DEAR Premier Peter Beattie:

The following is a letter to the editor of the ‘Gympie Times’ that was published recently.

The background of it is that the state government are forcibly resuming properties in the Mary Valley near Gympie to build a massive dam to supply water to Brisbane. This dam will cover 76 Sq Km (20,000 Acres) to an average depth of 6m (20 feet), providing an ideal environment for salvinia, water hyasinth, blue green algae, European carp, cane toads, and other assorted introduced pests, as well as removing the last habitat for three endangered species, including the unique Mary River Lung fish.

About 2-3000 people will be displaced including the letter writer and his family. This is a great letter as it attempts to use the governments own language to put the boot on the other foot. More information can be found here.

DEAR Premier Peter Beattie:

As you may well be aware - beef and dairy cattle face reduced grazing capacities during cold and dry winters.

The need to improve pastures is always our top priority, and we shall continue to do this consistent with standard practices and initiatives within our local communities, and we are always listening to the people and reviewing our practices.

However to continue to supply top quality beef and milk to the good people of South East Qld we are currently forced to look for other options that may include, resumptions of property for grazing and recycling of milk and beef products.

Recycling can be very efficient, however public support is still lagging and an education policy is still being fabricated.

To deal with our crisis, we have decided to make it yours. We have therefore decided to reclaim lost grazing areas of Wilston and the surrounding suburbs. This decision may adversely affect your property, and we shall endeavour to continue to "update" you and your family as we strive to provide a better service for Qld.

Prime fresh beef and milk may run out within three to four years should we not "acquire" your property and return it to its original grazing capacity.

We understand that this decision may bring hardship to you and your family, and in turn we shall send you letters of longwinded information to help confuse the issue and render you unreasonable and ignorant of the facts. However, to help with your unreasonable anger we shall provide free counselling services at an indirect cost to you.

We understand, that your community and family may have to make a sacrifice for the greater good of this great state.

The standard procedure will be this: We shall endeavour to make an amiable sale of your property at a price that suits us. We shall "stand in the market" with our own valuation team (that your money indirectly pays for) and ridicule your property with terms such as "depreciation" and "unimproved value", until you finally realise that our words of compassion and integrity are not backed up with any real credible actions.

Should you not agree with our valuation we shall send you to our court system to have a fair accurate assessment made. There are no avenues to question this authority that works for us, and that you pay for. Should you never agree to sell your property we shall forcibly, acquire your land for the good of South East Qld, and you may well end up breaking the law by choosing to stay, even though you are the lawful property owner.

Our strategy for our local community must be realised, if we are to continue to enjoy whatever want, and take it from whoever we want, whenever we want. Feasibility studies with unlimited budgets shall now be undertaken but are in no way meant to change this decision that is already made.

The purpose, however, is to allow you to think that a healthy democracy still exists in Qld and to provide more employment and overtime to an already strained public service.

Thank you for taking the time to read this.

Courtney MacRae.