Letters
Sydney Morning Herald
Thursday October 9, 1997
Lack of information
The murder of the young Japanese tourist in Cairns is tragic. I feel, however, there is a wider issue of how much information Japanese backpackers are given before they set off for Australia - a very different country to Japan.
Last summer, I stopped to pick up a Japanese tourist with a huge backpack walking beside Northbourne Avenue. He spoke virtually no English but eventually it transpired he had just walked from Cowra to Canberra in 30-degree heat with no water or hat. He expected to find shops to buy food en route and had consequently not eaten for two days. Our friend had only been in Australia a week and had hitch-hiked from Sydney to Cowra because his tourist guide said that Cowra was a good place to find work. I don't think so.
The episode turned out happily: the hiker was a nice kid from Kyoto who stayed with us for several weeks before heading off to pick fruit. We drove him to the farm.
Lack of information about conditions in Australia must result in some Japanese backpackers having some pretty rough experiences. Australian agencies in Japan must do more to inform young Japanese that Australia is a great place - but it is not without its dangers.
Kim Meredith, October 8 Ainslie (ACT).
It is a sad day for this country when a Japanese citizen is murdered on our soil and our greatest concern is its effect on tourism. Where is our compassion?
Sophie J. Kunze, October 8 Penrith.
Large cars
Our Federal Government says it can do nothing about greenhouse gas emissions without costing jobs. Holden's latest Commodore has increased in weight from 1,500 to 1,650 kg and its fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emission have increased similarly. Ditto for the upcoming new model Ford Falcon and Toyota Avalon.
These large vehicles are mostly purchased for "business-related" purposes with substantial assistance from taxpayers, constitute a large proportion of new car sales, and cover twice the milage per year as domestic vehicles. How would it cost a single job for Australian taxi drivers, salespeople and aspiring executives to drive 1,200 kg cars that use 25 per cent less fuel and emit 25 per cent less CO? All it takes is for the Government to announce that over time tax-deductibility will start to take into consideration environmental impact per occupant usually carried so that car manufacturers can adjust their model ranges.
In fact, if vehicles built in Australia to sell to business were brought back into line with what people spending their own money want to buy, then imports of cars and export of car manufacturing jobs might even be reduced.
Gordon Drennan, October 7 Ultimo.
Killer semis
Another semi-trailer toppled over on the Hume Highway a couple of days ago, without anyone being killed - for a change.
Anyone who has travelled either way along, for example, the Sturt Highway between Wagga Wagga and Mildura must wonder whether one's car or coach will be collected head-on by any of an almost continuous stream of semis.
It might be a change if the Federal politicians stopped sledging each other and got down again to governing, such as getting interstate cargoes back onto the rails and getting the killer semis off the roads.
Keith Hooper, October 2 Aranda (ACT).
Shame names
Regardless of how we have done it in the past, it's time teenagers and their parents stood up to be counted. Police Commissioner Peter Ryan is right in suggesting shaming for the under 18s.
If parents and carers of teenagers do their job, this is all society can expect of them. Parents will forever feel they could have done more, this being the very nature of a parent . . . there should, however, be no shame on their part. Where the shame lies is with the offenders and no amount of protection will change that.
In my opinion, what many forget - and there are those who are blinded by masses of controversial statistics - is that no matter their upbringing, teenagers must face along with the rest once they have reached 15 that there can be no separate rules or second chances . . . you break the law, you pay for it; your finger goes in the flame, you burn it! We learn by experience and at 15 the shame of our name in the print media is all part of the price we pay for the law we broke.
Less namby-pambying and being more aware of their actions will see kids maturing into responsible adults . . .
I think we may need, then, to persuade our judges to stop letting double murderers out to kill again, as this seems to be the latest trend.
Brian Johnson, October 5 Gymea.
Remember . . .
I think you are going a bit over the top - publishing the horrible caricature of a gracious, intelligent and capable lady who happens to be our Queen (Herald, October 4). There will be guffaws from the republicans, and I know that Mr John Shakespeare has to earn a crust, but don't forget, dear sir, that you are offending a lot of your paying customers.
I will have no hesitation in cancelling my Herald account at the local newsagent and trying a different publication if I am to be saddened by any more of this type of work.
I'm speaking also for a great number of fellow residents in this retirement resort. Remember, we are paying customers.
L. M. Moore, October 6 Neutral Bay.
Going, gone
I was really fascinated by the excellent photo and article in your issue of October 2 featuring the giant phasmid or "stick insect" discovered in the Northern Territory.
When I was growing up, during the years of the Great War and up to the 1930s, these huge phasmids, often reaching 27-28 centimetres, were quite common throughout the County of Cumberland, especially along the then forested areas of North Shore lands where now are the suburbs of Carlingford and Dundas. I had one in my collection from Longnose Point, in Balmain.
They will not be found anywhere near Sydney now because their habitat has been destroyed. The giant praying mantis, tiger of the insect world, has gone, too.
K. M. Snowden (born 1906), October 3 Salamander Bay.
Seeking parity
From the floor of Parliament we are assured that the majority of members are . . . "honest, hard working" etc etc.
But as we remember each representative is on travel expenses, can we expect to find (by way of leaks) yet more "discrepancies" in their individual accounting? Will each have bolstered his or her take to close the earnings gap? Some "parity" with the private sector?
Let's hope the state of our politics is not too aptly defined by the so-called travel rorts.
J. M. Webber, October 6 Angourie.
Today an icon
It is with quiet amusement that I read of the "monstrosity" devouring the view of our famous "icon".
I seem to remember back in the '60s when the "icon" itself was regarded by many as a "monstrosity".
Dennis Went, October 8 West Pennant Hills.
Equality
If the convention of giving the age in brackets after letters by children is to draw attention to the simplicity, naivety, precocious perception and honesty of their words, should similar brackets be used to draw attention to authorship by silly old duffers?
Barry Lamb, (aged 58 and a half), October 7 Westmead.
Adieu, Amanda
Amanda Vanstone was right in saying she felt like a farmer waiting for the drought to break.
The creditors have moved in and she's been forced to walk off the property.
David Allen, October 6 West Gosford.
I see El Nino has eventually claimed Senator Vanstone.
Bill Carpenter, October 6 Bowral.
I hope
I trust the fire lighters of Indonesia will in due course be billed for the cost of the fire fighters sent to douse burning forests ("Fire storm" editorial, October 3).
President Soeharto should be the first to agree.
T. Bell, October 3 Waverley.
The coach
Please do not be too hard on the chap. After all, he was "only following orders".
E. K. McIntosh, October 9 Strathfield.
© 1997 Sydney Morning Herald
