Live the dream
MAY I suggest Homeswest rent properties alongside, or very close to, all the bleeding heart supporters of unruly tenants (Herald, February 14, 2015) and move the unruly tenants in.
It may also be of assistance to rent properties next to magistrates and parole board members so they can look after those whom they deem fit to remain in or to rejoin society.
Then, maybe, these people will understand what the rest of the community have to put up with on a regular basis.
Richard McNaught
Visser St, Coolbellup

Wet words
FURTHER to the letter “Don’t hide Fremantle library” (Herald, February 7, 2015) I would like to point out the danger that flooding presents to a collection in a basement.
A few years back a freak hail storm resulted in localised flooding at the University of WA, amongst other places. Irreplaceable archival material was lost.
Fremantle’s local history collection is housed in the library and although the main collection can be replaced, that historical material cannot be replaced should a similar event occur.
Other reasons can also lead to  a flood—such as hosing down a fire, sewer pipes leaking, rising sea water due to global warming, etc.
I agree with all the reasons in the letter but surely the potential danger of losing our local history collection must be a compelling reason to house our library above ground level.
Valerie Cousins
Forrest St, Fremantle

Wisdom, please
I WAS shocked and appalled to read about the eviction of Marie Thorne from her Homeswest property (Herald, February 14, 2015).
I have had the privilege to work with Marie on the Booyeembara Park Taskforce, a committee I was a member of for 10 years. Marie remains a member and will have completed more than 15 years of community service on this committee.
Marie brought wisdom, patience and compassion to this committee as we sought to be inclusive of people and nature at this unique park.
Marie has also worked tirelessly and successfully to assist people find permanent housing. What sort of a community do we live in where a 78-year-old woman can be evicted and not offered anything else? If eviction and homelessness is the result for Marie, what hope is there for others who have not been Citizen of the Year and the winner of awards for good works?
Can we please have some wisdom, patience and compassion to resolve this for Marie.
Kathy Anketell
Wood St, White Gum Valley

Pimples and peacocks
IF Fremantle really is a pimple on the arse of Perth, as Rod Shaw of Bull Creek so gratuitously and disarmingly suggests (Herald letters, February 14, 2015)—was it a strange Valentine?—does that make areas east of Fremantle, let’s say Bull Creek, Leeming, Willetton, Cannington et al, the actual arse of Perth?
And if so, what are the good citizens of Arseland called? Well, I certainly wouldn’t call them that.
A mere dimple in the Pimple that I am, I’m really happy the long-uncomplaining citizens of Arseland now have an emergency department closer to home. Good for them. But with the Pimple’s emergency department already set up, why could it not have continued at a reduced level for really life-threatening, time-dependent cases?
Oops, not recognising the obvious claim of lack of funding from the Pimple-loathing Barnett government, I’m risking Rod Shaw’s anger. How foolish. Mind you, I’ve always felt that one of the more obvious fools is the preening, puff-chested peacock who declares he has never suffered fools gladly.
Gerald Hitchcock
Jenkin St, South Fremantle

Small is beautiful
AS a member of the Friends of East Fremantle I was a bit surprised the City of Fremanle felt the need to place a full page ad in last week’s Herald to defend the attempt to take over the Town of East Fremantle, after the residents have spoken.
Fremantle campaigned strongly against being merged with Melville but somehow took umbrage at our campaign to save our town.
While space does not permit me to respond to all of the city’s claims I would like to make a few points. Our claim that rates would skyrocket was based on facts: WA Treasury Corporation’s financial analysis came up with a financial sustainability score for each council and East Fremantle was above average while Fremantle was below.
Our rates are already up to 32 per cent lower than Fremantle and we know Geraldton and Noosa’s rates increased by 35 and 46 per cent respectively after amalgamation. There is a perception that Fremantle is very pro-development with scant regard for heritage values, constantly upsetting the heritage lobby.
The Arthur Head decision immediately springs to mind.The most amazing claim of all was for Fremantle to claim it was not a takeover when its own plans for a ward structure did not even include a ward for East Framantle.
I could go on, but ultimately people voted to retain our town because they like a small jurisdiction where people are listened to and access is easy. From my student days when I studied Schumaker I have long-held the belief that Small is Beautiful and never to the bigger is better position.
Cr Cliff Collinson
King St, East Fremantle
The Ed says: We absolutely support the City of Fremantle’s right to buy another full-page ad if it wishes to respond again. Hell, make it two!

Mind your own beeswax
WHY do local politicians get involved with a department of housing eviction, knowing full well this person has breached tenancy rules? (Herald, February 14, 2015).
It seems to me they want political votes. If Fremantle mayor Brad Pettitt is that concerned about this lady Marie Thorne being homeless why doesn’t he house her at his residence. The laws are for everyone. Concentrate on your position Dr Pettitt, as mayor of Fremantle, and leave Homeswest to do its job.
Peter Burns
Hannibal St, Palmyra

Go deep Di
THE letter by Di Drachenberg (Herald, February 7, 2015) suggesting the bike trail at Manning Park will wreck nature is based on stereotypical assumptions about mountain bikers and lack of research.
It is unfair and blatantly untrue to label mountain biking culture as promoting a “daredevil mentality” anymore than it is to label skate culture as fostering rabble-rousing amongst teenagers.
Have you been to the skate park in Fremantle, Di? It’s full of families and young people enjoying the outdoors and honing their skills. Mountain biking, comparably, is an often-misunderstood sport requiring considerable skill, strength, energy and persistence.
The existing research indicates there is very little basis to the claim that restricting or prohibiting mountain biking is beneficial from an environmental or resource perspective. According to environmental impact studies “all of the existing scientific studies indicate that while mountain biking, like all forms of recreational activity, can result in measurable impacts to vegetation, soil, water resources, and wildlife, the environmental effects of well-managed mountain biking are minimal”.
“Furthermore, while the impact mechanics and forces may be different from foot traffic, mountain biking impacts are little different from hiking, the most common and traditional form of trail-based recreational activity” (Environmental Impacts of Mountain Biking: Science Review and Best Practices by Jeff Marion and Jeremy Wimpey).
A mountain biking trail in Manning Park could certainly involve schools and youth clubs in a meaningful learning process to understand and appreciate their environment—after all, mountain biking is a way of celebrating and appreciating the environment in which people bike.
Think a bit deeper Di!
T Pursell
Tuckfield St, Fremantle

Save the sympathy
WHILE it is indeed sad a lady of this age is being evicted from her home (Herald, February 14, 2015) perhaps some sympathy should be saved for her neighbours, in both public and private housing, who have had cause to make at least 25 complaints about antisocial behaviour over the past three or so years.
These complaints will have been thoroughly investigated and found to be proven to be true by state housing before an eviction notice was issued.
While it is indeed commendable for a “swag of politicians” to come to Marie Thorne’s support, I would once again suggest they give some thought to the neighbours, who have had to endure living with antisocial behaviour for many years, and as has been cited in recent Herald articles on other tenants in past weeks.
Each year state housing’s disruptive anti-social tenants (and/ or their visitors) are responsible for hundreds of thousands of dollars being spent on repairs, or unpaid rents. As the extremely well-paid elected representatives of the taxpaying, ratepaying voters of this state, this should be a major concern to Ms McGurk, Mr Tinley, Ms Parke, Senator Line and our expensively pensioned former attorney-general Mr McGinty.  And especially to mayor Pettitt who it appears has high hopes of encouraging people to move to Fremantle, spending upwards of half-a-million dollars buying newly built, or soon to be built, apartments, and I assume being re-elected.
Common sense dictates that moving this lady, as Dr Pettitt suggests, from one location to another is just moving the problem from one location to another. I ask any of the “swag of politicians” who so publicly rushed to this lady’s defence, to put their hands on their hearts and publicly (truthfully) state, they would welcome this lady and her visitors as a neighbour.
Bob Loftus
Beach St, Fremantle

Sinners are grinners
WHAT a wicked sinner I am, enjoying the interesting ambience of Fremantle, its eclectic architecture, its cooling sea breezes and kind-hearted people.
For my sins, my fellow citizens and I are to be denied a functioning emergency department in Fremantle Hospital, according to Rod Shaw (Herald letters, February 14, 2015).
The folks who live near him in the dull mansions of the aptly named Bull Creek, will benefit from the new ED at Fiona Stanley Hospital, though they don’t seem very grateful to the Gallop Labor government that started its construction.
But when a future Liberal government closes that facility (so all emergency treatment is centralised at QE2 in Shenton Park in the name of good government), I will be happy to write another letter of protest.
A rational response to Mr Shaw’s outburst is to point out we can have an ED at both Freo and Murdoch. But a rational response to his well-written, but excessively grouchy letter would probably miss the mark and not be appreciated.
Gordon Payne
Jenkin St, South Fremantle

Feeling adrift
I AM still feeling extremely dejected as a result of the latest news on developments planned for Rottnest.
The powers that be don’t seem to realise just what a treasure is at our doorstep. Being an older citizen, I vividly remember the wonderful childhood holidays I have had there.
More importantly my children, who are now young adults, also enthusiastically recall the days of free adventure which they have experienced. I am very concerned their children and grandchildren will not be given the same opportunities.
A special part of Rottnest is that would not know if the person alongside you was a prince or a pauper.
These recent plans will certainly change that! As a tour guide with 30 years’ experience, I have repeatedly been told by visitors and locals “don’t let them do it”. Why can’t our authorities see the uniqueness this island offers? I am well traveled enough to have seen the oversupply of plastic locales.
Jane Laurie
North Fremantle

Fines lack faith
FURTHER to “God save the ratepayers” (Herald letters, February 14, 2015) by Dianne Westall regarding parking tickets imposed on people attending a funeral service at the Swan Yacht Club on January 30, I would like to echo her protest to the unfeeling attitude shown by the East Fremantle town council.
A similar lack of empathy was shown by the same council to me about two years ago when I too parked on lawn adjacent to the club and received a ticket.
Although not as sad an occasion as that of a funeral, mine was levied whilst I was attending an ANZAC Day commemorative ceremony at the club and, once again, there was insufficient room to park within the club’s borders so I assume (incorrectly) as it was an occasion of sufficiently patriotic significance that parking on the grass adjacent would be a reasonable action.
I did not see any “no parking” signs, although when I rang the council to plead my case I was told they were there and it is “not our fault if you did not see them”. My attempt to negotiate forgiveness of the fine based on the significance of the occasion was met with a less than sympathetic response to my request. I was told nothing could be done and the fine would stand.
I accept parking outside designated areas is not something to be condoned under normal circumstances but surely under special circumstances such as a funeral or ANZAC Day fines could be waived as an act of compassion or good faith. I had parked off the road, on a grassed area in front of the Leeuwin fence that was not interfering with any traffic and not endangering anyone, and I can only assume the mourners were parked in the same area.
Coincidentally, I was on a balcony on East Street last Sunday, February 15, when the barges transporting the Giants pulled into East Street jetty and there were literally hundreds of cars parked on the verge in an area clearly marked “no standing anytime”, with not a traffic warden nor ticket issuer anywhere in sight.
These vehicles were causing a danger to pedestrians and observers alike. It was a “special event” but surely so is a funeral and ANZAC Day there does not seem any consistency or is all just about raising revenue? One can only wonder.
Rex Gray
Great Eastern Hwy, Ascot

Weeding for truth
WE note Patrick Guiton’s letter “Improving amenity” (Herald, February 14, 2015). It’s yet another attempt by SERAG to elude the truth. In reality:
• Catherine O’Neill (SERAG) instigated the poisoning of a significant portion of a grassed amenity/entry area that was used and enjoyed by the public;
• this action cannot be presented as necessary to prevent kikuyu ingression because there was no kikuyu ingression into the marine park from this area;
• poisoning the grassed amenity area is definitely not appropriate maintenance and has done nothing for the needs of the bird life or other wildlife;
• poisoning has resulted in a degraded entrance and a safety hazard for elderly visitors as they trip in excavated furrows;
• the work of removing kikuyu that P Guiton refers to was commenced and largely undertaken by a fellow Friends of Attadale group. SERAG should not be attempting to claim exclusive credit.
• this poisoning/change has been successful in demonstrating to the community SERAG and Ms O’Neill’s disregard for community consultation and due process—for which they will be brought to account.
Gary Crawford
Friends of Attadale Parks and
Amenity Areas

Lodge your questions
THE enormously fearful outcry against a proposed lodge in Hilton (Herald, February 14, 2015) prompts me to ask “what is in fact a lodge?”.
A lodge provides secure low-cost housing for those in need. A lodge is run as a tight ship with rules and regulations which could be compared to a boarding house. This is to support the tenants, and of course, keep the neighbourhood peaceful. The good folk of Hilton deserve to have this clearly explained to them.
For example, because it is a private business, the owner can evict tenants whose noise and behaviour attract complaints. This is very different to the current Homeswest situation.
Let’s at least give “Evelyn House” our consideration. It’s all to easy to allow those with lower finances to fall by the wayside. In the future, philanthropic entrepreneurism may become more advantageous for everyone than government welfare housing.
Rhonda Clegg
Howson St, Hilton

Numbers add up
THERE have been claims the East Fremantle referendum was flawed. A close look at the figures shows this is not the case. All three criteria were achieved.
There were a total of 5178 residence who could vote. Of these, 2164 voted No and 684 Yes. That leaves 2330 who did not cast a vote. This group is made up of “yes” voters who abstained, undecided voters and voters who were not interested in the outcome plus, of course, “no” voters who didn’t vote.
For the poll results to have been turned around to say, a 12-vote winning margin for “Yes”, it would have required 1911 (82 pre cent) of non-voters to have voted “Yes” and only 419 to have voted “No”.
If the state government had been bold enough to insist on a compulsory vote, based on the real poll where 76 per cent of voters voted “No”, the chances of such a large turn-a-round seem extremely remote. The design of the referendum may be flawed but the poll results appear to be a true reflection of residents’ feelings.
Gordon MacNish
East St, East Fremantle

Unsound fury
I WAS gobsmacked by Rod Shaw’s bile-fuelled letter to the (Herald, February 14, 2015) damning residents of Fremantle for asking for an emergency department.
Perhaps a little perspective might set him straight? The Town of Harvey is located a little under 30 minutes from the Bunbury hospital. Notwithstanding this, Harvey Hospital has a small 24-hour ED, servicing its estimated 2600 residents. No-one begrudges them this service, nor should they.
Fremantle residents are—on the best possible traffic—now about half that time from Fiona Stanley. Rod Shaw asserts the drive is 14 minutes but Google Maps’ estimate of 19 minutes better accords with my experience; and that’s in ideal traffic.
Fremantle suburb (not city) has in the order of 8000 residents. It is also a lively bustling CBD with a busy night life. It draws in, at some times, tens of thousands for events. The Fremantle Arts Centre has a capacity of 3000 patrons. The Chilli Festival alone drew 25,000.
Surely these numbers speak for themselves. The lack of a 24-hour emergency department—even a smaller, less sophisticated one than we used to have—is not only bad planning, it is quite simply dangerous. All the sound and fury the Rob Shaws of the world can muster will not change these basic facts.
Tomas Fitzgerald
Zenobia St, Palmyra

A perfect gateway
WHAT acid trip is Joan Kempthorne on to visualise the Esplanade park in Fremantle as a “sandy desert”? (Herald letters, February 14, 2015).
I had a picnic there for my son’s first birthday on the weekend and it was an absolute joy.
Most of our 30 guests couldn’t stop commenting on how beautiful and luscious Esplanade park is and how lucky I am to live and work so close to such a sensational public space.
Not only did all the adults enjoy it, the 15 young children we invited have never looked happier. The older kids had a blast at the amazing skatepark—which the council should be commended for—while the younger kids kicked balls and wrestled on the very healthy green lawn.
Thanks to the Fremantle council the West End is alive and kicking again with the recent Bathers Beach development, and Esplanade park is the perfect gateway to it.
Matthew Eeles
Bartram Rd, Atwell

Waste of money
IS it not regrettable that the issues covered by Dr Pettitt and Mr Graeme Mackenzie in the full page advertisement on page 2 of last week’s Herald (presumably funded by the ratepayers of the City of Fremantle) were not more widely aired before the referendum on February 6?
No doubt many against the merger failed to grasp the fact the Town of East Fremantle is just too small to carry on alone, and were swayed by the emotional views of a few, living in the past.
In particular, Dr Pettitt’s statement Fremantle would only agree to a new structure which included ward representation, was not known to many voters. It was this issue which caused so many East Freo ratepayers to vote against the merger. What a waste of money (except for the income to your paper) is the City’s advertisement, coming after the outcome is known.
Bob Tillett,
View Tce, East Fremantle

A vision
I JUST don’t understand the Labor party’s opposition to the cancellation of late night trains.
It is clear this farsighted policy will result in an economic boon for the Swan River Colony. Horse breeders and manufacturers of carriages are certainly looking forward to being able to offer their services to those few night owls who see fit to remain within the city after dusk.
No doubt the visionary Barnett government will also soon outlaw the use of expensive electrical fandangles and return to the romance of gas light. Imagine the job opportunities for gas-lighters, those nimble fellows who walk on stilts. And who said there was no career after studying at Bizircus, mum.
But I’m confident our supreme leader Sir Colin—an Abbott knighthood is surely not far now—won’t rest on his emperor’s laurels. He can singlehandedly revive our flagging forest industry by reintroducing jarrah cobbles to our roads. I weep at the prospect. The opportunities are endless. I hear the whales are even making a comeback near Bathers Beach. Sharpen the harpoons boys!
Conor McLeod
Cliff St, Fremantle