Clear opposition
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The Bega Valley Shire councillors who voted in favour of the Woolworths proposal were well aware that the Bermagui community had expressed clear opposition on several occasions.
This is an appalling and shameful decision that shows contempt for the fundamental principle of democracy by favouring the interests of big business over those of a small community.
Shame, shame, shame!
PS. The so-called “silent majority in favour” argument is laughably illogical, since if people in favour of Woolworths were silent, how can their opinions be known, let alone validated?
Democracy is participatory and based on organised representation rather than street corner gossip.
Ian McFarlane
Wallaga Lake
Expo benefits
I'd like to express my thanks to the Bega Valley Shire Council and those who were responsible for putting together the recent Bega Valley Business Skills Expo.
I was really surprised at the number and variety of stalls present.
I walked in expecting to find half a dozen stalls with sleepy people and to my astonishment was presented with a hall full of opportunities to be explored!
Special thanks to Jess from Fair Trading for directing me back to ITeC to have a query about business agreements answered.
It was great to meet fellow business owners, see what else was on offer and gain further information about a wealth of things on offer that can only be of benefit to the business owners in the Bega Valley Shire.
I, for one, would like to see this become an annual event.
Shan Watts
Bega
Short-sighted plan
The NSW Government’s plan to reopen Far South Coast estuaries to commercial fishing is very short-sighted to say the least.
Recreational fishing is the focus of this region’s tourism industry, the improvements in catch rates since the banning of estuary netting directly relates to increased visitor numbers of recreational anglers.
Recreational fishing attracts hundreds of thousands of travelling anglers to the region annually, creates jobs and brings millions of dollars into the district.
The recreational fishing industry is both environmentally and economically sustainable.
Any damage or impact on the fishery through commercial estuary netting will directly impact negatively on the tourism industry and the livelihoods of thousands in the Bega Valley.
A select few people will benefit from allowing commercial fishing back into the estuaries - these benefits will be very short term at the best.
The negative impacts will be immeasurable.
I call on Andrew Constance to take a stand against this thoughtless decision and push against his party’s plan to reintroduce commercial fishing in the estuaries of the Far South Coast.
Steve Jackson
Bega
Day’s huge success
As president of the Tathra Lions Club I write to thank you and your team publicly for the enormous assistance given to us in promoting our recent 40th anniversary celebrations.
The day was a huge success, enjoyed by a vast number of the community and resulted in the recruitment of several new members.
We at Tathra Lions have the motto “We Serve” and at times like this, when the days leading up to our great day have been touched by tragedy and the weather looks anything by encouraging, it’s gratifying when the community as a whole rallies like it did - so thank you to all concerned.
With this is mind I thank, very sincerely, the following local businesses for their largess and donated services.
Bega District News, ABC South East Radio, Radio 2EC, Edge FM, Emma Britten, Tathra Post Office, Kalaru Post Office, Betta Electrical Bega, Bliss Stylists, Coast Hire Bega, Countryside Caravan Park Kalaru, Design Post Sign Studio, Tathra Friendly Grocer, Tathra Beach Bowling Club, Tathra Tyres and Auto, Tathra Cellars, Fat Tony’s, Tathra Gardenscape, Tathra Oysters, Bega Heritage Motor Club and Tathra Beach Country Club.
Without the input of the above mentioned, the day would not have been as successful as it was.
So to all who participated and enjoyed the day, thank you – we enjoyed it too!
Peter Davis
President, Tathra Lions Club
Damaging exposure
The fact that interactive killing machines are feely available for kids in video arcades does not make it acceptable for the majority of citizens to have a bigger, better, even more realistic animal killing machine in the Narooma Sports and Recreation Centre.
What is legal is not necessarily desirable for our community and the children who would be encouraged by its promoters, and by its location in the middle of town, to take part in this latest diabolical activity.
Speaking at a conference in Sydney on 5/10/2013, Dr Wayne Warburton, deputy director of the Children and Families Research Centre at Macquarie University, gave evidence from brain imaging studies to show that violent films and games affect brain development.
In a controlled experiment with two groups, scientists showed that the people with a lot of exposure showed little emotional response and became desensitised to the violence they had witnessed, while the other group showed greater empathy and ability to respond rationally.
Not so surprising really.
It is common knowledge that exposure to traumatic events can have a damaging effect on children, and yet the council seemed not to hesitate when it granted approval for a “family friendly” festival of hunting with guns and an animal killing machine in a public building in the main street of Narooma, every long weekend in June for the next four years!
Did the council even give passing thought to the effect on young minds when they made their rushed deliberations?
Not too late to revoke the decision if the community protests strongly enough.
Susan Cruttenden
Dalmeny
Energetic debate
This is my summary of a major part of Question Time broadcast from the Federal Parliament on February 27.
Government to Opposition:
Qantas has lost $235million and 5000 jobs are to go.
Its expenses included $106million of carbon tax.
In its next financial period its carbon tax will total about $165million.
The removal of the carbon tax will greatly assist Qantas.
The Government asked for the help of the Opposition to secure the airline’s future and its jobs.
The Opposition Leader replied that his priority is for jobs, but refused to help quit the carbon tax.
Can ALP members explain why?
When:
a) Energy supply is an essential raw material for businesses that employ and create jobs.
The ALP/Greens introduced carbon tax is a huge and growing energy cost burden for employers in Australia, contributing to the very serious job losses now occurring.
Why then, is the Federal Opposition (your parliamentary representatives), with a declared priority for jobs, rejecting to help the Government and the employees being made redundant, by refusing to assist in the repeal of the carbon tax?
b) The Rudd/Gillard/Rudd governments’ industry, energy and climate policies now confronting Australia and its new Coalition Government are similar to EU policies, which have had a hugely deleterious impact on European economies.
Their rapidly growing energy costs causing energy dependent industries to rebel and migrate to lower cost countries.
The flow is increasing.
Jobs growth is seriously affected, particularly for younger people.
Is this what you want for Australia?
c) Incredibly, the Manager of Opposition Business has written to all ALP members stating, “It’s devastating news for these workers, and still the Government has made no effort to fight for their jobs”.
This is a blatant untruth.
The Government has openly asked for the Opposition’s assistance to fight for the workers’ jobs by helping to repeal the carbon tax.
Neville Hughes
Surf Beach