LEADING THE WAY

THE Gold Coast Airport is for many people their first impression of the city. And as they say, first impressions last.

The airport’s efforts of late to put on a more community and visitor-friendly front of late are to be applauded.

Along with a competition for kids to name cranes on site, and new technology to cut security scanning times, it is now boosting its awareness of “hidden” disabilities such as autism – an example to all.

UP to 1500 submissions have been made to the City Plan amendments indicating strong community interest in the future form, liveability and amenity of the city.

This figure is a clear indication that many in the community are unhappy with the proposed amendments and a lot of work needs to be done to remedy the deficiencies the community has identified.

Council officers have been working overtime to get the submissions entered into their system and then compile a report with recommendations to councillors.

The big question now: Is council listening?

JOHN HICKS, PRESIDENT COMMUNITY ALLIANCE ASSOCIATION INC

SURELY pill testing should be done by the promoters of music festivals and not be paid for by any government agency.

DANNY BLASHAK, POTTSVILLE

KEN Wade (GCB, 3/12), if you think its arrogant tantrums I’m portraying in my criticism of climate change deniers, then your wrong. It’s pure rage.

That someone would question the world’s leading climate scientists is an insult. Predictions were made 20 years ago, that are happening today, yet deniers still exist.

The reason for my rage is clear. The World Health Organisation states an additional 250,000 will die, every year as a result of climate change. The poorest people in the world will be affected the most. The United Nations states that 1 million animal and plant life are on the verge of extinction. Pope Francis has declared a climate emergency, because he knows the poorest people on earth will suffer. I have searched for the Greenland glaciologists report, but all I can find is reports of mass ice melting.

“Greenland is melting at an unprecedented rate, causing vast quantities of ice to disappear and global sea levels to rise. The fate of the ice sheet is not sealed, but unless CO2 emissions are sharply cut, the long-term existence of Greenland’s ice is in doubt” (Yale University).

But Ken Wade, Peter Campion and Ron Nightingale are always prepared to fight for the big businesses. And they don’t let little things like facts get in the way of a good story.

Australia is responsible for 4.4 per cent of the world’s carbon immersions. We are killing people.

SHAUN CUNNEEN, GOLD COAST

THE Bulletin is to be be commended for printing Senator Pauline Hanson’s letter (3/12). I have never been a fan of Hanson, however her effort in the Senate is deserving in stopping the draconian laws the Government was attempting to railroad through the Senate.

D.J.FRASER, CURRUMBIN

THERE is much debate about whether the current drought is unusual or just part of Australia’s “natural cycle”.

One such article appeared in the Bulletin’s Friday edition entitled

Drought ‘not unusual’. At the same time, similar debates are raging about the bushfires, many of which are linked to the drought and the prolonged dry, hot and often windy conditions.

There seems to be a stronger consensus of opinion and evidence about the fires with many experienced researchers and firefighters saying that the fires are “unprecedented” and far from “usual”.

So does the combination of drought and extreme bushfires mean we’re still in a “business as usual” period?

We’re told that areas that don’t normally burn such as rainforests and wetlands are now going up in smoke. Even areas that had plenty of back-burning are not safe from the fires and some places already burnt by a bushfire may burn again. This also means the very thing lacking in drought conditions – water – is also needed to fight fires.

Is it useful, therefore, to become preoccupied with discussions about how “normal” the drought is?

In addition to the threats to humans, their homes and livelihoods,

many species of wildlife are on the verge of extinction and may not just bounce back after “a decent rainfall event”. Too much reliance on waiting for things to change for the better encourages a complacent attitude at a time when we need to be doing things differently.

At least the article mentioned the need for better water management but this is hard when there is little water to manage.

Let’s hear more about how we need to change to adapt to these difficult conditions, being told the drought in “not unusual” is of no help at all.

YVETTE DEMPSEY, CARRARA

ONCE again, the NSW Premier has refused to succumb to public pressure to have drug pill testing at festivals legitimised and mandatory.

Again a frantic public is insisting governments act like the “nanny state” in situations where adults take unnecessary risks. Every death is a result of personal risk.

What of personal responsibility for one’s actions as adults? Is this not what we teach in our school systems?

If the young learn that they are responsible for their own actions, but cannot control outcomes such as negative consequences, then why must governments rescue those who make inappropriate decisions about what they swallow as adults?

We need risk-takers to learn by personal experience, that unlawful actions such as hooning, drug-taking, drink and drug-driving, have a sting in the serpent’s tail; an unpleasant consequence, sometimes fatal. Like a child who learns not to touch the stove from experience, those who insist on breaking the law will find no sympathy amongst the majority.

Drug suppliers are reliant upon the addicted, to profit from the misery of those who are their own worst enemies.

ELOISE ROWE, TANNUM SANDS