Letters: Greens councillor Jonathan Sri fails constituents by supporting protesters
Readers have their say on the Greens councillor supporting refugee protesters, illegal state border hoppers, and the rights of those in COVID quarantine.
Opinion
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COLUMNIST Kylie Lang says, “If Brisbane councillor Jonathan Sri truly cared for his constituents he’d do them all a favour and resign. When the concerns of 120 foreigners detained in a three-star hotel are of greater priority than the rights of all council residents in his Gabba council ward, then it’s proof he’s completely lost the plot” (C-M,
Aug 8).
It seems that Cr Sri is prepared to risk the lives of Queenslanders in this time of a pandemic by protesting on the streets of Brisbane for better housing and freedom of the 120 foreigners, who already have
three-star hotel accommodation to sleep in comfort and be fed.
There are 22,000 Queenslanders sleeping rough, under bridges, in parks, cars, shop doorways etc. Some of them with families.
Many no doubt are sleeping rough in Cr Sri’s ward.
Perhaps it’s time that he started to think of them.
Meanwhile, nine of Australia’s top 20 “most-in-need” locations are in Queensland.
Time to look after our own, Cr Sri, or as Lang says, “resign”.
John McQueen, Redbank
I AGREE with Kylie Lang that Cr Jonathan Sri should resign his council position.
As far as doing or getting things done for his ward he is impotent.
There are more high-rises than people want or need. Height extensions are almost always granted.
Work goes on six days a week with no respite from the constant noise.
There are many roads, footpaths, gutters and dog parks that need urgent attention, and where is our fearless councillor, going on protests that are nothing to do with his council duties but cause more pain to his constituents.
We need someone who can get things done for our ward.
John Turner, South Brisbane
KYLIE Lang takes it upon herself to judge Cr Jonathan Sri to be unfit for public office and tells him to “stand the hell down”, when 45.6 per cent of voters in The Gabba ward, who know and value the man, gave him their primary vote five months ago.
Her denigration of the Greens councillor and of the young
idealistic protesters seems to be ideologically driven, and her coverage of the central issue of seven years of immigration imprisonment of men who have not committed a crime a shallow trivialisation of human rights.
Young Australians have maintained a 24/7 blockade for months so that refugees imprisoned in a Kangaroo Point hotel are not arbitrarily moved as punishment to the more isolated high-security Pinkenba detention centre or to other mainland immigration prisons or to the Christmas Island gulag.
Authorised, legal protests I have attended (about 10) have been public health compliant with masks, sanitisers and social distancing. No super spreaders.
Protesters do care about their families and their society. And they care about the refugees and call for an end to this unwarranted cruel detention, because it is time, because it is a national shame.
Besides, it is a cost saving to move these men into our community, where they can be welcomed and supported. Keeping them in a hotel costs about $350,000 per person per year; in the community, it costs about $100,000 per person per year.
Give refugees permanent residence and most of them will work and willingly pay taxes.
Protesters’ solidarity with the men on the balcony every day has uplifted the spirits of some who have been robbed of their young adulthood and distracted others from everyday boredom. Some are just too damaged.
Many Queenslanders would not know of this senseless human tragedy but for the protests, the police over-reaction and the occasional traffic disturbance reported by TV.
Thanks to Cr Sri for his part in this people’s movement for justice.
Frederika Steen, Chapel Hill
IF THESE protesters are so concerned about the plight of the “refugees”, let’s see them put up their collective hands and volunteer to take them into their own homes and look after them.
G. Townsend, Emu Park
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HEALTH MUST COME FIRST
KAREN Warren, the 69-year-old woman from Merimbula in NSW, travelled to a Sydney COVID hotspot and then tried to enter Queensland as a passenger on a coach service (C-M, Aug 8).
Regardless of whether you agree with Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s rules or not, regardless of whether you are a Labor person or not, she is our Premier and was voted in to look after Queenslanders, not NSW law breakers.
If you come from an interstate hotspot, you must abide by this state’s laws.
Don’t attack the Premier by calling her names just for doing what she was elected to do and for caring.
Glenda Wickman, Kuraby
ONE cannot blame Annastacia Palaszczuk for being ultra-cautious by closing Queensland borders to NSW, Victoria and the ACT.
We have seen on a daily basis the three-digit spread of COVID-19 in Victoria and we certainly don’t want to risk a similar experience in our state.
Who cares if it is a political stunt or an over-reaction?
Probably only 20 per cent of people in a recent survey think that, while the majority think we need our borders shut to keep us safe.
Some say NSW had only 12 infections in 24 hours, so why shut them out.
Victoria started the same way and now look at them.
People from the ACT would be welcome except for people from NSW and Victoria using it as a stepping stone to fly into Queensland.
The border needs to be policed a little better as there are reports of interstate vehicles being waved through with only cursory checks or taking the word of drivers who aren’t always truthful.
Even at airports, stricter scrutiny of passengers is necessary.
Yes, the border closures are impacting local businesses and our tourist trade, but what is the alternative?
If the virus spikes borders will be the least of our problems as hospitals will become crowded with sick people and aged care centres will suffer high levels of resident deaths.
We are not alone with this problem as the rest of the world is also suffering.
When the COVID-19 issue finally diminishes, the task of repairing the damage will be immense.
Keith Whiteside, Sippy Downs
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CRIME AND PUNISHMENT
“INANITY" could be added to “Humanity or Insanity”, the headline flagging your report on policing of COVID-19 quarantine non-compliance (C-M, Aug 8).
Fining those unable to pay and imprisoning those who then self harm is asinine.
This begs the question: What form of retribution should be meted out to those unwilling to comply with seemingly petty laws and regulations deemed necessary for a well functioning civilised society?
Surely they cannot be left to go on their merry way.
No one likes being taken for a fool.
Public shaming may not be in accord with the present zeitgeist but would be an inexpensive, simply and easily administered penalty.
Peter Hasker, Robertson
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SAVE TREES TO PROTECT OUR KOALAS
MY FATHER used to say that the definition of a property developer was someone who cuts down all the trees and names the streets after them.
It seems the Department of Transport and Main Roads does the reverse. It cuts down the trees so the street name no longer fits.
I was saddened to read that 100-year-old trees in Leafy Lane, Woombye, were knocked down
to make way for a roundabout (C-M, Aug 8).
One would have thought that the roundabout could have been repositioned slightly, so the wanton destruction of the habitat would be unnecessary, especially as koalas were sometimes seen in the trees.
There are few enough of the trees that koalas eat the leaves of, as it is.
I have a tall “koala” tree in my backyard, and even though we only hear them occasionally (and see them on even fewer occasions) I was told it was unlawful to chop the tree down, even if I wanted to, because of that.
It looks like the same rules don’t apply to all people.
Hazel Hillier, Springwood
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