Day in and day out, in downtown Cobargo, passing tourists, visitors, truck drivers, delivery people, locals, school children, shoppers and day-trippers banged toilet doors, flushed cisterns and washed hands with regularity!

Although an official account of usage is not available, just ask anyone in Cobargo if public toilets are essential, and you will most likely get a resounding 'YES'.

So, I write to ask the BVSC to give urgent consideration to 'spending a penny', and getting underway the reconstruction of this vital necessity, as soon as possible. Quite simply, some things cannot be put off.

Name withheld on request

I just paid my first rates installment for 2020 - $580.06 - and that's for a pensioner.

It was calculated to the last cent - I paid $580 and 5c - that's right - and 5c. I was so angry at how now the rates have risen over the last three to four years, and for what?

I am still even more angry at how Bega valley Shire Council can calculate my rates so accurately to the last cent, when they cannot even stay within their own budget.

They have recorded the largest deficit in the general fund ever last year alleged to be to the tune of $14.1million and an $8.9million loss for the entire council.

All this without a single word of explanation, apology, whatever. No acceptance of responsibility or accountability on the part of council management or the elected council. And apparently half of them acknowledge that they don't understand the council's finances.

Wait until (and I sincerely hope not) they try to introduce a further impost with their "swimming pools" SRV cost debacle.

Eddy Stulpinas, Cobargo

Lets work on extending the runway at Merimbula Airport to accommodate more types of passenger planes first before we figure out other ways to get tourism down to the South Coast.

Jake Romano, Merimbula

We need this railway.

Kye Leevers, Wolumla

Late last month the Deputy Prime Minister, Michael McCormack announced $100million to assist 10 regions. In his own words, the Deputy Prime Minister said that the eligible regions had been chosen because "they are regions whose economies have experienced the brunt of natural events such as bushfires, or COVID-19, and drought".

I applaud the announcement, and I welcome the inclusion of the Snowy Mountains - but Batlow, Cobargo, Kiah, Nerrigundah, Braidwood and surrounding communities are all asking - what about the rest of Eden-Monaro?

On the raw data alone based on bushfire losses - the communities of Eden-Monaro are rightly asking where do we rate?

With over 750 homes lost, over 2000 sheds and outbuildings destroyed, thousands of kilometres of fencing and livestock torched, and not forgetting the fruit tree and forestry losses, the downturn in tourism, retail and hospitality income, the loss of lives and livelihoods - why aren't we included in this funding?

Is this payback for a Labor win in Eden-Monaro? Hardly the way people want and need politics carried out post-2020.

I ask the Deputy Prime Minister - please don't let politics get in the way of truly assisting the regions that are hurting the most.

Member for Eden-Monaro Kristy McBain