Billboard blues: Now who’s a clever cockie?

3 days ago 11

The RSL and Willoughby Council are being a bit precious in objecting to an advertising billboard near a Garden of Remembrance (“RSL ‘powerless’ to stop huge billboard near war memorial”, June 22). I think most of us are smart enough to work out that the two represent different issues and don’t interfere with each other. The RSL might be better to contemplate its treatment of Indigenous and National Service ex-servicemen after World War II and Vietnam and advertise an apology. Ian Adair, Hunters Hill

On my commute route, the vandal cockatoos are streets ahead when it comes to protesting against large advertising billboards. Gangs of them chew away at footbridge eyesores with wire-crunching beaks until they’ve rendered them unreadable. Go the cockies! Meredith Williams, Baulkham Hills

The large electronic billboard is on a railway bridge in Chatswood along the street from the Garden of Remembrance.

When homeowners aren’t free to paint their houses in the colours they like while garish hoardings pepper the bridges, public transport hubs and roads, all designed to be noticed and read, viz: cause drivers to be distracted, it’s a bit rum. Andrew Cohen, Glebe

Pioneering SBS television

In 1980, I had been Director of the Sydney Film Festival for 14 years when I was approached by Bruce Gyngell, the first CEO of SBS television, which was due to be launched later that year (“SBS turns big five-O”, June 22). Bruce asked me to program the feature films for the new network – quite a task as it was planned to screen one every day. I agreed on two conditions: one, that the films be presented in the correct aspect ratio – ‘letter-boxed’ for wide screen films – and two, that no film be censored. I was in Europe when the network started to operate – the first film screened was Elvira Madigan from Sweden. When I returned, Bruce expressed satisfaction with my selections but asked me if I would introduce the “movie of the week” in the style of Bill Collins, who was very popular on commercial television at the time. I had never appeared on television before – the first film I “hosted”, in January 1981, was The Lacemaker, in which Isabelle Huppert appeared in a nude scene, setting the tone for the “sexy” movies that followed.Before long, Cinema Classics was introduced, where I introduced seasons of films by great directors, like Akira Kurosawa and Francois Truffaut. My “hostings” were produced by Margaret Pomeranz, and, during this period, we devised The Movie Show, which first went to air in 1986. Eighteen years later, a new management – with apparently no commitment to feature films – caused us to jump ship to the ABC where we presented At the Movies for ten years. David Stratton, Leura

The Spit Spat

Before the 2007 NSW State Election the then transport minister, Eric Roozendaal, promised to widen The Spit Bridge (“Work to start on road choke point in city’s north”, June 22). However, six weeks after being returned to power, Labor premier Morris Iemma announced that the proposal had been scrapped. The promise to fix a section of Mona Vale Road with construction to start in 2028 will be welcomed by residents and motorists. However, for those who travel south to the city, The Spit will remain a bridge too far. Allan Gibson, Cherrybrook

Call out for mental health

I applaud the Herald’s view agitating for the restitution of mental health services gutted by the mass resignation of NSW public hospital psychiatrists (“Months later, still no solution for state’s mental health crisis”, June 22). A patient’s “psychological well-being” is a vital organ that requires resuscitation to a healthier hue when our mindscape turns “beyond blue”, requiring an urgent complete in-person mental health specialist response. As a 30-year hospital doctor, I have no qualms about hefty call-ins and after-hours on-duty rates for complete access to the specialists that unclog blocked cerebral and coronary arteries in strokes and massive heart attacks. My long tenure has regrettably yet to witness that rare event of a specialist psychiatrist being made to be present on-site or being called in after hours. If you want a 25 per cent pay rise like the critical care specialists, you need to be always willing and able. Joseph Ting, Carina (Qld)

Spending super to stay super

Bec Wilson describes well the problems many retirees experience in loosening the purse strings of their superannuation or savings and using the money for what it was intended (“Retirement savings? It’s there to be used”, June 22). Certainly, a major concern is the “known unknown” - one’s longevity. However, it is obvious that one’s retirement will be nowhere near as enjoyable unless money is spent on experiences and the needs for comfort. But there is more than enjoyment at stake if one plans ahead year by year some travel and experiences. It is well known that longevity can be prolonged if there is always an experience or activity arranged for some time in the future which is greatly looked forward to. Furthermore, if the activity requires a good level of fitness, there is greater incentive to prepare by exercising more, which can surely be beneficial for one’s general health. Thus, the benefits of spending money can greatly outweigh that fear of “running out”. Geoff Harding, Chatswood

Why enter politics?

Parnell McGuinness has nailed the Libs’ opportunity to show us their worth (“Watch Libs blow golden opportunity”, June 22). Should they continue to follow Abbott and Dutton’s mantra to oppose, they will become irrelevant. The article could really be renamed as “Why enter politics?” Surely, as we would hope, it is to advance society and our wellbeing rather than to clutch at ideology, divide and remain in power at all cost. Bruce Hall, Avalon