Filthy stinking bins

As I predicted, with the hot weather the red bin (which is loaded to the hilt with nappies, sanitary products, adult underwear, tissues with mucous, condoms – blood , faeces, puss – every bodily fluid) are stinking and buzzing with blowflies.

Mr Barr, you have gone too far in your quest to save money for the tram. You are putting Canberrans at risk by creating a major health hazard. The bins are full of contaminated waste that should arguably be incinerated.

This bin goes once a fortnight and it is often full to overflowing – a despicable plan.

The green bin COULD go once a fortnight because it is plant derivative and not a foul noxious waste. Most people can’t fill this every fortnight let alone every week. That is a waste of time and resources.

Yet we have many vulnerable people which include many elderly,  babies, women, in fact everyone needing the bin collection at least once a week.

The rats will be rejoicing as do disease-carrying maggots and blowflies being attracted to the unwholesome odours emanating from the bins. It is taking us back to the dark ages when household garbage and contaminated waste was dumped in the streets outside the front door – and we all know how that ended.

You did a good job keeping us safe and informed during Covid but you, Mr Barr, you, have dropped the ball with this critical public health issue. Waste no time in dealing with this contaminated waste disgrace. It is quite apparent that the trial of bins in Belconnen has been an abysmal, rotten, putrid failure. Please rectify immediately.

• Margot Sirr, Gowrie

Make Canberra great again

Have to agree with John Lawrence’s letter (CW 14 December) regarding having a pit-bull-type leader of the opposition to call out the current one from their bully boy, smug and arrogant style of government. Problem is I can’t see the present one, Elisabeth Lee making a dent on Barr and his cronies and getting rid of their best performed politician in Jeremy Hanson is political suicide. Leanne Castley might be a nice woman, but I don’t think she has what it takes to convince the rusted on, Liberal hating, died in the wool Labor, mainly public servants in this town from voting their usual stuck-in-their-way form. Under Labor, the ACT’s hospital and educational system has gone from one of the best in the country to one of the worst, we have lost our AAA credit rating, run down small business during the pandemic with unnecessary closing of schools, etc., and turned what was once a beautiful green city into a concrete jungle of high-rise apartments. The Liberal leader has to have an economic plan with a vision to restoring this place to what it once was, they need to preserve Canberra’s once envied green spaces instead of transferring them into ugly high rises and build a stadium that is in the city. They need a tough, passionate person who is not afraid of what people think of them and not worried that they might be labelled right wing or conservative, because if they have the right ideas, it shouldn’t matter what side of politics they are on as long as they have a vision that will improve this city and make Canberra great again, dare I say Trump-like, without the baggage. 

• Ian Pilsner, Weston

A burning question on drugs

Is Canberra’s local government starting to resemble a Murray Darling River fish extinction, or am I mis-reading the Nordic revolution of our social engineering politicians. Surely there is more to life than growing your own backyard narcotics and rejoicing in the absence of fear of being apprehended by the police or brought before by the court’s justice system and facing the consequences, as was the case previously. This is a worrying example of human failing and deprivation with dreadful social consequences which our government supports as a matter of policy – shame on the overpaid deep thinkers behind this – it must be reviewed and decency/order restored.

• John Lawrence, Flynn

Editor’s lack of empathy

I’m reading the 14 December issue of the Canberra Weekly. I rarely pay much attention to the ‘From the Editor’ segment by Julie Samara (sic), thinking of it as the Pollyanna column. While pleasant in tone, it’s probably far from the reality of many. She seemingly gives no thought to those who can’t attend many of these outings. This may be due to many reasons: lack of money, people who are restricted by disabilities, have families or caring responsibilities, are too busy working or looking for work, or aren’t likely to be invited to the social engagements Ms Samara (sic) attends.

Today, though, I was appalled to read Ms Samaras’ description of her work colleagues. To wit, “some have been absolute treasures, while others have proven more challenging for me.” Now, I don’t know any of these individuals, but some people will. Would I want a boss to describe me, in a public forum, as challenging? Absolutely not, and I think this is rude in the extreme.

The lack of empathy Ms Samaras displays in her weekly column is now shown to her work colleagues, and to those who know them. Whatever her private opinions, this is not appropriate.

• Patricia Roberts, Braddon

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