Your Voice: May 9-16

Re: Controversial mound to go

I’m 72 years young. In my day if you couldn’t climb over the fence you went round it. Why are we wasting all that money so as a couple of people in wheelchairs will be able to get to the pub? How about going around to the pub instead of making a song and dance of it and handing the bill to the rest of us. You can’t be that bad if you want to go the pub, so just take the scenic route next time. The money could have been spent on something far more important.

John W (via web)

Re: Asylum seekers swamp aid centre

Your article ‘Asylum seekers swamp aid centre’ (Journal, May 27) was brought vividly into focus on Monday afternoon in the car park at the Plaza shopping centre. A middle-aged man begged me for money to feed his family. The man had very little English and mostly used sign language. He is possibly one of the many bridging-visa people dumped by the federal government in the City of Greater Dandenong, unable to work and without sufficient funding to fully support themselves.

 Why are our city fathers allowing our area to be used as an informal, and inadequately supported, detention centre, with local charitable organisations already stretched to breaking point by the unending flood of community release refugees? Afghans and Sri Lankans form the greater majority of these cases. What are established communities in the Dandenong area doing to assist their own people? 

What parts of the Greater Dandenong community will be left with the debt when hundreds of people are forced to make the choice between buying food or paying debts? We’re resource-exhausted. Where are the other communities willing to take these people?

Concerned (via email)

Re: Pet sheep’s court bill could balloon

In response to Alan Hood’s web comment on the story about the food Baa is being fed — the average lifespan of an Australian merino-derived sheep is 10-12 years. Baa is reportedly 15 years old and Mr Ho has had her since she was a lamb. He must be doing something right! 

And about her not being shorn for some time — given the care (and massive amounts of money) given to keep her, I very much doubt she is living or sleeping outside when it rains. Good on you, Mr Ho, for standing up for a defenceless and voiceless fellow earthling!

Deb W (via web)