‘Pointed barbs’ in council CEO’s parting interview

A reference to Gympie being stuck in the 80s or 90s when he arrived, and to another CEO asking ‘Why’d you go to Gympie?’ a reason to suspect parting insult: letter

CEO Bernard Smith

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Was that a familiar tone of arrogance in final interview?

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The photo of the beaming former CEO on p.3 of The Gympie Times (Saturday, May 9) brought to mind the Dr Hook song about his burning desire to get his “...smiling face on the cover of the Rolling Stones”.

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On the whole, Mr Smith’s farewell statement appeared to be a benign and frank personal reflection on his nine year term as CEO of the Gympie Regional Council.

As might be expected, he highlighted the iconic achievements of the period and acknowledged, without apparent acrimony, the challenges that dogged the council during his term of office, including especially an antagonistic social media.

But was I right to detect a familiar tone of arrogance or condescension at times? A few parting barbs?

First meeting of the new elected council - CEO Bernard Smith

There was the reference to our being “stuck in the 80s or 90s” when he arrived.

This was followed by the recollection of another CEO sidling up to him and asking the apparently unanswerable question, “Why’d you go to Gympie?” As if it were some form of exile.

And I couldn’t help wondering how old that “little kid” at the Aquatic Centre was - the one who made the snooty remark “Gee, this is a bit flash for Gympie”.

Both the snobbish attitude and the language in which it was expressed seem a bit too adult for a “little kid”. Could the CEO have mistaken the source of the remark? But it is impossible to mistake the slight to our town and our expectations.

That said I, too, wish Mr Smith well in his future endeavours.

Merv Welch, The Palms

First meeting of the new elected council - CEO Bernard Smith

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Steady as she goes

A RECENT impassioned opinion piece about climate change would have had the true believers quaking in their shoes. The seas are drowning our island neighbours, mankind is threatened with extinction in a relatively short time and people should not have children. We are all doomed.

Climate is influenced by many forces, including the force of our own magnetic field (which fluctuates) and solar cosmic rays (the strength of which fluctuate). These are not forever changes but these and other forces are constantly changing. It’s been happening for millennia.

Everybody can go about their normal lives, bringing children into the world will be all right, the sky will not fall in, we can still eat meat with a clear conscience and swimming in the rivers and seas will still be OK.

We are going along steadily. Just don’t let the mad scientists stuff it up. Oh, yes, and don’t listen to 17-year-olds who don’t go to school and who claim to be able to see carbon dioxide.

David Collins, Araluen

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