Perth Voice Interactive

His body, his choice, we’re sorry
ON Tuesday September 8, 2015 I agreed to have my picture taken for an article in the Perth Voice (“Give a little love to Baysie,” September 12, 2015).
When I agreed to have my photograph taken it was with the understanding that a picture of my likeness and representative of who I am would be printed.
The picture used by the Voice was doctored, resulting in my head being placed on another person’s body.  I find this image highly offensive and extremely disrespectful. The picture is not representative of who I am, damages my reputation and image, mocks me as a person, and undermines what myself and the Baysie Rollers are trying to achieve.
At no time was there any indication from the Voice that the photo would be doctored, nor did the Voice have my permission to manipulate the image.
Michael Freeburn
Perth

All about love
A CHILD has been proven to grow up normally and happily if love, care and his needs were provided for by any one.
Barack Obama grew up without father and yet he became president of super power USA in spite of being black.
Research has shown most adopted children, after meeting their biological parents, don’t want to go back to them, simply because they found unconditional love from those who’d adopted them.
Christians cannot deny that the greatest man who ever walked the Earth, Jesus, didn’t have a biological father either.
The only way a child can be  psychologically affected is when society stigmatises them to be abnormal and labels them to be freak, especially in schools where children copy their bigoted parents.
So we have to educate kids and stand up against bigoted and people of religious fundamentalism who stigmatise and label these children, not only of gay parents but also those of  single parents or children born out of wedlock not knowing who the father is.
Let’s allow the modern and tolerant 21st century to take its course and say goodbye to homophobia and the dark ages.
Alex Mulla
Smith St, Highgate

Apathy alarm
PEOPLE may be alarmed to know that only around 25 per cent of eligible voters exercised their democratic right and voted in the last local government election.
One would have to question if this is getting the best candidates to represent the community in this important tier of government. As a candidate in Bayswater’s north ward I am hoping to see a lot higher voting levels on October 17.
It is said countries have gone to war for democracy, including the right to vote, so why is there this apathy about local politics? I would urge people not to waste the opportunity to be part of shaping their community at a grass-roots level. Don’t waste your vote, get it in the post.
Jacquie Kelly
Hill St, Bayswater
Editor’s note: Now we’re in election mode, we want all letters about council issues to contain full contact details so we can weed out the trolls.

You should have checked
I WAS very concerned to read the letter published in the Perth Voice (September 5, 2015) from Debbie Saunders.
The letter sought to question the integrity of Mayor John Carey with series of unsubstantiated claims relating to the employment of CEO Len Kosova.
If allegations are to be published, the paper must first require some proof and also offer an immediate right of reply to the injured parties.
From what I know of the council’s operation under Mayor John Carey and the employment of CEO Len Kosova, I do not believe there is any substance to these allegations and I consider the paper owes both the Mayor and CEO an immediate apology for publishing this letter.
Sally Lake
Chatsworth Rd, Highgate
The Ed says: We thought it was a fairly inocuous claim that frankly reflected more on the author for making it but in hindsight, especially given the febrile atmosphere regarding public trust in elected members, we acknowledge we shouldn’t have let it go to print without checking. We’ve spoken to the mayor about it and last week published responses from both Mr Carey and Mr Kosova.

Laws clearly not for the birds
MOTORISTS have been warned about swans with cygnets crossing roads.
There are no warnings or penalties, however, for rogue developers and rogue authorities who savage trees during the nesting season. BirdLife Australia warns that our common birds will soon be rare.
Daylight hours on Tuesday of this week were a nightmare for the local birds of Mt Lawley, mindless destruction being relentless. While we can, we should laugh along with our kookaburras They might soon be history.
Ron Willis
First Ave, Mt Lawley