THE HILLIER VIEW: A sad indictment on imagination

I have to agree with the thoughts in some of the letters to the editor and comments on the Star Weekly website about the naming of our new suburb. If East Werribee is the best we can come up with, it’s a very sad indictment on our imagination and knowledge of local history.

Planning Minister Matthew Guy said there were a number of suggestions from the public, but none were better than East Werribee. What were they? I would love to see the list and make my own mind up on that. Surely the name Chirnside, which has such historical significance to the area, could have been considered.

Social media can be a wonderful source of information and a terrific means of communication given its global reach. But it can also be a public laundromat where people air their dirty washing. Some of the local Facebook sites are little more than a forum for a small group of people to endlessly push their own agendas, often with a level of personal vitriol. Others seem to delight in having public slanging matches in order to draw attention to themselves. One involving a recent sporting club reunion was petty, childish, crude and pointless.

I still believe people don’t understand the legal ramifications of many of their posts. It’s the same as putting it on the front page of this newspaper. It’s in the public domain and with that goes all the litigious responsibilities.

I also don’t like those who use social media to circumvent going through the right channels to get things done. I have seen this with rubbish removal, tree lopping, potholes and the like. I find it pretty poor when a Facebook photo of a pothole is what’s required to get someone off their bums to get it fixed.

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Drug issues

Do we have a major drug problem in Wyndham? I am keen to hear what you know. I ask because of something I witnessed recently that showed how close the drug problem is to our front doors.

My good mate Les Twentyman tells me it’s worse than ever. I would love to hear of your experiences. I will share my recent experience next week.

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■ If you have any news or events, let me know at kevin@howdypartnersmedia. com.au