Agreed against flying school
I AGREE with the people who have spoken against the school for Chinese to learn flying at the Swan Hill aerodrome.
Joyce IngramConsider real situation
I WOULD like to express my disappointment at the attitudes of those against a flying school at Swan Hill aerodrome.
Firstly, if you build your home near the highway, expect to hear large transport going past. If you live in a stone fruit area, expect trucks, tractors and scare guns all hours of the day and night, and if you live near an aerodrome, expect aeroplanes.
Only one narrow, emotional side of the proposal has been presented and the existence of a petition against it, as Liz Ryan points out, smells of a carefully orchestrated campaign to discredit the idea before it “gets off the ground”.
To the west of the aerodrome, we have wheat fields with very few houses. No doubt this is one reason why Swan Hill was considered for a flying school. In addition, if locals don’t like the extra traffic, they should be able to rent or sell their properties to those working at the school.
Secondly, Swan Hill is dying — count the empty shops in the main street. Most of our children have to leave Swan Hill for work or training. We need the employment and extra business that a flying school would bring.
Finally, for a democracy to work, we must trust our elected representatives to consider issues and to make decisions for the good on the majority. If you don’t like it, don’t re-elect them.
We also need an objective and vigorous press to bring out all the issues not just one side as with the bridge fiasco.
Consider what is the real situation at Mildura.
How many residents would actually be affected?
Has the council taken steps to confine the hours, flight paths and altitude over houses?
Has the council taken steps to control the lease/tenancy of the operators?
Why hasn’t wider discussion of this issue taken place before now?
Dr Kelly says our serenity is threatened.
I would feel far more “serene” if my grandkids could find skilled work in Swan Hill and if my favourite shops weren’t closing down.
Frank Bolton,
Murrawee Confusing conundrum
THE apparent shortage of pilots is driving a massive expansion of pilot training operations in Australia.
Putting aside the confusing conundrum of the perceived economic benefits of this expansion.
Do our elected representatives understand what is involved in pilot training and the impact that industrial scale circuit training has on residents living in the vicinity of rural and regional airports around the country – airports like Swan Hill and Mildura?
Some years ago, the National Party leader/Deputy Prime Minister’s department led the establishment of a framework protecting airports from the incompatible development of residential areas.
Is it then not reasonable for established communities to expect similar leadership by having the mechanisms put in place to protect existing residents from the impact on their amenity, wellbeing and health of the sudden and large scale expansion of aviation operations at their airports.
Again a confusing conundrum.
AJ Millar,
Swan HillWake up now and reconsider
WE promote Swan Hill as a place to come and enjoy a relaxed country lifestyle with rivers, lakes and dining.
The thing is, Swan Hill residents also like to enjoy these things and choose to live in a country town.
If we wanted planes flying overhead day and night, we would live in the city.
Mildura councillors have admitted in an ABC interview they should have looked deeper into it before allowing the flight school to go ahead.
One of our councillors said the money generated from this would be spread around our town, not so if the flight school group buy their own motel and employ their own people as they have done in Mildura.
Swan Hill councillors are elected to represent us and improve our quality of life, not erode it.
If they go ahead with this plan, I urge all residents affected by planes keeping them awake at night to ring councillors and council staff responsible for this decision and make sure they are awake also, whether they are still in office or not.
Or better still, maybe they will wake up now and reconsider this stupid decision.
Gary Smith,
Swan HillDon’t take away train engine
DO not take away the train engine from Pioneer Settlement.
To do so would destroy the credibility of the settlement, in telling the story of the settlement of the Mallee, and indeed inland Victoria, in the 19th century.
The rail service took over where the paddlesteamer left off.
The rail went where the steamers could not go, and continued the story of inland trade.
The railway engine is a vital part of the story and on a par, in importance, with the Gem. The story is incomplete without this iconic symbol.
The sound of the train whistle was dramatically welcome to the country town people. Rail delivered mail, machinery, machinery parts, medical requirements, flour for the bakery, beer for the hotels, produce for the country store, newspapers and welcome passengers. The rail brought the world to the country people.
The rail service created employment, trucking yards were built to send away cattle and sheep, goods sheds were built to house wool and grain until loaded on to the train.
Towns grew up at rail sidings, cafes and comfort facilities were provided for rail passengers.
On the return trip, again the train would pick up mail, wool, grain, livestock, fruit and vegetables to the city, and, of course, people were able to access specialist medical treatment and visit other towns on the way.
Living in an isolated environment was made easier by the service provided by the railway, still a vital service to country communities.
The railway engine is a vital link in the story of inland settlement, to take it away would rob the Pioneer Settlement of a critical link in the story of inland towns and reveal a lack of knowledge of not only the evolution of our district, but the theme of the whole project at Horseshoe Bend.
Apart from the importance to inland trade, and the survival of the outback communities, the train engine depicts the revolution of steam power, for transport and heavy duty land works and for pumping water.
Some may think the train serves no purpose – it makes a very important statement – the rural communities, so much part of our heritage, would not have been viable without the steam train.
Name supplied Hot off the press
CONGRATULATIONS to Rob, Peter and their staff on an excellent Friday issue of The Guardian.
So many interesting and informative articles, TV guide and the new pets in isolation section was heartwarming.
We look forward to our next Friday issue with all the local news.
Betty and Alex HillSmoking devastates
IN the lead up to World No Tobacco Day on Sunday, May 31, it is important to reflect on the devastation caused by smoking which kills more than 21,000 Australians each year.
Smoking remains the leading preventable cause of death and disease in Australia.
Rural people have higher smoking rates and suffer up to 1.8 times the harm from smoking compared to those in major cities.
As a general practitioner working with smokers for more than 30 years, I am frustrated that smoking rates have remained stagnant since 2013, particularly in the bush. The reality is that most addicted smokers are simply unable to quit with conventional treatments and up to two in three will die prematurely as a result.
Many Australian smokers could quit by vaping nicotine. Vaping is more effective than other smoking aids and is the most popular quitting aid in the world. It is perplexing that Australia remains the only western democracy to deny smokers access to this lifesaving alternative.
All Australian smokers, especially those in rural and remote areas should speak to their GP about whether vaping is suitable for them. A prescription from a GP makes vaping legal in Australia. The peak GP body, the RACGP, has recently acknowledged a role for vaping for smokers who are otherwise unable to quit.
On World No Tobacco Day more than ever, we all need to ask why effective, far safer alternatives to smoking such as vaping are not freely available to Australian smokers.
Conjoint Associate Professor Colin Mendelsohn (UNSW)
Foundation chairman and board member
Australian Tobacco Harm Reduction Association (ATHRA)
