Originally Posted by barnsey

..... but at the directors of the organisations, whoever they might be, incidentally where does the buck stop??? :confused:

The buck stops with the public, where there is no clear direction everyone does what they feel like doing, so we have to provide direction. Apathy leads to the lowest standards, why? because most people will give you the minimum you will accept, the answer don't accept it.

Originally Posted by barnsey

I agree that collectively we all need to stand up and demand those changes but frankly there are very few issues that have been publicly directed and been successful in the last 50 years and I expect that will get even worse while we reward our politicians the way we do :mad: :mad:

Part of this problem is sensationalist news reporting, issues are exagerated, warped, miss represented in the name of rating and sales figures. Something else the public are accepting!
When is the last time you saw a current affairs show take an analytical look at a current news story?

What I'm saying is you don't have to accept what people / offices / departments are offering, become an activist, write letters, they carry far more weight than you realise, hell if it comes to it organise a protest / letter campaign / etc.
Power to the People

cue stiring martial theme music

OK OK OK I'm on the soap box again
I just find it maddening that short term individual benefit outweighs that of our children and theirs

I agree Jamie, it has been a very long time since we have seen politicians with vision or for that matter one that I would classify as a true statesperson.
As a baby boomer I believe we have a lot to be ashamed of in the legacy we leave to future generations.

As individuals we do have influence so as Dave says if something is sticking in your gullet then shoot an email off to your local member.

If they are smart they will realise a couple of letters of protest will likely mean other voters in the electorate feel the same way.

Don’t threaten them to do it or else but play the game and offer your support if they recognise the areas you want changed or improved. Termed as going to bed with a politician

If they don’t come good then don’t vote for them in the next election and remind them after the poll why they didn’t get your vote. Termed as crying rape

You might be surprised at the result and at least you have done all you can as an individual.

This is getting a bit heavy and self opinioned for a Woodworking Forum so my apologies (also for my poor attempt at humour) and I promise to stop commenting hitherto and forthwith

[
I have my flack jacket on so “Bring it On” [/QUOTE]

Seriously brilliant stuff Rod, you know what you are talking about that's for sure.
The plea for respite for the beleagured Public Servant is ill timed with the recent and rather overt pay rises in NSW, especially for the rail chief, but I do agree that we vent our frustration at the front desk a bit too much.
Tell me, how can one ask politley for someone that is able to be understood?
Big Brother is more of a problem in regards to the discrimination laws, and to the right to freedom of speech than any other government law enforcement.
I did ask the question of understanding at Kooee (ISP) the other day and was met with a very nice and understanding response with the remark that this company was addressing the situation whilst allowing equal opportunity in the work place, so maybe the is hope for us deafies yet. Hearing aids are useless, they just make the tinitus scream louder.

Peter R.

Peter,

I wish I had an answer because I have partial hearing loss and experience difficulty in holding a conversation if there is background noise. SWMBO still reckons it is convenient hearing.

While nothing like tinitus I do understand where you are coming from. I avoid Pubs and the like because I get frustrated saying yes to every comment directed at me. At least I don't have to put up with constant ringing in the ears like you do.

Have you tried searching for an organisation that can offer suggestions or support?

Rodm
Have had had a busy weekend so just read your message then and I accept your points wholeheartedly,
EXCEPT
"going to bed with a politician"

I just can't come to terms with the realisation that you want me to wake up next to "Little Johnny" or even worse Bronwyn Bishop or .. oh gooodddd .. Amanda Vanstone. :eek: :eek: :eek: I am going to have nightmares for the rest of my life

PS the local electorate was Larry "I'm a country member" Anthony's. I liked that result better

Originally Posted by rodm

Peter,



Have you tried searching for an organisation that can offer suggestions or support?

Yes Rod, I have looked into methods of easing the hearing problem, and I have a set of hearing aids that are as good as I can get but they still make noises sound like I have my head in a 44 gallon drum and they increase the effects of tinitus. The audioligists know this but have no solution that I can afford.

My hearing was the result of industrial noise, hence the tinitus, which is, so I am told, the ears way of screaming in pain.

With the aids on I hear noises that I had long forgotten and the brain is running rampant trying to identify these 'new' noises. At the end of a couple of hours a headaches sets in and frustration takes over to the point where one has to take care to control one's temper.

But, there are many who suffer far worse complaints than I do, and I might add, this is the first time I have related my experiences in this matter. I hope that some others realise that they are not alone.

The funny side is the questions that I answer that are not asked but are what I have 'heard', and the handy side is being able to ignore someone that I don't wish to talk to anyway, and blame it on my hearing.

Peter R.

Peter R

My old man's hard of hearing but damned near blind. Because he is a war veteran he gets looked after pretty well. I say this after a few not so nice comments about MissingLink coz the DVA are a dream compared to ML

If anyone out there feels they might have a claim on DVA, do it, or ask your nearest RSL can they help. In my experience the RSL are extremely proficient to get whatever you're entitled to. Guess the numbers have some clout.

I just can't come to terms with the realisation that you want me to wake up next to "Little Johnny" or even worse Bronwyn Bishop or .. oh gooodddd .. Amanda Vanstone. I am going to have nightmares for the rest of my life

Jamie,
It scares the heck out of me too.
I think the appropriate quote is "Just close you eyes and think of mother England" or something along those lines.