Seek refuge in the skate park
DESPITE the fact every week in Australia two women die and every three hours a woman is hospitalised because of domestic violence, Fremantle council has decided not to support the Warrawee women’s refuge.
One thing we know about domestic violence is escape can be impossible. The most important need is a place to go to where women are protected.
It seems the state government is failing to index its support for the refuge. I am not sure how much this index would contribute but I suspect there are people in Fremantle who would be prepared to make up the difference. We were given no opportunity.
Mayor Brad Pettitt has stated he feels the council is being “exploited”. What a very strange reason to give. The women in the refuge are the ones being exploited.
We have money for “happiness projects”, skateboard parks for young people who don’t even live in Fremantle, and we provide financial support by waiving fees for wealthy events within Fremantle.
Yet we have no money for the women’s refuge. Shame on you, Fremantle.
Marion Blair
South St, Beaconsfield

Time to go
WELL…Brad Pettitt has been on the council for 10 years (Herald, May 23, 2015). That’s all it has taken to turn Freo into a messy place.
I think Brad it’s time you left, before Freo looks like the aftermath of the Blitz on London in World War II. Brad’s exit (now) gives someone else at least the chance to sort the mess out, if that’s at all possible.
I have my doubts, especially now the sun is going to set on the port side. Sorry Brad, I don’t think you have done a very good job of it over your 10 years.
J Farley
Butson St, Hilton

An imperfect asset
LAST week’s Herald published more than a page full of letters critical of its front page story from the previous week.
In general, the critics were right. Speculation is not news and the hurt that story must have inflicted on Reuben Stack’s family is unforgivable.
As laudable as it was, publishing those letters in no way absolves the Herald from the condemnation meted out to it.
That story aside, the Herald is an asset to the south-west metropolitan region. It brings to the attention of its readers matters other newspapers will not touch.
It is not deterred by substantial amounts of advertising revenue forfeited for “telling it as it is”, rather than adopting the posture of the three wise monkeys.
I want to know what is going on in my community and to a great extent I rely on the Herald to obtain information on local affairs.
There are other newspapers in the community which enjoy local government advertising revenue.
I often wonder if one of those publications employs Anne Murray as its editor: she is the Canadian folk singer who sang the hit song A Little Good News.
If you like reading page after page of that warm and fuzzy sort, then read it. I don’t, because I want to know the bad news as well.
Paul Redman
Doney St, Alfred Cove

Too precious to sell
SHAME on the defence department to even think of selling Leeuwin Barracks (Herald, June 6, 2015).
This land and its infrastructure played a big part in the saving of Australia during WWII.
The way the federal government goes about making money to cover up its mistakes is a disgrace. We destroy this landscape and what do we get? Ugly buildings, nothing that would be heritage in the future.
Take a leaf out of Britain’s book and see all the heritage and history it has preserved. It is cash-strapped, the same as Australia, yet it doesn’t sell its heritage.
J Redfern
Solomon St, Palmyra

Throw the book
HOW naive and hypocritical of Madison McLerie with her defacing of Fremantle buildings with her so-called art (Herald, June 6, 2015).
In defending her irresponsible action, McLerie is quoted saying “people shouldn’t be able to just take what they want”.
“I got permission from 50 of my followers and made them public.”
Yet she failed to offer the same respect for the law, or the owners of those buildings, by asking their permission to glue her images to the buildings. Go figure?
Fremantle council should throw the book at her, and then insist she remove all images and rectify any damage caused.
Colin Delane
Anscombe Loop, Leeming

Disrespectful
I WAS really shocked at the tone and disrespect for a grieving family regarding the story about the tragic death of Reuben Stack (May 30, 2015).
The story showed no respect for the families or the circumstances of the death. I would think a local newspaper would be sensitive to a family’s suffering and not try to make a headline out of it.
Stacey Collins
Darch

Keep it up
I NOTE the amount of criticism your paper received following your front page story two weeks ago.
I for one would like to thank you for your probing, journalistic approach as opposed to our other local newspaper that seems more focused on council propaganda to con, rather than inform, the people of this shire.
Please keep up the independent approach. Your newspaper standard is so important to our democracy.
Jim Nicholson
Booragoon

Memories lost
HAZARDS of modern technology. Recently I lost a Sony 8GB DSHC photo memory card/chip somewhere between the BigW photo centre in Success and a Fremantle carpark.
Unfortunately it had photos of holidays (old cars in Cuba), family gatherings, babies, flowers and a baptism. By using modern technology they are now gone forever. With an old snapshot reel of film I would have had them processed and received negatives that I could reprint, which proves sadly, not all progress is useful.
C Barlow
Irwin St, East Fremantle

Where’s our TPZ?
MELVILLE city council has a policy regarding street trees being protected whilst a development is occurring.
The tree protection zone (TPZ) is supposed to be erected by the applicant/developer around the perimeter of the tree to keep it safe during construction. The TPZ is one of the building conditions the applicant/developer agrees to abide by prior to the commencement of construction.
Yet still many developers pay no heed to this condition.
I, and others, have made numerous written requests to the City of Melville for approximately three years asking it to protect our street trees by installing a TPZ, as per the council policy.
As the mayor is proposing the CEO look into funding options for turning the city into an “urban forest” (Herald, June 6, 2015) and reducing the temperature by 40 degrees celsius, perhaps he could start the process of protecting the existing street trees from being destroyed by developers.
Effie Nicholson
Applecross

Calling second port supporters
WELL done Gerald Hitchcock! Your letter (“It’ll be a road to rue,” Herald, May 30, 2015) was great.
A second port is required—it’s the only way to go. I think you should put your hand up to head a push for a second port. I will put my name to your support list (where is the local member in all this?).
We need to hear from the Kwinana port supporters to have the current plans scrapped.
Roy Webster
Vale St, Fremantle

Find the heart and soul again
FREMANTLE council’s decision to let Warrawee women’s refuge go isn’t a bad decision, but it was wrong and arrived at poorly.
A council-run refuge gives the Fremantle community a direct opportunity to show it cares about the plight of women (and children) facing the most challenging times.
To have that taken away without anyone asking if Warrawee is worth the additional economic burden was unfair. I suspect many would feel it is.
Did the council consider other models which would get around the Barnett government’s outrageous CPI cap but allow it to retain an interest, such as creating a semi-autonomous organisation such as the BID?
In these tough times it’s important that places like Fremantle affirm their role as a city with a heart and soul.
Steve Grant
Howick Crt, Coogee

All strength to Errington
I WAS really touched by the article “Twice the barrier, twice the battle” (Herald, June 6, 2015) and I loved it when you reported “try getting onto a board when you’ve got a vagina and you’re in a wheelchair”.
I can certainly sympathise with Helen Errington, as I spent 25 years in the public service and found it difficult getting a promotion as a middle-aged, caucasian, heterosexual male.
Therefore, I can only imagine the obstacles she comes up against, given her predicament, when trying to get onto a board.  All I can do is wish her all the best and quote from a famous saying, “don’t let the bastards grind you down”.  So keep punching that bag Helen, and all power to you.
Steve Grady
Murray Rd, Palmyra