Perth Voice Interactive

Barnett mirrors Brisbane mistake
DO not destroy a good council. The question needs to be asked—when Brisbane is in the process of de-amalgamating its gigantic council because being  too large has been a failure,  just why is WA hell-bent on making the same mistakes?
Bigger councils have been shown to breed corruption—look at the histories of Cockburn, Wanneroo and Stirling councils for example, because such large-size councils are too difficult for ratepayers to monitor what goes on internally and local voices get crushed.
The ideal population for effective running of councils is up to 60,000. Vincent council has shown that it can be successful in its decision-making because its councillors are able to be easily contacted and its ratepayers’ voices can be heard.
They can have their three-minute say at council meetings. In Vincent there still exists a community spirit where ratepayers know their neighbours and people are happier.
Democracy is still alive.
This does not happen at Perth city council fora—you have to write in in advance to council fora and hold your hand up. You may or may not have your voice heard. Larger councils do not behave like a third tier of government, when their purpose for existence is actually to listen to the people they are elected to represent.  Instead they become self-service entities. Merging councils does not mean better benefits or services for the public.
My submission to the WA local government advisory board two years ago pointed all this out—whatever has happened to logic and common sense in WA?
Marie Slyth
Carr St, West Perth

Squeeze solution
SURELY the problem with the parking on Chelmsford Road (Voice, October 12, 2013) is due to the ineffective layout of parking bays, and not use of the road to park by Bikram Yoga clients (who, cartoonist Chatfield may like to know, do not include the “downward dog” posture).
Because there are bays marked out directly opposite each other on both sides of the street, the inability to pass easily between parked cars would exist whenever the street is full of cars, irrespective of who they belonged to.
Even if there are only two cars parked on the entire street at any one time, if those cars were parked directly opposite each other, as the current ayout allows, it would still be difficult for anything other than a small hatchback to pass easily between them.
One solution could be to dispense with the bays entirely down one side of the street, leaving parking only on the other side. This would allow two cars’ width down the street for passing at all times. Alternatively, restrict one side to one-hour parking between business hours and leave the other as it is.
Emma Bell
Brady St, Mt Hawthorn

More than a battle of Wills
IN Willox v Wills (Voice, October 12, 2013) a blind eye is turned to the fourth candidate striving to secure the vacant Mt Lawley seat on Stirling council.
Ironically, Zlato Petrovski, married with three children, seems to be the more down-to-earth of the bunch. Bromide for a blind i: never trust a man with a beard, or a man without a beard.
Yours ’till death…,
Aloysius Pepper (Sgt. Ret.)
Clotilde St, Mt Lawley

It’s Montaut for me
OVER the past five years or so I have had the occasion to walk about 100m down William Street from my home to visit John Hyde’s offices.
A lot of thought went into that walk, perhaps because I was seeking help from a Labor MP and I felt I had to tell him where I stood in my political beliefs.
But having crossed that threshold when John was mayor of Vincent I knew I was in good hands and dealing with a great person: No fuss, and a straight shooter.
When I met Katrina Montaut, John’s personal assistant, I got a taste of how things are done and how things get done.
I was waiting months for departmental approvals that were resolved in days by Katrina’s assistance.
Katrina is very bright and sociable; a dynamo of power and ability and drives the message straight home.
It’s not about which political party you belong to here, it’s who is best for the job, and this responsibility is for an important public and social job.
It is about time that we had a few more Katrinas in this world.
Don’t go past this lady without considering her experience and ability to serve us as our own personal assistant in local government, as a Vincent city councillor for south ward.
Anthony J Casella
Ruth St, Pert
The Ed says: This letter has been slashed for length.

Don’t come a mocking when I’m a knocking
I WOULD like to respond to former Vincent deputy mayor Ian Ker (“Stuff Perth,” Voice Mail, October 12, 2013).
Ker mocks Perth councillors for not doorknocking. During my campaign as a candidate for Perth city council I have stood on the doorsteps of hundreds of residents throughout East Perth, West Perth, Northbridge and the CBD. Many readers of the Voice would have spoken with me at their door over the past month from Terrace Rd to Malcolm St, Mount St to Goderich St, Aberdeen St to Bennett St and right across the city.
Unlike most of Vincent, the majority of Perth residents live in secure apartment complexes where sometimes even letterboxes are out of reach. This makes door-knocking difficult, even for the most willing campaigner. As a result, I’ve paid for the postage of around 11,000 direct letters and have been on the phone day after day discussing issues and encouraging people to vote.
As a resident of the city, and someone eager to see our community grow, I look forward to an increase in Perth’s residential population. Ker shouldn’t be so flippant in his remarks when there are candidates putting in hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars to engage with voters.
Reece Harley
Mount St, West Perth