Letters, November 11, 2023

Eyesore

RECENTLY my wife and I travelled on the Overland through the picturesque Hills, which we thoroughly enjoyed and would recommend.

Having just passed through Nairne we were surprised and disgusted to see a line of trucks, trailers et cetera like an industrial dumping ground only metres away from the railway line, against a backdrop of gum trees, lush pastures and grazing cattle.

On returning from Melbourne a group of like-minded passengers decided to do an approximate count and there were at least 20 vehicles consisting of trucks, cherry pickers, semis and earth moving equipment as well as many pallets of various materials, steel girders and loose plastic.

If the authorities allow this practice on agricultural land next to the railway line where thousands of passengers travel through our beautiful Hills which is a jewel in the crown of tourism in SA and also the entrance to our lovely township of Nairne.

Consequently, if this practice of industrial dumping is allowed on agricultural land we are sure this could spread and should be stopped now.

L. Foster, Nairne

Noisy dogs

WHY isn’t anything positive done to stop annoying dogs barking all day and annoying their neighbors?

It is the dog owners who should act on this, not their neighbors.

All day and all night barking is not on.

Filling in forms and keeping track of a dog’s movements should be the owners problem, not their neighbor’s.

We have lived in Mt Barker area for several years and feel this will go on forever.

No one acts in a positive way to fix this.

F. Symonds, Mt Barker

Entertainment section

BY claiming his sanity is being tested by other’s opinions (Testing opinions, The Courier, November 1), Pete Murphy seems averse to robust debates.

May I suggest that good judgement and sound understanding of the subject matter is generally sufficient to preserve one’s sanity.

But if that fails, the consolation prize should be that his letter is the first entry into his proposed “entertainment section”.

K. Stachovic, Meadows

Waste of money

I WOULD like to see a New Years resolution made which does not allow MPs wives and partners to travel with them on trips either around Australia or overseas.

They are only passengers who don’t need to be there.

Isn’t it enough for the tax payer as it is without them?

Should have happened long ago, it’s just a rort.

So Parliament should do something soon and prevent people who don’t need to be there from going and save us some money.

If they must go, then make them pay for it.

Robert Fladrich, Murray Bridge

Contrary opinions

IN relation to Pete Murphy (Testing opinions, The Courier, November 1), “freedom of speech”, is an integral part of any democratic society, with the exception of incitement to violence.

It is an aspect fostered by The Courier in its “Your view” section.

It appears that Pete Murphy simply objects to The Courier publishing opinions contrary to his own.

Christopher Collins, Mt Barker

Revenue raising

LAST Sunday the work of a very hardworking group of people in the Uraidla area came to fruition when the 2023 Uraidla show was held.

It is a magnificent event and a major PR exercise for the Hills, with people attending from near and far and tasting the amazing produce we offer.

However, for many people the experience was ruined by the Adelaide Hills Council, which engaged its parking inspector to attend the area.

People who parked along Greenhill Road between Uraidla and Summertown were fined.

There are no signs saying that parking there was not permitted or kerbing to define the roadway from the verge area.

I was driving through the area and observed the inspector in action.

This is a disgrace. The council has embittered many people who will probably not return to the Hills.

The parked cars were not in any way causing an obstruction or inconvenience to traffic as they were well off the road.

In one blow the council has undone a fair bit of the work of the show society in bringing visitors to our lovely region.

The money extracted is only a drop in council revenue and if they have any conscience whatsoever these notices should be cancelled with a letter of apology.

John Venus, Oakbank

Energy use change

AFTER 34 years of a frantic push into wind and solar world energy use, oil use is at 32.95% compared with 38.21% in 1988; gas at 24.52% compared with 18.91%; coal 27.9% compared with 27.15%; hydropower 2.7%, compared with 2.19%; nuclear 1.67% compared with 1.98%; wind 1.31%, compared with < 0.01%; and solar 0.82% compared with < 0.01%            

This is from Our World in Data and doesn’t include the rise in overall consumption.

The biggest effect is the reduction of the use of biomass by nearly 40%.

But in Europe (and parts of the US) the use of wood for heating is rising rapidly (helps heat houses in colder weather).

G. Inkster, Mt Barker