Darlington childcare concerns
Dear Echo News,
Thank you for highlighting the predicament faced by the Darlington community in relation to a proposed childcare centre in Amherst Avenue, a narrow cul-de-sac leading to Darlington Primary School’s drop-off loop.
This is a road located at an extremely busy intersection.
It is a road already notorious for its extreme congestion at critical times when parents are dropping off or picking up children attending this capacity school.
This is a road that the Shire of Mundaring acknowledges as a potential entrapment road in a bushfire evacuation situation – indeed the shire annually alerts residents to this potential in summer.
Battle axe blocks with long driveways add to the dangers for Amherst residents who are well aware that bushfires fanned by easterlies move at a firesome rate.
That a company planning to care for 80 infants and toddlers should purchase a residential property at the start of an entrapment road is astonishing.
The centre will add 364 daily vehicle movements to what a teacher at the school describes as a daily nightmare in terms of traffic.
At a recent community meeting a representative from Briscola told Darlington residents that the company is keen to hear the community’s views – and yet this seemed a hollow assurance given the company had opted to by-pass a possible debate in Mundaring council.
Instead, Briscola’s application went to a development assessment panel on which local government representatives are outnumbered by planners.
This development strategy is permitted if a proposal has a budget as low as $2m, so it appears to be happening more and more, and often when a proposal is opposed by residents.
No wonder people feel disempowered by a system that appears to favour the developer - a system that both Liberal and Labor governments have supported.
Despite the power imbalance, Darlington residents should make submissions before the December 10 deadline so that the DAP and the developer are aware of the extent of opposition to a childcare centre that, in the view of residents, is just in the wrong location.
T Wiltshire
Darlington
Graffiti good but rubbish bad
Dear Echo News,
Taking the dog for a walk through the bush, we came across the beautiful (graffiti) artwork on the side of the Petro Chemicals building in Walliston.
Really lovely, lots of bright colours and so pretty to look at.
However, on getting closer, we saw all the paint rollers and spray cans strewn all over the ground.
We picked it all up and put it into the two bins which the shire provided – both were near empty.
So, if those artists should happen to read this, would you please lift the lids up of the two green bins and dispose of your rubbish.
I Sanderson
Kalamunda
Hard to be a proud Australian
Dear Echo News,
Recent disturbing news stories make it increasingly hard to be proud to be an Australian.
First, a payout of about $120 million to two generations of Indigenous people who were treated as virtual slaves on cattle stations in the Kimberley between 1960 and 2000 – takes over 20 years to be granted, but only $16,000 each to about 14,000 people, after many have died without any compensation for their years of enforced work without pay.
Contrast that with an immediate commitment to pay more than $150m to corporate lithium miners who are facing a bit of a downturn in the market price…diddums.
Thirdly, Qantas (our once national airline…but thankfully, no longer) lost a 1.2m tool inside one of its aircraft engine finding it 300 hours of flying time later.
But the Qantas ‘safety’ spokesman assured everyone that “we take safety seriously”…really?
Fourthly, Australia continues to lose more than one woman every week to domestic violence at the hands of their intimate partners…which is our national shame.
Best not to mention the cricket…hey?
P Carman
Hovea
Leave our parks alone
Dear Echo News,
In response to your story New Bassendean oval Consultation (Echo News, November 1).
I find it quite bizarre, and somewhat disrespectful that the Bassendean council’s chief executive officer and administration advocate the building of several multi-storey buildings on green open space surrounding Bassendean Steel Blue footy oval.
Concerns were raised in the past which were largely ignored by the council about disturbing and building on traditional owners’ sacred ground.
The raised banks around the oval are sacred soils removed from Success Hill, (native title claim pending) a local historic Aboriginal meeting place where Yagan and other Aboriginal Noongar Elders and Swan River people met and also home to Waugal dreaming.
Perhaps leave our parks and reserves for all to enjoy.
G Coleman
Bassendean
Speed limit a concern
Dear Echo News,
Question for the road safety forum.
On November 4, I sent a letter to my local member Michelle Roberts asking the question “do we have to wait for a fatality on GEH before speed limits are lowered?”
Sadly, last week a man was killed in a collision with a truck travelling at 80km/h (or more?) at a dangerous intersection along Great Eastern Highway.
Why won’t the minister act immediately and enforce a 70km/h limit going up the Greenmount Hill and 60km/h coming down?
This change is supported by Michelle Roberts, our local Shire of Mundaring and ratepayers.
A trial of reduced speed limits would cost taxpayers almost nothing while a more permanent solution can be planned and funded while potentially saving lives, injuries and accidents at huge cost savings.
Supplementary question: will the Road Safety Minister attend a meeting with Main Roads representatives at the Shire of Mundaring to discuss the issue of speed limits within the shire?
C Hughes
Midland
