From the desk of Roland Rocchiccioli – 30 January

Are you absolutely SURE you want 225 x 5.5-metre aluminium lampposts surrounding Lake Wendouree?  It is a profound question which MUST be answered by the residents of Ballarat.

THE decision to light the lake’s walking track is to be applauded. The design of the lighting, chosen by five of the nine councillors (one absented for the vote), MUST be changed. The consequences are too serious to be standing on indignation, sinecure, and implacability.

Meetings and discussions with a number of experts are all agreed. The current incomprehensible choice will lead to a future environmental disaster.

Elected positions notwithstanding, and more concerningly, I am not convinced those who made the decision were properly informed, nor were they appropriately qualified, to make such a judgement. The implementation has ramifications which will be felt way beyond today, or even tomorrow. In 25 years hence this will be viewed as a terrible decision – one which never should have been taken; and one which now can be averted by reviewing and reversing the choice which is both wrong and regrettable.

Both the mayor Cr Daniel Moloney, and City of Ballarat CEO Evan King, have argued, speciously, the decision, having been taken at council, is irreversible. Simply, it requires an addendum to the tender document. Nothing more!

The overwhelming science must be heard. The world sits on the precipice of a climate change calamity. To sanction 225 lampposts being installed is blatant, environmental vandalism.

Future generations will not thank you!

The ignominy suffered by the world’s number one tennis player, Novak Djokovic, is lamentable; a national disgrace. Anomalies notwithstanding, that it came to this appalling pass is a sad reflection on the state of our nation, and the competence of those who are operationally responsible.

Subjective prejudices, mis-and dis-information, and conspiracy theories apart, there is one obviously pertinent question which remains: Why, if the rule calls for those entering this country to be vaccinated, was Djokovic issued with visa? Home Affairs Minister, Karen Andrews, has argued vaccination status – which is mandatory for entry – is not a condition for the granting a visa. Incredulously, a visa does not grant certain entry. Djokovic had a Clayton’s visa – the visa you have when you don’t have a visa! How is it possible to have one without the other? On reflection, it is difficult to conjure a more risible scenario.

Why, in the first instance, was Djokovic granted a visa?

Patently, Djokovic travelled here in good faith. He arrived, believing he had – as is said in modern parlance – ‘ticked all the required boxes’. He might rightly have assumed – armed with a visa – entry was a mere formality.

When the debacle began to unravel, and one might conjecture in an attempt to cover their own sinecures, a litany of red herrings were brought into play, all of which are pertinent but irrelevant to the core question; and furthermore, were revealed after the event.

The recent television postulations of Ms Andrews are a total nonsense. The ruling should be simple and unambiguous: ‘no vaccination – no visa’. To argue hypothesis and future situations is irritating, political rhetoric.

From experience, those personalities who spend more time than most ‘on the road’, willingly sign the required customs forms with a cursory glance. It would be reasonable to assume Djokovic did not complete the relevant documentation. There is an expectation employees will have carried out the due diligence, and the answers accurately reflect the required legal status of the applicant.

Whether or not the Morrison Government accepts the notion, it is a reality: Internationally, Australia has been made a laughingstock with its ham-fisted handling of Djokovic. They owe him an apology, and we deserve better!

Djokovic faces a potential three-year Australian entry ban. If only it were possible to apply the same exacting, draconian measures to some of our more recalcitrant, elected representatives.

Roland can be heard with Brett Macdonald radio 3BA every Monday at 10.45am and contacted [email protected].