Need for speed ‘car’s fault’ (Weekly, September 3)
■ What an absolutely lame excuse. “It’s
the way the car works” says a northern suburbs driver caught travelling
in his SS Commodore sedan at 158km/h in a 100km/h zone on the Western
Ring Road.
I am so sickened by people who get their kicks behaving in such a
manner and the poor police who have to monitor such ongoing hooligan
behaviour. I wonder how the “hoon hotline” must be going. It is probably
flooded with complaints. It always seems to be Holdens? I feel sorry
for the families that buy these cars for practicality and getting from A
to B.
I am not a Holden hater, nor am I a Ford fan but it seems to be an ongoing issue.
SENSIBLE DRIVER CRAIGIEBURN
Growth areas ‘damaged’ (Weekly, September 3)
■ “Melbourne’s rapid population growth
in Cardinia, Casey, Hume, Melton, Mitchell, Whittlesea and Wyndham has
created a major challenge for the government,” according a report by the
Auditor-General. Australia’s fertility levels have been below long-term
replacement levels since the baby boom, post 1970s. This “growth” is
directed from federal net permanent immigration levels, based on
demographic data, employment rates and GDP. (Asylum seekers are a small
fraction of our growth).
However, the states and local councils are where the rubber hits
the road. If our growth is too high for our economy, [raising] our costs
of living and causing declines in productivity and living standards, it
must end.
Even without immigration our population would continue to increase until mid-century.
VIVKAY VIA ONLINE
■ You could have as many “independent”
infrastructure bodies as you like. The simple fact is that the state
government (Premier Denis Napthine, Planning Minister Mathew Guy and
friends) will simply ignore it and instead push their own vested
interests. Just need to look at the Infrastructure Australia ratings for
the Melbourne Metro versus the east west toll road.
PAUL via email
