Letter of the Week
Have strong opinions? Write in an engaging way? You could win our Letter of the Week, and with it a book from our friends and sponsors, the publishers HarperCollins. This month’s book prize is You Were Made For This, a bold, sharp, gripping debut novel about a couple whose perfect life in the Swedish countryside is not what it seems. It’s a gripping page-turner that provocatively explores the darker side of marriage, motherhood and friendship.
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AS an Australian concerned with animal welfare, the Coalition Government is not doing enough to enforce the regulations in regard to the live export trade either during the transport stage or at the receiving country.
To say that sending Australian animals to the receiving country will improve animal welfare and the slaughtering process in that country does not always occur.
Some of these countries do not have any animal welfare legislation.
We may not be able to protect animals from other countries but we can stop the inhumane treatment of Australian animals by using alternatives to live export such as packaged meat.
The sheep/cattle farmers/station owners say they will lose their income if live export ceases. They do not seem to care for their animals and alternatives can be put into place that will still provide an income.
These farmers/owners do not seem to worry about farmers who have been forced off their land, land that in may cases has been in the same family for generations, with no income.
There are alternatives to the live export trade. Saying that countries do not have refrigeration is not a reason as this would most likely only apply to local villages in poor countries.
Religious needs can be overcome too. I read an article in the Gold Coast Bulletin in which a company has moved from live export to packaged meat, building an abattoir in Darwin as it is more cost effective.
It is time that we end the inhumane treatment of sheep and cattle and put in place alternatives.
The industry continues to be non compliant with regulations without the Federal Government acting on it.
MRS NINA HARDIE, SOUTHPORT IN reply to David Russell’s letter regarding Catholic education.
David understandably will be forever haunted by his experiences of past treatment of defenceless children.
Does that mean that all organisations that share the same sad history be condemned?
The Salvation Army, Anglican boarding schools, Government institutions, sporting clubs, orphanages, some foster carers, all have a guilty past.
The Royal Commission uncovered these horrible practises and has been a wake-up call to all who saw evil and failed to act in defence of victims.
What had to change, and has changed, is society’s attitude. The ‘cover up’ is over. It’s out in the open. We are all responsible for reporting anything amiss.
I recommend Catholic education as an affordable, nurturing alternative for those who don’t fit in with Government schooling or the very elitist education. And I am not a Catholic. GLORIA JEAN JONES, NERANG
IF the Casino-to-Murwillumbah railway line is ripped up to make way for a bike path this means this unique and wonderful corridor of land would be taken away from the majority of the public and given to a small number of cyclists who have the money, inclination and fitness.
In the Parliamentary Inquiry, Mr Maloney, the former co-ordinator of Tweed Byron Ballina Community Transport submitted that the rail line between Lismore and Murwillumbah is the ‘jewel in the crown’ of the north coast.
“This rail journey travelled during the day meanders through some of the most scenic countryside in Australia,” he said.
“The train travels through quaint villages like Eltham, past dairy farms, cane fields and remnants of big scrub rainforest.
“On leaving Bangalow the train travels along the St Helena escarpment with views of Julian Rocks and the Pacific Ocean and then past more rainforests at Hayter Hill and the paperbark swamp vegetation around Byron Bay.
“Out of Byron Bay and toward Mullumbimby there are views of Mt Chincogan and after leaving Mullumbimby the train travels through the small villages of Billinudgel, Mooball, Burringbar and Stokers Siding to imposing views of the 20 million year old Mt Warning shield volcano – a landform of both scenic and natural international significance.”
If rail services were returned we could have one of the best tourist trains in the world.
Our politicians seem unable to understand this simple truth so at the next election we need to vote for a representative who recognises the beauty of the Northern Rivers. BETH SHELLEY, BOOERIE CREEK MAL Meninga, Darren Lockyer and Laurie Daley are three of rugby league’s most successful and honoured players.
They have every right therefore to react as they have done against challenges to their integrity over the player chosen as Man of the 2018 Origin Series.
The intention to fix something that’s not broken is a poor choice. Awarding four to one points to each player in each game is fair. That the three judges awarded points independently of each other is totally fair. So why the fuss?
Simple, Blues’ supporters are upset that Queenslander Billy Slater took out the top gong while not playing for the winning state.
Critics are always happy when Billy plays a blinder for Australia in international matches but not here!
Man-of-the-match awards have not always gone to members of the winning team and why should they?
Ignoring Slater’s superb efforts in this series would have been criminal.
That he got the nod over other players is now history.
Sour grapes from this bunch of armchair critics does the game no good whatsoever!
KEN JOHNSTON, ROCHEDALE SOUTH