Your letters to the editor | habitat decline, and calls for political...

Your letters to the editor | habitat decline, and calls for political accountability and a tougher justice system

1081

Detainees

There has been much in the media about the release of criminal immigration detainees ordered by the High Court of Australia.

Some of these detainees were apparently housed in accommodation in Thornlie.

There are schools in the vicinity of the accommodation used to house released detainees.

What leadership did the mayor and councillors of the City of Gosnells display in urging appropriate authorities to act urgently to mitigate any risk to our community from the released detainees?

Leon Walker, Kenwick

They paved paradise

Do people really believe that it makes it all better by painting a huge mural depicting Black Cockatoos on an extremely large building, surrounded by more large buildings and hot grounds.

As the song goes “they paved paradise and put up a parking lot”.

I feel Joni Mitchell was so ahead of her time with the lyrics from “Big Yellow Taxi”

How do we justify ripping out vegetation and destroying habitat?

These beautiful black cockatoos are sadly on the decline.

The pressure to find enough feed and roosting places is getting harder and harder, the birds resorting to using vegetation in backyards and on verges, resulting in safety issues for themselves and causing the wrong kind of attention from humans.

Somewhere along the line we will need to consider what happens to wildlife that loses its place of shelter and food source?

Years ago, the sound of Black Cockatoos in numbers was a sign of rain coming, now to me it’s the desperate sound of starvation

Regina Drummond, Kenwick

Accountability?

I refer to the front page headline article published in the Armadale Examiner issue dated 21 December 2023.

I believe that the action of the state government in this matter, constitutes both the true meaning of the term environmental terrorism, and, an act of chemical warfare against the people of Perth, in the intent to deliberately poison Perth’s water supply.

But, as the history of the state parliament of Western Australia has shown, the dual purpose of a state government, is to cause harm, while the members of the state government get rich from both pillaging the people of Western Australia, and, from “political donations”, in a state where “political donations” can buy anything, including favourable legislation, and, protection and immunity for the payers of the “political donations, with “political donations” being the highest returning investment for the companies that pay the “political donations”.

It is unfortunate that, in Western Australia, the members of the state legislature, are immune from any form of accountability.

Brett Busby, Armadale

Enough is Enough: A Call for Justice in a Failing Society

In today’s society, a disturbing trend is becoming increasingly evident: those who disregard the law often seem to lead more privileged lives than those who strive to live peacefully and law-abidingly. It’s a bitter pill to swallow, but it’s time we faced this harsh reality.

Every day, we see examples of individuals flouting the rules, causing disruption, and yet facing minimal consequences.

The courts, which once stood as pillars of justice and order, now seem to be out of touch with the very society they’re meant to protect.

Have we become so entangled in bureaucracy and misplaced sympathy that we’ve forgotten the fundamental principles of right and wrong?

Let’s talk about juvenile delinquents – a term too polite for what we’re actually dealing with.

These young offenders aren’t merely ‘misunderstood’; they’re a product of a system that coddles them instead of correcting them.

We hear the same tired excuses: “Poor little Mary,” “Poor little Johnny”.

But what about the rights of law-abiding citizens?

Why are they secondary to those who choose to disrupt society?

I am not just venting frustration here; this is a call for action.

We need a justice system that instils fear, not comfort, in the hearts of offenders.

The government should invest in building actual prisons, not the ‘hotels’ that currently pass for correctional facilities. These should be places no one wants to return to, places that truly rehabilitate and instil a sense of accountability.

The time for tiptoeing around the issue and making excuses for unacceptable behaviour is over.

It’s not about being merciless; it’s about reinstating a sense of order and safety in our society.

Those who cannot play by the rules should not have a place among us until they are ready to do so.

And now, it’s time for us to start talking and taking action.

We must identify and support government representatives who have the courage to protect our society genuinely.

Who in our government has the resolve to stand up for what’s right, to prioritise the safety and well-being of law-abiding citizens over coddling offenders? It’s time to find out.

Engage with your local and national representatives, demand accountability, and support those who show they’re willing to take these tough but necessary steps.

Glenn Dewhurst is a City of Gosnells Councillor and community leader.