Anyone doubting that reality might care to contemplate the 14 documents, amounting to 1200 pages of closely packed words, graphs, charts, tables, attachments, appendixes and photographs, that were tabled at council’s ordinary meeting on May 17 under Item 13.1, with the heading “Public exhibition of draft Community Strategic Plan, Resourcing Strategy, Delivery Program and Operational Plan, and Disability Inclusion Action Plan”. Does council seriously think that members of the community will find the time to wade through this complex assortment of material and then formulate a response, expecting their voices to be heard, or is this just another exercise designed to get the community to accept that “it’s all too hard” and simply run the other way, so the bureaucrats can get on with the business of governing in the interests of those whom they really serve?

Of greater potential concern to most residents/ratepayers is council’s draft 2017-2018 Operational Plan and Budget. After all, this is where the rubber actually hits the road for most of the community.

Rather than heeding the cries of desperation voiced by Cr McBain over alleged shortages in council Income or the irrelevant comments about the wonderful quality of the illustrations featuring in the reports made by Cr Seckold, the BVSRRA believes that the elected council should, among other things, immediately direct the general manager to identify acceptable measures to reduce the proposed General Fund operating expenditure by at least four per cent, so as to bring it into line with council’s anticipated Income and more importantly, to demonstrate to residents and ratepayers that council is committed to living within their means.

Andrew Constance is quick to blame everyone else but himself when it comes to delays to the Eden wharf (Eden Magnet, 7/6)

What Mr Constance does not reveal is that the Crown Lands Department suffered extensive job cuts – coinciding with the time he was Finance Minister and Treasurer. 

Ripping money out of agencies and slashing jobs will inevitably create delays to projects – as sure as night follows day.

Perhaps the voters will put a rocket up Andrew Constance when the next election comes around.

Every morning, many families right across Bega have the task of juggling getting kids to school and getting to work.

As a mum I know hard this can be, and as the Minister it is my job to make sure the NSW Government does its bit to support working families in Bega.

We know before and after school care services can go a long way and that’s why the NSW Government is investing $20million for schools to establish new or upgrade existing services right across the state.

We also know the needs of the school community Merimbula in are completely different to those in Batemans Bay.

That’s why not-for-profit providers of out of school hours care can now receive up to $30,000 to expand or establish new services to provide flexible options for busy Bega families. Opening the fund to not for profit service providers means extra support to encourage community organisations to offer before and after school care and ease the burden in areas of high demand.

We are determined to help make life easier for working families and we will continue to look at new ways to better support them. Our parents expect it, our kids deserve it.