This an absurd decision in view of the number of tradies required for the reconstruction of over 2000 houses destroyed or damaged in NSW.

It is clear that there is already an incredible delay in the reconstruction of houses and businesses lost in the Tathra fires almost two years ago. To date, only around 10 homes have been rebuilt, with a similar number under construction - less than a third of those destroyed.

Estimates are that the rebuild after the recent fires will extend to five years and beyond.

The issue from my perspective is that we need facilities to conduct this trade training in dedicated, purpose built workshops serviced by experienced trained professional trade teachers with workshops equipped with all of the necessary up-to-date machinery, and support facilities.

The money spent so far on the Connected Learning Centre may have been well spent but the focus was not on hands-on practical training of trades people in dedicated industrial workshops. It appears that the Trades Hub model envisages trade training by mobile workshops on trucks with equipment severely limited due to space and weight restrictions making occasional appearances at various places around the state.

If the Trades Hub is to be built why not just build it on the existing TAFE campus, where very adequate and complementary facilities already exist. There is a sum of money to the tune of $17million which should be devoted to extending this site rather than closing it down. There is plenty of room at this campus for further development. It would also make an excellent teacher training facility to replace some of the trained TAFE professionals made redundant over recent years.

I am writing to express my concern regarding the Bega Valley Council's decision to permanently close the Cobargo Tip to residents and to replace it with an asbestos dump. The council claims to have consulted with residents on this radical plan but have not. When it was announced through a media release to the Bega District News on January 17 it took everybody by surprise, Not one single resident of Tip Road was consulted nor anyone else in the town including the Cobargo Preschool which is barely 1000 metres from the site.

A town meeting at the Cobargo Hotel on February 13 found the majority of residents absolutely opposed to this proposal. The meeting, standing room only, became bogged down for an hour with resident's complaints, questions and suggestions. The mayor promised to hold another meeting the following week that could address the tip issues, but that meeting has never been announced and there appears to be no council interest in genuine community consultation.

I also question the council's threat that without taking this course of action they are unable to do any cleaning up. Blackmail and divide and conquer tactics are beneath us and our representatives. I really don't think Cobargo wants or deserves that.

Last night I attended the 2020 Krebb Lecture by Professor Lindemayer on landscape and ecosystem collapse. The science, the facts, show that sending machinery into fire damaged forests is not desirable as it causes further long term damage to ecosystem recovery. The likelihood of further rain events will exacerbate the problem causing additional run off pollution of our dams and waterways. I do not support logging of national parks at any stage, ever. They are protected.