MEAN THIS
“I’VE often heard western leaders describe Islam as a ‘religion of peace’, I wish more Muslim leaders would say that more often, and mean it.” Prime minister Tony Abbott during his national security statement on February 23, 2015.
I’ve often heard Australia described as a Christian country, and the prime Minister espouse Christian values, I wish more Christian religious leaders would say that greed is bad; avoiding tax is a sin; tax breaks for well-off and rich people destroy the capacity of Australia to treat poor people fairly; a treaty is necessary to establish legitimacy for British occupation of Australia; demonising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people because of the results of more than 200 years of mistreatment is abhorrent; criminalising asylum seekers for political reasons is shameful; participating in a first-world economic system which ensures poor countries subsidise the lifestyle of rich countries is against Christian teaching; denying climate change is lunacy; politicians who promise one thing before elections and do another after elected do not have a mandate and should resign; and, politicians who use responses to extremism as a cloak to cover seeking the support of voters with racial and religious intolerance do not deserve to be in office; more often, and mean it.
Andrew Turk
Samson St, White Gum Valley
MY MUM
I WOULD like to correct Peter Burns and Bob Loftus regarding their comments about Marie Thorne (Herald letters, February 21, 2015).
My mother Marie Thorne worked for years, all voluntary. They made the money and she is still poor.
She has helped people, homeless people of all backgrounds and skin colour.
She also has proof of her work and her accomplishments, a Centenary Medal from he Queen, a NAIDOC Award in 2014, awarded several times even by John Howard who was once our prime minister. She’s worked for the Fremantle city council for reconciliation, a volunteer worker for DOH as an advocate for people of all ages and cultures.
Not even Mr Burns or Mr Loftus can deny that receiving that kind of recognition is a great accomplishment for a woman of 78 years, and an Australian Aboriginal Elder.
Also, for you Mr Burns, my mother and Dr Pettitt have been colleagues for many years, friends who have worked together on many issues.
My mother being evicted was no fault of her own: she’s 78 years old and a diabetic and no-one in their right mind should evict an elder and persons with severe medical problems and push them out on the street, black, white or brindle. It’s heartless and cruel. So I would suggest you mind your own business because you don’t know the full story, and save your comments. I feel they are judging my mother too harshly yet they don’t even know her. Go easy on the elderly and ill—don’t be so cold.
Catherine Porter
Hamilton Hill
IN MY NATURE
I WAS moved to write in support of the proposed mountain bike trail at Manning Park as I couldn’t believe the prejudices expressed regarding “daredevil mountain bikers” (Herald letters, February 1 and 7, 2015).
Far from a daredevil thrill seeker, I am a nearly 40-year-old mother who loves the environment. I get out onto mountain bike trails as often as I can, usually heading to the Kalamunda circuit, which requires quite a lot of babysitting, whereas if I could get out on a quick ride close to home I’d be fitter and wouldn’t need to drive for two hours (there and back) just to find a good a bush track!
I’m also a keen bushwalker, rogainer and paddler and feel the more of us who get out into nature involved in non-motorised sports, the more future environmental protectors we will nurture.
Khalin Driver
Ommanney St, Hamilton Hill
LIKE LOCUSTS
A HOUSE in our street was demolished recently. Almost nothing was salvaged. A mature, well-shaped marri tree near the rear boundary, providing shade to a north-facing yard for 50 years, was pulled up by the roots and trucked to landfill with the rest. The stripped block was then offered for sale.
Months ago another local house on a bigger block close to Canning Highway came down, a verge tree was removed, and the site cleared. A signboard announces 18 units will be built, with on-site bays for 32 cars. No mention is made of the proximity to public transport.
Urban infill is touted by planners as the solution to accommodate laissez-faire population growth and slow the sprawl of Perth into remaining bushland. Housing densities are money-driven by developers and councils eager to expand their ratepayer base. Such pressure, along with the desire for ever larger dwellings means the clearfelling of local neighbourhoods is likely to continue, along with constant bulldozing and scarring of the built environment.
Realistic and responsible thought, commitment and action by residents, developers and planners regarding building densities and types, traffic management, provision for drought- tolerant, canopy-producing trees in urban design schemes, etc, is desperately needed. Otherwise the utopian “artists impressions” of building developments and liveable communities featuring images of trees, pedestrians and cyclists will remain only impressions in cyberspace; wishful fantasies in car-mad, more-is-better, arborophobic Perth.
Gary D Young
Hopgood St, Melville
STONES, GLASS HOUSES
Now that our councils are not going to amalgamate,the premier should now get rid of all local councils’. How many councillors would hold a directors job in private multi million dollar companies?, No qualifications ,no responsabilities. Easy Fix increase the rates. Or are councillors only the puppets of CEOs and mayors.What realy happens at large councils?
Sam Hilliard
Button St, Munster
The Ed says: We’ve left this letter entirely unedited. Seems ironic that Sam is happy to bag the qualifications of councillors while submitting a letter littered with errors.
GOOD GRASS
ARTIFICIAL lawn. Much has been said about its advantages and disadvantages over recent weeks.
I would not know why a council would disapprove of a resident having artificial lawn on their verge when it looks so nice.
I am pleased I live in a suburb where our council not only approves of artificial grass being placed on the verge but has put it around the public areas of our local shopping precinct.
It has been there a few years now and looks as good as the day it was put there. This was one of the reasons I decided to have it installed on our front lawn and narrow verge.
On reticulated scheme water on a time clock, watering twice a week, we found it was impossible to have a nice lawn. It was also impossible to water the narrow verge without wasting water on the road.
We are also doing our bit to conserve water.
Frank Granger
Melville Bch Rd, Applecross
COLIN’S TO BLAME
I TAKE this opportunity to extend my congratulations to the mayor of Cockburn, his councillors and all residents of our fair city who lifted their voices or wielded their pens (or both) to preserve the integrity of Cockburn and save it from the predations of its avaricious neighbours and the ill-founded policies of the Barnett government.
Whilst premier Barnett accepts the responsibility (but not the blame) for this folly, there is no doubt lurking in the background a cabal of bureaucrats harbouring their own ambitions, who failed to provide their minister with frank and fearless advice on the abuse of the basic democratic processes of government that would have saved the government from this debacle.
Treating the electorate with contempt and denying it due process comes with a price that could well be paid at the next elections.
Sorry premier, not only the responsibility but the blame and the shame are all yours.
The challenge for Cockburn is to continue to lead the way and demonstrate conclusively the third tier of government can provide its citizens and ratepayers with what state and federal government cannot or fail to provide-a truly democratic voice.
It may even come to pass, in the fullness of time, that a Kwinana will seek political union with Cockburn; forced upon it not by an autocratic state government decree but by the will of its ratepayers who want to share the same benefits, facilities and quality of life enjoyed to those who have the privilege to live in Cockburn.
Kevin Bovill
Noble Way, Success
The Ed says: This letter has been edited for legal reasons.
CAN’T SEE THE CITY FOR THE TREES
CAN you imagine not being able to see the Swan River from the grounds of Heathcote cultural precinct because the vegetation on the hillside has been allowed to grow so high as to block the magnificent view?
Well, start thinking about it, because the environmental maintenance team at Melville city council has every intention of making that situation occur!
That’s right, Melville will not be pruning back the native vegetation on the upper slopes of the Heathcote hillside to maintain a clear view of the river and, worse still, actually plans to revegetate it with additional native plants including over-storey, middle-storey and under-storey plants.
I just can’t believe the council is prepared to allow the vegetation on the upper slopes on the river side to continue growing unchecked, and to exacerbate this by increased plantings, to the point the view of the river will be eventually blocked entirely.
Such an outcome would be a manifest tragedy and gross mismanagement of the site—and I strongly suspect a breach of the original conditions and intentions under which the site was to be restored and developed!
Whilst the hillside is part of the Heathcote nature reserve, and that reserve is a WAPC Bush Forever site, there are many precedents for “managing” vegetation in Bush Forever sites, even to the point of complete removal as was done to make way for Fiona Stanley Hospital.
“Forever” has never meant that the bush must never be touched!
It seems clear to me the people responsible for the design and management of the Heathcote cultural precinct (at least in regard to vegetation) are lacking in forethought and ideas.
Colin Delane
Anscombe Loop, Leeming