Bega District Letters to the Editor, October 27: Passing the buck on fire risk

In my case the Rural Fire Service and the Bega Valley Shire Council referring each to the other authority with the result that nothing gets done about the actual issue concerned.

How about working all together in taking responsibility of reducing the fire risk that is surely present and will get worse as we get into a hot summer. I have done my part at considerable expense on my property, however this has little effect if the direct neighbourhood is covered in flammable material.

And passing the buck is not productive. RFS and BVSC, ever heard of the concept of a no wrong door approach?

The impacts of Coolagolite fire confirm long-term community concerns about the management of forested catchments intensively burnt during the fire. Many of these concerns were highlighted in a report on the Murrah river catchment, provided to NSW state government agencies and Bega Valley Shire Council in July this year.

The ignition point on cleared land and prevailing winds meant the fire would have rapidly entered forest that was burnt at a relatively low intensity during the Badja fire, in Biamanga National Park and Murrah State Forest. It seems likely that most of the koalas and other animals in the fire's path would have been killed due to the extreme fire intensity in these regrowth forests.

At the southern end, the fire burnt through the current and adjacent previous site of the Bermagui shotgun club, established in 1996 in the Murrah catchment. The fire would have melted an estimated 30+ tonnes of lead shotgun pellets deposited on the club's current site, adjacent forests in the Murrah Flora Reserve and the previous site, that includes paddocks where beef cattle graze.

Bega Valley Shire Council is responsible for the lead contamination from the shotgun club, but council is seemingly incapable of complying with their Customer Service Policy, the Local Government Act, the Environment Planning and Assessment Act or their Contaminated Land Policy.

On a recent return to Bega I was dismayed at the terrible appearance of Carp Street.

The main street of the commercial capital of the beautiful Bega Valley looks tired and neglected. The tree guards installed around 20 years ago have been severely damaged with the quard posts now pointing in different directions, portraying an untidy image.

The tree guards originally had a decorative steel frame between the support posts but they have all been removed or damaged.

As a former resident of 30 years and a Carp Street trader for 20 of those years I was always proud of the appearance of the main business area. But I was saddened to see the state of Carp Street on my return trip.

My thoughts on the issue were shared by many people I came in contact with and the common feeling was that Bega is being neglected.

Please take time to have a good look at the condition of Carp Street. Hopefully council can do something to improve the appearance and make people feel proud of their main street.

If the BVSC saw the maximum height of Merimbula development as 16 metres, then it should remain at 16 metres. The limit was set for a good reason, and should not now be wiped aside, because a new flash proposal has come along!

The visual amenity of this coastal town should be saved at all costs. Nothing would be worse than looking like what is now erroneously labelled the "Gold Coast" - kilometre after kilometre of highrise monstrosities!

In the lead up to the referendum I found The Left:

- More intolerant of opposing opinions. They would not accept criticism and dismissed any worthwhile reforms from the other side of politics.

- Smug in their 'virtue signaling' and adopting a condescending attitude. (This is what got Trump into power)

- They pay lip service to social issues but the only thing they willingly volunteer are their opinions. Any commitment to social reform is usually through a paid job.

- Many live in single occupant houses and own AirB&B's during a housing crisis.

- If they are in business they minimise paying tax yet expect the government to bankroll every issue.

- If their party is guilty of corruption, criminality or mismanagement it is excused for the greater good.

- They hark back to the past but are rarely victims of injustice themselves. They bark with the foxes and run with the hounds. They really are champagne socialists.

I was sorry to read another article about the difficulty for disabled people in finding suitable rental properties.

But what really took me by surprise is that owners only have to give 30 days notice to a tenant to vacate a property in NSW.

Here, in Victoria, it is 60 days. A bit more reasonable, I think.