The impression we all understood from previous publicity of the event was that we would be able to inspect the hospital from both the outside and inside.

However, inspection of the inside of the hospital was not allowed and the outside only from a long distance.

Unless you were one of the eight who managed to win a lucky draw in a competition.

Many people from as far away as Mallacoota in Victoria, Eden and places to our north made a special trip to Bega to inspect the inside of the hospital and were very annoyed that it could not be done.

Another matter that I found disturbing was that the official party at the function held in the tent did not include Dr Mike Kelly, who was the original instigator for the construction of a new Bega hospital and in all the speeches by the official party no acknowledgement was given of Dr Kelly’s important contribution.

If that is the way politics works in the state of NSW and Australia, no wonder many of us hold it in such low regard. 

Jerry Johnson

Tathra

Since we live in Darcy Lane, Jellat Jellat, we are very familiar with the road situation which Michelle Taylor from Kalaru described in her letter (BDN, 20/2).

We have every sympathy with Ms Taylor who was involved in a crash on the Tathra Rd. 

It must have been a most traumatic experience for her and her young children as well as for the young P-plate driver whose car she damaged to the point of being a "write off". 

Ms Taylor believes that the speed limit should be reduced to 80kmh as that would have meant that the crash probably would not have occurred.

However, there are a couple of things worth noting. 

The first is that all of the other vehicles waiting at the crossing were able to stop without crashing into the car in front of them. 

The second thing worth noting is that 100kmh is the maximum speed permitted - there is no law preventing drivers from going at a lower speed. 

Since Ms Taylor was the only driver who caused a crash it would appear that the other drivers were either driving at a lower speed or were more prepared than she was. 

As locals, we are well aware that the cows cross the road at that point every day - four times each day.

Most of the people from Tathra, Bournda, Kalaru, Wallagoot and Jellat Jellat who use the Tathra Rd drive across the Jellat Jellat flats at around 100kmh, but are still able to avoid crashing into the back of other cars when they happen to be stopped at the cattle crossing. 

We hope that Ms Taylor, her children and the P-plate driver will recover from the trauma of the crash.

However, we do not believe that reducing the speed limit to 80kmh would, in itself, prevent such crashes from occurring in the future. 

Only careful driving will achieve that highly desirable outcome.

Lex Marshall

Jellat Jellat

Dear Michelle Taylor (BDN, 20/2), it is nothing to do with the speed limit, it is to do with dangerous driving.  

Speed limits are the maximum speed in safe conditions.

Approaching a hill crest at 100kmh is extremely dangerous.

If you cannot see twice your stopping distance ahead you should SLOW DOWN.  

I sincerely suggest that you take a course of defensive driving before taking your car or your children on the road when your car is repaired. 

Cliff Tarrant

Brogo

At the Bega Show, I was infuriated and stunned by the male talking on the loudspeakers while commentating on a range of men on motorbikes, 4-wheelers and utes performing "doughnuts" and ripping up the grass on the showground.  

This commentator declared that one of the motorcyclists was "riding like a girl". 

It's not the first time I have heard this terminology in Bega. 

This type of gender stereotyping language must end and men would serve this community well by standing up against this definition of what a "man" is. 

After watching Q&A on Monday night, which highlighted the cancer of domestic violence in Australia, I felt people in the Bega Valley Shire have a long way to go in understanding how stereotyping in this way is one of the stepping stones to violence against women. 

Is this the sort of rubbish that mothers and fathers want their sons and daughters to hear? 

Please, residents of the Bega Valley, when you hear men or women talk in this way, confront it and stop it. 

Language is a powerful thing. 

I don't want to hear my child come home using this language and thinking men are "better" than women at any level. 

Let that commentator come forward and apologise for his despicable public comments.

Corinne Fernandez-Markov

Brogo