Perth Voice Interactive

Legend(s) and myths

I HAVE just now found time to correct one or two ‘creative ideas’ that the dear Journo who did his best to remember what he gleaned from chatting to me on phone and writing about me in the Arts page re my wee cartoon exhibition at Amante Coffee Shop.

1:  No one has ever seen me wafting romantically around Freo with a yoga mat. I have done chi kung for about 40 years on n off and love Christiane McDougall’s Mat Pilates but use the mats provided. 

2: ‘Autumn years’ is a rather awful term. When are ‘winter years’. I would prefer ‘getting on a bit’.

3: I have trained in several complimentary therapies because I had CFS n got no help in other methods in those days. I only teach one of them (n serious astrology is my lifelong religion). I am not doing much at present due to at last recovering from coeliac relapse.

4 I have never used pencils to draw cartoons. Artlines n Apple pencils. 

5 I have sent in cartoons from several Australian cities and my hometown London over the years. No ‘getting into the swing of it’ on my returns. Drew and sent in work from  anywhere. I don’t know what is ‘spiky’ about me. Am I spiky for saying so? (Thinks…). Dogs n cats n kids like me. I like me too. Anyone else is a plus.

6: I worked as a receptionist/secretary in London, mainly in Camden Social Services and then moved to playleading in Abbey Road for Camden. No room here for my CV in Australia.

 7:  I am average ex-art student who gave up naive teenage ideals of free love many years before coming to Australia and never needed drugs or alcohol though I am frugal – so not  a ‘Bohemian’. Apart from that it was nice…

Ange

No more evictions!

I HAVE been a housing advocate for over 40 years, always with First Nations families. 

Because their land, children and wages were stolen, they have to rely on public housing and eviction policies affect them much more than other groups. 

In the Fremantle district, a young man who had been stolen and mistreated recently took his own life when he was evicted. 

Closing the Gap figures released yesterday show that WA has the highest rate of suicide of First Nations people in the whole of our nation.

Over the last few weeks, we have lost two beautiful mothers to suicide, leaving 13 children without the protection of their beloved mothers.

Housing instability including a prior eviction was the major factor in the terrible pathway toward despair. 

However an eviction is carried out, I believe Closing the Gap establishes that no First Nations family should be evicted and that alternatives can be found.

Dr Betsy Buchanan OAM
Stop Evicting Families

Integrity!

ONE of the many reasons I decided to run as a community independent was my absolute dismay at the lack of integrity and honesty in our political system. 

Last year, I reached the point where I simply could not accept that we can’t do things any better – that our politics couldn’t be any more positive, ambitious or transparent.

I believe that we are decent people, and we deserve to be treated with decency and respect by our elected representatives. 

However, this is not the experience so many of us are having – in fact it often feels that the Labor government treats us with disdain. 

They don’t listen to us, and we have to plead for better outcomes. 

This has left so many of us feeling completely excluded from, and exhausted by, politics. 

Perhaps this is the point?

Case in point is the tête-à-tête in which housing minister John Carey and I are currently engaged regarding no-grounds evictions in public housing.

Mr Carey took the time to send a letter to this paper in response to my housing policy announcement, refuting my figures about the number of families that his government has evicted from public housing. 

I welcome Mr Carey’s engagement on this, but his assertion that I am ‘uninformed’ is a perfect example of Labor’s disregard of us.

He writes as if I haven’t been consulting experts, industry workers, and those with lived experience – or the stats available online, for that matter, which you can check yourself.

I can’t tell if this is delusion, ineptitude, disregard, or a systemic underestimation of you and me – perhaps an assumption that you won’t believe your own eyes, but if ‘The Minister’ says it, you’ll take it as true.

If you’re the person in charge, representing the government in power, you are of course motivated to provide the people you govern with good news, and good results. 

But the truth is more important than good news. 

The truth is vital to help us make better decisions and deliver better outcomes. 

It should underpin everything a government does – from making policy on housing to gas, from education to health.

One of the key issues raised by the people of Fremantle is the lack of integrity in politics. 

I will put integrity at the heart of how I engage with the community – focussing on honesty, openness and transparency.

I expect there to be many more digs at my credibility and intelligence over the next four weeks – but just because you have the loudest voice, doesn’t mean what you’re saying is credible or intelligent.

Kate Hulett
Independent Community
Candidate
Fremantle

Unkempt

ROEL LOOPERS recently described my part of town as run down. 

I would prefer the term unkept. 

Council staff rarely venture this side of Parry Street despite requests. 

We even have a tree growing out of a footpath on the walking route to the Arts Centre. 

If it’s not drug paraphernalia, be assured dog poo bags, illegally dumped hard rubbish, or cigarette butts from Centrelink staff or clients could stray your way. 

Roel, and others, suggest more high rise, but honestly 2x2x1s don’t tend to attract the tenancies that invest in their future environment. 

They attract the “here for a good time, not a long time” type. 

Roel, happy to shout you a beverage and show you around my end of town. 

Name withheld by request.