Letters, April 19, 2023

Reliable studies

READERS of The Courier would have noted the regular contributions to the Letters to the Editor by C.A.T.S. people, in which they promote free ranging cats and condemn any council controls.

I have offered an opposing view to this on several occasions now, but I have to admit surrender on this one.

I do not for a moment follow any of their (in my opinion) blinkered views, but, like Richard Barton stated (The Courier, April 15) I too am over the cats issue, so consider this my last response.

C.A.T.S. people often quote “studies” to support allowing roaming cats.

I have not seen where C.A.T.S. get their information from, but the reality is, with the good old internet, it is not hard to find support for any point of view you may have.

Whether it is relevant or correct is always debatable.

For me, I’ll stick to the studies carried out by the Australian Government, conservation groups and universities, which have all found much harm caused by cats, both feral, and domestic.

Perhaps of some interest to readers, I have been a cat owner in years past and I admit to letting my cats roam, mainly because it was easy!

No effort to contain or amuse puss, and no stinky kitty litter to deal with, et cetera – just kick puss outside.

How easy!

I can’t now help but wonder if this is the real reason many owners let their cats roam even today?

Incidentally, of the three cats I owned, one was poisoned, one was injured and needed to be euthanised, and one just disappeared.

All while roaming at night.

It took a while, but I finally did learn – a roaming cat is not a good idea for the cats or our native species.

Finally, I will again pose a question to C.A.T.S. (so far unanswered): regardless of your science, what do you think gives you the right to allow your pets to roam onto another person’s private property without their consent? Just curious.

Dean Clifford, Mt Barker

Unreliable renewables

BRIAN Measday states that big money corporations are stopping the closure of coal fired power stations (CFPS) (The Courier, April 5).

Does he realise that in Queensland five out of the eight CFPS are government owned?

Also, on average, they are not to be closed for about 14 years?

While in WA, two out of three CFPS are government owned.

In NSW the Government is considering keeping one of the privately owned CFPS open longer as they require secure power.

Renewables are great, but they are so unreliable. Especially on cold winter nights when there is no wind.

Tim Calver, Novar Gardens

Evidence needed

REGARDING the letter, “Wrong Culprit”, (The Courier, April 12).

Could Carol Patricia James please provide us with references for the source of her claims:

• Introduced rats, mice, rabbits and birds are cats’ main prey;

• That we are “suffering from plague proportions of these (introduced prey species)”;

• That “evidence proves the massive increase in sales of rat baits”.

Steve Shotton, Hahndorf

New McDonald’s

I TOTALLY agree with earlier comments regarding the proposed McDonald’s outlet at the new Wellington Road shopping precinct (The Courier, April 5).

Mt Barker council surely cannot put a foul smelling McDonald’s in a so called residential area.

The cooking smells that emanate from the existing fast food outlets in Mt Barker are enough.

The amount of rubbish that was discarded on our roadsides when the first McDonald’s opened will now double with another.

Wake up Mt Barker Council instead of grabbing the dollars, how about making Mt Barker an example to others how a modern city can be built from scratch and not give in to developers who are making house blocks as small as possible and jamming shopping centres in where the developers want them.

Peter and Corinne Draper, Gemmells

Healthy rivalry

LAST month we heard much about the hatred between Port Power and the Adelaide Crows.

There has always been a healthy competition between these teams.

How sad that many call this hatred and what is this teaching our children?

How about if we come back to our senses and focus on the healthy rivalry.

Marg Weddell, Mt Barker

Going green

I WAS looking at a chocolate wrapper and saw the logo for the ‘Rain Forest Alliance’, and I thought to myself that it would be good if green energy resources could have some sort of alliance or group to show the ethical treatment of those involved in the supply chain.

It’s been done to a good extent in relation to chocolate, coffee, and clothes, just to mention a few.

The task of cleaning up the supply chain was a belated move and seemed to be a difficult task with an entrenched supply chain, but it was done in the end even by those who made their name and fortunes at the expense of others.

This task would probably best be done at the beginning of the popularity for it to be effective, rather than later and trying to play catch-up.

I know if this was done, many more people would adopt clean energy with a clear conscience.

I know I would.

There may already be some products that do this, but it is not obvious and not currently a point of difference exploited (imagine the interest in an electric vehicle that can show it is free of exploitation).

I would be interested in this happening soon, or we could just kick the can down the road like a Hahndorf bypass.

Rodney Hawksworth, Callington

Free publicity

HAVING announced, toward the end of last year (when he cancelled a planned public meeting), that he would no longer be talking to the public or the media, Mr Irwin (Neutrog) is happy to talk to the media to get some free publicity about his new coffee/chicken manure-based fertiliser. He has failed to address the stench and pollution issue.

Peter Roberts, St Ives

Roadwork delays

BRIDGEWORKS began on Brookman Road, about 4km from Meadows, about six months ago.

It is an ordinary two-lane road bridge.

Local residents were assured that work would be completed by the end of March.

For several weeks, during peak fire season, Brookman Road was closed and a 20km detour instigated.

It took many ‘phone calls to the Department for Infrastructure and Transport to eventually have appropriate and accurate detour signage installed.

For the past few months traffic lights have allowed single-lane traffic to pass.

Sometimes the frequency of the lights seems to be random.

The amount of fuel wasted by idling, waiting vehicles would be staggering.

As a frequent traveller on Brookman Road, I have noted many days when there has been absolutely no activity on the work site and even more occasions when the only personnel present has been someone tinkering with the traffic signals.

After six months there still doesn’t seem to be any completion date in sight.

I don’t pretend to know much about bridge construction or road building, but I know that the Empire State Building was built in one year and 45 days.

Colin Rogers, Meadows