Your Views

• VIEWPOINT

Others are taking our mettle
AS we watch Australia's Olympic fortunes fluctuate the cry is increasing for the Federal Government to pour even more of our taxpayers' money into new forms of sports technology.
The problem here is that we invite the whole world to come and look at what Australia is doing for its athletes and then whinge when the visitors go home and introduce the same technology in their own countries.
The fact is, no matter how clever we are with technology, we will eventually lose out to countries having larger populations than our own. Look at China.
I for one am not unduly worried by the decline in Australia's sporting fortunes.
There are other areas than sport in which Australia has a proud reputation  the arts being one.
This is a niche area  a boutique if you like, where great things are already achieved on a very minimal injection of government funding. Imagine how the arts would burgeon, were they to be given just a small part of the massive funds now injected into sport?
And wouldn't it make a change to have Australia regarded  as Canada is for its film making  as a world leader in an area which exercises the mind, rather than the body?
F R Harvey, Freshwater

Look out Condi, Judy's on the case
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has a rival on Manly Council, with Councillor Judy Lambert now travelling the world signing international peace treaties.
It is very commendable that the council has signed a friendship agreement with a district in the struggling nation of East Timor (J Lambert, Viewpoint, Aug 19).
Don't Manly councillors get it? They weren't elected to council to be globe-trotting diplomats.
One would have thought they had enough problems in Manly  many of their own making  to keep themselves busy. That is especially true in the tough current economic climate, where there is a responsibility on all businesses, including local councils, to display restraint in their spending and tighten the purse strings.
Jonathan Geddes, Balgowlah

Commuters about to be re-routed
I URGE all residents in the Cromer area to say no to the STA's proposed changes to the E73 and 173 bus routes.
The STA says that it is changing the route to be more direct and efficient for commuters yet according to its own information line, the authority has not completed any safety or traffic assesments for this new proposal at all.
I cannot fathom how running a bus along Pittwater Rd (and travelling halfway through the northern beaches to get there) can be quicker.
The changes mean that residents of Cromer will be left high and dry, forced to catch two buses to North Sydney (already a trip that is taking 1 1/4 hours or more) or drive, hence increasing further congestion on the Spit Bridge.
Please head to the STA website to say no.
Rachelle Swiney, Cromer

Persson-al attack way out of synch
WARRINGAH Administrator Dick Persson, has misused his position in an effort to attack candidates who have stood up to him to protect our community's interests (Quickview, Aug 16).
I was a strong and effective advocate for our community against overdevelopment and the goings on of the previous council. However, I am not the only candidate who was in the public gallery and appeared at the commission of inquiry about our community's concerns.
Mr Persson is angered with my public announcement that if elected I will seek to have his decisions regarding height increases in Dee Why rescinded.
I am responding to the wishes of the people of Warringah and not doing what Mr Persson has done in arrogantly dismissing their wishes to force on us the Labor Government's plan to overdevelop Warringah.
Vincent De Luca,  OAM, Warringah Mayoral Candidate 

 

• QuickVIEWS

RE the gastro outbreak at Mona Vale hospital in your edition (MD, August 12). I find it amazing "they are now implementing vigilant hand washing procedures". Surely this is a basic requirement for all hospital staff. What a cop-out to say probably a visitor was responsible.
J. Hough, Beacon Hill

I AM still coming to terms with the government announcement it is going to spend millions of dollars on helping obese people  many I suspect have only themselves to blame. What are they doing for men with prostate problems through no fault of their own  not very much. The new pill that will shrink prostates on a doctor's prescription is $99 a month. Most men with prostate trouble are in middle to old age and can't afford it at that price. Let's get things in their right perspective. These pills should be on the health card list.
Brian Leary, Mona Vale

THE biggest tragedy in the plight of Colin/Boppa the baby whale stranded at the Basin is nobody knows anything about how to feed Colin. Not the National Parks and Wildlife Service, not with all the world's leading marine biologist experts in Australia. Why aren't we turning to the Japanese, I mean they are the world leaders in scientific research on whales, aren't they?
Susie Colvin, Bilgola Plateau

STEVE Matai having something thrown at him at Sunday's game, I don't think is the big story we want to hear. I think the Manly fans want to know what happened on Sunday afternoon at ANZ Stadium  did Manly turn up and play a game that we are proud of. A full back page given to a small incident in 80 minutes of play  I would like to have a comment on the game that was played and what happened to Manly Sea Eagles, the team that was destined to win the premiership.
Cathy Darcy-Smith, Collaroy

 

* Responsibility for election comment is taken by the Editor-in-Chief, Bob Osburn.
 

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