Hot idea
GEOSCIENCE Australia says that if we were to tap just 1 percent of Australia’s geothermal hot rocks it would provide 26,000 years’ worth of energy at Australia’s current consumption rate.
Well there’s the renewable energy constant base load requirements sorted.
That’s right; there’s no fuel needed to be mined, refined and sold, and no waste to foul the planet.
That’s the problem. It’s too clean and safe. There’s no money in saving the planet.
Failing hot rocks, a full mix of renewables would keep the lights on rain, hail or shine. Solar and wind needs others to fill in the gaps for constant output 24/7 of base load.
Brad Capes
Miranda Crescent, Coolbellup 

Not fooled
“ROE HIGHWAY stage 8 can be built without damaging the environment.”
“We want to end up with a result that’s environmentally better than what we start with.”
“The highway will enhance the area.”
These are statements uttered by a number of state ministers, a mayor and a local councillor over the past few years and now we have our latest transport minister proclaiming; “I think the people of WA will actually be able to get to appreciate the Beeliar Wetlands more once the Roe 8 project has been completed.”
That is a very strange statement to make, Mr Marmion.
How can one appreciate our beautiful, precious wetlands when the Barnett government is intent on callously tearing our lakes apart with this imposing, noisy highway?
I am sure the people of WA would like you to explain exactly what you mean by your statement.
People are not that easily fooled, minister.
If you want to see how our wetlands are appreciated in their present state, feel free to visit our lakes.
Take note of the joggers, walkers, parents with prams, cyclists and picnickers.
The health benefits of these activities are well known.
There are no health benefits in dropping a noisy, smelly high-speed highway through the middle of our wetlands.
Rex Sallur
Corn Way, Bibra Lake

Harbouring doubts
IMAGINE if we had an honest state government that was progressive enough to see what has been happening around the world’s harbours.
I have personally travelled to New Jersey, New Orleans and other major ports where old harbour-sides and terminals have been developed into up-market facilities for the mega rich to park their super yachts and power boats alongside multi-million dollar apartments.
The terminal in New Orleans is a fantastic success.
You can shop, eat and watch the ships go by just meters away.
In New Jersey the old jetties and piers are converted into fantastic apartments opposite the New York skyline across the Hudson.
But Fremantle has a terminal built 60 years ago and harbour-side Homeswest apartments. An embarrassment to us all and an eyesore for visiting liners.
BGC offed to build the outer port no cost taxpayers.
Come on Colin, give us a Fremantle we can all be proud of.
John Paterson
Wood St, White Gum Valley

Turning green?
SOME situations provoke reconsideration of long-held opinions.  Finding human faeces in a children’s playground was one such provocation.
I walk my dogs every day in Woolshed Park, Palmyra. They’re obedient, but particular smells are magnets.
On Sunday October 2 my dog Belle ate something she obviously enjoyed.
About two hours after getting home poor Belle was suddenly jumpy and disoriented, falling over and really zoned out so we dashed to Murdoch Animal Hospital.  On the way, she threw up on the back seat (fortunate for Belle, very icky for me — the smell was really rank!) so, concerned about her health, I bagged it and took it in with us.
The vet’s diagnosis was that Belle probably ate excreted cannabis (marijuana or synthetic) in the human faeces I’d just bagged up, as dogs and cats are particularly attracted to its smell.
Leaving faeces under children’s climbing equipment was bad enough, but the “depositor” must be a heavy drug user to have had such an effect on a medium-sized dog.
The vet had treated some animals who’d been deliberately drugged by people who think it’s fun, but says it can be fatal.
While Belle was being treated, I called in at the park to bin the rest of that large, disgusting deposit. I really didn’t like the idea of someone’s child to stepping in it, or another canine (or feline) disaster.
It was nerve-wracking given it was dark (the solar powered light was not working) and I had to work by my headlights.
Belle recovered and isn’t showing ill effects, thanks to the thorough and professional care of the Murdoch Animal Hospital staff. Thanks.
Reflecting, I have been revising my belief marijuana should be decriminalised.
Leaving potentially disease-transmitting contaminated human poop in a children’s playground was irresponsible or malicious or both.
If merely irresponsible, was the perpetrator demonstrating poor judgement, and if so, was that a “normal” state for him or her, or was it a consequence of marijuana use?  Does marijuana use impair judgement to the point of bad citizenship?
Illicit marijuana should continue to attract a legal penalty, but access to cannabis should be carefully controlled for therapeutic use.
Bev Scott, Palmyra

Worst ever
FREMANTLE council has made some odd decisions in its time, but getting rid of the Carriage Cafe is one of the absolute worst.
I’ve lived in Booragoon for 23 years and Freo is a place I love to visit — well, used to, before it began to ‘shut down’ courtesy of the council.
I hope there will be an outpouring of support for keeping the Carriage Cafe to prevent it being trashed by Mr Kailis and his empire.
To pour fat on the fire, Mr Kailis is reported as saying the new establishment he wishes to build will be “iconic”. How can something brand new be iconic?
The true meaning of “icon” is a representation of a holy or devotional figure. Using modern parlance, it can mean a person or thing regarded as being worthy of veneration.
Neither the Carriage Cafe, nor the proposed establishment could be called “iconic” in the true sense of the word.
Come on Fremantle council, get your priorities right.
Len Bagnall
Kitchener Rd, Booragoon

Ad majorem dei gloriam
THE Archdiocese of Perth must be elated at the prospect of building a new Catholic Church in Attadale.
The original church (still functional) and tennis court infrastructure were built on the St Joseph Pignatelli site in the early 1960s.
The $500,000 tennis court infrastructure is soon to be demolished, following the eviction of the tennis club from the site to make way for a new church and related parking.
This effectively terminates a vibrant community program operating in the parish in its 53rd year; however, I understand the club is moving to another location.
There was no meaningful consultation or discussion with parishioners or tennis club members to consider options or alternatives to locating the church on the tennis courts or whether a new church was even necessary.
The unilateral decision created legitimate concerns for some parishioners and others, and for almost four years, the parish priest and Archdiocese have refused legitimate requests to meet and discuss matters related to the new church.
The Catholic Church is happy to receive money by way of donations or pledges; however, refuses to publish financial statements for our parish operations and likewise financial statements for the charity it specifically incorporated to receive funds and pledges for the new church project.
This is perplexing because the recently published Archdiocesan Plan for 2016-2021 espouses governance, accountability and transparency.
It is difficult to recognise Christian ethos in such an autocratic process.
Dr Graham Mahony
Parishioner, St Joseph Pignatelli Parish
Warragoon Crescent, Attadale

Your legacy
DEAR Mr Barnett, I have always admired your open, honest and frank approach.
I plead with you to show the courage to do the right thing one last time in an issue that is of huge importance to our future and that of our children and grandchildren.
Roe 8 will create more traffic. Been there, done that in Europe again and again (they changed tack).
Where will the traffic end? Tunnel or not, it will come to Fremantle, go through the Western suburbs (including your Cottesloe), wreck pristine nature (Beeliar wetlands) and historic North Freo (one big intersection, destroying the little history that’s left), cut through communities left, right and centre, cause more pollution when we should be drastically cutting down (global warming is accelerating and we are amongst if not the world’s highest polluter per capita), move more containers by truck rather than using the much less polluting trains (at present only about 15 per cent).
Yet, there is the solution: move the port to Kwinana where there is better access to rail and road, it’s closer to many container destinations and where the harbour can grow.
It’s been planned for 20 years. I’m sure you know all this already.
As taxpayers, we don’t want more financial mismanagement: privatisation of rail, tier 3, Pilbara apartments, Perth Stadium, Elizabeth Quay equals a $2.5 billion hole and counting…. Another billion spent on a very dubious project with mainly negative effects is not an “investment” to be proud of.
We want accountability. Now.
So I am calling on you to drop petty party politics and do the right thing for the people! Your choice. Think about your legacy.
Hans Hug
Taxpayer, voter
Solomon St, Fremantle

Crushed carriage
ONCE again a small business is crushed by big business.
Kailis is a great business and the family have added lots to WA in all sorts of ways but there seems no reason for the council to push out a little business in favour of them.
Surely both businesses can operate side by side as suggested by Zeynep Erturk.
Susan Blanchard
Osborne Road, East Fremantle

Yum
THANK you so much for the Adbuster voucher for the Young George restaurant in East Fremantle.
We went there yesterday afternoon for a lovely Sunday lunch and found the young staff most helpful and attentive.
Personally, I appreciated the consideration shown to disabled people, with self-opening electric doors and availability of a disabled toilet.
Michelle Clune
Spearwood