Evacuation confusion
WHEN Morisset Country Club and the golf course closed the district also lost a recognised evacuation point in times of emergency. This became apparent on New Year's Eve when residents of Wyee South were contacted by the RFS and door knocked by police and told to evacuate because of a likely ember attack from the Charmhaven fire.
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Some of our neighbours went to McDonald's who kindly left their toilets open, some went to Morisset Showground (where most had to sleep in their cars), some went to stay with friends or relatives, and others stayed and hosed down their homes through the night.
My point is we shouldn't have to wait for an emergency to know where our evacuation point is. Another reason to lament the loss of the golf club.
- Dianne James, Wyee
Pram space politics
I'D just like to let everyone know that anyone with a disabled parking permit is more than entitled to park in the 'parents with prams' parking bays. In fact, it's not illegal for anyone to park in those spots, even though most people don't. But it's not illegal if someone does.
Disabled permits outrank all others, even though people don't seem to realise it. I recently saw a women going off at an old bloke with a disabled permit for parking in a parents with prams spot.
She didn't like it when I pointed out he had every right to park there and she should check the law regarding those spots. Try being kind to one another, people.
- Paul Smith. Cooranbong
Avian entertainment
DON'T you just love waking up to those beautiful bird songs only a stone's throw from the Morisset shops? I cant help but smile when hearing the butcher birds seemingly trying to outperform each other.
The maggies are currently not in our area but some pee-wees have returned along with the dependable kookaburras.
Then there's the koels. The oldies claimed they presaged storms and, of course, they were right - though there was usually a delay of a month or two. Their plaintiff calls dominate the early mornings and through the day, also.
I don't know when they eat or sleep but their calls persist throughout the evening. And all the blooming night. I look forward to the excited duets that often precede their departure for another year.
But I soften when I realise they've probably been coming to these areas for hundreds of years.
- Tim O'Connell, Morisset
Climate inaction 'pathetic'
HOW good is our federal government? Pathetic, really, when it comes to climate change. At the recent climate conference in Madrid, a new international ranking of 57 countries saw Australia viewed as the worst performing country for climate change policy, and sixth worst across the four categories assessed. We were also heavily criticized for planning to include carry over credits to achieve our Paris commitments, something no other country was prepared to do. Australia is not proposing any emission reduction targets post 2020, but is still promoting the expansion of fossil fuel production. Its plans, along with other major fossil fuel-producing countries, condemn us to exceed the 1.5 degree Celcius rise climate scientists assert is the maximum to avoid the worst effects of global warming.
Instead we are facing a rise of 3 to 4 degrees Celsius, bringing far greater extremes of temperatures, wind strength, rainfall, floods, wildfires and drought. Most disturbing is the long-term likelihood of sea level rises between 7 and 9 metres, likely to be reached next century.
Yet, as a nation, we probably have the most to gain from an accelerated transformation to renewables.
- Richard Mallaby, Wangi Wangi
