Chook roast

WE got this email response to our pitch for reader contributions last week:

“I won’t be helping ‘feed the Chook’” wrote JA from somewhere in Herald readerland (name initialised by us). 

“Not while you continue to promote that heritage zealot John Dowson. He’s the reason Fremantle is 30 years behind. 

“He blocked everything while on council. He needs to be forgotten. Not promoted. You wouldn’t have the skate park at the Esplanade if people had listened to him.

“And you guys can’t even spell Pakenham Street! There’s no C, for FFS!

“And this beauty in your December 16 edition: STOP AUKUS WA was due to stage a peaceful protest at 11 am yesterday, December 8… 

“If your paper is dated December 16, then December 8 is *not* yesterday!

“Why would anyone support such shoddy journalism? 

“Begging for money instead of getting ads, says more about your publication, not the cost of living crisis.”

Chief Chook says: Bless you JA. So many good reasons for supporting the Chook: we report all sides of a story, even our own; hard-working John Dowson deserves to be reported for his strong views; as do you! As for the typos, we’re amazed there’re only two, as we’re yet to replace our proof reader and other staff, swept away regrettably, in the pandemic. If you’d like to contribute to a very worthy Christmas cause, turn to page 4 for details.

If you want to help support independent journalism of the best sort, make a contribution to our Feed the Chook campaign.

Please send your donations to Herald Reserve, BSB 086 217, Account 63-951-0124. Or mail it to PO Box 85, North Fremantle 6159.

Please email accounts@fremantleherald.com or text 0438 933 300 so we can let you now how grateful we are.

Balance!

NO it’s not “the End of the West End!” (Fremantle Society advertisement, Herald, December 16) 

It’s wonderful to have a group of people dedicated to researching, monitoring and promoting Fremantle’s cityscape and its architectural stock. 

BUT… they need to get the balance right. 

The West End needs people. 

When the uni is out of session it is often cemetery like. 

Policies such as residential infill, creating employment opportunities and promoting economic prosperity are just as important as efforts to maintain the historical integrity of the streetscape.

For mine, the proposed construction of apartments above the Robert Harper Building while retaining and restoring the existing structure is the right balanced approach. 

Too often the Fremantle Society seems to want to preserve the past like pinning insects in a collector’s box. 

The West End should be a vibrant place with strong historical appeal where people can live, work and play. 

Not a lifeless museum.

Chris Avent
Fremantle

Fossil fail

IT’s been 25 years since the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, a promise by Western nations to reduce greenhouse emissions.

Then, the Paris Accord in Dec 2015 and the Copec meetings in 2021 with targets to net zero by 2050. 

So how did we go?

A fossil fuel worldwide consumption chart will show that in 1997, 80,000 terawatt hours were used.

By 2019, 136,000 terawatt hours were used, an increase of around 60 per cent.

Covid-19 in 2020 was the first time ever that usage declined, and then only a small amount. 

We are happily back on track to set new records. 

The usage of fossil fuels is climbing back up the charts year on year.

Then we have the underdeveloped countries that have never signed up to any of the agreements; over 40 per cent of the world population. 

Russia, India, and then China, the largest single polluter. 

China’s leaders can say per capita they are not the major polluters and say they will keep building infrastructure to lift another 400 million Chinese people out of poverty by 2030! 

Only then does China say that they will stop building coal-fired powered stations, and they added only abroad.

Outside of China (We have to be careful and read the fine print!) India has a population of 1.3 billion people; 300 millon have toilets! 

That leaves another billion people who would love to live just like we do! 

How much energy will that all take? 

Russia’s economy is entirely based on the sale of fossil fuels. 

Last, we have the Saudis; per capita, they hit the jackpot when it comes to energy use. 

A visit to Dubai says it all. 

See the problem? 

Until these poorer countries reach an acceptable standard of living, all the Copec meetings in the world will not change a thing. 

If the millions spent at these meaningless meetings were simply spent on desalination plants, bringing fresh water to those millions in need, at least something would be achieved.

So, should Australia cut our emissions, and would it make any difference to global energy usage?

I doubt it.

JJ
White Gum Valley

A cynic?

CALL me a cynic, but not having read or engaged with the new “same job, same pay” legislation I wonder the frantic response in the media and advertisements, such as that filling your page 2 (Minerals Council of Australia advertisement, December 9, 2023).

That ad argues that business will be forced to pay least experienced, productive, temporary workers the same as the most experienced, productive, full-time workers.

Surely an option is to convert the temporary workers to full-time and give them the opportunity to become experienced, productive workers – good for them, good for business.

There has also been criticism that Labor used dirty tactics in the Senate by having support from the Greens and independents.

I would be very surprised if those non-Labor senators were ill-informed about the content and purpose of the legislation. 

Any legislation passed in the Senate requires cross-bench support if the legislation is not supported by the conservative (un)liberal coalition senators. 

To suggest that those independent senators used dirty tactics when doing the job they were elected for goes beyond the pale.

Jim Meckelburg
Beaconsfield

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