State Member for
Glasshouse
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Kim
Bax replies again to Caroline Male MP - 4th February 2004, pointing out her
failure to answer the questions - and invites her (again), to provide
responses:-
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Thankyou for your response.
There are three very important points I need to get across to you.
Firstly, the Premier's Office has, most definitely, NOT answered the specific
questions I put to you on 22nd January 2004 - although those specific
questions were put Mr. Beattie (as they they were put to you), on that date.
Secondly, every member of the State parliament has a responsibility to take
a serious and informed position on important issues affecting members of
their electorate. I would have thought "sloughing off" (so
to speak), that responsibility to "The Premier's Office" and the
"ALP" demonstrates a serious lack of concern (and interest in),
this issue. I will elaborate.
Professor Peter Joubert HEADED the committees following the Grafton/Kempsey
horror bus crashes (52 dead - many more horribly injured). He
formulated ALL the Australian Design Rules (interstate coaches), and was
awarded the Order of Australia for his services to engineering. This
foremost authority predicts the potential of 50 dead kids and 50
mutilated ones in a school bus crash. Are you seriously telling me
that you REFUSE to comment on whether or not you personally have read this
key correspondence?
I have also asked whether or not YOU
support the implementation of the recommendations of the "Queensland
School Transport Safety Task Force" (including their recommendation to
fit seatbelts on school buses over a 15 year period), within
the coming 3 year Parliamentary term - and I have asked what YOU
intend to do to promote this.
My inquiry was directed at YOU -
and you should have enough integrity and intelligence to answer on your
own behalf (I assume).
Perhaps you may wish take some advice from Warren Pitt - the ALP
State member for Mulgrave. This gentleman takes the issue of safety on
his local school buses so seriously that he rang me at home last week
(around 8pm one evening - after an exhausting day in his electorate).
He spent an hour on the phone. He's extremely concerned - but then, I
suppose he would be. He's an ex-teacher (as you probably know) - and
he experienced first-hand what it's like for a local community to pull 8
dead kids out of school bus, and 12 mutilated ones. Gordonvale,
Mulgrave electorate - 1987 (in case you've forgotten). Mr. Warren Pitt
is obviously not satisfied with delegating his responsibilities to "The
Premier's Office" and the "ALP."
Thirdly, I am co-ordinating a Queensland wide campaign to improve school bus
safety. As part of this lobbying, I am seeking feedback from every
member of the State Parliament on this issue.
I assume Glasshouse is in the State of Queensland - and the children in
Glasshouse use school transport?
I look forward to some further correspondence from you - correspondence that
(hopefully), does not seek to avoid reasonable questions - questions which
are of key concern to many members of your electorate (judging from the
phone calls and emails I've received).
To jog your memory, here they are again:-
- Have you read the full
text of Professor Joubert's letter (available at www.geocities.com/seatbelts2004
) ? Professor Joubert is the author of all the current
Australian Design Rules (in relation to interstate coaches), he's been
awarded the Order of Australia in relation to his services to
engineering and he headed the committees in the wake of the Kempsey/Grafton
bus crash horror (1989 - 52 dead, many more horribly injured).
- Do you unequivocally
support the FULL implementation of the recommendations of the Queensland
"Task Force" within the life of the next Parliament
(2004/2007)?
- In what practical ways do
you (or have already), intend to support/advocate for the full
implementation of "Task Force" recommendations? (e.g., for
instance, speaking in parliament, writing letters, serving on committees
etc.)
Perhaps, when you reply those questions - it might be useful to label
your answers "1, 2 & 3" respectively. This would avoid
any further confusion about what (specifically), has
and has not been answered
Regards - Kim Bax (mum)
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Still no
response from Caroline Male 4 weeks later on the 3rd March 2004 - Kim Bax
sends a reminder:- TOP
From Kim Bax - mum & schoolbus seatbelt campaigner, Beaudesert Shire
Goodafternoon Caroline,
on the 4th February 2004 - 4 weeks ago - I sent you some
correspondence/questions in relation to seatbelting children in school
buses. As of to-day, that correspondence has still not been
acknowledged - and my questions to YOU (not the ALP or The Premier's
Office), remain unanswered.
I look forward to hearing from you in the near future.
Regards - Kim Bax
PS - this link (below), will be updated with this correspondence
today (and unlike newspapers, after 3 weeks, 3 months or even 3
years - webpages don't end up as mulch):-
http://www.geocities.com/seatbelts2004/caroline_male.htm
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8
weeks after Kim Bax's email of 4th February 2004 - and 4 weeks after the
last reminder (3rd March 2004), Caroline Male has still not responded - so
Kim Bax sends her another
reminder on the 31st March
2004:-
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From Kim Bax - Mum & School bus seatbelt
campaigner, Beaudesert Shire
Dear Caroline,
8 weeks ago on the 4th February 2004, I
sent you some correspondence in relation to seatbelting children on school
buses (in response to your email to me of 4th February 2004). For
your convenience, your email to me of 4th February 2004 can be directly
accessed via this link:-
http://www.geocities.com/seatbelts2005/glasshouse.htm#male4feb
My email to you of 4th February 2004 can be
directly accessed via this link:-
http://www.geocities.com/seatbelts2005/glasshouse.htm#kimbax4feb
4 weeks later, on the 3rd March 2004, I had
had no reply from you - so I sent a reminder, which can be accessed via
this link:-
http://www.geocities.com/seatbelts2005/glasshouse.htm#kimbax3march
Also, my original questions of 22nd January
2004 can be accesed via this link:-
http://www.geocities.com/seatbelts2005/correspondence.htm#email22january2004
Now, 8 weeks after my email of 4th February
2004 - and 4 weeks after my reminder of 3rd March 2004 - I have still not
received a response from you. Caroline, we are dealing with an
extremely important issue here, children's lives. I believe the
public are very weary of politicians avoiding direct questions - and to be
honest, I believe your electorate deserves a great deal better from you on
this. To underline the seriousness of the problem, here's a link to
an article in the Australian Medical Association News (Queensland),
concerning a hypothetical school bus accident. It is written by
those we pay - and expect - to know about road trauma, doctors. I
warn you though, it is a very graphic piece:-
http://www.geocities.com/seatbelts2005/chilling_quotes.htm#ama
I look forward to hearing from you in the
near future.
Regards - Kim
PS - Your "page" has been updated
with this correspondence:-
http://www.geocities.com/seatbelts2005/glasshouse.htm
PPS - Here is another link that may
interest you. On this page you will find a comprehensive description
of past, ongoing and upcoming publicity re. this campaign:-
http://www.geocities.com/seatbelts2005/media_diary.htm
PPS - I will continue to send reminders to
you at 4 weekly intervals over the coming 3 year term, until my questions
of 22nd January 2004 are directly addressed (not an un reasonable
expectation). At an opportune moment towards the end of this term, I
will contact your local media in regard to this issue, and my
correspondence with yourself. How well (or badly), that reflects on
you is entirely in your hands.
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Caroline
Male MP (Labour Party) - Glasshouse. Click on the picture to email her.
Kim
Bax (mum) - Click on the picture to email me.