I REFER to the letters from the HEWI chairperson and vice-chairperson (Mail, 13 March) regarding their offence at the article (Mail, 6 March) about the application to cut down seven poplars bordering Queen’s Park.
I am an objector and was present at the meeting of objectors called by the Shire of Yarra Ranges on 6 March.
Whether the journalist was or wasn’t at the meeting is irrelevant, she has obviously sought a comment from Ms Tonge which was clearly shown as a comment and the “fact” that HEWI has objected to, is just the fact that it was Ms Tonge’s opinion.
HEWI has acknowledged that Ms Tonge is entitled to her opinion, which it would appear is neither extreme or radical, judging by the number of signatures on petitions floating around town.
HEWI’s involvement in the process was, to my recollection, made known at the meeting wherein another meeting was to be held between the objectors, the shire aborist and a HEWI representative.
There is no doubt in my mind the Mail article was a true representation of the situation as it stood and to claim “gross misuse of editorial privilege” when quoting a third party is drawing a long bow.
There is nothing that I have read in any way suggests that the hard working members of HEWI are not to be congratulated for their efforts and dedication to revegetation projects and other activities that have been undertaken over the years.
The current situation solely revolves around whether there is any justification to cut down seven healthy well established trees.
I find it interesting that HEWI is appearing to want to distance itself from the application by saying it is the shire who is the applicant. This, of course, is technically true because land where the poplars are growing is crown land under the care and management of the shire.
It is, of course, also true that HEWI was quoted in the Mail back in December 2006 when the application was first advertised and also a letter in the Mail 9 January extolling the virtues of the removal of the poplars; as well, a letter in the Mail 6 March calling for action on global warming.
I would have thought that advocating the removal of healthy well established trees was in direct opposition to aiding the slowing of global warming.
John Anwin
Healesville
I WAS disappointed at the unfair portrayal of our local environment group HEWI in the article (Mail, 6 March) regarding the removal of the poplars in Queens Park. Poplars are a known environmental weed that not only spread by seed but also by root suckers, quickly colonising areas that should be covered by indigenous bushland.
This reclamation of indigenous vegetation is the main aim of HEWI. I feel the fact that this has been achieved, especially via its 2005 revegetation along the creek, which by the way is doing well in retaining the banks, and looking great!
It is a much more natural habitat for our local fauna and much better scenery for our many tourists who visit particularly to see our bushland. So well done HEWI, keep up the good work!
Tabitha K. Barclay
Healesville
Defining weeds
THE debate about the poplars growing between Badger Creek Road and the adjacent waterway is of great interest to me. The spokeswoman for Save the Poplars Sue Tonge claims the poplars are “healthy, well-established and well-functioning poplars” and “we don’t think these trees are weeds”.
True, the poplars are healthy and are well-established, but what Ms Tonge means by well-functioning escapes me. They are infesting both waterway and roadside with suckers, and obviously draining off an inordinate amount of water from a struggling waterway, a watercourse they have not evolved to live in harmony with, as natives have. As to Ms Tonge’s view of them as not being a weed, she is simply wrong.
The word “weed” lacks pleasing connotations I admit, but let us remember that many beautiful and even celebrated plants, are nevertheless weeds. The Cootamundra wattle for instance, one of the loveliest of all the wattles, is a weed in this area, an area outside of its indigenous habitat.
The holly and the ivy so framed in a song, both are weeds in this country. The report of the dispute (Mail, 6 March) it could be argued presented the case for both sides, but it was disappointing to perceive that HEWI’s case had been sought not from HEWI itself, but from its opponents, and consequently not reported in any way favourable to HEWI.
David Cox
Healesville
Letterbox blast
WELL, it had to happen.
My letterbox has disappeared again. Nothing new and surprisingly, a long time since the last demolition job. In searching the bush opposite my house I found relics of other letterboxes, cans by the pile, bottles and other thrown junk.
The timing is always the same – 1am Saturdays and Sundays, when the pubs have closed. You can hear them staggering up the road, shouting and falling around. Last week it was a fire cracker that woke us up.
It was as large and dangerous as a mortar bomb – big sticks of firepower stacked in a large Milo tin at the edge of a main thoroughfare, near grass, bush and residences.
The tin was there for all to see in the morning. And if it’s not letterboxes and fireworks (in the above case, with the apparent knowledge of a CFA member), it’s a gunshot blast in the night, drag racing and loud music.
So what can we do? Call the police? Now I have a great respect for our police and know many of them personally. But to call them at that time of night is a complete waste of time.
They’re always too busy elsewhere or the local station is shut. Besides, we’d be talking to a station 30kms away. This is an appalling admission but I can’t help feeling that the police are becoming irrelevant in our neck of the woods.
Once night falls, it’s Rafferty’s Rules. The local police do their best and it’s not their fault that the system is so out of sync with reality. They’re understaffed, underpaid, overworked.
The bottom line is that the community deserves better from our “enlightened” government and elected representatives, whether state or local, where, incidentally, our representative is more concerned with keeping the Yarra Valley nuclear free than working at council level to keep us safe from everyday mischief and sleepless nights.
Alan Holman
Launching Place
Tourist drain
I WRITE in reply to the From My Desk column by Fran Bailey, Truth Shines Out as Work Continues on the Ground (Mail, 6 March).
Many Australian voters know that the word truth is often used by most politicians.
For example, Stanley Baldwin a British Conservative Prime Minister stated in the House of Commons on the 29th May, 1924: “A platitude is simply a truth repeated until people get tired of hearing it”.
As an elected minister in the Howard/Costello Federal Government, can Ms Bailey confirm the recent media reports that Tullamarine International Airport in Melbourne and Victoria are not receiving a fair share of international tourist trade.
Can she tell the many Yarra Ranges and Murrindindi Shire business people and their employees, how much estimated income these facts have compounded as a loss to our tourist market share?
As the minister responsible for tourism, what investigations and actions has Ms Bailey undertaken to bring this reported inequity to the attention of the Prime Minister and Cabinet?
New South Wales is apparently receiving the “lion’s share” in international tourist trade and the rest of us in the electorate of McEwen are suffering the long ranging consequences of drought, water restrictions and depleting tourist dollars.
Ralf Kluin
Taggerty
Not nice
GOOD to see the story Gut Full of Stink (Mail, 3 March) with comments from a spokesperson.
Pity the Mail did not do the same for the rally held in the Memorial Hall on 1 February regarding the Australia Post issue.
The article (Mail, 7 March) regarding the post office issue the spokesperson was referred to as a “watchdog”. This is almost as bad as a timber industry spokesperson referring to her as “a one armed pensioner”. It makes you wonder how they refer to other disabled people, including timber workers.
As for the letter from Don Rhodes from Yarra Glen, why not drop the Safeway issue that has been done to death. Build Safeway; I personally can’t wait. It will save me driving to Lilydale or Chirnside. Also, Don, read the paper properly, make note of all the issues. We don’t want two post offices, we just want the one post office, the one situated at Healesville Walk which has security, lighting, disabled parking and easy access. We don’t want the L.P.O. which has none of the above.
When it has all of the above you may want to ask yourself a question as a ratepayer/taxpayer, who paid for security, lighting, disabled access/parking?
Judith Port
Healesville
