Sunday, June 24, 2007
REASON REVEALED
The Age’s Traceeee Hutchison:
Perhaps it is just my natural suspicion of authority ...
Why do big-government types so often identify themselves as suspicious of authority?
... but could the real reason the Victorian Government has been hell-bent on blowing open Port Phillip heads to gouge deeper into the bay’s shipping channel have been revealed with this week’s announcement that Tenix will build two massive amphibious warships at its Williamstown dockyards?
Note the word “amphibious”; these are landing ships, and therefore unlikely to require exceptionally deep waterways. Specifications on a similar vessel here. Those with a knowledge of shipping are invited to consider Traceeee’s theory.
UPDATE. The maximum draft for ships in Port Phillip Bay’s major shipping channel is currently restricted to 11.6 metres without tidal assistance, and 12.1 metres with. Proposed dredging would increase this to beyond 14 metres. The draft at full load of a Navantia vessel similar to the warships Traceeee’s concerned about is reported here as just six metres.
UPDATE II. Traceeee doesn’t know the difference between depth and weight.
UPDATE III. Curious George: “Her next article will be about her rage at the Defence Force having to extend their runways after buying Harrier Jump Jets.”