Letters to the editor

IN REGARDS to The Murray Pioneer story headed ‘Caught without pants’ (7/2/12), occasionally we hear of similar cases, with some activists wishing to have governments in Australia allow nakedness 24/7 anywhere.

A bloke in Perth is active in this regard, namely Les Cook.

Also at Cap d’Agde, in France, there is a modern township/resort where everybody is naked.

This place has been in operation for 30 years that my wife Yvonne and I know of.

And, in regards to The Pioneer snippet, police could have been over zealous in their actions, unless the patron was acting in an offensive manner.

The act of being naked is not an offensive act in itself.

I draw your attention to the Police Officers Act 1953-1975, Section 23 and 23a:

23 (1) Any person who behaves in an indecent manner.

a. In a public place or visible from a public place or in a police station, or

b. In any place other than a public place or police station, so as to offend or insult any person, shall be guilty of an offence.

23 (2) Any person who in a public place, or while in view from a public place or from an occupied premises wilfully does any grossly indecent act, whether alone or with any person, shall be guilty of an offence.

23a An act of being in an unclad state in an area dedicated or reserved under any act for unclad bathing (whether or not that area is so dedicated or reserved for any other purpose) or if an act of being in an unclad state in any waters adjacent to such an area shall not of itself be an offence against any Act or law in force in this state (SA).

REX BAKES

Barmera

Drugs are a choice

YOUR FRONT page in regards to 28,000 syringes given out to drug dependant users (The Pioneer, 7/2/12) shows that, in my opinion, we are willing to help those that self inflict harm to themselves and ignore those with diabetes who get less help than drug users.

I would like to know what Member for Chaffey Tim Whetstone and the Liberal Party will do – if elected – in making sure we start seeing a 4 per cent decline in usage instead of a 4 per cent increase the next time figures are released.

I for one want politicians with the guts to fight these issues with the intent of winning, instead of thinking the fight against drugs is lost.

The first thing we must do is make sure a bill is passed sentencing anyone selling drugs on school grounds or within a 500 metre radius of a school to jail for an extremely long time.

Syringes being given out is not putting a stop to the dependencies of drug users, like governments would want you to believe.

Yet we seem to say it is an illness and users need help in giving up their drug dependencies.

Illegal drugs are a choice, in most cases, and illnesses like diabetes are not.

The figure claiming we save $1.28 billion from the years 2000 to 2009 is simply a ‘tooth fairy’ story governments and their agencies would like you to believe.

Issues we have because of drugs in the communities are related to the following:

Babies being born relying on drugs because of some mothers taking drugs while pregnant.

Police issues relating to house break-ins for plants and drug labs.

World record line-up

TO EVERYONE who made a big effort to break the world record total of boats in a parade last weekend, a big thank you from the Renmark Club.

We reached a total of 298, which was 30 short of the world record of 328.

There was a great turn-up of boats from across the Riverland which augers well to break the record next year.

On behalf of the Renmark Club I would like to thank the Riverland Dinghy Derby Club and committee for the excellent running of a fantastic weekend for Renmark and for the Riverland people to be involved in.

BRENTON FRANKS

General manager

Renmark Club