Ongoing problem
AFTER months in court engaged in a so called conciliatory process, all we’ve heard from the EPA is that Mr Irwin has until mid December to reduce the decomposing chicken manure piles to the licence height of three metres, a licence condition, one of many that Mr Irwin has been ignoring for years.
So it appears that anyone living within 50sqkm of the Neutrog site will have to endure another summer of the stink.
It’s way past time that the EPA put an end to this intolerable situation and banned the composting of chicken manure on this site so close to Kanmantoo.
Peter Roberts, St Ives
Testing opinions
I HAVE been a regular reader of The Courier for the last 30 years, but find my sanity being tested by the many letters you publish in the name of so called “free speech”.
These are the ones that suggest that all cats are vegetarian and are of no threat to native animals, electric vehicles are in decline and the few remaining will spontaneously combust, climate change is a myth promulgated by thousands of respected scientists who have their research constantly scrutinised, First Nations peoples are much better off since colonisation, the River Murray can supply every farmer and remain viable, et cetera.
Perhaps you might consider a separate letters section in your “entertainment” section for those who want to read this drivel.
Pete Murphy, Mylor
Home front
I AM waiting for the letters to flow as they often do over the PM Albanese travelling overseas again and away from local issues.
However, given recent world events could there be anything as important as good face to face dialogue with the world leaders?
Mending relationships damaged with China, France and our South Pacific neighbours and appealing our case to a dysfunctional US Congress is certainly something worth doing.
The PM and Foreign Minister have carried this out very well and is one of the reasons why government is not elected as a one or two person entity and is made up of a wider government team, who we may not be as familiar with, but who are experienced and capable to hold and control situations on the home front.
Glen Chenoweth, Goolwa North
Wasted money
WHILST Australian families are struggling to put food on the table, our “never hardly at home” PM Albanese sits down to dinner at the White House.
How much longer do we have to put up with this joke of a Federal Government?
Millions spent on a Referendum we did not need, money that could have gone to real aid for the First Nations people.
Roll on a Federal Election so we can return to sanity.
Clive Bulmer, Forreston
Moving forward
I write in response to Trevor Barnes (‘Disappointed’, The Courier, October 25).
Rather than a reflection on whether Australians care about Indigenous issues, the referendum was a rejection of Labor’s ill-defined Voice by an overwhelming majority of Australians as the best way to address those issues.
To blame millions of voters of using a ‘moronic catch phrase’ or of ignorance in voting ‘No’ is insulting and without proof.
I’m grateful that the result reaffirmed the 1967 referendum that granted political equality for Aboriginal Australians.
The recent referendum result should strengthen national unity.
What is suggested in the manifesto behind the Voice is divisive: it’s of two competing Australian groupings, divided along ethnic lines, battling for political supremacy.
Pro-Voice activists lacked transparency and accuracy in their campaign.
Architects of the Voice did hope it would pave the path to Treaty.
Despite all that was thrown at the Yes vote – by the Government, biased media, corporate businesses, universities, sporting bodies and sponsored celebrities – Australians chose to vote as individuals.
This was a win for democracy.
As a nation we now must move forward from the outcome of the recent referendum, addressing the key issues and improving outcomes for our Indigenous people.
C. Mahlburg, Littlehampton
Safety feature fail
I READ last month’s Courier Motoring Section on Advancement in new car safety improvements.
In 2021 I bought a new Forester Premium.
I was impressed with the safety features and was presented with a booklet on the eyesight system to read.
It drove very well and was comfortable et cetera.
I do a lot of night time driving all over the Hills area and the first problem was the auto headlight dimming, as you know they dip for oncoming traffic, but then take up to 20 to 25 seconds to go back on high beam again, which is ridiculous when travelling at 80km/h or 100km/h on main roads.
Taking it back to the dealer several times only resulted in the famous saying ‘it’s within manufacturer’s specifications’, or better still, switch auto off and use the manual high/low beam switch.
The advanced safety features came into question with mist, fog, drizzle or low cloud.
I soon learnt with any of these conditions the eyesight system would turn off and 10 of these safety measures would not work as the camera could not see (but of course the driver can).
So when the weather turns bad the car has no protection and usually stays this way until the weather improves or the sun comes out.
One Sunday afternoon, returning from Victor Harbor, a lot of dark cloud blocked out the sun so the eyesight cameras turned off all the safety equipment and I drove home for the next 35 minutes without safety features.
On going back to the dealer their answers were ‘read your booklet that says it turns off’.
That’s the way the manufacturer designed it.
It’s within the allowed parameters.
As you know, living in the Hills is quite often covered in fog, drizzle and low cloud, so goodbye to safety when it’s most needed.
Early this year I went to see other dealers questioning safety systems.
Naturally they claim their cars don’t perform like that.
I ended up trading my car in on a type with fail-safe claims, but still is controlled by a camera, so I have an improved version, but in bad weather three of the safety features switch off.
My warning to anyone living in the Hills when buying a new car, try to get one that does not have cameras controlling the safety systems.
Or buy a standard model and not waste an extra $5,000.
Another safety feature to watch for is the auto-braking, when on a multi-lane road, a car in the lane next to you slows to turn into a side road, your brakes automatically come on as though the car was in front of you.
Kym Grandison, Hahndorf
