I WOULD like to express my gratitude to all those who cared for me during my recent stay at Healesville Hospital.
This includes the early morning cleaner, the girl who brought the drinking water and the cheery smile, the nurses who would call me up and help with showering, the kitchen staff and those happy girls who brought those lovely meals.
I went out for a meal after coming out of hospital (it cost $30) and it did not compare. These people seem to love their jobs, as the meals reach the patients beautifully presented.
Thanks also to my doctor for everything. We are fortunate to have such a great facility in our midst so if you are able to help the hospital in any way please do. I am sure they will be there to help you if needed in the future.
Edward Munro
Healesville
Free ride over
I AM surprised that this new political party, the Country Alliance, has a few farmers among its supporters. I don’t suppose any of them run cattle.
When I did so, it was on private land. That means that money had to be paid to the land’s previous owner before I could use it. It meant various rates and taxes, insurances, fencing, pasture improvement and weed control.
All of this costs money, which eats into the profits of the enterprise. For how long? 150 years?
The Mountain Cattlemen were free of such costs. They could run their cattle for months at a time at taxpayers’ expense. Why should I, then, feel the slightest sorrow that at long last this unfair advantage has been removed?
The last few weeks of letters to the editor have been full of debating tricks by various people associated with the Country Alliance.
The comment by Philip Maguire (Mail, 26 July) is an example: “The green movement is not interested in democracy. It is only interested in imposing its environmental agenda on our community by whichever means it finds most effective”. I would like to know how Mr Maguire knows this. What is his evidence?
I am not a member of the Greens. I read what they write with the same critical attitude as the offerings of anyone else, including the Country Alliance.
Both sides to the current debate have been using the same legally permissible techniques and processes. There is nothing undemocratic about what the Country Alliance has done so far but the same is true of the Greens.
It is “argument ad hominem” attacking the person instead of the issue.
Bob Rich
Healesville
CONGRATULATIONS to the Bracks Government for taking the strong initiative to protect the ecosensitive Alps.
Finally the inherent value of an environment has been recognised for what it is. The prioritising of conservation protection and management over economic opportunity for a minority is receiving a welcome response from the majority.
Democracy is not being threatened as has been claimed by a Country Alliance member; it is being restored. Most people do not want to detrimentally impact upon our environment.
Scientific evidence has supported the removal of grazing for over 50 years, identifying numerous harmful impacts.
Now we all have the opportunity to experience what will become a heatlhy mountain ecosystem. Endangered native plant and animal species can safely inhabit their own environment without the disturbance caused by cattle.
It is such a relief that nature conservation values have been acknowledged by our government. A flourishing ecologically specific environment enables future generations to experience their natural inheritance.
Susannah Brown
Healesville
I WRITE in response to all the people who are keen to see the DSE continue “managing” our forests in the current manner.
Firstly, Brain Garth. I am part of Yarra Ranges Environment Coalition (YREC), which has over the past six years been campaigning and meeting with the DSE to change its management practices.
YREC and myself are not into bullying individuals or hassling people for their personal choices. Having said this, we have held many information nights in town where I have been personally abused and intimidated and have been hassled by continuous abusive phone calls and have even had someone come to my home and battery acid my car.
I accept that as our time in this country increases and our resources decrease we need to change our ways to suit. Some industries may die and others may grow.
No disrepsect for the old cattlemen or loggers, but things must change. Logging could quite easily move into plantations, phasing out of state forests, and water catchments first, and cattle grazing on the lowlands.
In regard to David Hutchinson, I have spent a lot of time in the forest, particularly in Alpine regions. The weed problems are very real. So we need to plan a long term strategy to deal with them. Cattle are excellent transportation for weed seeds, as are 4WDs, so I don’t think this is an appropriate management technique.
Most of this debate seems to circulate around fire. I understand the issues regarding heavy fuel loads in unburnt, unlogged forests and that by excluding and extinguishing fires from National Parks we have higher intensity fires that are much more difficult to manage.
I definitely don’t believe that we should control burn for this reason. It may benefit a few species but what about the detriment to others?
I understand there are many complex issues within this web and I think debate is healthy. No disrepsect to other with differing opinions, just honesty and heartfelt responses.
Chelsea McNabb
Healesville
THE Central Highlands Alliance seems to be an elitist and class driven organisation.
For example, CHA president Sarah Rees, (Mail, 2 August) took a swipe at workers for taking action to protect their jobs from the antiworking class attitudes of the “scientists, doctors, lawyers, professors, teachers and other well regarded members of the community” identified the previous week by CHA secretary Adam Menary as members of the group. This is our sneering new elite at work. Mr Menary said it was going to educate and empower. In their social view Australian egalitarianism is out the door and in consequence the window of our community is truly facing the great divide.
There is a huge assumption in Mr Menary’s comments that is that his organisation is equipped to educate while workers are ripe to be educated.
When he speaks of education should we read indoctrination? When he speaks of empowerment should we read imposition?
What Mr Menary really wants is to reeducate people to concentrate on the failed environmental policies of green groups.
Philip Maguire
Narbethong
