Perth Voice Interactive

Mindless
THERE is no doubt that staging a presumably very loud musical event in the micro space of a side lane in Oxford Street is rather absurd and mindless.
Particularly that, just across the street, a section of the huge carpark could have been made available, thereby giving more room to the fans and not upsetting the regulars of Oxford Street on their best night of the week.
This event certainly clashes with the remarkable spirit of relaxed idlers and the alcohol-free casual social intercourse promoted by A MacTiernan.
Frank Schenk
McDonald St, Osborne Park

I don’t want to see the light
I BELIEVE someone in the distant past told the people of Perth it is a good safety measure to turn on car lights while driving during the day.
I know some cars’ headlights are hard-wired to turn on automatically when the ignition is switched on.
I have to say I always thought the idea ridiculous—driving around in the blazing sun, with headlights on. In more recent climate change times I wondered how much heat, collectively, is being emitted.
To satisfy my thought, I wrote recently to the most senior member of the previous government’s climate change commission, which published its finding approximately seven years ago.
Yes, I was assured, daylight car headlights add to the heating of the planet.
JM Andrews
Second Ave, Inglewood

Remember the 10th for Tibet
MARCH 10 is a day which for Tibetans holds huge historical significance. It was on this fateful day, “March 10, 1959, that the Tibetan nation rose up against the communist Chinese aggression,” Dharma scholar and teacher, the venerable Geshe Jampel Senge, explained to people gathered at the Perth March 10 rally, held by the Tibet Action Group of WA (TAGWA).
“Tibetans from all walks of life made a beeline to Norbu Lingka, to protect their sovereign leader, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, who they feared was about to be kidnapped by the communists.
“The communists used brute force and massacred 87,000 Tibetans. It culminated in the flight of His Holiness the Dalai Lama into exile, followed by some 80,000 Tibetans. Today there are over 150,000 Tibetans spread across the globe. All of them will be remembering this dark day with immense sadness, while at the same time fired by patriotism for their lost nation.
“Despite the brutality and inhumanity they’ve suffered at the hands of Chinese dominance for more than half a century, Tibetans are more united and more determined than ever to restore their country to its rightful owners; that is, the Tibetan people.”
The gathering was told that since 2009, 137 people had burned themselves to death to bring attention to the suffering of the people of Tibet, the most recent—a 47-year-old nomad from Trotsuk village in Ngaba—dying the Sunday before this year’s anniversary.
“The situation in the whole of Tibet is so dire that Tibetans have no other means of expressing their misery than to burn themselves,” the venerable Geshe Jampel Senge said.
“The treatment of Tibetans in Tibet takes place with impunity and bears similarities to Nazi Germany’s Gestapo-style killing of Jews in WWII.”
As an act of protest, where no other form of protest is permitted, a violent act is being committed against the very nature of one’s own self-preservation; within a violently oppressed and occupied nation whose cultural foundations deplore committing harmful acts against all living beings. This is their only voice.
Des Hintz
Western Ave, High Wycombe
The Ed says: This letter has been edited for length.

Who can it be now?
WHO will be the next premier of WA?
The prospects are daunting when we reflect on Colin Barnett’s performance and that of his two immediate predecessors. Labor’s Alan Carpenter called a snap election only to be out-manoeuvred by the wily Barnett. Carpenter had taken over when Geoff Gallop resigned, citing depression, only to find a top job in the mysterious east. Our prospects of competent state government are not only daunting, but morale-sapping.
Charlie Benskin
Kingston St, Nedlands
The Ed says: Not sure what Gallop’s subsequent employment in academia has to do with his resignation from politics, Charlie.

Bring on the pensions review
OUR social services minister, Scott Morrison, suggests a triennial independent review of pensions and pension payments.
This is the most positive proposal made by the Abbott government. Assuming it is as effective as the independent tribunal which oversees parliamentary salaries, this idea will be welcomed by every Australian over 65, and will pass the senate without demure. Bring it on!
Rick Duley
Walcott St, North Perth