While all the celebrations were taking place at the ‘‘top’’ end of town [on Thursday], the retailers at the other end were still languishing amid the piles of rubble and rubbish behind temporary fencing.
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The refurbishment of the mall has taken far too long.
To not have the work completed before the opening of the new shopping centre is disappointing to say the least and it must add insult to injury to those businesses who have been so long-suffering.
While it all seems to be happening around Keira Street at the moment, I hope there will be similar publicity and partying when the mall is finally completed.
Something will need to be done to bring it back to life and to give those affected businesses hope that the good times will return.
P.J. Howes, Towradgi
Trim with sensitivity
Early this week, we saw the tree loppers cutting the jacaranda trees in Burke Road, Dapto, as they do every year just before the flowers would be in bloom.
The trees are hacked, leaving them ugly and asymmetrical.
Although they should never have been planted under electricity wires, they could at least be trimmed with some thought of appearance.
They may as well be removed completely as they look so bad.
Barbara Lewis, Dapto
Howard ranks poorly
There has been discussion recently on the worst and best Australian treasurers.
Punch ‘‘worst Australian government treasurer’’ into your web browser and you may be surprised to discover the name of John Howard pop up.
Reserve Bank’s records confirm when Mr Howard was treasurer in the Fraser government, interest rates were as high as 21.4per cent in April 1982, unemployment touched double-digits and inflation peaked at 12.5per cent.
The runners-up in the interest rate stakes were the Hawke government, 19per cent in December 1985 and Keating government, 7.9per cent in December 1994.
There have only been two Australian treasurers named the world’s best finance minister by Euromoney magazine – in September 2011, Wayne Swan, treasurer in the Gillard government for his financial acuity and response strategy to the global financial crises, and before him, Paul Keating, for the ‘‘floating of the Australian dollar’’ as treasurer in the Hawke government.
I hope this information is sufficient to set the records straight.
John Macleod, Berry
Breaking barriers
The Muslim cover-up problem is with us again, giving incentive to some excellent letters, nailing the unjust treatment of Muslim women.
Do they not feel oppressed compared with the male Muslim’s freedom?
We can’t skirt around the injustice to women, with no hair shown, no hand shaking and no real facial communication. We’ll end up with two completely different cultures.
Why, in the country where Muslims have chosen to better their lifestyles, do they feel the need to go back to the injustice to women?
Why should we be confronted with someone not willing to show their face? For once, I agree with the PM…it is confronting. It’s also rude, unfriendly and backward. It’s time Muslim leaders broke down these barriers.
Brian Johnson, Gymea
