Water needed to flush away dog urine at shops
Mount Martha village has several eateries/coffee establishments. One seems to be very popular, with patrons eating food, and their dogs filling the tables and footpath – a very pleasant scene.
However, there are the shop’s corners and a post holding up the roof and the dog owners let their dogs urinate in these areas. The stench of dog urine running down the shop corners and along the footpath with people having to walk through this, is disgusting, while food is served. Some dogs are on their owner’s laps, with the dogs noses on the table.
Dogs can’t help being a dog. Some owners treat their dog like their babies or children, how insulting to compare.
Why do dog owners let their dogs do as they want? I do like dogs, and why is this acceptable in a modern hygienic society?
Along shop fronts in Spain bottles of water are placed to use when a dog urinates on the footpath. This water is used to flush the urine away. How civilised.
Mornington Peninsula Shire ordinances are in place to pick up the poo, surly the same laws could and should apply to flush the urine away.
Gerard van de Ven, Mount Martha
Opportunity to restart
The referendum is over, done with, and we all move forward.
It is a result not enjoyed by everyone but one that is accepted. It is now up to the government to gather those results, work through them and discuss the issues surrounding the outcomes in detail.
Other avenues can be explored and working together to enhance all Australians. It is a new beginning.
Anne Kruger, Rye
Wasteful referendum
The [Voice to Parliament] referendum was poorly arranged and poorly administered, and Albo [Prime Minister Anthony Albanese] is mainly to blame.
Albo’s push was largely based upon emotion and cliches, rather than on facts and openness.
He unnecessarily raised the hopes of our Indigenous, now he has stalled Aboriginal reconciliation.
The referendum was a huge financial and time waster.
The Yes side had enormous financial backing and manpower resources provided for promotion.
Three government TV channels constantly bombarded one-sided advertising [for] the Voice.
The Yes wheeled out the country’s political, media, corporate, finance, celebrity and sporting elites.
And the big push achieved nothing. David slayed Goliath.
Marketing shows that if a product has a problem, then it will not sell, regardless of how much effort and dollars it is promoted.
We already know the difficulties that our Indigenous experience.
Let’s immediately properly plan and proceed with narrowing the gap with our beloved Aboriginals, and ensure all moneys are accounted for.
Mary Smith, Tyabb
Down to Dutton
Well done [federal opposition leader] Peter Dutton. Your relentless negativity has won the day. You will probably look back with pride on your achievement.
You have shamed Australia across the planet. Never again will we be able to talk about human rights abuses elsewhere in the world.
Our marginalised Indigenous people will feel even more marginalised. Hope you are feeling pleased with yourself.
Dr Ross Hudson, Mount Martha
Down on parties
Teals, breaking the back of our “democratic dictatorship” where we are allowed to vote every once in a while, to just elect the next “democratic dictatorship” for another term in office.
Headline: Teals Divided. The media treats the independents (teals) like a political party.
Although I do not agree with the position some of them have taken on the Israeli situation, I would still vote for them in the next elections.
It is called democracy in action to not have to vote the party line no matter what.
Although many would not agree, because they have never looked at Greens policies and what they have actually accomplished, the Greens, who are sometimes too hard headed, are also important in breaking the back of the “democratic dictatorship”.
Give us democracy or give us death: always put the two major parties at the back of the pack when voting, but ahead of the wackos and racists.
Joe Lenzo, Safety Beach
Commonwealth treaty
Now the referendum is over with a resounding No vote for the Voice to Parliament, issues have been raised which government must focus on.
States are heading to introduce treaties such as the disastrous Western Australian one which was made redundant.
If there is to be a treaty the Commonwealth should introduce one which would mean that the states would be blocked from negotiating a treaty and also local government would be stopped spending ratepayers money on exclusive Aboriginal programs.
If the Commonwealth negotiates a treaty then there needs to be a focus on services needed by Aboriginal people in remote areas such as education, health and housing and there also needs to be a senate committee to see that services get to the remote Aboriginals and Torres Strait islanders.
With the Commonwealth having exclusive powers in Aboriginal affairs this will mean a big savings for Australian taxpayers and make a big bite in the $30-40billion spent by the Commonwealth and states on around 3000 Aboriginal organisations every year.
In Frankston, the MP for Dunkley has announced that $7.6 million will be spent on a building exclusively giving services to Aboriginals which are already available to all Frankston people at cost. Also, $850,000 for redevelopment of Narim Marr Djambana a gathering place without Aboriginals paying for access.
This goes against the Australian people voting against the Voice, as they said that they do not want Aboriginals to be favoured and they want government to focus on housing and the cost of living, which affect every Australian.
Russell Morse, Karingal
Outcome disappoints
I was disappointed and saddened at the outcome of the Voice to Parliament referendum.
Ever since the Union Jack was planted on Australian shores, the First Australians have done it tough. For nearly 300 years they have been told No and the referendum was no different. Not only did they hear the word no, but they have also heard the sounds of rifle shots as they were being ambushed. They have heard the sound of women and children wailing as the children were torn from their mothers arms never to be seen again.
We may think that we haven’t treated them badly, but our ancestors most definitely did.
We’ve been led to believe through misinformation by right wing sections of the media and politicians in particular that Aboriginals get bucket loads of cash through benefits. Bollocks! Their life span is shorter than ours thanks to less than adequate medical facilities. Their education system is failing them. Our justice system is failing them.
Yep, the Australian public has been given a load of fryers balsam over the years and also in this last referendum mainly by [Liberal leader Peter] Dutton and his cohorts.
I’ve asked people if they would change places with an Aboriginal and live in the same environment as they do and I get a resounding no, even after they tell me how well off they have been told the First Australians are purported to be.
Would you change places?
John Cain, McCrae
Pothole spin
Department of Transport (DOT) claims that bad weather is the cause of poor road conditions and is an attempt to disguise the real problem. The truth is bad weather exposes failings in periodic preventative maintenance.
Sealed surfaces deteriorate over time and need timely periodic maintenance. Heavy rain has always happened. But the extent of potholes on roads managed by DOT in recent years is a major issue.
There have been occasions where the same potholes have been repaired multiple times, a lane of a freeway closed for an extended period and rural roads normally signed at 100kph reduced to 80 and below because of pavement failures.
Why isn’t the periodic maintenance program producing better outcomes? Are the causes inadequate funds, inefficiency, a combination of both or something else? The bottom line is far better outcomes need to be achieved.
Don’t blame councils for DOT issues. Frankston Council has information on the division of responsibility on its website. Entering “managing our roads” and going to “roads not managed by council” is informative.
The state government conducts an annual survey to assess opinions on many aspects of council’s performance. A good initiative driving accountability, but where is the survey of DOT’s performance?
The RACV could conduct annual surveys on the management of DOT roads. The Auditor General investigated councils in 2021 and VicRoads in 2015 and made recommendations for improvement.
The issues on DOT managed roads have been very visible. Is it time for the Auditor General to revisit the question of the maintenance of DOT roads again?
Councils could do better, but the big issues are on DOT roads.
Less spin and better results would be a step in the right direction.
Ian Robins, Frankston
Mental health help
We know that many Australians have mental health issues. Unfortunately, thousands and thousands of Australians are not getting help for those issues. All too often, people end up in a hospital or an emergency department out of desperation because they just do not know where to go.
Our latest awareness campaign highlights the massive neglect of people in Australia who have a mental illness just has to stop.
We specifically want to highlight to readers that if you know somebody having difficulties with mental health issues, the first key thing to do is accept there may well be a problem and then reach out and see your GP.
Your GP will be able to give you all kinds of practical suggestions on how to best handle complex situations.
We would also like to let readers know that we have a special not-for-profit network called Finding North. Put simply, it is a growing community on the internet that links people with mental health issues with others in a similar situation so that they can share their experiences.
To get information, go to findingnorth.org.au
It is estimated there are at least 154,000 Australians with a severe or complex mental illness.
We specifically highlight to readers, please do not suffer in silence. Ask your GP for support and help and visit Finding North. It is free for all readers to visit and can make a world of difference.
Tony Stevenson, national CEO, Mental Illness Fellowship of Australia.
Letters – 300 words maximum and including full name, address and contact number – can be sent to The News, PO Box 588, Hastings 3915 or emailed to: team@mpnews.com.au
First published in the Mornington News – 24 October 2023
