Workers will be labelled
The loss of their employment, although devastating, is not the worst of the crisis for the unfortunate employees of Norske Skog ('Workers to be made redundant', The Border Mail, October 4). Within months of their going onto social security, as many of them will be forced to do, they will have to face the emotional toll of having their community turn on them. They are about to be treated with utter contempt.
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All the sympathy that the local politicians are spruiking will disappear within a month and these poor workers will be labelled as drug addicts and bludgers, sucking up welfare and blowing it all on grog and drugs. The government minister responsible for social welfare has stated that she opposes any welfare increase because the recipients will only give it to the local drug dealers or spend it in the pub.
The "quiet majority of Australians" that elected the Coalition into power will not tolerate anyone getting welfare. That's the reality that awaits these once respected working people, and my heart breaks for them.
Andrew Locke, Howlong
Got the science wrong
David Corbett ('Why the hysterical fear?', The Border Mail, October 5) presents a range of ideas some of which may be useful to help drought-proof our country. But in the second last sentence he strays into science and gets it wrong.
The heat capacity of carbon dioxide is almost 40 per cent higher than oxygen or nitrogen. Carbon dioxide molecules absorb the long wavelength infra-red radiation and re-radiate it back towards. This is the basis of atmospheric warming which has been known since the time of Swedish scientist Arrhenius in 1896. And if you doubt his credentials, he won the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1903. Let's stop the climate change deniers and their twisting of scientific facts.
David Thurley, Lavington
That makes sense
I could not believe it ... someone actually made some sense. Thank you David Corbett from Albury for your letter 'Why the hysterical fear?', The Border Mail, October 5.
I was a child when my grandfather described such plans to increase tree planting in dry areas in Australia and build pipelines to come from flooded areas to grow them. He died in 1970, so was well before his time. However, I do not see any governments now taking steps to build the necessary infrastructure (this word is so overused). We need people of vision, and I am not sure such people exists. But well done, David.
Ottonie Oswald, Wodonga
Blooming hayfever
Can somebody please explain why Wodonga Council insists on planting trees in the nature strip, that keep people prisoners in their own homes? The blossom and pollen from these trees is so high, and they stink. So much for our overpriced rates, and we have to put up with this as well. No wonder the chemists are blooming in Wodonga.
Glenise McFarlane, Leneva
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