While the activist movement is pleased with the announcement, generally it seems to be motivated by a desire to convert all state forests to national parks. 

Their rationale seems to be that this land tenure change will ensure the long-term protection of biodiversity associated with native forests.

SETA members understand long-term conservation is not that simple and active management of native forests, on all tenures, is needed to ensure we do not lose any more species.

SETA members do not wish this announcement to result in a similar outcome to the activist campaigns of the 1990s that saw the then-iconic Tantawangalo State Forest koala population protected from logging by dedication of the South East National Park. 

The latest publicly available information on the Tantawangalo population is: “Recent intensive surveys show that a population at Tantawangalo/Yurammie is now very low and possibly extinct”.

There are numerous examples across NSW where koalas living in state forest have been “saved” when the forest has been transferred to national park tenure. 

It is disappointing to note that as the area of native forest protected in parks and reserves has increased, the koala numbers in NSW have continued to decline.

SETA members are confused. 

If koala protection is the real objective of the announcement, why was it necessary to create the four flora reserves, when koalas seem to be more plentiful in state forests than in the adjoining national parks? 

SETA will be taking great interest in what changes will be made to current reserve management systems to ensure long term survival of koalas on the NSW South Coast.  

Stephen Pope, South East Timber Association president, Merimbula

HuntFest will tell you that they are providing a service by keeping feral/pest animals under control. This is garbage. 

HuntFest promotes a gun culture - they sell guns at their festival.

HuntFest holds photographic competitions for children to enter - smiling children are photographed with a gun in one hand and their kill in the other.  

HuntFest promotes hunting as a sport. 

HuntFest is sponsored by the Sporting Shooters’ Association of Australia. The Shooters and Fishers Party wants to repeal our tight gun legislation.  

Council tells us they cannot deny HuntFest from conducting its festivals here in our shire.

But they have the power to say no.  

Tell your councillors to stop HuntFest. 

Speak up. Your town, your choice, your voice.  There is an election looming.

Get proactive and do not be intimidated.

Coral Anderson, Batehaven

Firstly I say Australia is now in the grip of some sort of rabid panic to bring about same sex marriage, and that by a plebiscite.

This is at least better than allowing a conscience vote by politicians hoping to get favour with a minority group who want things their own way. 

Secondly, Christians everywhere must stand against same sex marriage declaring it an abomination,  even if the plebiscite went against those of us who will say no, at least we would have had the opportunity to declare our opposition to such a reprobate notion.

Lastly I say, I've got some real bad news for anyone who claims to be a Christian and supports same sex marriage, that news is this; you are not a Christian.

Richard Merrell, Penrith