By introducing these policies and devaluing the land they will reduce their rate base commensurate with this devaluation. What is the benefit going to be to the council or the ratepayer when they devalue the land? 

In contrast to these regressive E zones, the Bega Valley alone has so many examples of poor to marginal farm land that has been subdivided and sold to hobby farmers that have enriched our shire for the betterment of our community. If they opened their eyes and looked at Brogo, Candelo, Wolumla, Millingandi, Pambula, Nethercote, Locheil, the Towamba Valley, Kiah and Wonboyn or even closer by to the very land that surrounds Bega they will realise that these areas have grown because of sea and tree changers. 

These new residents have in actual fact rallied together and made progressive communities out of what was once poor to marginal farming land by nurturing their small holdings and growing produce that otherwise would not have happened. The upside of that has been that they have contributed to the local economy socially and economically by holding produce markets, music festivals and a myriad other community type activities. 

These communities are the very people that now voluntarily man our bushfire brigades, coast guard service and State Emergency Service. 

With these regressive zonings we will lose the very fabric that has made this shire along with all the others across the state what they are today. These Draconian policies must be quashed immediately before they are allowed to destroy the future of our beautiful shire.

“Scientists studying a colony of more than 18,000 pairs of Adelie penguins in the French Antarctic territory, Adelie Land, discovered only two chicks had survived at the start of 2017. The rest of the chicks had starved.” (The Guardian, Oct 2017)

Another similar event occurred in 2013 due to the extent of the ice sheet late in the season preventing the adult penguins getting food close to the colony, having to swim a further 100km in search of fish, leaving the chicks exposed to the rain and cold.

More recently in Germany, studies have revealed that insect numbers have dropped by 3/4 over the past 25 years, quite alarming considering they make up two-thirds of the animal kingdom, being an important food source and pollinator.

Two random examples of our rapidly changing world due to human impact; use of chemicals and unsustainable practices.

More pointedly in the extractive industries, production of rubbish in the form of throwaway plastic, industrial scale production of food, especially livestock (a plant based diet has enormous benefits).

And the big one constantly rearing its monstrous head, climate change, where we, living in our safe and abundant continent are hardly noticing the effects, unless there is an unnatural natural disaster.

Twenty-five million people each year across the globe are being displaced. People in the United States are moving further south (from Alaska) and further inland to escape the melting snow lands and rising ocean levels.

Nothing is going to change or get better unless those pulling the strings get serious.

Trying to buy each household with a suggested “up to” $2.20 per week saving on their power bill is not only offensive to my principles, but ridiculous when the consequences of climate change now and into the future, are not only going to keep costing the taxpaying public, but eventually cost the Earth.