Letters To The Editor - March 15, 2018

A historical perspective on Alcoa freehold land

Dear Editor,

In the midst of the Alcoa land debate it is with interest that I note that Alcoa’s Freehold Concept Master Plan includes a residential area that was once where houses stood.

This small area of Alcoa freehold land being allocated for housing is where some of the early Swampy Creek (as Anglesea was then called) houses were built.

Norsewood, with its beautiful return verandah, was the first substantial house to be built in Anglesea.

Built in 1885 by Emile Sichlau, it stood almost opposite the present school. Sichlau ran a poultry farm raising American Bronze Turkeys and had an orchard.

Unfortunately, this beautiful old home was burnt down in the 1919 fires.

Just up the hill from Norsewood was once a saw-mill and houses for the workers.

This mill and accommodation was built just after World War I, to provide employment for return soldiers. The remains of their gardens can still be seen there today. A little further up Camp Road was a hostel for single men working at the Pine Plantation.

As a historian, I note with interest that Alcoa plans to return some of this area to its earlier use.

In the 1960s, Alcoa purchased this freehold land and the adjoining dairy farm to act as a buffer zone between the power station and town.

They encouraged the farm area to return to natural bush. Now that the power station has closed the buffer is no longer required. I pose the question – Is it time for part of the land to return to its former use?

If anyone would like to know more about the history of this land, the Anglesea Historical Society has documented research by Keith Cecil and by Lindsay Braden.

Jan Morris
President, Anglesea & District Historical Society

No need to shoot ducks in 2018

Dear Editor,

It shouldn’t be like this! It’s 2018! And here we have duck shooters allowed to continue their barbaric and unnecessary slaughter of our wildlife.

For years millions of our rare and common, indigenous and introduced birds have been shot dead without a second thought; shooters have been reported firing into the air mindlessly at any bird they see, not even knowing if the bird they shot was under protection.

Some shooters would even willingly fire at birds knowing that they are under special protection, because the only thing that matters to them is the thrill of this so-called “sport”. This behaviour shouldn’t be allowed, it needs to end. Ban duck shooting.

Okami, 15
Ocean Grove

The flag knows it’s time

Dear Editor,

John (“Rainbow rant”, Letters, March 8), how much time do you need to heal?

Looking at the flag that has been flying for well past the “promised” time it is now dirty and ragged even the flag knows it’s time.

It’s time that you harden up a little.

LGBTIQ have been given their wish, which I helped with my vote, so please move on. Everyone I talk to is over it.

You have had a flag pole and flag paid for by the ratepayers. The ratepayers were not informed about all this before the flag went up.

Alan Dell
Torquay

De Witt wrong, and offensive

Dear Editor,

John De Witt’s allegation that I discriminate against people from the LGBTIQ+ community (“Rainbow rant”, Letters, March 8) is plainly wrong and extremely offensive.

In my professions of medicine and law, as a councillor and as a citizen, I treat everyone equally.

I have worked closely with the LGBTIQ+ community to develop specific health services.

I flew the rainbow flag at home for months in support of marriage equality.

However, I distinguish between my professional and private actions, and my responsibilities as a councillor.

In 2017, Council raised the rainbow flag in general support of the LGBTIQ+ community.

I supported that compromise in preference to Council making a political statement about marriage equality, which in my view would have been completely inappropriate.

Many residents have inquired when the flag will be lowered, not because they discriminate against the LGBTIQ+ community but because they believe it illogical for the shire to fly a flag indefinitely in support of that or any other group.

Surprisingly, the issue was not addressed in the shire’s proposed flag policy, presented to council in February.

Councillors unanimously supported my request for a report at the March council meeting on the future of the flag.

I sympathise deeply with people who have experienced discrimination, but they do not have a licence to hurl insults at me in my role as a councillor when there is not a shred of evidence that my actions are discriminatory.

In the meantime, I will continue to work hard as a councillor, on council-related matters.

I invite all residents to attend a forum to be held by the Victorian Farmers Federation on rural roads, at 7.30pm on Thursday March 15 at the Mt Moriac Hotel.

I am a strong advocate for better rural roads and I will be the guest speaker at the forum.

Cr Heather Wellington
Surf Coast Shire

Dogs disturb on a number of fronts

Dear Editor,

Yet more dog attacks and maulings in the news!

It’s going to happen in Torquay with the irresponsible, blatantly unconcerned attitudes from dog owners/beach walkers on Torquay beaches and surrounds.

Within an hour of sitting to enjoy beach time on Sunday March 4, I was accosted and attacked four times by wildly loose uncontrolled dogs.

The final straw was when I came up from a swim to find a large labrador on my belongings with its head in my basket.

I called to the owner to do something and was met with a tirade of foul abuse and told to “Piss off!”.

I’d already had a very aggressive one-finger salute from a set of owners whose collie dogs attacked me earlier.

This signifies so many dog owners who are dominating our area and clearly are those leaving dog droppings scattered all along walkways and beach fronts.

When will the authorities do something?

Where are the rangers who are supposedly in control?

I’ve written to Surf Coast Shire but never received an answer.

Concerned resident
Address supplied

Flipchart for servo operators

Dear Editor,

Local service stations are about to receive a free resource that will help them to protect the environment and public safety in this community.

The Underground Petroleum Storage System (UPSS) Flipchart from Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) is a handy guide with practical information to help service station operators and staff to prevent and manage leaks, spills and other hazards, often with simple actions that fit easily into their daily routine.

The UPSS Flipchart includes:

Safety check lists
Emergency contacts
Technical and maintenance information
Procedures for dealing with spills and leaks
Easy to read guidance on their legal requirements

There’s even a section on what to do with waste tyres, old car batteries and used sump oil – things you can’t just throw in the bin.

The UPSS Flipchart is going out to 1,400 service stations across Victoria this week, and it’s available for download by visiting the EPA website and searching for “UPSS flipchart”.

Chris Webb
Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA)

Time for shire to get active in April

Dear Editor,

The Surf Coast Shire is once again warming up to get active through the Premier’s Active April challenge, which celebrates its 10-year anniversary this year.

I encourage all locals to spring into action and sign up for Active April. It’s a fun and free way to increase our activity and get healthy, and there are some great special offers and prizes.

Everyone should enjoy the benefits of a healthy and active lifestyle, but research shows this is not the case. More than 50 per cent of Victorian adults fail to meet the recommended levels of physical activity, while 80 per cent of children don’t exercise enough.

The Premier’s Active April is a great place to start – It’s as easy as taking the stairs, walking the kids to school or getting out in the garden.

This year’s campaign is encouraging Victorians of all ages and abilities to register and call on their pets as a fun and easy way to increase levels of physical activity.

A new personalised “My Local” feature on the website will be introduced to help people in the Surf Coast Shire find local activities, events and offers within the community.

Active April is also a great way for workplaces to boost morale around the office, and workplace teams are encouraged to apply.

In 2017, we had more than 420 people from the Surf Coast Shire participate and we are aiming to beat that number in 2018.

With so many great opportunities across the Shire to get moving and meet new people, signing up to Active April will be a healthy change you won’t regret.

To register, visit activeapril.vic.gov.au or follow the campaign on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Registrations are open until April 30.

Gayle Tierney MP
Member for Western Victoria

Road duplication issues need hearing

Dear Editor,

A couple of weeks ago, I attended a meeting to discuss plans being prepared for the duplication of the Midland Highway from Geelong to Bannockburn.

Currently, the route preferred by VicRoads is a duplication of the current road through the centre of Batesford.

That road is narrow and noisy given the use of air brakes by big trucks to manage the steep descent of the road. Heavy acceleration is then required to get up the other side.

The area is also home to sensitive parkland.

Having heard the concerns of Batesford residents, I took the matter to the Victorian Parliament.

I have asked the Minister for Roads and Road Safety, Luke Donnellan, to advise VicRoads to consider other options for the road duplication, including Option 5 – a northern bypass of Batesford.

In essence, locals want the duplication away from the centre of their town.

In raising the matter, I was not prescriptive about what route should be considered and suggested the Minister shouldn’t be either in his instructions to VicRoads.

I think the Minister will find listening to locals a worthy thing to do – even if he does refer to country Victorians as “dingbats”.

Simon Ramsay MP
Assistant Shadow Minister for Agriculture