‘Fawlty’ boat ramp
Just when you think they couldn’t get any more complacent (nicer than ‘incompetent’), Eurobodalla Shire Council (ESC) has done it again. On Monday last week, ESC were all set to rectify some of their mistakes with the costly re-development of the Apex Park boat ramp. Private contractors were at the ready with an excavator, divers were all suited up and council crews were about to start work. The tasks were simple, to fix a couple of concrete treads and to extend the ramp so that no more boat trailers would go over the edge. Before commencing work most individuals and businesses would check to ensure their permits were up to date and covered the work proposed. ESC didn’t, and Marine Parks staff attended and stopped the works. ESC didn’t have a current permit. Marine Parks staff did their job as per the regulations, just like ESC should have. About $5,000 of our money was wasted for the excavator, two divers, two trucks, and six staff to attend, plus the ‘on costs’ associated with this job. This is just one job that has been watched closely by ratepayers, and the results have been pathetic. The design of the ramp is wrong for that position, the ramp doesn’t meet Australian Standards, and now council is doing work without the right permits.
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John Moore, Kianga
Anzac ceremony thanks
I would like to publicly thank all who contributed or participated in another memorable Anzac Service at Tilba. Whilst representation of past veterans continues to decline, it was heartening to see the high number of students of Central Tilba School in the march. With a piper leading the march and playing a lament during the laying of wreaths, and live bugle and piano during the service, and an emotional Commemoration Address by Reverend David Oliphant, the Ceremony was once again both intimate and moving. In his address, David placed particular focus on the Battle of Fromelles which took place 100 years ago in 1916. This was the first engagement of the Anzacs in France, and was devastating, with casualties of 5,533 in less than 24 hours. It was “a baptism of fire” and stated to be the most tragic day in Australian military history, even today. David, was accompanied in singing the poignant song “The Last Man from Dunolly” which is about the Battle of Fromelles and personalizes the tragedy. It was written just a few years ago by Victorian, Mike Whittle. The children of Tilba Public School participated in the ceremony, reading a prayer and laying a wreath. Tea and Anzac biscuits were served in the Small Hall, allowing those who partook an opportunity to renew acquaintances and have a chat. Well done, Tilba.
Harry Bate, Tilba
Liberal Party activity
With regard to the letter from Cheryl Ann Robinson concerning our Liberal party information stand outside the Narooma News Agency last Friday; it would perhaps have been better if she had spoken to us at the time. I am firstly intrigued by the 'young people' buying tickets whose IDs we should have checked. I reckon the average age of those who participated was around 50. There was nobody who even approached being underage. Secondly; since when is the government 'trying to stop people buying alcohol'? That would drive a coach and horses through the budget in very short order. The problems in our society with alcohol lie in inappropriate consumption, not the casual imbibing. Cheryl shoots herself in the foot here because no alcohol abuser is going enter a raffle for bottles of 'expensive' wine instead of the cheap stuff. So too with the domestic violence issue she raises; I can't picture the average perpetrator guzzling a bottle of fine Pinot Grigio before setting upon their spouse. It is to be expected that our attempts to bring Liberal Party policy to the district; and to raise a little money to help our branch, will raise the ire of those ideologically opposed, but I encourage those people to come to our Friday morning stands and engage in positive debate.
Alan Burdon, Liberal Party Narooma branch president
Visitor centre thanks
On behalf of Darryl, Kristen, Nicholas and myself we would like to express our thanks to all the staff that have worked at the centre over the years. The service was always first class and the staff always smiling and friendly. The staff I had dealings with include Narelle Bate, Lesley Heffernan, Kerry Markham, Mark Westwood, Renae Kemp, Lisa Brown, Kim Newbold, Yvonne Hutcheson, Dianne Matters, Jae Sampson and Sarah Kilmartin, who were all wonderfully professional and an excellent first-up experience for visitors. It is indeed a sad day to be losing all this wonderful experience through the lack of foresight by Eurobodalla Council. In saying that I am sure the good folk involved from MACS will put their best foot forward to ensure the high standard will continue. We wish the current staff members all the best in their future endeavors.
Norman Ingersole, Narooma Charters & Montague Island Tours manager
Surely time for change
I attended the town council meeting at the Golf Club on May 2. While there was evidence of efforts made by council members to reach across the divide, sadly the trust level remained low. For me the feel of deceit around the whole process of inviting HuntFest into the community is the underlying element leaving a lingering sense of betrayal by some members in the council and by ourselves as a people who have accepted a system of government, at all levels, that tolerates ‘deals’ being made or community polls that are open to a responses from people all over the world. It seems to me, to gain a truly ethical system of government, challenges us all to function from the noblest part in ourselves.
P. Delaney, Narooma
NSW Coastal Management Bill
Eurobodalla residents like me, who live in areas classified by our council as flood and sea level rise affected, know the effect that this type of “categorisation” has on property values and property development. Has anyone noticed that our three commercial areas Batemans Bay, Moruya and Narooma have been deserted by the astute developers, who will not risk their capital in areas declared as “vulnerable” to coastal hazards?
Well, Council is not the only government outfit with its finger in the coastal management pie. Last week, the NSW Coalition Government introduced its new coastal management Bill. The Bill, which is the handy work of Planning Minister Rob Stokes, sets out to identify “vulnerable” coastal areas from the Tweed to Eden. The mapping has not been completed, but Rob Stokes won’t let a minor omission like that stand in the way of a good Bill. Rob’s Bill contains a few other throw away lines like increasing the fines for trying to protect your property against a coastal hazard to one million dollars. You might also be required to surrender your property to the government as the sea rises without any provision for compensation. Where we live, the restrictive coastal zone will be up to 1.5 kilometres from a tidal waterway, but in Sydney electorates like Manly (Baird), and Pittwater (Stokes), the coastal management zone will be as little as 50 metres. We are told that this is traditional rather than hypocritical.
But that is not all! Federal Environment Minister Greg Hunt announced on his return from the Paris climate conference that the Federal Government will be preparing vulnerable area mapping for the entire Australian coastline. Can you imagine the effect three tiers of coastal hazard mapping will have on the economy of those regional cities and towns unfortunate enough to be caught up in this climate change debacle? Has any level of government considered the economic effects or the cost of this unnecessary duplication?
Could Liberal Party candidates Peter Hendy and Ann Sudmalis and Labor candidates Mike Kelly and Fiona Phillips please let the people of Eden Monaro and Gilmore know their position on coastal hazard management. Will they support the NSW Coastal Alliance’s position that any vulnerability mapping must be accompanied by mitigation (coastal defence) planning, and will they guarantee that no properties will be resumed without appropriate compensation?
We hope that these candidates realise that coastal residents in low lying or beach front locations are not the only ones contributing to global warming. People on the hills and in the inland are just as guilty, and the Federal Government, just like the NSW Government, has been quite happy to sit back and collect billions of dollars from the export of fossil fuels.
Ian Hitchcock Eurobodalla Regional Coordinator NSW Coastal Alliance
Negative gearing for anyone?
Minimising tax is very limited for low income earners. I would say more than fifty percent of voters which live in major cities do struggle nowadays to buy their own place.
Or even pay the rent. If the Liberals want to win the election don't forget that.
Yeah, we all can try to minimise paying tax, but not everyone has an equal opportunity.
Contractors, business people like tradesman can deduct travel expenses related to the job, wage earners can't. So when he said at the Insiders program minimising tax has always been done one way or another I agree with him but the opportunity is not there for everybody.
I would say, I was always bothered, that wage earners could not deduct travel expenses. Another disadvantaged one would not be able to get paid for the travel time. Negative gearing is for certain people. So don't piss your voters off before the election, it will be backfiring for the Liberals. I am a voter who believes that"all citizens"have to pay taxes according to their nett income in order to receive the services we are accustomed to.
The ability for better off citizens to pay less taxes may not be affordable for the government, revenue is needed for funding expenses. The government, has to be fair with everybody. When the Turnbull government chooses to favour the upper class, it makes it only harder for them to win. I thought Mister Turnbull is a smart one, maybe he is and I am the one who is seeing it wrong, good luck.
K. Kruger, Central Tilba