Parking levy for traders?
Cr Brian Kelson has been urging the council to provide free parking in Warrnambool’s central business district on the premise that it will boost business for traders in that area. But what Cr Kelson is really asking is for all ratepayers to subside the cost of providing parking in the CBD whether they park there or not. The thousands of visitors to our city don’t pay rates but underwrite the cost of carparks by paying a fee for use. Under Cr Kelson’s proposal, they won’t contribute a cent towards the cost of providing adequate parking. These parking facilities are not there for the convenience of the traders of the CBD but for those who come to the CBD (not all of whom are ratepayers) and for which they pay a fee whenever they use this facility. This Cr Kelson proposal would see the ratepayers subsidising these traders for no obvious benefit. If this is truly a problem for traders in the CBD, perhaps a fairer solution would involve the beneficiaries of this ratepayer provided facility subsidising it themselves through a levy added to their rates bill.
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Jim Burke, Warrnambool
Treatment immoral
Poor Dan Tehan is struggling with the “difficult moral issue” of offshore detention of asylum seekers but thinks that his government’s approach is “validated” because the High Court has found that it is legal (The Standard, February 4). However, making something legal doesn’t mean it is then made morally right or fair. The slave trade and the Holocaust were both legal. The United Nations has found that various aspects of Australia’s asylum seeker policies violates the Convention against Torture. By Mr Tehan’s reasoning torture is now “validated” because it is legal. But, it is now illegal for “entrusted persons” – doctors, nurses, child care workers – to disclose information about this torture and the suffering of asylum seekers in indefinite detention. Mr Tehan thinks this suffering is “vitally important to stop illegal boat arrivals” and lives lost at sea. To pat himself on the back for saving lives, while at the same time destroying lives, is a bit rich. To claim the moral high ground while torturing people is almost unbelievable. Mr Tehan is so concerned with being legally validated that he refers to asylum seekers as “illegal” even though they have broken no laws, have not been tried and convicted, and have a fundamental democratic right to seek and claim asylum. If Mr Tehan doesn’t even know the difference between what is legal and what is not then how could we expect him to possibly know the difference between what is morally right and wrong. No wonder he is struggling with a “difficult moral issue”.
Peter Martina, Warrnambool
Report child sex abuse
The current Royal Commission is revealing what a 1995 Australian Institute of Family Studies report quoted as 'one of the most discouraging discoveries of our era'. My eye caught this because we are hearing of the courage needed to disclose child sexual abuse and the ways society discourages victims to break the silence of this evil taboo. Under cross-examination on February 24, Christian Brother Brian Brandon described family connections between men of his clerical order as a way of explaining their post-war cover-up of child sexual abuse in Australian schools, especially in south-western Victoria. This model shows the unspoken understanding of the code of silence within biological families where child sexual abuse occurs. Ballarat University researcher and campaigner Dr S. Carolyn Taylor rejects the term 'incest' to describe family sexual abuse for its historical associations of complicity and consent. She claims that disclosure of family child sexual assault is discouraged because of family denial and feelings of shame and loss of the family's reputation. She quotes a 2004 Australian government agency explaining that the shame is 'not necessarily to be sexually assaulted, but to report sexual assaults'. As revelations of the horrific abuse by Catholic clerics continue, let us remember the original, historic code of loyalty protecting biological as well as clerical fathers.
Katrina Hedditch, Highton
Beware scammers
My telephone message bank contained instructions to call back immediately to avoid federal arrest over a taxation fraud last week, I called back and a person answered who gave his so-called identification number, case file number and warrant number for my arrest. He knew my full name, address and phone number. He advised me because I had ignored previously sent mail a warrant had been issued for my arrest for tax fraud. He then gave me three specific instructions – the call was being recorded by the Australian Taxation office, I was not to interrupt him while he explained the situation and if the call was terminated the warrant for my arrest would be immediately issued. Having worked closely with the taxation office in my previous employment I knew his approach was not normally used and I told him he was full of bull sh.. and terminated the call. I immediately phoned the taxation office and after providing the details of my caller, including those file numbers given, they confirmed the caller’s approach was definitely not how they operated. I was also informed there had been previous reports of a similar scam, resulting in the demand for an immediate payment, by visa/bankcard over the phone of an amount of money, in one case $3000, to avoid arrest. It worries me that both the internet and the telephone are being increasingly used by high pressure marketeers and scammers whose sole purpose appears to be to obtain credit card and bank account numbers and the effect it may have on some people and strongly urge anyone with slightest doubt about a call or email to contact authorities before providing personal information.
Jim Kent, Port Fairy
Thanks for helping
On behalf of Cancer Council Victoria, I would like to sincerely thank the community of Warrnambool and Moyne Shires for supporting the recent Warrnambool and district Relay For Life.
More than 1050 participants in 38 teams relayed on February 12 and 13, walking overnight to show that hope lives in Warrnambool and Moyne for those experiencing cancer. The strength shown by community members was a public display of support for anyone in Warrnambool and Moyne with a cancer experience.
So far over $89,000 has been raised by Warrnambool and district relayers, which will help ensure Cancer Council Victoria’s support, prevention and research programs continue. The money raised will help Cancer Council Victoria continue to provide programs including funding some of Victoria’s brightest researchers and their cutting-edge projects each year to help detect, treat and beat cancer and important prevention programs like PapScreen Victoria, Quit and SunSmart to cut their risk of cancer.
A particular focus this year is on improving bowel screening rates, with the latest statistic showing that only 39.8 per cent of eligible people in Warrnambool and 36.4 per cent in Moyne Shire participate. We recommend bowel screening every two years between the ages of 50 and 74.
The funds will also help support services including a pro-bono legal assistance service to help those affected by cancer who may be struggling with issues such as wills, early access to superannuation, debt matters, or returning to work. They will also fund our information and support line, Cancer Council 13 11 20, where qualified cancer nurses give people information and support.
Other initiatives include Our Living with Cancer Education Program, which provides information for people experiencing cancer, facilitated by trained health professionals. There is a Living With Cancer Education Program happening in Warrnambool on March 4 and March 11.
Thank you again to everyone who relayed and helped continue the fight against cancer. Hope lives in every step we take. Hope lives in Relay For Life.
Todd Harper, CEO, Cancer Council Victoria