NUCLEAR IDEA
Dear editor,
Will the proponents of nuclear power follow Rio de Janeiro and install the power plant atop Mt Coolum like the statue of Christ atop the rock in the Brazilian capital? Apart from becoming a tourist boom, its glow could act as a warning beacon for aircraft and shipping. Just asking.
Margaret Wilkie,
Peregian Beach.
##
BLUE HEART
Dear editor,
The world is undergoing many changes due to anthropogenic climate change. Therefore, it is heartening to see our elected representatives, state and local, being proactive in protecting our natural environment such as the Blue Heart and the Mudjimba Reef.
The Sunshine Coast Council’s Blue Heart project will be crucial as the impact of climate change and projections of sea level rises makes flood plain management essential to protect so many areas surrounding our Blue Heart. It will preserve flood storage areas and manage the catchment to protect the built environment, specifically the many homes and the infrastructure in those low-lying coastal areas.
Meanwhile, the Miles State Government has listened to local concerns about potential damage to the Reef and will install reef protection markers. They have not waited until damage begins to protect Mudjimba Reef which is a habitat for various and precious marine life and a great asset for our local tourism industry.
Both initiatives are prime examples of good governance, done well.
Robyn Deane,
Bli Bli.
##
WEALTH IN OP SHOPS
Dear editor,
The value of “op” [opportunity or charity] shops in our communities, cannot be underestimated. The high cost of living, for some, is a dollar too far. Op shops provide an experience of shopping within fiscal reason, without the high price tags shoppers are confronted with in regular shops. They offer value for money. Not everyone has the means to buy everything new.
Op shops are full of an eclectic mix of good quality items: from clothing, furniture, appliances [checked by qualified tradesmen], jewellery, books, toys, shoes, garden implements, crockery and cutlery, stationery, music, art and many unexpected little gadgets and items. It is like an Aladdin’s cave full of surprises. The trend to shop second-hand is popular and growing, as the cost of living is rising. Goods are checked to be in good working order. The two-fold purpose of op shops brings benefit to not only canny shoppers, but the causes and charities they raise money for.
However, these charity-run op shops rely heavily on volunteers. With many running under-staffed, they have occasional incidents of theft and breakages which they cannot challenge. Unlike major shops, they cannot afford security guards or someone to check the bags of shoppers leaving the shop. Volunteer dole or job seeker recipients, expected to work for the dole 30 hours a fortnight, are not always reliable or consistent.
These charity shops are sometimes victims of unconscionable behaviour prevalent in our society. Stealing from the very people who serve the needy and poor is a reality, while volunteers are committed to giving back their time and effort. It reflects the poor morals and ethics which destroy goodwill in our communities. If you have a few hours, or days to spare, why not offer your services to a charity shop in your locality, helping both your community and worthy causes further afield.
E. Rowe,
Marcoola.
##
DON’T ASK?
Dear editor,
Am I the only person who finds it so annoying to be greeted by strangers, checkout attendants, etc. “How are you?” Actually, I feel sorry for these workers as some people would surely be inclined to unburden their current woes on the unfortunate recipient. This practice is also performed by casual acquaintances and occasionally, neighbours.
In a recent conversation, as I lamented this attempt at making human contact, I was told it is a polite form of greeting meant to oil the wheels of our disintegrating society.
On a good day when faced with this question at the local supermarket checkout, I can be pleasantly dismissive. But on a bad day, my response will be to say, “You don’t want to know!” Such was the case on Easter Sunday when replenishing my brandy supply when my response was “Don’t ask!” I thought to enlighten the attendant by telling the beneficial effect of drinking a mix of brandy/Panadol/honey and hot water to reduce cold and flu symptoms and enable a sound sleep of a minimum of six hours. The checkout was not interested and terminated my helpful recipe with “Happy Easter” …at which I gave a cynical laugh as this season of goodwill and friendship has been anything but!
People, you don’t want to know how I am, I can assure you of that. The week preceding and Easter itself has been taxing on my mental and physical health but I will soldier on, so to speak.
I detest this recent verbal addition to supposedly civil society and stick to the principle that when genuinely concerned for someone’s wellbeing, I will ask them “How are things with you?” because I want to know and am prepared to listen.
Can we return to a simple “good morning/day/afternoon/night…or whatever”…instead of chanting this acquired Americanism…unless you really do want to know how it goes with someone you encounter?
Linese Norrish,
Coolum Beach.
##
FRONT LINE LOVE LETTERS
Dear editor,
I am not sure if readers saw the call by the Australian War Memorial on Valentine’s Day for volunteers to transcribe handwritten love letters from the front lines. Perhaps we had our minds on loved ones closer to home.
The heartfelt letters are an intimate insight into the daily lives of couples separated by war. Images of thousands of handwritten letters have been released on the Memorial’s digital platform.
An army of volunteers is needed to help decipher the scripts online. Volunteers typing out text in the comfort of their homes can make it easier for historians, descendants, and the community to access the precious love letters.
Among the collection is a letter from Dorothy Keshan and her husband Malcolm “Mac” William Keshan, who was a prisoner of war in Germany from 1941-45.
“The only good thing about all this passing time is that each day brings you a little closer, I feel pretty certain that it won’t be much longer sweetheart,” she wrote to him in one of hundreds of letters between the pair.
With Anzac Day approaching, volunteering to transcribe love letters online is an action worth considering in commemorating those who fought for us while desperately missing their sweethearts.
Lest we forget.
Garry Reynolds,
Peregian Springs.
##
HARM REDUCTION
Dear editor,
As spokesperson for the Ninderry ALP Branch, it is vital our young people have every opportunity to be safe if they are going to experiment with drugs at festivals.
Health Minister Shannon Fentiman introduced pill testing and harm reduction to give young people the chance to discover just exactly what it is they may have taken and learn more about the dangers of drug taking.
Ninderry ALP members welcome these Australian first steps taken by our Health Minister to raise awareness and safety around illicit pill taking.
Jo Justo,
Coolum Beach.
##