Alumina not rare element
Dear Echo News,
Aluminium is far from being a rare element; it is by definition what distinguishes the trillions of tonnes of the earth’s continental crust.
Likewise, the resources used to produce this very common metal that the mega-miners, Alcoa, South 32 et al, wish to exploit in the Perth Hills are not unique - they are mined in at least 20 other countries , as in Alcoa’s Perth Hills Expansion Proposal.
The thin, near-surface layers that these companies seek profit from were formed millions of years before Australia separated from Antarctica.
Hence, they extend far inland away from our biologically diverse green edge.
These proposed mining areas are already sustaining significant disruption as the population of Perth balloons well beyond what anyone ever planned for.
I am not advocating sacrificing any part of country needlessly for profit, but rather highlighting that nearly innumerable alternatives sources for alumina exist elsewhere.
These might cost a bit more in freight, but are less environmentally disruptive taking place in areas beyond the growth-induced stresses of places in and around metropolitan to exurb development.
Alcoa is currently running a TV advert with the tag line “mining for the future”- ads where they proudly show mature jarrah forest next to an anaemic revegetation site.
Before Australia separated from our south-pole neighbour, the environments which formed these forests and the deposits below them was very much hotter and wetter compared to current day.
To think that a similar forest with similar creatures, all of whom developed by taking advantage of ingredients that mining removes or severely disrupts, will reoccupy the space once mining ceases is naive at best, but foolishly dangerous in any case.
The actual future Alcoa and others like it seem to envision is one that apparently does not include jarrah forests or its inhabitants like black cockatoos.
They also seem afraid to show us the legacy of voids they will leave us with, so thank you for the front-page photo of the truth they would rather we didn’t see.
Dr R Ilchik
South Guildford
--------------------------------------------------------------------Homeless need stability
Dear Echo News,
Homelessness Week (August 4-10) reminds us that a stable home is the foundation of a good life and impacts our health, wellbeing, and ability to get ahead.
Many people in Australia are at risk of homelessness, often just one life shock such as a rent increase, job loss or eviction away from losing their home.
It is possible to end homelessness in Australia, but we need governments stepping up and a whole-of-community effort that includes services like Mission Australia.
We know secure housing and timely support is the key element.
The impact is life changing: 98 per cent of people who accessed our tenancy support services remained living in their homes and avoided homelessness.
If we don’t intervene early, vulnerable people face the stress and trauma of homelessness and the challenge of rebuilding their lives from scratch.
We want more people to get help sooner to remain housed, so we call on the Albanese government to set up a $500 million homelessness prevention transformation fund, increase commonwealth rent assistance by 60 per cent, and increase social and affordable housing to be one in every 10 new homes by 2040.
Everyone in Australia should have a safe, secure home.
S Budalich
State director
Mission Australia
--------------------------------------------------------------------Bad train outcome predicted
Dear Echo News,
Regarding the Midland train station, while we accept there is always confusion when construction works are happening, however I can’t see how this site is going to have a great outcome.
Flash new car park that is currently a 150-200m trek to a train.
The new station will be at minimum a 500m trek from the car park.
The design of this set up was obviously done by men who will never use the train.
B Westcoast
Midland
--------------------------------------------------------------------Freeze waste and FOGO
Dear Echo News,
Previous correspondents have complained about the FOGO bin collection, in particular about how smelly food waste becomes over the week.
I would point out that when food waste was placed in the old green bins the same problem arose and met the nose.
Solution: put a container in the freezer to freeze food waste that is likely to smell and only bag and bin it when putting out the bin the night before collection.
C Hall
Gooseberry Hill
