WHEN ART IMITATES LIFE
Aristotle the Greek is credited with saying “Art imitates life”; the truism of this was evident in the episode “snouts in the trough” of the ABC’s political comedy Utopia.
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Anyone who has personally endured the experience of attempting to achieve a common sense outcome when dealing with politicians of either major stripe federal or state would possibly have been having “flashbacks” while watching “snouts in the trough”.
With Utopia, the ABC has the equal of the UK TV political comedy, Yes Minister which first went to air in 1986.
Yes Minister provided viewers with a comedic, yet factual replication of the “duck shoving” which passes as the Art of Politics in the Westminster System.
Thirty -one years on and for Australian TV viewers Utopia in a similar comedic fashion, suggests politicians and parliaments in “The Land of OZ” remain stuck in a Yes Minister time warp.
Barry Swan, Balgownie
WHAT ARE WE VOTING FOR?
In response to the letter by Irene Dwyer ‘Let he who is without sin’ (Illawarra Mercury, Friday August 25, 2017), it is unfair and offensive to characterise people as bigots who support the current definition of marriage.
Those claiming to be Christian and following Christ, should defend God's divine plan of marriage for humanity.
Marriage has a natural complementary meaning for the man and woman who enter into this special covenant.
We have all been weakened by original sin, but to legislate in order to legitimize sinful and evil acts is too offend God's love and goodness towards us, who He has created in His own image and likeness.
Changing the law on marriage has consequences for every Australian, reaching into personal freedoms, compulsory safe schools programs in schools and limiting the rights of parents to care for their children.
Working on the assumption most Australians think their solely voting to extend marriage to same-sex couples, the additional concern is in the detail of what our parliamentarians have been putting through which goes well beyond same-sex marriage to a whole range of definitions that nobody understands.
What are Australians really voting for?
Adrian Devlin, Fairy Meadow
WE HAVE THE POWER
The Sunshine Coast Council in Queensland has recently commissioned a 15MW solar farm - enough to meet all of the electricity needs for the council, including all the facilities it maintains.
It is now live and saving them money.
The Sunshine Coast Mayor says that this solar farm will save them $22million in power bills over the next 30 years and that 15 other councils have already expressed interest in the project.
Sunshine Coast councillors and council officers see that it is an advantage for their area to be perceived as a sustainability leader.
It would be good for the incoming Wollongong council to consider a project like this.
Rowan Huxtable, Mangerton
WHAT’S THE POINT?
What point are Liberals making by staging a media event in Helensburgh in support of more CCTV in shopping centres? Why are a state minister and a local state member featured in a local government matter?
Aren't there other shopping or public areas in the Illawarra that would benefit from such devices? The publicity gives a bad name to Helensburgh when in fact police reports say crime is quite low in the town. Strange way of attracting voters.
The main street seems quite a safe place. CCTV will not affect the truck raiders - the cameras are not watched in real time, and faces and number plates would be covered.
Geoffrey Sykes, Stanwell Tops
