I’m very proud to be part of the Federal Government that delivered funding for the new South East Regional Hospital (SERH) – a hospital that will serve the needs of our community for generations.

Now operational following Monday’s official opening by Minister for Rural Health Fiona Nash, the SERH took just two years to build after Member for Bega Andrew Constance announced the tender for main works had been awarded in February 2014.

Of the $160million in federal funding for the project, $136million was delivered by the Coalition government.

But to be honest, this misses the point.

Many speakers at the opening noted that the credit for this facility belongs to the community and local champions like Dr Gareth Long.

As I said on Monday, “today, we thank Gareth, his family, and the Bega community for their advocacy for such a worthy cause – today belongs to you.”

For Mike Kelly to claim credit for the hospital is false – for him to whine about a lack of recognition is petulant and insulting to our community leaders who are the real heroes of this story.

Our community has left old politics behind – Mike Kelly should too.

Six months of daylight saving has been excessive and trying, physically and mentally.

If the powers that be insist on imposing this system upon us, then the three summer months – December, January and February – would seem to be a reasonable adjustment to implement.

Regarding the council’s decision on the Bega town clock – this is not only a clock.

It’s a memorial to Dr Evershed as well as an icon in the Bega Valley.

At a public meeting in Littleton Gardens on Friday, April 1, a resolution was put forward to go t council requesting the rescinding of their resolution pending further consideration.

At that meeting, concerns were raised as to the cost to council in any such removal.

I feel some points need clarification for the public.

As I understand, it is Aldi that has requested the removal for its purposes. If that’s the case, any cost incurred would be covered by Aldi in the application under Section 96. Therefore there would be no cost to the council.

Irrespective of the area chosen for its relocation, there is no assurance it will be replicated to the standard it is at present.

Once that happens, the icon will be lost forever.

Council’s decision has shown disregard for a community in the shire as well as disregard for the clock as a memorial and icon.

May I request the community write to the council and express their distaste at this decision made. You may say it is progress. Progress is one thing, disregarding the community is another.

First, Tony Abbott gave us “government by shirtfront” as he beat up on pensioners, the poor, the dispossessed and the sick.

Though, for all that, he still did not manage to lay a glove on Vladimir Putin!

Now we have Malcolm (I’m not Tony Abbott) Turnbull giving us “government by thought bubble” as he tried to surreptitiously increase taxes by having the states do it for him. He has also given us “government by sleight of hand” as everything which was “on the table” has mysteriously vanished from that same table. 

It is often said we get the government we deserve. The question is; “what have we done to deserve this”?