Perth Voice Interactive

Testing times
AUSTRALIANS make much of their strength of character. That strength is being tested more stringently than at any time I can remember. These are interesting times.
Australians are always swept up in the rhetoric of sports journalists. We are cheerfully blinded by nationalistic fervour.
Aussies, and Aussie teams, are always expected to win—just because they are Aussies. Harsh reality has taught me that victory depends on how both teams, or players, play on the day. It has nothing to do with nationality, as the Americans discovered when we nicked the America’s Cup on September 25, 1983. Now, Australians in general have to face the lesson and sit the same exam.
No longer can we depend on our cricket team to rule the world (we have conveniently forgotten the West Indies had to go through the same pain 20 years ago, and before them the Poms). We can no longer depend on our tennis players to rule the world. No more do we dominate billiards. Our soccer players won through to Rio by the skin of their teeth, although we remain unchallenged in the world of Australian Rules Football.
How we deal with coming second, or worse, will be a real test match.
A test of character.
Rick Duley
Walcott St, North Perth

Escape to the bottom of a glass
TO expect Beaufort Street traders, who already operate from inadequate premises, to move into smaller units as suggested by the Vincent city council, is tackling the problem from the wrong end.
The traders are asked to downgrade their rightful standard of living while real estate speculators rake in money by merely twiddling their thumbs.
The problem which must be addressed is the widening gap between people’s earnings and the galloping increase in property values. Unfortunately, the problem is exacerbated by the federal and state governments’ policies of excessively high intake of immigrants and workers on special permits.
And, despite the drastic reduction in the size of building blocks, there is still a serious shortage of available land.
When it comes to the increasing spread of bars, here too there is a serious clash between the public’s expectations and WA government policies which seem to promote the availablility of the worst drug affecting the western world. Alcohol might not affect one’s lungs, but far too often it changes drastically people’s physical appearance.
Looking on the bright side, you have to admit the extra bars will make it easier for people to escape the sorrows of their stressful life.
F Schenk
McDonald St, Osborne Park

Shame Mayor shame!
THE only one needing to be named and shamed is the mayor of Vincent and those councillors who voted yes to this unbelievable motion.
I am shocked and embarrassed the council would even consider such a thing as naming and shaming all those convicted of soliciting a prostitute in Vincent.
Just where do they plan on obtaining this information?
Who gives them the right to sit in judgement and denounce someone’s character?
Maybe the mayor wouldn’t be quite so keen if it were drink-drivers being named and shamed?
Debbie Saunders
Oxford St, Leederville
The Ed says: Not sure you’re making your point there, Debbie, seeing as the mayor’s stumbles with drinking and driving are indeed well publicised. The kerb-crawlers’ information is already publicly available, it’s just no-one bothers to collect and publish it from the court.

They’re both winners
WIN or lose come September, already well-heeled Julia and Kevin will win.
Little imagination needed to see their best-selling autobiographies on offer for the festive season.
Biographies, too. Can you hear the squeaking quills of furious scribblers—the clichés and venom pouring from illiterate ousted MPs?
Hold on. Fences have been jumped. Has gutsy Julia won through this week?
Ron Willis
First Ave, Mount Lawley

Seeking Robert Robson
I AM looking for the descendants of Robert Edward Challoner RobsopPRn, born in Morpeth in 1904, emigrated on the Ballarat in 1828 and I believe died in Fremantle in 1956.
I am assisting in making the family tree and extending it to Australia would be wonderful.
Could this letter be printed with my e-mail address please?
Jim Robson
(nephew of the above and son of Ernest who was ‘Ted’s’ younger brother.)
Morpeth, Northumberland UK
jimrobson462@yahoo.com