Perth Voice Interactive

Delusions undermine our identity
NO doubt there were  thousands of Australians proudly wearing gold and green and proclaiming their “Australianess” during the recent holiday weekend. For most it is just jingoism.
They will delude themselves into thinking they have the attributes so admired in members of the Australian defence forces for more than a hundred years. They may also imagine themselves as the laconic, independent and resourceful people who settled and developed the culture, towns and industries in the interior of Australia.
Sadly this is not the case. When they returned to work their heads will have been buried in an electronic device to locate the best bargains for the paraphernalia to celebrate the blatant retail commercial celebration, Halloween. This will allow them to imitate the cultural customs of the US, the culture they so willingly crave and adopt.
Halloween is an ancient Celtic celebration, Samhain. It marked the beginning of the winter, or dark half of the year. The day before Samhain is the last day of summer, and the day after Samhain is the first day of winter.  To celebrate in Australia—doh!
Halloween was seen by corporate USA and pumpkin growers as a way to herd the sheep into department stores, supermarkets, novelty stores and any other place where Halloween paraphernalia could be sold. It also has morphed to allow teenage delinquents to intimidate and terrorise elderly residents at night.
This American custom seems to have been introduced into Australia in the late 1960s by homesick draft dodgers from the US. It has had a second boost from the people from the US working in Australia to exploit our resources and have a fervent belief that the world would be a better place if everyone embraced the culture of the US. Roll on the National Rifle Association.
John Stickle
Robinson Tce, Daglish

Western hypocrisy
THE British criticise China for denying a future Hong Kong a chief executive chosen by popular vote when it has a popularly unelected majority party leader installed by royal assent as prime minister, the same as us. Hypocrisy? Ubetcha!
Gordon Westwood
Coode St, Maylands 

It’s verging on a great idea
I COMMEND the City of Vincent on two excellent initiatives. One is the “adopt a verge” program which has seen water-hungry verges transformed with native plants and mulch.
The other is its participation and promotion of Sustainable House Day where I took the opportunity to visit two amazing houses at 13 Union Street, North Perth and 31 Brentham Street, Mt Hawthorn. Well done to all those at the city, involved in these projects.
The Vincent community needs to take the lead from these projects and implement sustainability in all its forms because we still have a long way to go to become a “one planet” community.
For example, the new owners of the house next to me have removed every tree, shrub and plant from the native garden the previous owners had lovingly created over 15 years. Grass and introduced species now grow in their place. Multi-unit developments on nearby Charles and Vincent Streets have similarly seen every living thing removed and replaced with hard surfaces from boundary to boundary.
I could accept this type of development, as we need to cater for the growing population, but there is no evidence of environmental sustainability initiatives which should now be common place.
Education is great and may result in some property owners adopting a sustainable approach but to make a meaningful difference the government needs to mandate and enforce such measures through a carrot-and-stick approach.
Andrew Main
Alfonso St, North Perth

Get real, Australia
DOES anyone seriously believe any law, edict or threat is going to stop Australian citizens or residents travelling overseas to defend their families, relatives or their honour even if it means they perish in the process?
Keep dreaming Australia. In the meantime whilst the Australian government is providing humanitarian aid and running weapons and ammunition to the Kurds, it can fly past and do a drop to the Palestinians and Ukrainian separatists with similar needs and identical aspirations.
George Bouzidis
Third Ave, Mount Lawley

Don’t blow it!
WA has a lot to lose if the federal government slashes the national renewable energy target (RET), following the recommendations of a review by former Caltex chair Dick Warburton.
Despite the review concluding the RET was working effectively and that reducing the target would result in higher prices to consumers, it still recommended slashing the target.
If the federal government goes down this path, it will be much harder for mums, dads and small businesses to install solar power and solar hot water systems to help reduce their power bills.
Not only that, but more than 1100 Western Australian solar jobs and dozens of local solar businesses would also be at risk if the policy is cut. Billions of dollars in investment will be created if the RET is left alone, generating jobs, providing work for contracting businesses and solar installers.
Australians want a solar future, so Tony Abbott, let’s not blow it.
Kane Thornton
Acting Chief Executive
Clean Energy Council

Who will speak for the trees?
ALL hail tree climber Ray Boyle (Voice, September 13, 2014).
Our anti-environment premier Colin Barnett has done a pressured U-turn on sharks.
How long before His Stubborness will see the urgent need to help further restore the balance of nature and set up a state watchdog for trees.
Spare a thought, Mr Barnett, for our grandchildren’s global legacy.  We can be saved. There’s a positive side to everyone. Even you, Mr Barnett.
Ron Willis
First Ave, Mount Lawley