Dismay at MP's decision
When I voted for an independent member for Wagga Wagga, I thought this was what the member would be. I am so disappointed to read that Dr Joe McGirr has decided to vote against the current proposed legislation to decriminalise abortion in NSW.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
All polls over many years have registered a clear majority of citizens support decriminalisation and the right of a woman to make choices about her own fertility and body.
Dr McGirr complains there has not been long enough time for the community to debate this issue. Where has he been? Women have been dictated by the church and the medical profession for decades. How much time is enough?
At last the medical profession has come out in support of decriminalisation and the recognising abortion as a medical issue between a woman and her doctor.
This leaves Dr McGirr aligned with the church. I voted for an independent, not an apologist for the church.
Jan Roberts, Wagga
Critics are just 'childish'
If this is published, I expect to be branded a "leftie", "commo" and/or Labor supporter by the vocal local yokel climate deniers.
Whatever. The strident criticisms against persons who believe that various human activities contribute to a dangerous warming of our planet are childish. Do they really believe that our activities, and not just burning coal, can have no impact on our environment?
In 1988, I found an article which predicted the likely scenario if we failed to reduce dangerous emissions. Simply, a marginal increase in gases (known as greenhouse), would raise the world's average temperature slightly but enough to result in undesirable changes in our climate. We could expect less reliable weather, erratic rainfall patterns, more severe droughts, more violent storms, increased heat events and more extreme wildfires, etc.
These we have been experiencing and Sydney has just had a record run of 15 days of maximum temperatures of 20 degrees or above. Complementing this, a European heatwave has seen records in Belgium, Germany and Paris, rivers are falling and power station cutbacks because water is too warm for cooling. In Australia, many rivers are in extreme distress, exacerbated by mismanagement and certainly a major lack of rain relating to climate change.
To those who, for whatever reason, deny that man-assisted climate change is happening, just trundle along blindly and don't worry about your kids' or grandkids' futures. Perhaps in the coming summer, don't use air conditioning anywhere, just to get back to the good old days before all these silly ideas about global warming came along.
And don't worry about those 550 silly corporations worldwide now committed to science-based targets to combat greenhouse emissions. Definitely don't accept BHP's announcement that it intends to reduce its emissions and asking all product end users to do the same.
And if it makes you feel good, just get stuck into those few silly Wagga councillors who have the temerity to consider how their community can assist on a local level in the fight to rein in atmospheric pollution and who have been "white-anted" by fellow councillors.
It might make you feel good. It will certainly make you look stupid.
Graham Elphick, Junee
HAVE YOUR SAY: Do you have something to get off your chest? Click here to send your letter to the editor.