CANBERRA COMMUNITY FIGHTS FIREWORKS BAN

We met our entire street thanks to fireworks. It’s really sad to lose a night or two of fun.

Trunking symbols said :

black_rattism said :

Oh, a Facebook group! I hear those always make a difference.

Good luck with that.

Well, a Facebook group was responsible for getting Hey Hey It’s Saturday back on TV . . .

Another reason why it is good to keep ignoring Facebook.

black_rattism said :

Oh, a Facebook group! I hear those always make a difference.

Good luck with that.

Well, a Facebook group was responsible for getting Hey Hey It’s Saturday back on TV . . .

Jim Jones said :

StrangeAttractor said :

The “Canberra Community” that I participate in seems pretty unhappy with the ban. No more fireworks in the family back yard to entertain and educate our children.

How do fireworks ‘educate’ your children, precisely?

Are you serious?

Off the top of my head, here are some topics that a fireworks display could teach: Chemistry, ballistics, safety with dangerous items, principles of explosives, curtailing of freedoms by government, noisy minorities and how they affect the majority especially with an aggrieved member of the governing power, not to mention teaching them to be considerate of others and their pets when enjoying themselves.

I know it’s not the greatest argument for the sale of fireworks, but it’s the reason I care about it. Pretty soon we’ll have to be outlaws to teach our children about safety.

Oh, a Facebook group! I hear those always make a difference.

Good luck with that.

StrangeAttractor said :

The “Canberra Community” that I participate in seems pretty unhappy with the ban. No more fireworks in the family back yard to entertain and educate our children.

How do fireworks ‘educate’ your children, precisely?

Holden Caulfield said :

Ivan76 – Yeah your highlighting of that 56% is good. So what we know is that 56% of those surveyed support the right to buy domestic fireworks and, the same survey reveals only 18% of Canberrans actually exercised that right.

I think there’s a hidden message in there. See if you can find it. 😉

Yeah the hidden message is that some people actually care about the rights and freedoms of others, and not just their own personal favoured activities. That there are still decent people out there. That not everyone aspires to be a demagogue and a despot.

Seems that 5000 Facebook friends isn’t a hard target to reach. From news.com.au:

Facebook warns members off using uSocial

FACEBOOK has warned that members who buy “friends” from an Australian online marketing company could face banishment from the social network.

The Brisbane-based firm, uSocial.net, offered this week to sell a Facebook user 1000 friends for $US177 ($211) and 5000 friends – the limit imposed by Facebook on a standard profile account – for $US654 ($778).

Facebook “fan” pages have no limits and USocial.net said it could supply 10,000 fans for $US1167 ($1390).

Full story:

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,26025375-23109,00.html

PS: Alcohol abuse isn’t banned, but the behaviour it can cause is a potential misdemeanour, and speeding on public roads already is a crime.

And using fireworks outside of specific hours and attached to cats/letterboxs/etc was already a crime.

While you might disagree with this being a valid comparison, you do get the analogy right?

Facebook: Taking armchair activism to new levels of indolence since 2004.

The “Canberra Community” that I participate in seems pretty unhappy with the ban. No more fireworks in the family back yard to entertain and educate our children.

I can think of about 87 things to get passionate and active about before giving any pro or non-fireworks movement any oxygen.

Ivan76 – Yeah your highlighting of that 56% is good. So what we know is that 56% of those surveyed support the right to buy domestic fireworks and, the same survey reveals only 18% of Canberrans actually exercised that right.

I think there’s a hidden message in there. See if you can find it. 😉

Yawn.

Thought your comment was pretty funny though Chewy!

Yeah it’s not a legitimate expression of opinion until it is one freak in a basement who DID fork out the $150 to register an ‘Incorporated Association’.

Facebook is the new organisational structure old people. Get used to it.

For the record. If someone admits that they make their own fireworks, thus pointing out how the ban is useless, THIS IS EVIDENCE THAT THE BAN IS USELESS.

Also, if you start with a conclusion, and then reject a logical argument because it doesn’t accord with your conclusion, that is called confirmation bias. It isn’t something to be proud of.

God I hate democracy.

Joining a facebook group doesn’t automatically mean one supports the group.

I have joined several under a pseudonym (not this one) just to see what “the enemy” is up to.

There are a lot of “joiners” out there too, who will sign up to anything.

It will be interesting over the next year to see just how many fireworks type incidents occur, as the stocks run down. I don’t think ACT is going to be awash with illegal fireworks next June.

Chewy14 is fully supportive of your cause. Chewy14 thinks the government should rethink its decision.

Ivan76 said :

Clown, Its irrelevant where these 5,200 came to agree that the banning of fireworks should be lifted. What’s significant here is that 5,200 people agreed with this within the space of one week.

It’s Facebook: you could probably get over a thousand people to join a group banning the use of oxygen within a weekend.

Facebook groups have all the credence of the political opinions of someone’s demented great-aunt who lives in a government flat with 16 cats and piles of 50-year-old newspapers.

Just for a bit of scope – Banning fireworks eh…. Remind me again but aren’t illicit drugs well, illicit, and therefore illegal…Outlawing them sure changed things.

Oh and for perspective on teh faceboook thing, I am one of +20,000 members of a group petitioning to make articulated busses make a piano acordian noise when they go around corners.

Can’t see that happening any time soon, regardless of numbers.

I really am nonplussed about the whole ban, but the link between legally available firworks and the late night bangs and busted letterboxes is tentative at best.

I could and previously have (We were all kids once) make a rather loud flash/bangs out of matches and gaff. Banning firworks is not a means to an end, Destroyed letterboxes and late night bangs will continue unabated.

I fully support the ban on consumer fireworks.

Should it not also be pointed out that joining a facebook group in no way indicates support for the issue it addresses.

I have joined such groups (not this one) under a pseudonym, just to see what the opposition is up to.

A number of people join these groups as they are habitual joiners/sad lonely etc…

Horrid said :

This mob will be exactly like fireworks- noisy, will attract a lot of attention, but momentary. They’ll be gone in a flash, so to speak.

Pot to kettle: How black? Those who oppose fireworks haven’t exactly been mouse-like in their opposition have they? In fact you’d be hard presed to find a more PC, vocal whiny minority in the ACT.

If you like fireworks go watch Skyfire.

Maybe this Facebook group is another Flash Mob .

I know, you simultaneously want to hit me and snigger at the same time.

Clown Killer said :

A Face Book group? You’re kidding aren’t you?

Clown, Its irrelevant where these 5,200 came to agree that the banning of fireworks should be lifted. What’s significant here is that 5,200 people agreed with this within the space of one week.

You may not think that Facebook holds any credence but who cares, at least people on facebook use their real name… Just a thought.

LlamaFrog, That quote simply doesn’t make sense. I hate guns, they are used for killing and I want no part of them. On the other hand, I love fireworks, they entertain both me and my dog 😉

Holden Caufield, you didn’t acknowledge this statistic in your post:
“According to the survey work the Government commissioned in August 2008, 56% of the population agree that the ‘Canberra public should be able to buy and use fireworks’.

The 18% actually used fireworks, it’s the 56% who believe that fireworks should be able to be purchased that’s significant. Maybe the other 38% just enjoy watching the fireworks that the 18% can actually afford.

And yes, A lobby group to send a few complaints that the ACT Government has reacted to lobby groups in entirely appropriate. If the government only reacts to lobby groups then why not? Of course, this would only happen in Canberra.

I agree with Claire’s statement in it’s entirety. Why should my neighbours and I have to go without enjoying fireworks on the QB weekend just because a few people break the rules?

If the ban of shoes will save even just a couple of kittens from having their ass kicked, I’m all for it.

Having thought about it, I actually see value in the Face Book group. If nothing else it gives a venue for the whingy little cry babies to go have a sook at. Oh you poor dears.

The “Canberra Community” that I participate in seems pretty happy with the ban. No more fireworks in the middle of the road to blind motorists on their way home from work.

The reason for the ban is self explanitory and the posts on the facebook group support the ban.

“HOW THE HELL AM I SUPPOSED TO BLOW UP LETTER BOXES WITH THIS SHITTY NEW LAW?!?!”

“keeeep em they are sick as”

“no matter ….. i make my own anywayz lol”

all of which look like the commentes of teenagers (including girls). The people of this group and the number of kids joining shows how we came to the banning of fireworks: When mummy and daddy buy them and they find the way into the hands of these darling children who have limited supervision at night, Canberra becomes sister city of downtown Baghdad.

The quoting of statistics in the post above also indicates that the majority of Canberrans (82%) don’t waste their time and money buying the fireworks and the ban would have little effect on the majority of people’s lives (besides the life of their mail box being extended indefinately). My interpretation of the statistics works just as well as hers. I’m sure there would also be a great statistic for the number of people who never bothered complaining because they knew it was a waste of time and that nothing would get done.

Time to build a bridge and get over it.

If the ban will save even just a couple of kittens from being blown up, I’m all for it.

I think a public meeting with the media in attendance might prove more fruitful than a facebook group.

i doubt hargreaves even knows what that interweb thing all the kids go on about is.

This mob will be exactly like fireworks- noisy, will attract a lot of attention, but momentary. They’ll be gone in a flash, so to speak.

And Joe, you are being a bit unkind suggesting it’s a one-woman show, I have heard that Catherine Wheel is also a member.

Shame there isn’t a Facebook group for a ban on pointless endeavours.

Wow, 5200 ‘members’. 5150 are probably from outside the ACT.

“It is a shame that there are people in our community who engage in what can only be described as highly destructive behaviour or who simply do not follow the rules.

“However this does not justify a ban which penalises everyone. “

Ah yes it does, and the car/booze thing is a p*ss poor analogy. That’s why we have laws. For the 1% of people who don’t stick to what society expects

Quote: ensuring they look at the issue in a holistic manner rather than listening to a number of lobby groups

It’s hardly “holistic” if you say that they should only be listening to your lobby group and no others.

ensuring they look at the issue in a holistic manner rather than listening to a number of lobby groups and the few complaints they get.
– Right, so you’re starting a lobby group to send a few complaints that the ACT Gov has reacted to lobby groups.

“…because a handful of people don’t follow the rules…”
– Well, there’s more than a handful of people not following the rules in my suburb, so I dare say the use of the term “handful” is both inaccurate and deliberately misleading on your part.

“This is going to ruin it for everyone.”
– No, it will ruin it for the minority of Canberrans who use the fireworks, according to your figures, that’s just 18%. Definitely not “everyone”. Presumably, the other 82% of “everyone” will either be disinterested or in support of the ban.

You ought to know Greg that Gvmt only ever does one of two things – tax it or ban it. I dont care either way when it comes to Fireworks though.

Looking at the bogan collective in the membership, Hargreaves needn’t worry about losing any votes from this lot.

Shame, as I disagree with the ban myself..

wow thats some good statistics. same logic for keeping guns.

I don’t know if I could be more indifferent about this issue if I tried.

I don’t think a facebook group with 5,200 members in a city with around 330,000 people in it is going to change a great deal.

While I’m supportive of private fireworks purchasing and responsible enjoyment, you’re not really presenting from a strong position, Clare.

What you’re missing in your media release:
Any sense of readable style,
Any link to the group you claim to be spokesperson of,
Any link to quoted survey which supports one of your claims,
Any links to further supportive information,
Quotes from non-Clare sources,
Any logic by which 5,200 members on an international site is the same as being “the Canberra community is uniting” for purposes of a political action movement,
Any contact information if you wanted to be contacted further by interested journalists.

Something you have that you shouldn’t:
Claiming that John Hargreaves is the Minister for Justice
(We currently don’t have one, and havent since the last Carnell Ministry back in the year 2000. Hargreaves is the Minister for Industrial Relations, Housing and Disability, Corrections, Multicultural Affairs, and Ageing),
Over-reliance on Facebook group memberships as a sign of popularity
(I am a member of the group “Fruity Lexia makes you Sexier”, but I’m not about to go off at someone if they think about banning it)

If I could give this less than 1 star, I would.

PS: Alcohol abuse isn’t banned, but the behaviour it can cause is a potential misdemeanour, and speeding on public roads already is a crime.

Suck it up. It wasn’t like we didn’t have plenty of warning that this was going to be a likely outcome if some idiots didn’t wake up to themselves and start acting responsibly. It’s been on the cards for the past three or four years.

And the world isn’t going to end just because you can’t play with your crackers anymore.

And no matter how much I dislike Hargreaves, I’m appalled that some people have allegedly made death threats towards him, just because he banned fireworks.

I did join this group – im am very annoyed at the ban.

GregW, i think the argument is that if the same logic were applied to the speeding problem, cars would be banned.

Clare Hogan – To late! Maybe before not after.

Any way, I say we just have a big fire work night and screw the ban. As if thoses that have them handed them back lol

I thought there already was a ban on speeding on our roads.

I know it is slightly irrational but I am strongly driven away from any political party which proposes bans as a solution, probably because I am almost never in the minority who causes the ban.

A Face Book group? You’re kidding aren’t you?

Alternative title: Clare Hogan posts her own media release – refers to herself in third person!