Station parking high rise

Dear Echo News,

I did have to smile at the juxtaposition of two articles in the Echo - the first detailing State government plans to build high rise apartments close to metropolitan railway stations and the second, an update on the new Midland station complex.

I had wondered why the new parking building is closer to Guildford Grammar than the new station, but now the reason is abundantly clear - there’s room to build two or three high rise apartments between the two buildings!

Plus of course, small business will have a win, as Uber drivers will do a roaring trade ferrying people from the parking building to either Midland or Guildford stations.

G Ross

Swan View

Smile for the cameras

Dear Echo News,

Many people living in Midland, Swan and the eastern suburbs may not realise how much of their daily driving is now automatically recorded.

Over the past few years, Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras have quietly appeared across local roads, shopping centre carparks and council-managed areas.

ANPR cameras don’t just see cars - they identify number plates and instantly match them to registration details held by the Department of Transport.

This means the moment a local vehicle passes a camera, the identity of the owner can be retrieved automatically.

What concerns some residents is that very little community information has accompanied this rollout. Many drivers have no idea these cameras are operating or what data is collected, how long it is stored, or who can access it.

For example, if a driver has an overdue fine or suspended licence, ANPR can immediately flag the vehicle as it travels through Midland or past a camera on Great Eastern Highway.

This isn’t always explained to the public, and many people aren’t aware that routine errands - school drop-off, shopping, medical appointments - may be scanned along the way.

This is not about creating fear. It’s about encouraging open discussion. Local communities deserve to know what technology is present in their area, how it works, and what rights drivers have.

A simple request for transparency is not unreasonable - it’s responsible community awareness.

D Kelly

Midland

Sewage smells on the nose

Dear Echo News,

Thank you for your recent article on the sewage smells on Millhouse Road in The Vines in Residents’ concerns over foul smell.

I hope you pursue this aggressively.

This is not a new issue and has been going on for years.

For Watercorp to state it is a temporary issue is incorrect.

I think you should question the health aspects of people being exposed, whether the gases created are combustible, and what would happen if there was a fire in the area.

This raises issues about Watercorp’s ability to manage the aggressive development in the Ellenbrook area.

E Lynch

The Vines

Shade trees for new bus depot

Dear Echo News,

It’s a pity the Greens did not just get a couple of shovels and plant some nice shade trees in the new bus terminus behind stand ten.

Ficus hilli would be the go.

Not piddly gum trees which do not give broad solid shade.

About a thousand bucks for ten mature trees and maybe a mini backhoe and three blokes.

No debate needed.

R Wood

Midland

Focus on asbestos awareness

Dear Echo News,

This week marks the start of National Asbestos Awareness Week 2025 and in the wake of the recent scare of asbestos being identified in children’s play sand, now more than ever, parents need to understand that with asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) remaining in one-in-three Aussie homes, if these materials are not managed safely, they can pose a significant health risk to families.

There’s no doubting Australia’s passion for renovating. We love the challenge! But what many don’t know is that they could be risking their lives and the lives of their loved ones (including their children) if they fail to respect asbestos risks and ensure asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) are managed safely.

It’s heartbreaking that around 4000 Australians die needlessly every year from avoidable asbestos-related diseases - that’s three times the national road toll.

With 51 per cent of current mesothelioma deaths directly linked to home renovations, the number of Australians who will lose their lives is predicted to rise if we don’t get serious about asbestos awareness and how to manage this potentially deadly material safely.

What homeowners need to know is that asbestos wasn’t only used in the manufacture of flat and corrugated sheeting materials.

It was used in the manufacture of more than 3000 building and decorator products that remain lurking in one third of homes including brick, weatherboard, clad homes and apartments. It was used everywhere.

ACMs were commonly used in wet areas such as bathrooms, kitchens and laundries but this potentially deadly fibre could be in places renovators might not expect.

It could be lurking under carpets, linoleum, vinyl and ceramic floor and wall tiles, external and internal walls, ceilings, eaves, roofs and fences. Asbestos could be in any residential property, in any town or city across Australia if the home was built before 1990 and in any commercial property constructed before 2004.

Make no mistake, renovating, demolishing or maintaining properties that contains asbestos can be lethal if ACMs are disturbed and invisible asbestos fibres become airborne and are inhaled.

So before taking up tools, learn how to manage asbestos safely by visiting asbesto sawareness.com.au to access a range of free information for tradies, rural and commercial property owners, and homeowners including checklists and how to identify, test and safely manage asbestos because it could save your life or the life of a loved one.

Remember, when it comes to asbestos, don’t cut it, drill it, drop it, sand it, saw it,  scrape it, scrub it, dismantle it, tip it, waterblast it, demolish it, dump it. And whatever you do, don’t remove it yourself and use licenced asbestos professionals because it’s not worth the risk.

C Barber

National Asbestos Awareness Ambassador