Gambling problem

I CONGRATULATE The Courier for a succinct and poignant editorial on the power of sporting and hotel lobby groups influencing the code on advertising and the use of gambling machines (July 10).

Most of us, I am sure, do not want to see gambling banned, but have been touched by those who have had their lives ruined by gambling.

Whether it is a small or larger percentage of the population is irrelevant, it is about mitigation of risk.

Advertising has clearly been shown to increase the risk of problematic gambling, especially in the younger population. How can any responsible government be beholden to these extraneous powers, forsaking their citizens who are harmed by it?

The excellent world-leading gambling research unit at Flinders University had their grants removed by the State Government and contracted to a private provider.

Is that an appropriate response?

The evidence is clear: we are knowingly travelling down the same ruinous pathway as we did with smoking, ignoring the evidence of harm.

The government must make changes or be held culpable for the consequences.

SA can lead the way by banning advertising of gambling on TV and radio, while limiting the use of slot machines both in numbers and when they can be accessed.

If the only reason clubs such as RSLs can survive is through pokie machines, then that is truly a sad day, as it will be the minority who will be made to suffer for the majority.

Chris Barry, Stirling

Council support

THANK you for Fin Dunford’s report (The Courier, July 31) on the issues facing olive producers this season.

I would like to expand on my quote “that the council powers-that-be understand the processes that are involved with growing and producing”.

That is true and in the last 18-plus months the Mt Barker Council and officers have shown that understanding with respect to providing access to recycled water.

Anama Morriss, Bald Hills Olive Grove

Warm nights

IT is a fundamental belief of man-made global warming believers that greenhouse gases at the top of the troposphere absorb infrared rays and send heat downwards, warming the earth.

This is the belief of those who subscribe to the idea – a small group of scientists and a minority of the population in less than 25% of the world’s countries.

With water vapor – the major greenhouse gas – at record highs due to the Tonga eruption and carbon dioxide at record high (in the last 100 years) you know why our nights have been so warm lately.

G. Inkster, Mt Barker

Not so safe?

REGARDING the “safety barriers” along River Road or any other road (The Courier, July 31), they are lethal for cyclists as there is nowhere to go when you see a big truck coming behind you.

I was cycling along Mt Barker Road and a koala stepped out in front of me as a bus was about to pass me.

I had nowhere to go because of this cursed “safety barrier”.

The koala was quick to react, and avoided disaster by retreating under the barriers.

I had to stop as shock set in and lift my bike over the safety barriers to get away from traffic and chatted to the friendly koala, both in shock.

My sister-in-law was injured and knocked off her bike by a road train recently. She was hospitalised.

My brother, riding behind her, had avoided this by retreating right off the tar onto the rough dirt verge as it approached. Had there been a “safety barrier” they would both be dead.

An oncoming car saw the pending problem and pulled right off the road on the opposite side to allow the road train space to avoid both cyclists.

Luckily, there was no “safety barrier”.

There are few cliffs next to roads to warrant the fixation with these expensive, dangerous and very ugly structures.

Caroline Johnson, Aldgate

Tree importance

I WAS somewhat surprised by the commentary from Mr van Raalte regarding Adelaide’s stronger tree protections, in place now since May 17 (The Courier, July 31, New rules ‘chipping away’ at land owners’ rights).

There are several points to be addressed.

The Mt Barker Council won’t be able to “loosen its increasingly strict tree regulations”, as Mr van Raalte is calling on them to do, as these are State regulations, as was correctly stated by Scott Murphy.

As someone who specialises in the Hills area, Mr van Raalte should be all too aware that much of the Hills is covered by Native Vegetation and Bushfire Hazard Overlays, which between them currently provide several options for legal tree removal.  

Sadly, a blanket exemption that makes removal of mature trees all too easy in areas deemed to be at risk of bushfire, was put in place by the Government in 2011.

The exemption, by its very nature, suggests that removal of large trees is the “prudent bushfire reduction” that Mr van Raalte claims is impeded by the new regulations.

Yet, the very opposite is in fact true: mature trees can slow fire speeds, prevent ember attacks, minimise the impacts of radiant heat, yet the emotive responses that often see them removed do just the opposite and make homes in the Hills more vulnerable to bushfire, not less.

The CFS statement on mature trees, available on their website, is very clear about the benefits of these trees.

For the record, the CFS opposed the blanket exemption, when it was consulted on.

The last 14 consecutive months have been the hottest on record globally: climate change is here to stay and the canopy provided by trees on private land is too valuable for the good of entire communities to be simply chipped away at by individual landholders.

Tree loppers have had it far too good for far too long, as government regulation has seen the wants of the individual put ahead of the good of the community.  

The evidence is in: trees not only improve our mental and physical health, they are the best tool in our tool kit right now for mitigating the effects of a changed climate and the successful community campaign run over the last four years revealed significant support for stronger regulations to make removals more difficult.

Adelaide’s best arborists are keen to see more people appropriately qualified and able to undertake assessments and quality pruning.

They currently have plenty of work.

Joanna Wells, Mitcham