INJURED WILDLIFE
Dear editor,
While out walking recently in a Coolum street, I came across a badly injured young plover bird – with highly stressed parents hovering around. I thought the young bird was dead but then it moved its leg and was breathing heavily. I called WILVO’s (Wildlife Volunteers Association Inc) and waited there till they arrived. Once the Volunteer was there, the occupant of the house we were directly in front of, came out on to their verandah and told us the young bird had been hit by a car the day before and the parents had been very diligent in keeping an eye on it. The volunteer confirmed there was a definite issue with one wing and that the bird was in a bad state. As the dad was swooping us regularly doing all he could to protect his offspring and the mother was screaming loudly at us, I did not get the chance to speak further to the house occupant – but was aghast at the fact that the injured young bird had been in this state for some 24 hours and had been rained on fairly regularly during that period – although the mother had been doing her best to keep the young bird warm.
So, I want to share that if you see any injured animal, you can call the WILVO’s Emergency Hotline 24/7 – so anytime, any day – on 07 5441 6200 and one of Qld’s 300 volunteers will come to you immediately to retrieve the animal, hopefully to get it the medical attention it requires or to give it comfort until its last breath. Please put this phone number in your contacts list as you never know when you will need it. The last time I used this number was 20 years ago – but as it was still in my contacts, I was able to access it quickly this time. Simple steps to limit suffering.
Megan Knight,
Coolum Beach.
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ENVIRONMENT MINISTER
Dear editor,
The recently released State of the Environment Report is a damning indictment of the past nine years of neglect of Australia’s environment by the Liberal National COALition. The Report had been gathering dust on the previous Environment Minister’s desk since last December.
It is therefore great to see the new Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek has hit the ground running. Recently she approved a $2 million grant for the Sunshine Coast Council’s Blue Heart project through the Blue Carbon Ecosystem Restoration Grants. Council’s project will further our knowledge of Blue Carbon ecosystems and the restoration of degraded coastal wetland ecosystems.
As Mayor Jamieson said, “The Blue Heart is another way Council is planning, and taking action, in response to climate change, as the Blue Heart project area will be further impacted by sea level rise, which was identified in the development of our Coastal Hazard Adaptation Strategy.
“It’s a crucial aspect of achieving our vision of Australia’s most sustainable region – healthy, smart, creative.”
Climate change is an enormous challenge for us all. It is good to see the Sunshine Coast Council is taking it seriously.
Robyn Deane,
Bli Bli.
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CLOSING THE GAP
Dear editor,
Our new Prime Minister, Albanese, has spoken from the heart at the Northern Territory’s Garma Festival, with a determination to take an Indigenous Voice in our Constitution, to a general referendum. Addressing the economic and social disparities of indigenous representation, requires more than a response on a ballot paper.
“Closing the Gap” means more equitable opportunities for indigenous Australians as a priority, after 250 years of settlement. With education and health facilities the keys to equal opportunity, perhaps these should be first addressed in remote communities where conditions are below par and found wanting.
Children in remote Indigenous communities fall far behind the national average, in all aspects of education and social development, often being normalised to alcohol-related violence. The demise of “Intervention” by the Howard Government, a practice to avoid alcohol-related violence in remote communities, where welfare-dependence is the norm, now will become part of the problem, not the solution.
It’s time our remote indigenous communities expect better welfare standards, while facilitating access to the best education and health facilities for their people. The demand for a voice must have a willingness to expose their people to the same high standards as all Australians, if these communities are to flourish. It is a team effort and takes genuine commitment by both parties.
E. Rowe,
Marcoola.
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CLIMATE ACTIONS
Dear editor,
What did the Climate Scientist say to the Climate Denialist when he said that he had ‘an open mind but doesn’t rely on the evidence’? Said the Scientist to the Denialist, “Your mind is so open that your brain has dropped out.” Is that a brain drain? Just asking.
Margaret Wilkie,
Peregian Beach.
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GOOD WILL
Dear editor,
My wife Robyn and I were having a coffee at the Big Top outside Woolworths, we were in a happy mood and as is our want, we were holding hands and smiling at each other (we are in our seventies), when a security guard came over to our table and made our day.
He said, “Excuse me but I am a security from the fun police, and it has been reported to me that you two are having way too much fun and smiling too much.” After a little bit of banter, we thanked him for making our day.
I am sure that this sort of interaction is not in his job description, however I hope this nice man keeps his job for as long as he wants!
Ray Marx,
Bli Bli.
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POLITICAL COMEDY
Dear editor,
Fear not Margaret Wilkie, there are still clowns around to bring laughter and enjoyment to the masses.
We have Airbus Albo and Wandering Wong who, if they ever pay Australia a visit, are sure to be entertaining with their explanations for election promises they will undoubtedly have to break.
Des Deighton,
Coolum Beach.
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FUEL COSTS
Dear editor,
Treasurer Chalmers must surely be taken to task for his lacklustre and drone like response to the questions surrounding the fuel excise policy.
Really Jim you are blaming the previous government and their heroic efforts to save many Australians lives and livelihoods during a pandemic for your inability to continue to help Australian’s pockets at the bowser?
What an astonishing betrayal of both the working-class people whose struggles he is supposed to represent, and of the consensus that during the pandemic the government acted with great courage to help all Aussie’s through.
If this is all the fabled new Labor government can bring to the table, then there will be hell to pay very shortly.
Writing this I cannot for the life of me understand what motivated him to say such rude and out of touch mumbo jumbo.
Wake up and smell the coffee Mr Chalmers – you were elected to provide a beacon for real progressive change. In the economic sphere as well! Not to just spew out the same tired old tropes that have infuriated the working classes for eternity.
Dylan White,
Coolum Beach.
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