Letters to the editor – Sydney
NOT FOR POSING
Normally I agree with, and even get a good laugh from, Doug Pollard鈥檚 鈥楪rumpy Old鈥� column, but this time he has really irked me by insinuating that all us guys in our 40s, 50s and 60s who look after ourselves are basically 鈥榖ody fascists鈥� (implied, not stated).
You know something, Doug, it really does show when people take care of themselves. It isn鈥檛 always about six- (or eight) packs, waxing, botox and posing. Some of us do it to be fit and healthy.
At 56, I decided I didn鈥檛 like the way my body was going, with a spare-tyre waistline, sagging tits and bad posture. I made a decision that I wanted to go into my 60s looking fit and healthy, and with an absolute minimum of medical problems.
In the last 12 months, I have lost all the fat around my waist, tightened my pecs and abs, added muscle to my previously scrawny arms, feel absolutely fit and fabulous and have gone off my cholesterol meds 鈥� all from doing three hours a week in the gym.
Apart from that, I have only had to do some minor tweaking to make my diet more healthy. Not all of us do this to impress other people, or to go to dance parties and pose around, and it鈥檚 unfair of you to insinuate that we do.
At my gym there are a lot of guys as old or older then me (and certainly not all gay) who are working out to improve their quality and quantity of life. They should be encouraged and applauded, not be told just to sit back and let bad diet and obesity lead them into a rickety old age.
鈥� Tim
TWO-FACED BARTELS?
Big, gorgeous, glossy, expensive full-page ads by Adrian Bartels can鈥檛 buy votes, even if voters do have to pay $8 for a coffee and cake conversation (鈥楥onversation Starter鈥�, SSO 1063).
But gay voters are not penile: they are intelligent enough to vote on a wide range of social, amenity and financial issues affecting society at large, apart from matters affecting their inchoate rights to a healthy and productive gay life.
And they have perspicacity enough to query who 鈥榩ays the piper鈥�.
Mr Bartels鈥� Liberal Party received $1.6 million cash from 1990-2007 and $285,000 in 2009-10 from the Australian Hotels Association, whose members include mega-pubs and clubs in Kings Cross and Oxford St where alcohol-fuelled homophobic violence is endemic.
But Mr Bartels also doubles as chair of the Kings Cross Business Partnership, reckons it simultaneously 鈥減romotes Kings Cross a … great place to live鈥�, surely a conflict of interest and anathema.
Is this the real reason he refuses to support a Newcastle-style 1am lock-out trial, which has reduced crime 33 percent, or Sydney Council鈥檚 request for annual Liquor Licence renewals to keep recidivist beer barns and lager louts under control?
鈥� Andrew Woodhouse, President,
Potts Point & King Cross Heritage Conservation Society
POOR CHOICE
Considering Charlotte Dawson described homosexual men as 鈥減oofs鈥� during her time as a panelist on Beauty and the Beast, I thought she was a particularly poor choice to host the coverage of this year鈥檚 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.
鈥� Mitchell
IRRESPONSIBLE
Tonight I witnessed a violent assault by three intoxicated young people on two young staff at an Oxford St food venue.
Another person said the offenders had been causing trouble along the street earlier after drinking at a well known venue catering primarily to backpackers.
Further up the street, after noticing a high number of drunk, aggressive young people, I asked a bouncer at one of the gay clubs what was going on.
He told me 鈥淭uesday night is always feral鈥� because the bar in question has 鈥榟appy hour鈥� that night. A quick web search confirms the bar provides 鈥榩ower hours鈥� three nights a week, where patrons drink as much as they can for one hour for free.
After all the ridiculousness of last year with 2am lock-outs at various venues, I find it extraordinary that the council and state permit a venue to operate this kind of irresponsible policy.
Sydney nightlife should be about fun, not violence and blood-covered faces. 鈥楬appy hours鈥� and freebies are not part of responsible fun. They have only one outcome: they motivate people to drink as much as possible in a short period of time, and, as a result, engender massive intoxication and its consequent potential for violence.
As the state election approaches, I ask the Premier and Opposition leader, local member (and Sydney city councillors) to state their policy positions with regard to bars that encourage rapid intoxication through techniques like this.
鈥� Anthony
SUPPORT CLOVER
It鈥檚 almost certain the toxic Labor government will be thrown out on March 26.
To ensure Clover doesn鈥檛 get too much backlash from being an incumbent, the gay community should get behind her and do all we can to help her re-election.
The diverse electorate of Sydney is lucky to have someone representing them who is totally independent. She does so much for the elderly, the down-at-heel, families and many others, and she is such a supporter of the gay community.
I will be helping out at the electorate office and on election day at a polling booth.
Everyone who may have needed and may need her help, support her.
鈥� Fred
BILL OF RIGHTS
One has to question how a law can be termed an anti-discrimination law when it allows religious schools and organisations to discriminate against gay people.
Gay people are required to pay taxes to the government. The government gives tax payers鈥� dollars to religious schools and organisations.
It was recently reported that Catholic schools receive more funding than public schools. Catholic schools are exempt from the anti-discrimination laws and refuse gay students an education and gay teachers employment. Once again the Australian government treats gay people as first-rate taxpayers and second-rate citizens.
As most intelligent people acknowledge, being gay is not a lifestyle choice but a birth condition as one is born heterosexual or homosexual.
Who is to protect the homosexual child and the homosexual youth? With most parents being heterosexual and having little knowledge of the homosexual they are embarrassed, ignorant and /or disappointed that the homosexual child has not met their expectations. These parents in the main are ill-equipped to understand and help the child deal with those of homophobic disposition.
Kevin Rudd hinted at a bill of rights but nothing happened. The Greens are currently looking at introducing a bill of rights.
As the anti-discrimination laws are not effective in the area of gay discrimination, we should encourage the discussion of a bill of rights with our local politicians. We need to protect our young people and we need to protect our careers.
We need a bill of rights that covers every Australian without exception to creed, age, race, colour, religion, gender or sexuality.
鈥� Ron
NO TO TRAMS
The Liberals鈥� proposal to send trams up Oxford St seems to me to be a way for them to finally get what they have always wanted 鈥� the end of Mardi Gras.
Oxford St is only three lanes either side.
If you take out two lanes in the middle for the tracks, another two for the platforms for the trams 鈥� see the stop at Paddy鈥檚 Market for a comparable size www.youtube.com/watch?v=azccn0m6FtE 鈥� that leaves one lane for traffic 鈥� cars, buses, pushbikes and trucks.
Nowhere is mentioned the impact on local businesses. With this proposal there would be none existent on street parking along Oxford St.
This proposal is being touted by the soon-to-be NSW minister for transport Gladys Berejiklian. Ask her how she thinks the floats of Mardi Gras would fit up Oxford St, not to mention the 10 to 12-abreast marching groups squeezing between the station platforms.
鈥擩补尘颈别蝉辞苍
Re Irresponsible: Anthony you wrote:
“Tonight I witnessed a violent assault by three intoxicated young people on two young staff at an Oxford St food venue.
Another person said the offenders had been causing trouble along the street earlier after drinking at a well known venue catering primarily to backpackers.
Further up the street, after noticing a high number of drunk, aggressive young people, I asked a bouncer at one of the gay clubs what was going on.
He told me 鈥淭uesday night is always feral鈥� because the bar in question has 鈥榟appy hour鈥� that night. A quick web search confirms the bar provides 鈥榩ower hours鈥� three nights a week, where patrons drink as much as they can for one hour for free.
After all the ridiculousness of last year with 2am lock-outs at various venues, I find it extraordinary that the council and state permit a venue to operate this kind of irresponsible policy.
Sydney nightlife should be about fun, not violence and blood-covered faces. 鈥楬appy hours鈥� and freebies are not part of responsible fun. They have only one outcome: they motivate people to drink as much as possible in a short period of time, and, as a result, engender massive intoxication and its consequent potential for violence.
As the state election approaches, I ask the Premier and Opposition leader, local member (and Sydney city councillors) to state their policy positions with regard to bars that encourage rapid intoxication through techniques like this.”
Report the facts as you saw them and heard them to the Police and to the Department of Communities’ Office of Liquor Gaming and Racing.
Free drinks for an hour/all you can drink promotions are NOT responsible service of alcohol and the venue – particularly if they have been responsible for the service of the perpetrators of the assault you witnessed – should be held to account. Certainly the ‘power hours’ should be brought to an end. I’m pretty sure the other venue operators who operate in a more responsible fashion, and have the police on their backs all the time would welcome this attention being visited on the venue that you can identity.
Nick, there is a big difference between discrimination due to body image, and sheer laziness, poor diet, and over consumption leading to obesity and medical problems. As a grumpy older man myself I fully concur with Tim.
Tim I do not thinnk that was Dougs point, and I agree there is definately a lot of discrimination amongst each other when it comes to body image. To ignore that fact would just be a nonsense
In relation to Anthony’s letter, bars should be encouraging responsible drinking – not drinking as much as possible in a short time.
In relation to Ron’s letter, I support extending the NSW Anti-Discrimination Act to cover discrimination by private schools and religious schools receiving public funding in the areas of employment and education, on the grounds of gender, relationship status, transgender status and homosexuality. It’s time for reform and all like-minded candidates elected at the 26 March 2011 NSW election should lobby other MPs for change.
Regards
Sacha Blumen
Labor candidate for Sydney
Some voters in Sydney might think because Adrian Bartels is young and cute then that鈥檚 a good reason to vote for him.
Let鈥檚 not forget that Bartels鈥� Liberal party is preferencing Fred Nile and his right wing Christian extremist party. This preference deal by Bartels鈥� Liberals has completely gone under the radar yet it represents a clear threat to many of the freedoms we鈥檝e won over the last decade.
The voters of Sydney must not forget Clover Moore鈥檚 record when they go to vote this Saturday, and that record is a good one.
On gay issues Clover has been the best political friend the gay community has ever had in this country. Clover has made a big positive difference to Sydney. Not everyone might agree with all she has done but she has tried to revive Sydney through bike lanes, park regeneration, small pubs and promotes sustainable living.
Clover should be returned in order to maintain the independent voice that is able to raise and push the issues that the big parties just ignore.
Adrian Bartels will have to tow the party line and often that line will be what Fred Nile and the National Party want and it won鈥檛 be conducive to the diversity of the inner city.