LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

TREE CLEARING

OUR Queensland farmers and graziers are well and truly frustrated by the Queensland Government’s tree clearing laws which are ridiculous enough in themselves.

Plus any need to clear vegetation for any reason sees the application for a permit bogged down in the usual government red tape.

This often takes weeks, months and at times years to sort through and then the final answer often isn’t what the farmer requested.

Why do landowners need to clear trees at all? The reasons are various and relatively simple.

Left unchecked, trees keep growing, producing seeds and revegetating.

Just look at any land that has been untouched for a period of time. It doesn’t take long for seedlings to reappear and over a period of time the trees are back.

Just take a look at the deserted mining towns and unused roads for only one example.

So why do farmers need to clear trees?

Many genuine reasons. In the Mulga country, the Mulga needs to be thinned to remain viable plus it is a very good supplementary stock feed in drought.

Fence lines need to be cleared for new fences, fire breaks need to be made and maintained.

But probably one of the most critical is the need to control regrowth.

Like the weeds in your garden, unless controlled they spread and take over. The same applies on the land.

Our farmers and graziers just need a fair go. Their life is hard enough as it is.

RAY HARCH, Toowoomba

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

I SEE Mayor Antonio has submitted an application to the Regional Growth Fund to fund the Railway Parklands Development.

When are the ratepayers to be shown this application?

Neither he or the Federal Member for Groom have indicated whether this project includes making preparations for their ‘dream’ fast rail station.

Other projects including the Bridge Street Quarry Parklands and a longforgotten Toowoomba tram service have not been submitted.

Well over 100 years ago the council were toying with the idea of establishing tram services as well as a bridge that would connect the two ends of Campbell St.

We have the opportunity with the Toowoomba bypass to establish a tram/light rail service along significant corridors that will soon be much more user friendly for public transport.

And what are the thoughts of the mayor or the Federal Member on what is a lousy public transport system in Toowoomba?

Their solution is to distract everyone with a $15 million study to confirm that a fast rail service to Brisbane is not possible and certainly isn’t included in the Railways Parkland Development Plan.

JOHN FRIEND, Toowoomba

BAD SPELLING

WHENEVER I receive an offer in my email inbox or I am viewing an online post, and it contains an obvious spelling error or bad grammar, I just delete or ignore it, no matter how good the offer seems.

Often times fraudsters and scam artists attempt to convince the public that their offer is genuine, but bad spelling and grammar are an obvious give away that they are not.

DAVE FREDERICKS, Toowoomba