I must be getting old. There used to be an ethos in Australia, a sympathetic attitude towards "the battler", good people who lived good lives but weren't born wealthy and didn't live wealthy.
I don't presume to know the backgrounds of the people in Jannali who have been told that their homes are to be destroyed to build a car park. But knowing the area well and having read the Leader article ("A BASTARD ACT", 17/02/2021), some of these people may be described as "battlers".
The proposal is that a car park is to be built to accommodate the cars of people often from outside Jannali, usually from wealthier suburbs like Bonnet Bay and Oyster Bay, to have better access to public transport.
If these houses' compulsory acquisition was the only option, maybe the decision could be more reasonable.
But why isn't the Woolworths property in the picture? Why is Eleni Petinos supporting the compulsory acquisition of these people's homes?
Are the people of Jannali just soft targets?
Michael McElhone,
Como
Deliver a carpark for the times
State planners need to open their minds and eyes, become creative, and deliver a public parking facility in keeping with times.
There is ample government-owned space above the railway cutting at Jannali to serve the community's parking needs.
Engineered drop-in parking facilities utilizing this space and the surrounds would deliver and give access from the east and west of the line.
Parking access from the east and west would also lighten the demand on the overburdened Jannali overpass bridge.
Finally, I travel by train to the city at the end of peak hour and never fail to find street parking within a five or six-minute enjoyable walk from the Jannali station.
Richard. R. Webb,
Oyster Bay
Jannali home grab
Regarding your article on the front page of the Leader recently. I am appalled at the state government's handling of the compulsory acquisition of private property at Jannali for commuter parking. The way this matter has been handled and using the cover of COVID on these people is appalling. This should be a wake-up call for all who live in our beautiful shire, especially the ones within walking distance to our stations. Why can't the car park behind the shopping centre be extended and stop making shire residents homeless? Come on, Sutherland Council, stand up for your ratepayers and show some LEADERSHIP for all of us.
Barbara Smith,
Sydney
Terrible idea
I learned today of the plan to build a commuter car park at Jannali, and the compulsory acquisition of people's homes that will be required for it to go ahead. What a terrible idea! The area is already a bottle neck, and it seems the only reason to go ahead is to fulfill an election promise. How about someone in the state government shows some sense, and reconsiders this ill conceived project.
Christine Moffat, Loftus.
MRI could be up to 3 years away
The community should be concerned to know that the promised MRI could be up to 3 years away before it is operational. Sutherland Hospital was allocated 15 MRI scans a week at St George Hospital over 10 years ago, and there has been no increase since then. NSW Emergency presentations have gone up by around 40 per cent in that time. All other major NSW hospitals have one or more MRI machines and do an average of 65 scans per week on each MRI scanner.
No MRI scan, or a delayed one, will affect patient diagnosis and recovery time. While securing community petitions, Sandra Hudson and I listened to hundreds of distressing stories from patients or their relatives who suffered from the lack of an MRI at Sutherland Hospital. How many more people will suffer this fate while we wait for the MRI to be installed?
We hope the Premier can accelerate implementing the promised MRI machine, so Sutherland Hospital receives equitable health care in line with all other major NSW hospitals.
Marilyn Urch, Cronulla
Kelly assertions
The Leader did an admirable job in showcasing those who are for and against Craig Kelly. However, it seems that those who support Kelly cannot go past singing his praises without any real evidence.
Those against Kelly's views are far more convincing. On balance, it would seem that the views that are the most persuasive reiterate the fact that Kelly's assertions are nonsensical at best and dangerous at worst.
Steven Baker, Engadine
