Dream team

THE beautiful nurses, physios and others who team up to care for people like me in Fremantle Hospital’s rehabilitation ward are well and truly due for the monumental praise that they well and truly deserve. 

At 77 there’s nothing more debilitating than having your leg shoot sideways from under you to crash onto wet concrete. 

A broken hip, two ambulances that arrived within 10 minutes, hip surgery at Fiona Stanley within 24 hours then off to Fremantle Hospital where the thanks I give for its ongoing existence is beyond measure. 

From the moment I arrived until now, I herald the multi-cultural colours, voices and expertise of gentle female and male beauties whose open-hearted spirits touch and smooth the lives of broken people, undoubtedly strengthening hope for speedy recoveries. 

Australian, Bosnian, Indian, Malay, Philippino, Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Bhutanese, Korean, Kenyan, Nepalese, Tanzanian, Italian, Sri Lankan, Zimbabwean and Irish. 

You’ve all made me feel as if I’m in the arms of angels, holding me until I’m strong enough to hold myself. 

Thank God for you and for a public health system that continues to provide remarkable health care within our part of the world.

Dr Suzanne Covich (PhD)
Hamilton Hill

Shoot first, ask later?

I’m seriously concerned about ths whole process behind the City of Fremantle adopting LPS5.

A councillor mentioned extensive consultation that’s already taken place, but consultation on a broad planning strategy is not the same as consultation on the specific zoning and building heights proposed in LPS5. 

Residents have not had a proper opportunity to examine and respond to this actual draft scheme before council voted to send it to the minister.

John Dowson has raised a very serious concern about this (“Human scale?” Herald, October 31). 

Once the draft reaches the minister, the state may impose planning requirements that effectively cement some of these proposed changes. 

By the time the public is finally consulted, potentially a year or two down the track, our ability to influence those fundamental decisions could be considerably reduced.

That’s a pretty alarming prospect, particularly when we’re talking about development opportunities that will be of considerable interest to developers.

I’m also concerned about council’s interpretation of Prof Richard Mackay’s recommendations. 

His advice wasn’t simply about increasing density and protecting the West End. 

The Fremantle Society’s report calls for a proper Historic Urban Landscape planning process, led by an appointed independent expert rather than council officers. 

That hasn’t happened. 

Surely we can’t claim to be following expert advice while overlooking such a significant part of what’s been recommended?

I genuinely worry about what we’re doing to Fremantle. 

I fear we’re heading towards permanently damaging the very character that makes it so special. 

People fought their asses (excuse my language) off for years to save this heritage. 

It all would have been bowled over by councillors who thought they knew best: the entire West End, Fremantle Markets, Victoria House, Fremantle Arts Centre…

This is not just about individual buildings. 

It’s the character of an entire town for which we have international recognition.

It takes independent thinkers to uphold that. Vision. Gusto.

I’m not against development, but I don’t want Fremantle turned into another generic high-rise city.

Once we’ve lost that character, there’s no getting it back. 

With sales of assets going to big names without public tender, we’ve watched our decline over literally less than a decade. 

I am unsure what council would like me to trust about this process?

I want to see this decision deferred for three months, as the Fremantle Society has requested. 

Give residents a proper chance to understand and challenge what’s proposed before council sends it off to the state.

Councillors are losing me with their repetitive rhetoric. 

They refer frequently to “in a perfect world” and a longer serving councillor uses the word “balance” to justify just about everything. 

I’m noticing newer councillors starting to use the same language. 

It makes me wonder how much genuinely independent debate is taking place, and whether newer councillors are being influenced by those who’ve been around the chamber considerably longer, perhaps even looking to them as mentors.

Given the community dissatisfaction I’ve witnessed with some of those longer-serving councillors, I find that prospect rather worrying. 

I’d much rather see fresh, independent thinkers bringing their own perspectives to council, challenging established views and not being afraid to disagree.

I think people are watching closely now, myself included, to see councillors making their own decisions and being prepared to challenge each other.

I think there’s a real opportunity to build community confidence by demonstrating that independence, particularly when it means questioning the prevailing view in the chamber.

Lehani Williams
Fremantle