Tackling outdated views
Regarding Kraig Kreger’s letter (“Double standards at play”, Bendigo Advertiser, August 2), the author is correct in confirming my unhappiness with the current inequitable situation regarding male only membership of Bendigo’s Sandhurst Club.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
This is not a new development.
Equity relates to fairness in opportunity and access, so the situation in our city is deemed outdated by many in our community, not exclusively women.
Hence, a gender equity strategy was discussed and endorsed unanimously at our last council meeting.
However, the argument regarding a comparison with female only gyms is one that is regularly raised when this issue is brought into the public realm.
The two things are not the same.
We need to consider why such facilities exist. They were created so that women could exercise in a safe, supportive environment, free from harassment.
This is entirely different to participation in social groups that are associated with political, business or financial influence and have no reason for gender exclusion other than historical practice.
In a modern society these institutions are as outdated as the views of those that support them.
Councillor Jennifer Alden, Spring Gully
Time to take action on rail
The Bendigo Advertiser and the City of Greater Bendigo’s Trevor Budge (“Car ownership spikes”, July 15) lamented the lack of public transport and that car ownership had increased in Bendigo because of a dearth of public transport.
Mr Budge, who was instrumental in the Bendigo Metro plan for rail in the city, must know there is now a perfect opportunity to expand the tram network while Napier Street is being reconstructed and reconfigured with a medium strip of trees down the centre of the street.
Even the Minister for Public Transport got into the photo opportunity at the Napier Street construction site.
While Napier Street is being redesigned and constructed, now would have been the optimum time to also construct the tram line from Bunnings to Lake Waroona.
Cities around Australia are exploding with new light rail projects to ease congestion and provide an alternative to car and bus transport.
The car and bus dominated cities of Sydney and Canberra are in the process of constructing light rail networks.
In Sydney, the light rail will traverse the main road of George Street in the CBD from Central Railway Station to Circular Quay and down to the southern beaches as far as Port Botany and La Perouse.
Canberra's light rail project, to cost $780 million, will link the CBD to surrounding suburbs.
The Gold Coast is about to begin construction of a $95 million light rail project linked to Brisbane's CBD, even though it is also serviced by metropolitan rail.
The City of Parramatta in Sydney's west is about to construct a $400 million light rail network linking surrounding suburbs to Parramatta's CBD and metropolitan rail network.
Fremantle to Murdoch light rail is also being constructed.
In Bendigo, the inadequate public transport problem persists and basically a main road is reconstructed to become more congested, but no tangible strategic plan to improve and develop public transport is put into action.
Scott Ramsay, Rail Revival Alliance
Another one bites the dust
Survivor: the White House, America's new smash-hit reality show.
Helen Scheller, Benalla
HAVE YOUR SAY: Do you have something to get off your chest? Send your letters to the editor to addynews@fairfaxmedia.com.au.