Time to value our trees

Unfortunately I wasn’t surprised at the front page article in your last edition about the removal of Dutch elm trees in Queen St, Warragul.

It is obvious that two of these trees are in such poor condition that they would be best removed. But what of the rest and the golden elm?

They are all to be replaced with a totally different species (Chinese Elms) because the existing trees do not fit the council’s tree planting plan.

Clearly the heritage significance of an avenue of Dutch elms (and a golden elm) doesn’t matter to the decision makers at the shire. Just as the presentation of trees across the shire isn’t. Baw Baw must be the last municipality in the state to pollard its plane trees every year. I guess it keeps them tidy and ensures that the potential magnificence of these trees is never seen.

The same goes for the wonderful collection of Ficifolias in Drouin, many of which have been mutilated to keep them away from the power lines.

It is time that the visual importance and heritage significance of mature trees was treated more seriously in Baw Baw and that tree management is more than an annual going over with a chainsaw or replacement with something more manageable.

Ray Tonkin, Clifton Hill

Support needed

I am disappointed and disgusted at Baw Baw Shire’s decision to privatise home support program services.

Many of our elderly folk have lived and worked in this area all their lives and now the shire has decided they are not worth supporting. Privatisation in aged care has been proven to be a disaster, as profit is more important than caring for people.

There appears to have been no planning made for a transition period leaving many people without carers. The council should understand the needs of their constituents and support them. This council has let the whole shire down - just take the traffic congestion as an example. We pay our rates and get absolutely nothing in return.

The lack of support for people in need in our shire is unbelievable. Bring back our caring shire of Buln Buln.

Sue Rodwell, Drouin

Embrace nuclear

As to be expected when nuclear gained traction as a means of energy supply, those ideologically opposed to it started their campaign of lies and misinformation about it.

A classic example was a letter in another publication which said that to date only one small modular reactor is being built right now. That is so far from the truth it is laughable.

In another report in a newspaper months ago it stated that so far 428 had been built worldwide.

Germany had replaced its energy supply with nuclear then got the heebie-jeebies and closed them down and replaced them with renewables and was unable to supply sufficient power.

It is a known fact that we are not going to get zero emission by 2050 without nuclear. I wonder what pie in the sky greenies are going to do in 2050 when they do not achieve zero because they won’t embrace nuclear and won’t let anyone else embrace nuclear.

No worries as 10 years ago we were told that Armageddon was on its way if we don’t get rid of our 1.3 per cent contribution to global warming. So that will obviate the need. What you might call another one of those figments of the imagination from our climate change “experts”.

Roger Marks, Drouin

Discrimination continues

It has come to my attention discrimination continues to plague our society brought about through COVID.

I find you must be double vaccinated in order to be selected for jury service. I read the following on the Juries Victoria website “Juries bring the values, standards and expectations of our community into the courtroom, contributing in a significant way to the administration of justice in Victoria”.

Why should our citizens be precluded and penalised in this way in contributing to this necessary service to the justice system of our community?

To demonstrate the stupidity of this, it is now recommended by the experts to be quad vaccinated to protect ourselves and keep ourselves safe. Why don’t they require then, quad vaccination to be able to perform jury service?

Vaccinated people continue getting sick and are dying more than ever with the different strains of the virus so look at the truth and reality of what is really happening. Oh yes, also for some strange reason we are not being locked down as we were in the last few years when we had far fewer cases.

This discrimination should not be and is a disgrace. The irony is that our justice system proves to be most unjust. The dictionary definition of justice is: “just treatment of all members of society with regard to a specified public issue, including equitable distribution of resources and participation in decision-making”. What a joke, but it is so serious.

So this is just another discriminatory imposition on our citizens as are the workplace mandates over the last year or so, depriving people of their work and livelihoods. Our freedoms continue to be eroded.

Bruce Ronalds, Warragul

Sad farewell

As a family we are sorry to hear of Corrine Collins retirement as principal of Warragul North Primary School.

Corrine has been highly respected as a leader and a firm but fair person looked up to not only by the 600 students, but also, many grateful parents over the years.

She is a perfect example to follow.

Corrine your holiday is well earned.

Ian Honey, Drouin