Perth Voice Interactive

Mark Rossi: litter cop
I WOULD like to put into context your article, “Caught in the act” (Voice, October 3, 2015).
Vincent’s own webpage on litter control advises the posting of publicity material is prohibited in a public place, with an associated fine of up to $10,000. Section 24A of the Litter Act states, “Any person who leaves or posts a bill on any building, fence, furniture, pillar, post, screen, tree, structure, wall or other object on or adjacent to a public place or vacant land commits an offence”.
Vincent’s returning officer also sent to all candidates, advice about by-laws for signage and posters, when we nominated.
Mr Loden’s prolific posters were illegally plastered on poles, bins, fences and other public infrastructure throughout the city, in apparent disregard of litter laws and amenity.
I’m very disappointed that Cr Harley and the Voice have apparently made my reaction, when just one offending flyer was removed from one light pole, the primary focus of the report. I feel the reporting of this incident has completely missed the point.
Mark Rossi
North ward candidate
Buxton St, Mount Hawthorn

Beware the odd cyclist
THE City of Vincent has devised its own inimitable solution to the problem of traffic congestion on our roads: it is reducing the four lanes of Scarborough Beach Road down to two, all the way from Oxford Street to Charles Street.
This cements its credentials as a “progressive” council because it ensures maximum inconvenience to the majority (the thousands of motorists who use this route regularly), while pandering to the minority (the handful of cyclists who may use it at some future date).
So drivers, don’t be seduced into admiring the delightful “promenade” effect created by the garden beds dug into the road — you will need all your wits to negotiate the single lane of traffic, allowing for crossing, merging, entering, and exiting cars, and maybe even the odd cyclist!
Marina Foster
Howlett St, North Perth

Public art an indulgence
I WAS very happy to read (Voice Mail, October 3, 2015) that Anne Christie understands that if I am elected to represent north ward on Bayswater council I will always prioritise those doing it tough over spending ratepayer funds on opulent art projects.
Serving a diverse community on local council is all about balancing spending priorities. I have put my name on the ballot paper because Bayswater needs a reality check.
How can anyone justify handing over ratepayer funds to a rent-seeking artist to pay homage to old planks of wood, while dismissing the idea of capping rate rises and rejecting the plan to give struggling seniors an extra rate discount?
Until rate rises are consistently kept in line with the rate of inflation, and when we can genuinely say we take care of our most vulnerable community members, such as pensioners on low fixed incomes, then applications for council funding of art projects would never gain my support.
Please remember that nothing is stopping a group of residents who feel so passionately about a particular project from fundraising the necessary amount privately.Regarding the costs of the failed local government merger, I would appreciate Anne’s insights into what should have happened from the City of Bayswater’s end; that council not spend a cent in preparation for a merger that was guaranteed by the state government to happen? Hindsight is a magnificent thing to use sitting on the sidelines.
Brent Fleeton
Rowlands St, Maylands

Fleeton fleeting with facts
IT is bemusing that Brent Fleeton keeps trotting out the same line that the timber art sculpture at the bottom of the Seventh Avenue Bridge is an example of council waste (Voice, September 29, 2015).
Worryingly, this is from someone who is actually employed as a researcher for Liberal MLC Peter Katsambanis.
Do some research Brent and get your boss to contact his Liberal colleague Dean Nalder, the WA transport minister, to air your concerns about financial waste and ineptitude.
Main Roads paid for the sculpture, not the City of Bayswater.
Cr Mike Anderton
Chambers Way, Noranda

No-Garden City motto
GREAT article about the candidates’ forum held at the Bayswater Bowling Club (Voice, October 3, 2015).
However, the most important information to come from the forum was the proposed method, as “articulated” by Mayor Albert, to get to the desired 30 per cent tree shade for the city — namely to plant more trees along the Swan River reserves and let developers clear-fell the suburbs in order to meet WA planning commission density orders.
As a town planner and founding member of the Bayswater Urban Tree Network, this vision for the city will be a social and environmental nightmare. The residents need a Garden City champion not a development industry apologist.
Greg Smith
Rose Ave, Bayswater