Real ‘moral’ of NRL story
You have got to be kidding. If what I read in today’s Bega District News is correct that two councillors are opposing next year’s proposed NRL game on moral grounds I would respectfully ask you to reconsider.
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At present Bega shire has no major event that draws crowds and recognition or money into the shire besides the Tathra pig races, which no councillor has opposed and it is not all that good for the pigs
There are many disadvantaged families in this shire that for financial reasons may never get to see a first grade NRL match. Even the trip to Canberra is long and expensive especially if you don’t have a car.
It also has huge motivational benefits for the children who can get to see and meet some of their idols and begin to dream maybe one day that can be me. The $7000 is a bargain for the joy and happiness this will bring to the children and those not as well off as some. The “moral” of this story is ask the community what they think before you decide for them.
Frank Pearce, Bega
Bitterly disappointed
I have just returned home from attending the Police Remembrance Day at St John's Bega. Before the day I appealed via the Bega District News hoping that the public would support this day. But I am bitterly disappointed by the support shown by the public today.
If you take away the police, their partners and children, the number of the public attending was very poor.
This is a day to honour the police who have fallen over the years. We pretty well know what we will expect or come across in our day’s work, but a member of the police never knows what will be their lot.
They are the first to attend to a 000 call, they are mainly first to see a suicide, a vehicle crash, a robbery, a stolen car, a murder – and we can not take two hours of this day to support this force?
I for one are disappointed, and on behalf of the public of Bega apologise for this lack of support shown for our police force. It is too late to change today's attendance, but mark it in your calendar for next year, get behind our police force and show some thanks.
Allen Collins, Tathra
Disaster of a response
The Bega Valley Shire Residents and Ratepayers Association contends that it was not the loss of 65 homes in Tathra that was a disaster, but rather the March event was made-up of hundreds of individual disasters.
The loss of a single home to bushfire in Numbugga is no less a disaster for the family concerned than is the loss of a family home in Tathra.
So, the BVSRRA would like council to explain how it is that it was able to announce the establishment of its $1.5million Mayoral Relief Fund to assist the victims of the Tathra bushfire the day after the event, but almost two months after homes were lost to the Yankees Gap bushfire, it has not managed to respond in kind.
The BVSRRA has reported the claim by BVSC’s general manager that "Council is not in a position to set up a disaster fund for the Yankees Gap incident". This on top of previous public claims that the Mayoral Relief Fund could not be used to assist families who had suffered losses to the Yankees Gap bushfire. The BVSRRA does not dispute either of the above claims however, it contends that neither should prevent BVSC from setting-up a community disaster relief fund to assist any resident or ratepayer who may suffer as a result of bushfire or flood.
Why is BVSC trying to abrogate its responsibility to the Numbugga community, while also failing to develop a community-based response to the future impact of bushfires and floods across the shire? And why is it that not a single councillor, other than the mayor, has had a word to say on the subject?
The BVSRRA believes that BVSC may have received very poor advice as to its options to establish a shire wide disaster relief fund (similar to that operated by Shoalhaven City Council) or perhaps it has already decided that it just does not want to?
Either way, the victims of the Yankees Gap bushfire and future victims of bushfires and floods in the Bega Valley Shire are not to be afforded the same assistance that families in Tathra received.
The BVSRRA thinks that it is long past time for BVSC to consult with residents and ratepayers on the merits of establishing a shire-wide disaster relief fund.
The silence of elected councillors on this vital public issue is simply appalling.