LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Making the most of a trip for Ballarat’s sake
I find it disingenuous that some councillors and members of our community are critical of our Mayor’s current overseas travel, which is on Council business.
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I understand that the Mayor chose to fly economy when in actual fact she should have flown business. And our CEO should have organised that. Had this been a senior Council officer they would have flown business. Why then did the Mayor have to fly economy? I know for a fact she would have worked and researched on the flight.
For anyone who knows Cr Sam, she is an extremely hard working councillor and mayor. She makes the most of her time for our community. Her program overseas would be jam packed to make the most of the opportunity for Ballarat.
Travelling business class allows for comfort and sleep so when you arrive at your destination you can get straight to work, whereas travelling economy you suffer jetlag and should be given recovery time.
Should I become a councillor, and need to travel on Council business overseas I would demand to travel business, as any business person should.
And by the way I did when I was a Council officer.
And by the way costs for business travel start at around $4500 return London or Paris, costs for travel within Europe are cheap, and you don’t necessarily need to fly business class for short flights.
It is about time that our community recognised the great work our Mayor and many councillors do. The matter is insignificant when you consider the costs as to that of the bigger picture for our city.
Let’s now focus on the big picture and Ballarat’s future as our Mayor is doing.
Ron Egeberg, Soldiers Hill
Ugly politics
Scott Morrison, a failed treasurer, has surpassed himself, as PM, by appointing two innumerate incompetents as his finance ministers.
Mathias Cormann demonstrated his total inability to calculate a majority, and, had he not betrayed Malcolm Turnbull, might have been able to keep him on as PM with a vote of 44-41.
The hapless, over-zealous Zed Seselja, having demonstrated to citizens that he could not vote in their interests, but favoured instead his own selfish beliefs, has now revealed to the nation that he is so hopeless a "numbers man" that he couldn't count to 43.
Shame, or better a pox, on them all.
Lawson Lobb, Kingston
There is an anonymous quote that "A good lawyer makes you believe the truth but a great lawyer makes you believe in the lie".
It has stayed anonymous so that the original wit can't be sued for telling the truth.
Not that long ago a lawyer, President Donald Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani added another dimension with "Truth isn't truth".
This is confusing until it is seen in the light, or maybe shadow, of modern English where news becomes fake news, lies become misspeaks, and negatives become double negatives.
Tell the truth – it's simpler and can't be challenged.
Dennis Fitzgerald, Box Hill
Parking anger
I would like to express my deepest disgust with the City of Ballarat and their appalling 'New Parking Strategy' and general management of our City. This Council needs to be placed into administration and thereafter sacked, along with the management team.
They are marketing a supposed answer to our parking issues - which really has an underlying hidden agenda to raise revenue rather than answer any parking questions legitimately. It would almost be guaranteed that after this consultation process they will do as they please regardless of the outcome from the communities responses.
I recently parked in a loading zone with a legitimate reason and was told in so many terms via the appeal process 'bad luck pay up - we want the revenue'. This Council is a disgrace. It's not hard to see why we are the lagging regional city compared to Geelong and Bendigo.
Our streets and infrastructure are tired. We have no new projects of substance e.g dog parks, safe skate parks for all ages, beautifying our city projects etc. Our shopping centres are horrendous because business is afraid to invest due to our Council making it hard for everybody and anything that does happen is due to local community groups getting in and doing the hard work.
It is time to get rid of them for good and start fresh with a new structure and people - the current system is clearly not working for the people of Ballarat. Genuinely concerned about our future with this Council in charge.
Julie Calleja, Ballarat North
Not happy with waste
Ratepayers have been duped by Local Government over recycling. Baled and sent to China was not what we were promised. Reprocessing aluminium, cullet (glass), thermoplastic and thermosetting plastics and reconstituting paper and card are known technologies. These techniques have been commercially available for over 60 years. Why then are ratepayers facing bills to provide overseas junkets under the guise of learning to treat recycled waste?
Alf Pratt, Warrenheip
Reopening Her Majesty’s must be a priority
Exactly what is the problem with Her Majesty's? The building has been used continuously since its opening in 1875 and is one of the finest iconic buildings in the city. The Building underwent a major upgrade including the roof and domed ceiling and most of the major structure in the late 80's followed by what appears to be a services upgrade just recently and now it has been closed because it is unfit for the purpose for which it has been used for the last 143 years. Issues that would necessitate closure of the building would be either because of unsafe structure or unsafe services such as fire safety. most other issues are related to amenity which surely would not be a reason to close the doors. Issues relating to structure and fire safety were addressed during the major refurbishment 30 years ago.
This building has major iconic status and reopening must have high priority or it will be relegated until neglect renders the building uneconomic and becomes another casualty of the privatization mentality. Buildings such as this are expensive to maintain but its significance demands a funding commitment to secure its future. This is one heritage project over which there should be no criticism or argument.
Ross Proud, Ballarat