Call to extend HESP to retirement villages
It is wonderful that our ACT government has policies for Zero Emissions, protects those renting, helps the ageing and attempts to curb rising costs, especially electricity.
It is therefore surprising that the responsible Minister has refused to extend the Home Energy Support Program HESP, which subsidises the purchase of solar panels, to those who live in rental properties such as retirement villages.
- Robert J Nairn, Page
From one occupier to another
Re: Bill Stefaniak ‘Putting the Middle East conflict in context’ (CW 26 October).
In his utterly biased and unsubstantiated piece, Bill declares that the “British promised Israel to the Jews”, as though Palestine was a parcel of British uninhabited land, and then proceeds to proclaim that “in 1948, Israel declared independence from Britain”, ignoring how imperial Britian in the early 19th century encouraged a large-scale Jewish migration from all over the world – especially eastern Europe – to displace and replace indigenous Palestinians. The same British Empire turned a blind eye to the terrorist Zionist organisations such as the Irgun and Haganah which inflicted unspeakable horrors against the Palestinians and were later absorbed into the Israeli Defence Force.
Hence, every so-called “Independence Day”, over 12 million Palestinians in diaspora mark their Nakba, or “catastrophe”, as the ethnic cleansing of Palestine and the near-total decimation of the Palestinian social fabric. This was not independence from Britain, rather it was an occupier handing Palestine to another occupier.
Bill says Hamas has surpassed even the Nazis, and I’m not sure whether he is insulting our intelligence or the victims of the Holocaust. I wonder then, how could we properly describe the atrocities of the Israeli army who killed over 8,000 civilians in Gaza (and counting), most of them women and minors. Not to mention the inhumane siege of Gazan people for more than 16 years.
- Omar Mohammad, Calwell
Women in business
Congratulations to all the women featured in ‘Women in business’ (CW 2 November) who have succeeded in Canberra businesses – especially those in highly competitive sectors and those traditionally dominated by men.
Carry on, spread the word, and encourage any other ambitious women you know to establish a business that fits their interests. What more can one say?
– Douglas Mackenzie, Deakin
Senator Price deserves respect
Douglas Mackenzie (CW 26 October) like many on the Labor and Green side, seems to have some fear of Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price. Is this because she doesn’t preach to their side of politics or is it because they are jealous they don’t have a strong, articulate, female, Indigenous equivalent? Labor’s Linda Burney proved during the Voice debate that she was no match for Senator Price; Burney fumbled her words and had trouble answering honestly any questions put at her.
I say this because Douglas Mackenzie does not give any relevant reasons why Senator Price would not make a good Prime Minister. I am sure if Price was on the Labor/Green side of politics they would be fawning all over and giving her plenty of respect, which they seem to have trouble doing. I look forward to the day people like Douglas Mackenzie eat humble pie. The sooner the better.
- Ian Pilsner, Weston
Want to share your opinion?
Email [email protected] with ‘To the editor’ in the subject field; include your full name, phone number, street address (NFP) and suburb. Keep letters to 250 words maximum. Note, letters may be shortened if space restrictions dictate. Read more letters at canberradaily.com.au
