Plaza wasteland
SUZANNE HANLEY, (Herald letters, November 21, 2015) I believe you have spoken for the vast majority of citizens who have been horrified by the wasteland that is now Melville Plaza carpark.
How many parking spaces would have been lost by the inclusion of shade trees?
Doubtless, the management will come up with all sorts of justifications, but aesthetics, native bird habitat and shopper comfort will not be among them.
If the Melville council, whose policy is that all trees removed from public places be replaced, really cared about this issue, it would insist that provision still be made for new trees to be planted.
Tony Wills
Farrin St, Attadale

Tell me why
WITH more and more liners visiting Fremantle, bringing much-needed trade to our city, I applaud our mayor and council’s decision to rid the streets of drunks, substance abusers and beggars, but wonder when are they going to tackle the ongoing problem of the sale of drugs from the state housing complex in Queen Victoria Street.
Despite reports and complaints to both the police and WA housing about drugs being sold, naming the units concerned, and reporting that teenagers are seen going into the units at all hours of the day and night, nothing appears to be have been done to put a stop to this trade.
My question is why?!
Bob Loftus
Beach St, Fremantle

Keep on truckin’? Let’s not
SOME of the data presented by Martin Lee (“Let’s talk truck,” Herald Thinking Allowed, November 7, 2015) contained some interesting  background data to the current Perth Freight Link discussion. However, some issues he totally fails to address
• the article implies that building a new port at Kwinana will have environmental consequences equal to or worse than the PFL, yet it is generally acknowledged that at some future point the existing port at Fremantle will reach capacity and have to be moved. Supporting the PFL will effectively double the damage.
• he states the Kwinana port option will result in an increase in diesel particulates (a known carcinogen), and then advocates a tunnel under the Swan, the ventilation shafts for which would exhaust said particulates into an increasingly dense residential area.
• nowhere does he mention that trucks are anticipated to represent 10 per cent of traffic using the PFL and private vehicles the other 90 per cent.
• nowhere does he consider the PFL will provide a convenient coastal alternative to the Kwinana Freeway, and the resulting increase in traffic will make improved port access for trucks relatively short-lived.
Martin finishes his article with a snide attack on various Fremantle councillors and their political affiliations. Hello Martin, it clearly hasn’t dawned upon you that we residents elect these people to represent our interests and protect the environment in which we live. That means the needs of the trucking industry as you see it are just another political consideration in this issue.
Finally, I would like to express my sympathy for Melville residents and their section of the Leach Highway. With seven sets of traffic lights in less than 2km (I estimate at least 336 actual lights), this has to be some of the most incompetent road design in WA.
Why should we expect the PFL to be any different?
Peter Bartlett
Hope St, White Gum Valley

Thank you
MY husband was involved in a serious car accident on the corner of North Lake Rd and Charsley St Willagee Tuesday November 17, 2015.
I am writing this letter hoping to reach the two lovely ladies (one a nurse) who sat and reassured him until the ambulance arrived.
I want to say thank you to you both for you kindness, care and empathy You were wonderful.
John is bruised and sore but doing well.
Lorraine Tidser
Connelly Way, Booragoon

People before profit!
INTERESTING that Cr Cameron Schuster (Herald, November 21, 2015) suggests the cost of redeveloping Shirley Strickland Reserve could be funded by selling Mt Pleasant Bowling Club — land listed as public open space.
Melville council seems hell-bent on selling prime pieces of public open space for high-density housing at every opportunity. Suggested sites so far include Melville Bowling Club, Attadale Kindergarten, Melville Glades Golf Club and now Mt Pleasant Bowling Club — the latter still owes a substantial loan to the City of Melville for upgrades only a few years ago.
Who bears the cost — the poor ratepayer! We lose public open space, get increased high-density housing and then foot the bill for any outstanding loans by sporting groups.
Why did Cr Schuster move the motion to commence the engagement and planning process stating the council is of the view that the future use of the land is “for a purpose consistent with its surrounds” but vote against the amendment by Cr Nick Pazolli to keep this land for public open space?
When will the carte blanche sell off of public open space cease?
Seemingly all upgrades need to be funded by the sale of something — all that is except the council’s new $38 million library and cultural centre. Funding for this just magically appeared without so much as even consulting ratepayers.
With regard to flyers, the CEO states, “some information is not factual… misleading and likely to confuse residents”. Well, residents learn quickly: the City of Melville Roe 8 advertising/litter campaign that cost $50,000 a case in point.
Shame on the CEO, mayor and councillors at Melville who support the carve-up and sell-off of public open space for short-term, high-density profits.
You should be protecting and increasing this highly valued asset now and for the future.
Susanne Taylor-Rees
Strain St, Bicton
The Ed says: Ms Taylor-Rees retired from Melville council as a Bicton-Attadale councillor at the October elections. She ran for mayor but was unsuccessful.

Wyola fuss
FREMANTLE sub-branch of the RSL and RSL HQWA wholeheartedly does not support the sale of half-price alcohol nor does the RSL encourage binge drinking (“Cheap booze crackdown,” Herald, November 21, 2015).
Fremantle RSL sub-branch has absolutely nothing to do with any operational processes of the Wyola Club, nor does the Fremantle RSL have any involvement with the sale or serving of alcohol in this establishment.
It is with regret that the name of the RSL has been dragged down by the actions of a separate organisation, namely the Wyola Club. The Fremantle RSL was also not contacted for comment on this article, and I understand the confusion as to why this may not have occurred.
Fremantle RSL appreciate your efforts in raising the profile of the RSL in the Fremantle community. Hopefully you can appreciate that this type of negative action by Wyola can have significant consequences to the RSL, which does not support those actions.
As our branch moves forward and grows in the Fremantle community, we pride ourselves on being an active organisation that contributes to the development of service personnel and their families.
We do not support or condone the events as stated in the article. That is a matter purely for the Wyola Club Inc.
Rob Cashman
Vice President – Secretary Fremantle RSL sub-branch
The Ed says: Rob told the Herald the RSL has repeatedly asked Wyola to have its initials removed from the club’s name.

Textbook politicking
I READ with wonder Roy Lewisson’s Thinking Allowed, “Plenty to be positive about” (Herald, November 14, 2015).
I too was involved in Freo’s election, running unsuccessfully for south ward, and saw a different side. I saw a group of candidates trying to break into the council full of passion in one corner – without a doubt each brought with them their experiences with this council.
Many were new to the game and wore the hearts on the sleeves. In the other corner I also saw a group with a spring in their step and a swagger that suggested “I have got this all sewn up”.
It was almost like it was a polar opposite with the “haves” and the “have nots”, with the incumbents having the benefit of knowing what was in the pipeline and the machinations of council cocooning them and not to mention the power of not insignificant donations — not just in financial amount but also the weight of the power of the people giving.
My campaign on the other hand was funded from my own very limited budget.
I am not sure where Roy gets his belief that the current council does not have an agenda and as such is grass roots – Rachel Pemberton has worked (is still working?) in Scott Ludlam’s office and her name is littered through all the publications of the Greens. Brad’s name is not absent from these publications; Sam Wainwright ran at the state level as a representative of the Socialist Alliance and Josh Wilson works for Labor’s Melissa Parke.
I am not suggesting for a minute there is anything wrong with this but I am not sure of the transparency and accuracy of Roy’s article, maybe he wasn’t aware — oh yes, that’s right, how could he not be, he is listed as a donor to Rachel’s campaign and actually was Brad’s campaign manager at the last mayoral election (something a quick Google search will find).
I do not understand how someone can publicly cast disparaging remarks about people he doesn’t know and has never taken the time to understand their drive.
I do not understand how that article is really being positive about anything, when it is dripping with negativity about others.
Surely, we need people to be passionate about their city and we should look for ways to harness them, not put them in the corner with a label. Looks like the politicking has started early, with little regard to who is caught up in the collateral damage.
This article was not a celebration, it was pure, old-fashioned, textbook politicking.
Get ready for some more robust debate, as this underdog will be back to fight for Fremantle in 2017.
Andrew Luobikis
Mardie St, Beaconsfield