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I READ with much interest your Viewpoint column, (Bendigo Weekly, November 4) on the question as to whether our mayor should be elected by a populist vote.
I cannot feel such a move would be in the greater interest of the city.
The City of Greater Bendigo covers a large area, and I wonder how many of our residents have actually met, and had conversations with, all nine of our councillors, and feel they know them personally; if they have not, a choice would be difficult to make.
We do not have a populist vote for either the Premier of our state, or our Prime Minister... State and country are led by the person voted by the political party currently in power to lead them.
Why then, can we not trust our nine elected councillors to vote for the one among them considered to be most capable of leading the city for the forthcoming year?
After all, it is they who work together, discuss matters affecting the city both at the present time and into the future, and they surely know who among them would best be able to ensure council is able to carry through projects planned for the forthcoming 12 months.
Councillors have already been elected by residents of their wards to represent them. I would not like to think our councillors would then need to “electioneer” again to become mayor.
Also I feel (and hope) that when the time comes to elect a new mayor, our councillors are more honourable than to do the “backroom deals” referred to in your column (the mental picture conjured up of nine councillors meeting in twos and threes behind closed doors, wheeling and dealing, is almost amusing – if the thought were not so serious).
Joyce Ackerman,
Strathdale
No Fair on Good Friday
Although the Easter Fair will never be the same without the street stalls and popular girls, I suppose we must move on.
If it is absolutely necessary to cut the Easter Fair down could it now be held on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. There are many arty things that people can inspect and it would allow tourists a leisurely drive here.
Friday belongs to the dedicated church people.
Dorothy Mason,
Bendigo
Weed worry
Current weed eradication from White Hills creek opposite White Hills cemetery commenced this week without any resident consultation.
Crews are currently felling large natives and other trees which provide habitat to birds and small marsupials.
If the crews continue in this fashion the waterway would become a large drain with nothing to slow any flood flows.
If they were serious about weed eradication they would be visiting the green belt three to four times a year.
Until this week, the council has managed to cut the grass twice in two years.
Since when are trees weeds – especially natives.
Name and address supplied
No mandate for tax
Julia Gillard’s letter to the Bendigo Weekly argues that the impact of the carbon tax on families will be ‘modest’.
Clearly the Prime Minister is arguing what she would like to happen rather than what will happen when the carbon tax takes hold in winter 2012.
She can’t deny that the carbon tax will significantly increase electricity costs. The government’s own estimate is that the carbon tax will push up electricity prices by 10 per cent and gas prices by nine per cent in the first year alone.
This is on top of significant increase in electricity prices over recent years.
According to modeling by the Centre for International Economics, the impacts of the carbon tax will also be much larger than the government’s figuring shows.
Australia’s GDP through to 2020 will be a cumulative $180 billion lower (in 2011 prices) and average household income will
be reduced by a cumulative $11,360.
Julia Gillard might think these are modest impacts on Australian households, but they aren’t.
Not only will household incomes take a hit and electricity prices continue to skyrocket, but Australian jobs and exports will be under pressure from this new tax which will keep going up and up.
The carbon tax won’t even cut Australia’s emissions which the government’s own estimates say will rise by eight per cent by 2020 under the tax.
The government has no mandate for this new tax.
Readers of the Bendigo Weekly can be assured that at the next election the Coalition will seek mandate to repeal this damaging tax.
Tony Abbott,Opposition Leader
Change the eNoore
AFTER a very long time I visited Bendigo again.
Admiring the beautiful buildings, I was devastated as I entered the mall.
Atmosphere, there was none. What has gone terribly wrong?
If you want tourists it would quite easily be rectified.
Give people a reason to walk in the mall. Have suggestions from the people of Bendigo and surely the area could be beautifully enhanced.
May I suggest at least some greenery such as arbours with golden bouganvillea trailing over them.
Alfresco dining. A walk of fame naming great sportsmen and women from the area.
A large fake gold nugget as a centrepiece with history documented to inform people how great Bendigo was and still is.
Given the right surgery, Bendigonians you could change the eNoore and create something you would be proud of.
Let’s be honest the mall should be and could be a desirable place to visit.
Bev Dowler,
Rochester
that he will repeal the tax. Isn't that a mandate in itself? Is he suggesting a back-down and decide to leave it up to the people after all?