>>> More letters, page 23.
I REPLY to the letter by John Mason (Mail, 29 November). Firstly, I don’t write newspaper headlines, editors do!
I was asked to facilitate the public meeting, as members of our community were afraid of retaliation. I am the mother of a local 18 year old who has just got his licence (and so have many of his friends) and of course I worry about our kids on the road. I am also a good organiser (just ask my husband).
I have always prided myself on my ability to communicate with all age groups and on the night in question was pleased to see some youths present and went and spoke with them. I went to great lengths to avoid the word hoon and always referred to our public meeting as a meeting on road safety issues. I also made sure that the meeting didn’t just focus on one issue and covered police presence, education, legislation and parental responsibility.
I am not and never have been a member of a political party.
On the night of the public meeting I deliberately kept a low profile, because yes, I was a candidate in the up coming council elections. However, three other candidates attended and used this meeting as an opportunity to network.
The outcome of this meeting is that I am writing to the Chief Commissioner, our State and Federal MPs requesting extra police resources in our town.
All those who attended the meeting and gave their names and addresses will receive minutes from the meeting and copies of my correspondence. If you or anyone else would like a copy please notify me.
Another outcome is a possible trial hoon hotline but like you, I and Insp Beattie, do not like that word and are looking for another name. If you or any readers can come up with an appropriate title that would be appreciated. I am also the person, whom you wish to applaud, who organised the meeting and as you can see I am still working behind the scene.
Finally, Mr Mason, like your neighbour you should bother to get the facts before taking action.
Kerri Goding
Healesville
IT WAS wonderful to read a reference to my great grandfather in the Mail’s Pages From The Past column on Tuesday 18 October.
Thankfully, my sister Heather, who is a Healesville resident, passed the paper to me.
The obituary to Joseph Charles Harvie is a welcome addition to my Family History compilation.
Grandfather Harvie did indeed live an extremely interesting life. I believe his two sons Harold and Glen Harvie (my great uncles) are credited with bringing moving pictures to Healesville as well.
Along with Harold and Glen, Hilda their sister who was my grandmother, entertained at many functions playing violin and piano in the district.
My grandmother often told me of the many hours of music practice they did as children while they lived on the Success as it sailed around the world as an exhibition ship of early prisons in Victoria.
The Success was in fact one of the first Prison Hulks used by the State of Victoria to house prisoners in Port Phillip Bay in or near Williamstown. I have an original book, which Grandfather Harvie wrote regarding the Success and her prisoners, some of the more infamous inmates were from the Kelly gang.
Unfortunately the letters and records mentioned in the obituary, held in the private collection of Grandfather Harvie were no doubt lost when the family home The Righi (in Christmas Hills) was totally destroyed in bushfires on three separate occasions.
Jenni Spain
Kew East
I RECENTLY attended a community meeting in Healesville and listened to issues regarding police presence and safety on our roads.
One of the impassioned speakers was Max, the school crossing supervisor on the extremely busy East End School Crossing. During his speech Max invited politicians to come to the crossing to view the safety and traffic issues first hand.
I took up Max’s invitation and found him to be a nice guy with real concerns about the safety of our children. Unfortunately, this week I have received news of the response from our local Labor member, Ben Hardman and the Bracks Government to the Healesville community meeting.
The Bracks Government is to slash school crossing supervisor grants by $100 million over the next four years.
What does this do to caring people like Max?
Who is going to man all the school crossings in Healesville? Will this responsibility fall on the local teacher? Or will the only two local policemen in Healesville have this added to their duties?
Where is all the money going from the increase amount speeding fines, the new home buyers’ tax, the new railway car park tax and the land tax rip off?
This Government is putting at risk the safety of our children while it fails to address road safety issues. We have now seen why the local member declined to speak at the Healesville community meeting.
Mike Dalmau
Liberal candidate for Seymour
Acheron
IN REPLY to John Mason (Mail, 29 November), I would like to clarify a few facts.
Kerri Goding was approached and agreed to facilitate the public community meeting on road safety issues. Her photograph appeared in the Mail with mine as the only two people, along with the SES personnel, who would agree to be photographed. As with most news stories a face is needed.
Kerri subsequently contacted and arranged all speakers on a range of safety initiatives covering legislation, enforcement and education.
Every aspect of setting up the Memorial Hall was Kerri and her husband’s work. Thanks to her organisational skills the community was treated to a professionally run meeting.
The responsibility of headlines and journalistic comment are those of the reporter.
Hooning – or reckless, dangerous, out of control driving – is an inflammatory issue, actually a deadly serious one. If anyone drives in this manner, then, hopefully the government in July will take the car off the road.
I am not aware that at any time, in any reporting, at the meeting or in any advertising prior to the meeting any mention was made that P-platers were the hoons?
Only Mr Mason’s letter makes the connection between P-plates and hoons.
There are some considerate citizens who get behind the wheel of a car and change personality. I call them “hoons”. You may call them what you choose.
The fact of road statistics is that the most dangerous period for driving is in the six month period after gaining a licence. Road safety officers at the meeting stressed the responsibility of parents in ensuring their teenagers get adequate hours of learner driving. Given the lack of experience and the danger period involved maybe a “boring” four cylinder car may be a safer option in the beginning?
Another issue is the lack of police in the Healesville district.
Now is the time for all those in the community, including I hope Mr Mason, who are concerned at the lack of police presence in Healesville to put pen to paper and lobby for a better deal for Healesville.
Valma Owen
Healesville
FROM Banyan Gallery, a big thank you and congratulations to everybody for their part in making the Extravaganza Creative Fashion Show such a success.
Particularly Suzanne Riordan and Nina Cadzow for their fantastic organisation skills and direction and Maureen Moriarty for her fabulous make-up.
The fashion show was made possible because of a large number of people who were willing to put in their time and energy. We would have loved to mention everyone. We appreciate and thank every one of them.
Liz Cadzow
Banyan Gallery
Healesville
