Letters to the editor: August 7-13

RE: $1m ‘rescue’ may not beat the dust (Weekly, July 23)

■ I am dumbfounded that the people of Brooklyn still have to tolerate atrocious air pollution levels. While the sealing of two roads is welcome, if long overdue, why has the Environment Protection Authority been such a toothless tiger over the years?

One hundred days of dust levels equivalent to the Black Saturday bushfires? The World Health Organisation warns that five days a year is the maximum that should be tolerated.

I wonder what Brooklyn residents must think when fellow Melburnians boast that they live in one of the most liveable cities on the planet.  Enough is enough.

John Darcy Williamstown

Re: Why can’t we marry? (Weekly, July 9)

■ Two men can’t “marry” – marriage is a union between a husband and wife. Creating a genderless marriage is a contradiction in terms and contrary to the inherent meaning of the institution of marriage. The simple solution, and one that keeps traditional marriage intact and gives flexibility for “diversity”, is for gay couples to have their own distinctive unions. It doesn’t have to be religious, but a civil union. Problem solved.

VivKay via web

Re: Train, car collide at dangerous level crossing (Weekly, August 6)

■ How about people start driving safely and following the road rules, then this wouldn’t happen.

Melinda via web

Re: West’s volunteer agency needs a lifeline (Weekly, July 30)

■ Before inviting skilled migrants to Australia, there should be a need for them. If they end up adding to our unemployment numbers, and are deprived of basic amenities through excessive growth, then our government’s federal policies are imbalanced, overly ambitious and not appropriate to our economy’s slowdown. There needs to be a reality check on what “growth” is. Unless there are ample jobs, housing, amenities and natural resources, population growth is not “growth” but a dilution of a community’s commonwealth. Volunteers should not be expected to fix our government’s lack of planning and foresight. They should be for vulnerable people falling on hard times, not a permanent fixture.

Tony B via web