Credit:Illustration: Andrew Dyson
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WILDLIFE
Seeking a humane way to control possums
My home used to be surrounded by large trees that hosted king parrots, yellow-tailed black cockatoos, lorikeets, magpies, butcher birds etc. A pair of tawny frogmouths (and their young) slept every summer day on the same branch, hidden in the thick foliage of the camphor laurel. It was such a delight. I also had a possum, which ran noisily over the roof at night.
Fast-forward 20 years and we see a nightly onslaught of several brushtail and ringedtail possums (pictured) that have steadily eaten every single leaf and snapped off every budding branch of the laurel. That large tree is now dead and the frogmouths roost elsewhere. It will cost thousands of dollars to have the tree removed safely.
My beautiful liquid amber – the same story. Every tree or bush above fence height has been utterly destroyed by possums. I can no longer grow herbs or fruit and vegetables. Every day my driveway and deck is covered in fresh possum poo, which inevitably gets walked inside my home.
The possums scratch and tear at my weatherboard house every night until they finally break in, only to die later in the ceiling. It is an expensive nightmare. Repellents do not work and relocating the possums is a waste of time as more just take their place.
Kangaroos are culled when they become a costly nuisance. Flying foxes in the Royal Botanic Gardens were moved away. Why can’t the councils implement a humane, contraceptive biological-control for these city-based pests?
Julie Christensen, Blackburn North
Shame of being the ’extinction continent capital’
Re “Alarm as extinction looms for the greater glider” (The Age, 6/7). The federal government will provide $1.69million to install artificial tree hollows and revegetation to help arrest the decline of the greater glider. This is a Band-Aid on a severed limb.
Federal Labor needs to work with the states to end logging in old-growth forests and other forest habitats of the greater glider. The Victorian government needs to step in and stop the logging occurring in the Wombat State Forest. It also needs to disband VicForests, which has demonstrated time and time again that it has no desire to abide by forestry regulations, preferring instead to emulate the forestry model of early last century.
Too much Australian wildlife has become extinct since colonisation and we need to stop being the “extinction continent capital”.
Rohan Wightman, McKenzie Hill
The joy of seeing a magnificent glider in flight
It is a relief, at last, that the now endangered southern greater glider will receive some protection. Let us hope it is not too late. As Australian National University ecologist David Lindenmayer says: “It used to be one of the most common species that you would see if you went surveying or spotlighting 30 years ago.“
My late husband and I were two of those people who were lucky enough to see these beautiful animals while we were camping in Victoria’s eastern forests. To see a glider in flight is a heart-stopping moment and anything that can be done to save this magnificent species is to be applauded.
Cecily Falkingham, naturalist, Donvale
End the destruction of Victoria’s native forests
It is commendable for the federal government to provide some extra money for nest boxes that will assist in the survival of the greater glider, now faced with extinction. More importantly, it could also urgently request the Andrews government to stop logging native forests where natural tree hollows, that are so vital for much of our wildlife, were once prevalent.
Trevor Speirs, Trentham
List of extinct animals and plants continues to grow
What would Joni Mitchell think as we raze paradise and put up a nesting box? More than 1700 species of animals and plants are listed by the Australian government as being at risk but we still raze our forests. Let’s hope Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek can step in because, as Mitchell sang, “You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone.“
Ray Peck, Hawthorn
THE FORUM
Hard time for patients …
Michael Gamble (Letters, 6/7) has the advantage of me. His medical clinic advised him that it would no longer offer concessions for age pensioners.
My first advice of the change was when a bill arrived on my phone before I got home from my consultation on Tuesday. I suspect the clinic involved in both cases is the same one. To be fair, it did knock the bill down somewhat after conceding I had not been informed. The Medicare rebate is now less than half of the cost of a consultation. Tough times indeed.
Peter van Elden, Highton
…and for our doctors
While it is convenient to accuse GPs of being greedy for refusing to bulk bill clients, the reality is that the Medicare rebate for GP visits has been frozen since 2014.
However, the costs of running a medical practice have continued to increase. The result of this freeze has been that fewer doctors are interested in pursuing a career in general practice, which has led to a shortage of GPs, particularly in regional areas.
Urgent attention needs to be focussed on addressing the GP shortage, the first step being to increase the Medicare rebate for visits to a realistic level.
James Proctor, Maiden Gully
Putting kids first, always
One can only agree with the proposition that children should be at the centre of all policy, whether it is access to affordable, safe housing, nutritious food, education or childcare (Comment, 6/7).
Structural problems within the health, education and justice system are also exacerbating unequal outcomes for too many children. However, when it comes to the greatest threat of all – catastrophic climate change – we have completely dropped the ball in providing our children with a safe future.
Brenda Tait, Kew
Ease path for home buyers
My husband and I were lucky enough to enter the housing market in the 1970s through the Victorian government’s Housing Cooperative program.
It was a win-win for all. The government got its money back and families could purchase a home at a low interest rate, which paid for coordination and administration. Surely a model like this could be used again to help address our current housing and rental crisis.
Jan Barrett, Stratford
Did you ring your bell?
I am in my 70s, am fit and healthy, and enjoy brisk walking in our neighbourhood parks. I have an annual hearing check which I pass easily, although the top frequencies are now gone, as is the case with many in my age group.
I cannot hear a single “ding” of the high-frequency tone of most modern bicycle bells. Cyclists need to ensure that their presence is known to any folk they pass on shared pathways. I have the right to have safe and pleasant exercise opportunities. Legislation about the tone of bells and monitoring of cyclist behaviour is needed.
Carmel McNaught, Balwyn North
Turn the muzak down
Re “Hounded out of the ’G” (Letters, 4/7). Being bombarded by music now happens everywhere. If you are hearing affected, it is almost impossible to have a meaningful conversation over a meal at a pub where overly loud muzak prevails.
David Phillips, Campbellfield
Hit the US where it hurts
Thoughts and prayers, Chicago. Thoughts and prayers, the United States. That is all they can do. But maybe we can help change that.
Let us refuse to travel to the US until they change their facile interpretation of the Second Amendment of their outdated constitution. Perhaps the hit to their hip-pocket will wake them up.
Michael Harrison, Blackburn
Where money should go
By what authority has Anthony Albanese promised another $100million of our tax revenue (The Age, 6/7), on top of the previous $280 million, to Ukraine?
Our gross debt is expected to climb beyond $1trillion within two years (The Age, 25/6), people are homeless and flood victims cannot get adequate help. Our involvement in Afghanistan (which was an illegal, unprovoked war of aggression) has led to societal destruction with children starving.
Why is there no money for our people or those we have damaged but there is a spare $380million to finance slaughter in Ukraine and enrich the American military-industrial complex?
David Corbett, Albury
A need for consistency
If we want players to change their behaviour in tennis, first start with some consistent umpiring and rule implementation. Would I want my children to watch Stefanos Tsitsipas throw a toddler tantrum on the court? Absolutely not. Clean up the game once and for all.
Bridget Folbigg, Lake Gardens
Off to the tennis sin bin
Rude and unsportsmanlike tennis players like Nick Kyrgios would be stopped in their tracks if the “sin bin” concept were introduced into the sport. An incident of abusing an umpire, spitting at a spectator, smashing a racquet etc would result in the offender being sent from the court for one minute.
Meanwhile, the opponent would go on playing, serving ace after ace after ace. The message would soon get through that tennis is not a sport for spoiled brats.
Mike Puleston, Brunswick
Making sense of Kyrgios
It is not clear whether Nick Kyrgios’ behaviour on court is a result of his immaturity, lack of emotional intelligence, a type of gamesmanship used to unsettle his opponents, or just bad sportsmanship.
Whatever the reason, the All England Tennis Club which makes the rules should change them and make the on-court, and financial, penalties much more severe. Or do these officials secretly like the publicity it brings, however bad, to the game?
Tony Healy, Balwyn North
Destitute and homeless
The most concerning aspect of Southern Cross Station is the number of homeless men and women there, young and old. Unlike the homeless in the centre of the city, these people are not warmly dressed and some are draped in worn blankets and barefoot. They all appear to be truly destitute, in desperate need of sustained support.
Elizabeth Douglas, Melbourne
More people-friendly city
Urban planner Thami Croeser (Comment, 2/7) suggests creating pedestrian precincts in the city’s “Little” streets. This would be more invigorating than having one central mall in Bourke Street which has few open air cafes or restaurants. It is merely a tram and pedestrian thoroughfare, hardly conducive to lingering.
As a trade-off, the City of Melbourne could consider re-opening Swanston Street to traffic to make access north/south of the city easier to reach. Croeser’s idea – which would, hopefully, create more people-friendly destinations and intimate food and beverage outlets – is worthy of public debate.
Tony Michaels, Castlemaine
The joy of Just William
Thank you, Jane Sullivan for acknowledging the centenary of the publication of the first William book (Spectrum, 2/7). Richmal Crompton’s stories, precisely illustrated by Thomas Henry, have stood the test of time and will delight many future generations to come, young and old.
Margaret Beer, Glen Waverley
VicRoads mistake
So the state government is selling off VicRoads’ licensing and registration business to private interests (The Age, 2/7). This is not in the public interest and, just like electricity and gas, will surely lead to higher prices and lower standards.
Worse still, it could also lead to even more bad drivers (and unsafe vehicles) on our roads, through less stringent licence testing and registration inspection. Dan Andrews, this is not the way to achieve the Traffic Accident Commission’s Towards road toll.
Ross Weetman, Elwood
Masks gone forever
There is a very simple reason why there will not be another mask mandate. So many people will refuse to wear masks, and then many of those who do wear them will complain that the government is not serious in enforcing the mandate, something which would be practically impossible anyway. Either way, the government loses.
Terry Bourke, Newtown
The same old image, again
The need for the ABC’s archivists, who are apparently being discarded, is not only for proper storage of opera classics – “Opera great bids to recover legacy from ABC” (The Age, 6/7).
It is also (inter alia) for variety in the images used in news and current affairs programs. For example, I am over the same grey roofs that are used to illustrate the housing and rent crises.
Megan Stoyles, Aireys Inlet
Get the terms right, please
Oh dear, DH (cryptic crossword, 5/7). People from the Arctic regions consider “eskimo” to be a derogatory term. Inuit and Yupik are the accepted names of Arctic dwellers.
Carolyn Reynolds, Lake Boga
Bring Assange home
Julian Assange is a journalist who gave us the truth about the misdeeds of our, and other, governments. During the Iraq war, atrocities were committed by the United State against innocent citizens.
In 1968, journalists reported that American troops had massacred innocent unarmed villagers in South Vietnam and the tried to cover it up. We did not jail and psychologically torture these journalists, so why are we allowing this to happen to Assange?
Bring him home. He is an Australian citizen and our government needs to tell the US to back off. It is wrong to pursue him.
Linda George, Fitzroy North
A plea for the roll-ups
Neither my dog nor I like your flat–pack newspapers. He can’t pick them up and so misses out on his morning treat for fetching. I don’t like them as I now have to walk (with the aid of a stick) from my rear unit and then somehow manage to pick the paper up without falling.
Graeme Russell, Eltham
AND ANOTHER THING
Victoria
I checked if Bertie Wooster was in the Athenaeum Club, but he must have been attending Aunt Agatha.
Peter Deerson, Mornington
Gentlemen-only clubs: One of the remaining areas of disrespect towards women.
Patrick McGrath, Riddells Creek
My freedom to choose whether to wear a mask, and to drive on the left or right side of the road.
John Hughes, Mentone
It’s nice to see that Kennett can finally plead ignorance for his many deleterious actions (5/7).
Bill Pell, Emerald
Life matters
It’s a form of elder abuse to threaten the 90-year-old ABC with cuts to its essential staff of librarians and archivists.
Chris Durie, Hawthorn East
The ABC’s birthday celebrations on TV and radio highlighted the skills of its archivists.
Sarah Russell, Mount Martha
What do you call a group of people doing Wordle? An Astle.
Penelope Jones, Hawthorn East
I admire Ecclestone’s bravery in pledging to take a bullet for Putin. But why stop at one?
David O’Reilly, Park Orchards
What Kyrgios has become to tennis, Killer Kowalski was to world championship wrestling. Kowalski was the better actor.
Winston Anderson, Mornington
Politics
Americans celebrating the Fourth of July had their day tainted by yet another “shooter”.
John Rawson, Mernda
Morrison started spot fires across the world. Albanese’s “grand tour” (6/7) was a fire-fighting mission.
Belinda Burke, Hawthorn
Is Dom Perrottet the real Labor Manchurian candidate?
Sean Geary, Southbank
When will taxpayers get a resources’ dividend? “Stop the steal” by resource companies for the benefit of Australians.
Denis Liubinas, Blairgowrie
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