Act quicker on parking
With reference to the article regarding increasing the number of disabled parking bays (The Standard, February 7), I can only express my disbelief, but not surprise, about Warrnambool City Council's attitude. Cr Peter Hulin states "great to see council approaching this problem" and "I'm happy and enthusiastic to have this review". I don't wish to single him out as I am sure the other councillors share his sentiments, but he was the only one quoted in the article. These comments certainly do not reconcile with reality. May 2016 - petition received; June 2016 - decision to hold review; February 2017 - consideration of review; end 2018 - hope to complete works. That's nearly two-and-a-half years. So much for enthusiasm and accepting the need for something to be done. It is a shame that the long-suffering disabled public has to suffer from council's faux action.
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Ian Marr, Allansford
Save our seniors
Is there a politician, patrician, physician, mathematician, dietician, optician, beautician, perhaps a magician, who might save us from the imposition of the Grattan Inquisition (Grattan Institute) which is advocating tightening the screws in pursuit of their proposed demolition of the lifestyle of the aged population? Who will demonstrate the intestinal fortitude in pursuing the denunciation of this outspoken organisation?
Brian Kavanagh, Warrnambool
Action from MPs please
It is reported that Victoria receives roughly a third of the amount of infrastructure funding, on a per capita basis, that other states receive. World one. Marginal State seats receive the bulk of funding that's available to Victoria. World two. Very safe seats (both Federal and State - and we qualify as both) receive an absolute pittance to sustain their infrastructure and nothing to improve it. World three. That's why we have third world standard roads in this area. Our roads are killing our people and making our industries non viable - and we have them because we vote for them. Dan Tehan. Roma Britnell. Over to you.
Gary Sayer, Warrnambool
Shining after adversity
A week on from the deaths of innocent bystanders in Bourke Street I visited my daughter who works in that street and witnessed the horror from her office window. Melbourne now has an almost polite silence about it. The traffic is pleasant, surprisingly calm and I easily park then walk along Elizabeth Street in spectacular sunshine. I check into my city hotel and am met with overly courteous and helpful reception staff. I find myself questioning if I am imagining this overt politeness or has it always been there and I am more sensitive to it given the events of last week? Once again out into the glorious sunshine as I make my way to Bourke Street and along the footpath to William Street to my daughter's office, I find myself struggling to visualise the horror that was here and I am struck again by more spontaneous politeness of people giving way as we intersect on the footpath, nodding to traffic in acknowledgement and bike riders slowing with a smile. I pause my walk and look back down to the clock tower. The clock shows 1.50pm. It feels surreal in this bubble of calmness as even the tram bell seems to ring ever so softly. Cars barely accelerating with the quietest of engines and I can hear a woman’s warm laughter from a shop doorway. I arrive to William Street several minutes early and sit by the ‘rusted’ sculpture outside Jane’s office. The sun continues to stream across the path and again that silence, unapologetic peaceful resonance, and it almost brings me to tears. Then bursting from the rotating door Jane appears with a smile and a hug and we launch into conversation breaking the silence. When I was her age I witnessed a murder, in another country, and it has stayed with me all my life. That moment, hearing the gun shot, seeing the fall, and recounting days later that had I been there earlier, could it have been me? Jane had texted me with the same question. Had she taken her lunch break 30 minutes later, where would she have been? Such a reasonable question to ask that I am guessing many are asking themselves from that day in Bourke Street. What we take from that day will stay with most people for all their life. For the families that lost someone, that day has been stolen from them forever. How we react now will determine it’s long term effect. When we finish lunch I walk her back to her William street office and we say our goodbyes. When Jane leaves me I return to the step near the sculpture and again sit and continue to people watch. The silence returns in the hum of air con, the rattle of a tram and some idle chatter of workers in their break. Somehow I think Melbourne has changed forever. There is an overwhelming sense of optimism that penetrates that incredible dark shadow cast that day. I can see it in the faces, I sense it in the voices and I can feel it in the sun dappled across my body. Life can be cruel and sad and unfair but what I see here is heartening. In the face of adversity, in a tragic twist of fate, Melbournians are shining.
Meridith McKinnon, Ecklin South