what will be left in pursuit of for perfect freeways?
Your correspondent, Helen Lewers (Courier Oct31st) has alerted us to an unpalatable truth: that VicRoads and the TAC have entered an unholy partnership to stealthily eradicate road-side trees from many of our country roads. We see the results not only on the Western Highway, but on road-works on the Midland Highway, the Princes Highway and even the Great Ocean Road.
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A third player in wielding the broad-sword is the Powerline owner. It is not that Civil Engineers, actuaries or linesmen cannot see beauty in a 400 year old tree. It is just that deflecting blame is now paramount.
We have a diminishing number of mature trees and an escalating number of lawyers. We have embraced the American thirst for litigation. No longer must people take responsibility for their own drunken folly or misadventure. In 1975 at the time of the dismissal, Whitlam had among other bills yet to go through the House, legislation for a no-fault system which would have mitigated much of the impending public risk escalation. Whitlam was a visionary, his Government shambolic.
In 1952 the noted Landscape Architect, Edna Walling published "Australia's Roadside Trees." She applauded the foresight of early surveying practice, which gave us such generous road side verges. Walling saw this as a great advantage Australia had, but even then she was concerned that roadside trees which pre-dated our (European) arrival were at risk.
Most of these have gone. Fifty years later, in an age when noise and speed rule supreme, landscape values are dispensable. It seems that the VicRoads Engineers can't take their eyes off the bitumen; the TAC bean counters cant take their eyes off the claims statistics and the litigation specialists cant take their eyes off the money.
To misquote the American poet Ogden Nash: "I think that I will never see, a road-sign lovely as a tree." Concrete steel and bitumen - the new landscape imperative. I salute Isabel Mackenzie and Helen Lewers for their stand. They have much community support.
Peter McL. Hiscock - Buninyong
Cupid doesn't discriminate, neither should the law.
Many Ballarat locals turned out last Saturday to march in support of marriage equality. As Spring is the season of love, it was a great opportunity to highlight how important the recognition of this fundamental human right is.
Currently there are 21 countries, including the (Catholic) Republic of Ireland, which have legalised same-sex marriage. Yet in 2015, due to embarrassing failures in our recent democratic history, the will of around 70% of Australians who favour this change, continues to be denied.
The plebiscite proposed by the Liberals delays a decision which is inevitable. Its $158m cost could be better spent. The federal parliament has an opportunity to do the right thing once and for all on 12th November. The Greens have placed a bill before parliament that allows two consenting adults of any sex, sexuality or gender identity to marry. This bill puts all MPs to the test. In the year leading into a Federal election it will show how closely the parliament reflects the will of the clear majority of Australians. Labor hasn't got a binding vote for its MPs, and the Liberals are formally opposed. Individual Liberal MPs are not bound by party policy. Backbenchers can cross the floor with impunity.
Time now for individual Liberals to show they are not out of touch with public opinion. Time now for them to stand up for equality. Time now for them to save us $158m. Time now for years of procrastination to end. Now is the time for a more tolerant Australia -the sort of Australia which embraces and values the diversity of all of its people.
Alice Barnes, Federal Greens Candidate for Ballarat