Fowl throw
THE new basketball courts at South Beach are impressive.
The courts will continue to be a valuable community asset promoting health and well-being for years to come.
I must admit on initially hearing about the development I envisioned the nature play area a little, err, differently.
In my opinion the current collection of shrubs and logs shoved off to the side of the courts don’t evoke “nature play”.
This area doesn’t inspire or engage through nature.
At this stage, the area doesn’t even provide shade.
I can’t help but feel there has been a missed opportunity here to create an integrated and creative recreation area for all.
The terms “tokenistic” and “box-ticking” keep springing to mind.
I don’t know about you but rather than “nature play”, I’m calling this a “nature plop”.
Ana Mairata
Ameling Rise, Fremantle

Disposable plan
THE article “Pay for plastic” (Herald, February 17, 2018), was a back-end read amongst the classifieds.
“Our Brad”, he must be a mate, as I hear his voice all the time, wants us to pay for plastic bags to discourage their use — it’s the only way to discourage their use.
“Rubbish”, I say!
Easy fix.
Pick a date, but not January 26.
Announce through all media, paper, TV, social, that as of that date there will be no plastic bags allowed at any retail stores.
Give outlets time to organise options, e.g. paper carrier bags from the 60’s, paper fruit bags for the fruit and veg, hessian bags that can be bought at store or at checkout.
Why do I say this?
Because in rural France a couple of years ago, we were in a huge Intermarche supermarket. And I mean big. Including clothing and alcohol.
Not a plastic bag in sight.
At fruit and veg – paper bags.
At the checkout – nothing. They did not even pack for you.
They checked your groceries through and you either brought your own bags, used the empty boxes from the store – a la Bunnings, or had lots of little hands to help.
There was not an utterance of a complaint from young, middle aged or old.
But all this angst about “how do we do it”.
Easy Peasy. Just stop supplying them.
All retail outlets will be in the same boat. Talk about nanny state.
How do you think nanny got on before convenience and plastic.
I even struggled out of the supermarket the other night with four items. I really didn’t need a plastic bag.
Life will go on. And think of all those fish and birds that will live longer and healthier lives. All for us making a call.
I really wish Brad had given me a call before he put his idea to paper.
Sorry Brad, I couldn’t resist it
John Loundes
East Street, East Fremantle

Our Beach
Our beach
Once so sweet
Fine sand
Beneath our feet
Has become
A harsh rocky retreat
Theo Koning
Fremantle
Ed’s note: Rubble sculptures, perhaps?

You spin me right round…
I REFER to the “It’s not so bad” Thinking Allowed in the Herald (January 20, 2018) by councillor Tim Barling.
The initiatives of the City of Melville are simply spin and not as Cr Barling stated “many initiatives of the city…lead the state and even the country.” .
For example, the Urban Forest Strategy was a state government initiative.
The state government prepared the Urban Forest Report in order that all local councils should adopt it.
The fact that the mayor claims it as his own initiative is farcical.
The systemic attitude of council in regards to the city’s tree canopy does not fit in with the propaganda they excrete.
Our city does not even enforce the council’s own Tree Protection Policy.
(The TPZ was a state government initiative to protect public trees from destruction by developers/builders).
Former councillor Effie Nicholson (my wife) has made many written requests over a number of years reminding council officers to take some action and “police” the council policy.
After all you can’t have the state government’s tree canopy initiative without trees!
Did Cr Barling really write this article or was it written by the city’s spin-doctors?
Jim Nicholson
Applecross

Get Carter
IT seems that power and praise has rushed to the head of failed South Ward council candidate, Liam Carter.
On February 16, Liam posted on the South Fremantle Precinct page, urging electors to vote for “a progressive councillor, not a conservative and reactionary obstructionist, which is why I’ll be voting for Andrew Sullivan”.
Liam clearly infers that the other candidates are conservative and reactionary obstructionists.
But importantly he has clearly ignored the City of Fremantle guidelines for precincts which clearly states:
• Should the precinct wish to print, publish or distribute material containing information about candidates, all candidates must be included.
• All candidates must be invited to participate in events or functions organised by the precinct, in order to ensure each is given a fair opportunity to participate. The majority of candidates must be in attendance.
South Fremantle Precinct Members pointed this out to Liam, but he didn’t seem to take notice. Instead he deleted all critical comments and subsequently barred people from making further comment.
Liam’s deletion included a question from ex-Fremantle Mayor, Peter Tagliaferri, who simply asked “Which candidate is conservative and reactionary?”.
I’m sure Liam was only attempting to urge electors to vote, but he clearly lacks the political finesse to manage such an undertaking or understand that freedom of speech is a vital part of the political processing.
Censorship does nothing for the democratic process. Liam you have a lot to learn before giving up your day job for that of politics.
Dr Stuart Gunzburg
Sheedy St, South Fremantle
The Ed says: Mr Carter says he’d already stepped away from his unofficial role as precinct ‘helper’ and was just posting as a local, but  admits he was a bit hazy about the precinct’s rules at the time

CORRECTION
IN Damon Hurst’s letter last week (“One Day­­—two accounts”, Herald, February 17, 2018) a subbing glitch had him supporting a national celebration in May, when he was actually spruiking for extending Australia Day to take in both January 25 and 26.