Fascist danger
Good to see his Holiness, the pope, rush out his new encyclical Periculum Urgentum Neo-Fascistorum Italianorum, warning the world of the Fascist danger.
Well done, Wally Wolodja!
Denis Kevans
Wentworth Falls NSW
East Timor
Your articles about East Timor were a timely reminder of the continuing atrocities being committed just 600 km from our shores. You also reported the encouraging growth of East Timor solidarity groups around the world. There are such groups in Australia. Concerned readers could contact these groups if they want to assist the struggle for freedom in East Timor.
M. McDonough
Richmond Victoria
Democrats
I refer to an article you published on June 1 1994 titled "Are the Democrats changing?". In that article a comment was made that the Democrats suffer from "anti-union bias".
As a trade unionist and a member of the Australian Democrats I take extreme exception to this statement. A lot of people within the Democrats are also trade unionists and are very proud of this fact. May I suggest that when presenting articles on the Democrats that perhaps you endeavour to obtain facts instead of making incorrect assumptions about us.
The Democrats have recently made some very significant amendments to Industrial Relations legislation that were applauded by the Union Movement!
Leonie Sanders
Wishart Qld
Grand Prix
Over the last few weeks we in Melbourne have been informed by the media that if we don't accept Albert Park as the venue for the 1996 Grand Prix we will lose it altogether.
So we lose it, so what. Just what are we really losing if it goes elsewhere? Why spend $100M destroying a park to benefit a mere handful of people.
The whole idea of the Grand Prix is to promote speed. And yet every night we are told that speed kills.
And why promote the car, which after all is the cause of more than 60% of the pollution covering Melbourne. Of course I would expect nothing more from the Kennett government who after all are looking to close a railway line just so they can build a freeway.
If Kennett likes fast cars so much why doesn't he put more money towards the ambulance service. Then at least he would be doing some good. And with the change he could invest in real improvements to railway stations and public transport generally rather than the propaganda I have noticed being handed out at rail stations lately.
Alex Cooper
Melbourne