Great wall of Wenty
Thank you Jim Smith and Ron Newman for reminding us of the great importance of our historical cultural heritage as displayed at Princes Rock Lookout at Wentworth Falls (Fancy Lookout not needed, BMG 6.1.16). Peter Mulheran's 1880's wall has certainly stood the test of time and remains testament to the generosity of a past resident and the timelessness and exceptional quality of the uninterrupted natural material view of the Wentworth Falls that is currently available to everyone. If the tourists need more than this perhaps a large screen in the picnic area could provide a user-pays digital display of the view of the waterfall, in keeping with the technology of contemporary culture.
Robin Sproule, Wentworth Falls.
Sexism rife
Writing this I feel a sense of great sadness.
In the news I have just seen a cricketer proposition a woman reporter on national television and the image of a public servant, also a woman, and the subject of unwanted advances from a male Federal minister, leaked to the media. The disgraceful inference from whomever leaked it clearly is that her presence at a venue somehow lessened the behaviour of the minister, Jamie Briggs. This is wrong. Totally unacceptable.
As if matters could not get worse, a serving cabinet minister sends a text describing a woman journalist in extremely sexist language. It was intended for former minister but was sent instead to the journalist herself. What is going on here?
Sexism is the cause of a world view that leads to less women in boardrooms, on councils, in parliament, with lower pay than male counterparts along with many other issues. Sexism is also involved in inappropriate behaviour towards women in this country, presently at epidemic levels.
Men who are in leadership positions ought to set an example. The cases above are retrograde. It is time for our community to look at the way women are treated and do something about it. This is the 21st century, for goodness sake.
Mark Greenhill, Blue Mountains Mayor and White Ribbon Day Ambassador.
Don’t mind the noise
In reply to Mr King I can’t help wondering whether he is suffering from rocking chair syndrome. I recently had the pleasure of spending a day under one of the flight paths of Kingsford Smith Airport. I noticed the first plane but any subsequent ones failed to attract my attention or concern after that. Also having done the occasional shift in a railway yard just off the end of the runway, I don’t seem to have been too concerned about the noise there either and it was significantly louder and more frequent than what he is whining about.
High-speed rail would be nice if we could afford the fares that would be somewhere in the vicinity of four figures one way. A travel time of two and three quarter hours is a pipe dream because every politician along the route would insist on having a station in the electorate and what’s more they would get it which sort of defeats the purpose.
Pennant Hills Road is a main arterial road and has always been a busy thoroughfare even when I was a lad. You should have done your homework before moving to Glenbrook. Planes were flying over the Mountains long before you arrived. I can only suggest you move to the back of Bourke, although it too probably suffers from aircraft noise albeit at 35,000 feet.
E. Sage, Warrimoo.
Flight of Fantasy
I received a pamphlet in the letterbox from Louise Markus titled “Fighting for Alternative Flight Paths”. The pamphlet is misleading in that it does not explain that the concept of alternative flight paths is a fiction devised by politicians to defuse community anger over the intended Glenbrook – Blaxland flight paths. Such alternative flight paths have not been identified by the EIS nor by Louise Markus nor by anyone else, for the reason that they do not and cannot exist. Badgerys Creek will be the fifth airport shoehorned into the Sydney basin and in consequence its possible flight paths will be forever constrained by the flight paths of the other airports and the local topography. This would not be an issue if the new airport were to be built at one of the other airport sites that have been proposed in years past. This is what happens when we allow politicians to make the decision as to where the airport will be. If we were to have persons with aviation and transport planning expertise make this decision then the airport would not be at Badgerys Creek.
David Payne, Glenbrook.
Bureaucracy in action
For over two years now residents in Wentworth Falls have been trying to get a pedestrian crossing at Sinclair Crescent so that the Kindle Hill School kids can walk safely to and from school and the station. There have been many near misses and a tragedy is inevitable. For years the whole process has been bogged down at BMCC with reports, plans, motions and mindless bureaucracy. What for? $1800. Yep, that is all it would cost and this figure comes from BMCC's own documents. $1000 for the line marking and $800 for the four signs. There is no kerb or roadwork needed.
Last year Blue Mountains Council spent a whopping 36 per cent of its budget on administration. You can certainly see the results in all the glossy reports and master plans but sadly very little action on the ground as they cut back on workers out on the roads and footpaths.
The Kindle Hill kids might have a while to wait. In Lawson, we are still waiting for some action from the 2007 Lawson golf course master plan. The golf course, which is BMCC community land, was closed in 2004.
Rob Thompson, Lawson.
Lost faith
The funding of the Gonski education reforms are gone. It amazes me still, so I must retain some belief that when a party asks me to vote for them that they will only promise what they intend to carry through and implement. Malcolm Turnbull is popular in many people's eyes but are voters merely being fooled again? So I ask: when the rarely seen Louise Markus sends out her next election pamphlet of promises how will I know to trust her and her party?
Sadly many voters forget that her party promised there will be no changes to the ABC, no changes to Medicare, no changes to superannuation or pensions etc etc. Blast: I didn't ask her if they were core or non-core promises did I?
