Inappropriate video
THERE is an email circulating titled “Hasta La Vista baby” allegedly from the personal computer of one of the recently elected ERA councillors to the former general manager of the council Paul Anderson.
It depicts a launched war missile traveling through the air and exploding causing significant destruction on a target somewhere, the last picture frame of the email shows Paul Anderson talking.
It's clear to me the person responsible for producing and sending the email is implying Paul Anderson has made a mess of things and is moving on to somewhere else.
Just for the information of those interested in council matters, including all elected councillors, the general manager of a council doesn't make the resolutions that cause and action of the council, the elected councillors do.
The email allegedly sent from the personal computer of one of the ERA elected councillors is misleading as is a lot of the material circulated by the Eurobodalla Ratepayers Association.
The councillor allegedly circulating the “Hasta La Vista baby” nonsense clearly has no idea of what it is they are elected to do and has identified no wrong doings of the past council or council management.
A public explanation and apology is warranted by the disturbed councillor.
Allan Brown
Batemans Bay
More crossings please
BEING a senior person (81) and not being as quick on my feet anymore, I find that when visiting the doctor or dentist on the Narooma Flat it is very difficult to cross the road safely.
Further along in front of Jim the chemist there is an island crossing in the middle of the highway, which makes it a lot easier to get to the other side.
It’s easier to get halfway and have something to hang on to before trying the second half.
Could other people having the same problem give an opinion on this and perhaps we can get something done, if not for us but the oldies coming after us.
Ken Burke
North Narooma
Thoughts on the Federal election coming up
THIS year we’ll have a Federal election giving us all the chance to pass judgement on the Gillard government.
When contemplating their vote most people, like me, will try to match Labor’s promises against what it’s actually done.
There is no doubt that their record over the last five years clearly shows that they can’t be trusted.
Most of all they have not managed our economy as they promised they would.
Far from being “fiscally conservative” and with all “reckless spending” stopped as Kevin Rudd promised, they blew $42 billion on a stimulus package that saw huge waste– pink batts put in, pink batts taken out; school halls and COLAs that were hundreds and thousands of dollars overpriced or built in schools that have since been closed.
Without pausing for breath they committed another $36 billion to a national broadband scheme without even checking whether the costs outweighed the dubious benefits.
And with wireless access for all our devices who needs it?
Worse still, their major “rock solid” “gold plated” promise was to maintain a budget surplus over the economic cycle.
But what did we actually get? Deficits were recorded in every year since they were elected. Labor’s record is that it has never delivered a budget surplus since Paul Keating’s in 1989.
The scorecard is dismal. Five years of broken promises with Labor presiding over massive increases in our living costs, including electricity price increases of 89 per cent.
The voting public is not stupid. We remember the promises for Fuel Watch and Grocery Watch to keep prices low.
And we see that nothing came of it - except more public servants wasting more taxpayer dollars and prices continue to rise. Since its election, the Labor government has completely rundown the country’s financial position by turning John Howard’s surplus of $20 billion into a net debt of $150 billion in the process running up the four biggest deficits in Australia’s history.
We taxpayers are now paying $20 million a day in interest. That’s what we get for giving Labor our trust. The Gillard government has broken our trust and deserves to be booted out of office.
Robert Flynn
Dalmeny
Bee in my bonnet
AS I said last week I approached Club Narooma to air my disapproval of temporary members being allowed into the badge draw (a lot of members were complaining about this on Sunday afternoon of December 30).
I spoke to the secretary manager and two board members who explained that this has always been their policy.
It’s a way of getting more visitors to use the club facilities during their stay.
Also this helps to raise the jackpot level which in turn brings more people to the Club.
That’s just good business and it works!
The club employs a lot of locals and also returns a lot of money back into the community in one way or another.
Maybe the next time I get a bee in my bonnet I will listen to my wife and check the facts before shooting of my mouth.
Kris Gauslaa
North Narooma
The end of Bermagui
NEXT Wednesday, January 16, the future shape of Bermagui will be decided when council considers the construction of a Woolworths in Montague Street.
We feel that such a development is completely inappropriate on aesthetic, environmental and economic grounds.
Not only will the development undermine small businesses in the area as it did at Tura Beach but it will transform Bermagui from a small, seaside village that attracts thousands of visitors each year into another congested and bland suburban “no place”. The increased traffic flow and the inevitable pollutants will undermine the unique and pristine beauty of this very special place.
The council and state often celebrate the unique qualities of the Wilderness Coast.
Why would they violate the integrity of its gateway with a development that undermines those qualities?
Dr Edward Hills and Dr Nadine Hills
Akolele
Do something about climate change
I DARE our new councillors to get innovative.
Dr Matthew Nott never gets tired to remind us that we are running out of time saving the environment as we know it.
Others are for ever in denial that the human race has anything to do with the temperatures rising.
I believe we have.
Trees are disappearing in an alarming rate, they kept our earth cool and the winds calm, and they attracted rain and used up carbon gases.
They also hold the soil together that stops soil erosion. Soil we need to grow our food.
But we still prefer not to act on it by putting it into the too-hard basket.
It does not really matter who is right or who is wrong if we want to keep the comfort which we love so dearly, then we have to get cracking.
We have a new council elected, and I have an idea for them.
I believe they have invested more than $40million dollars as an emergency fund. I am not quite sure what for, but they know.
On the side this money is earning interest.
What about using a great deal of that money in generating solar energy and sell it to the grid.
It may earn them more money than the interest they are getting now.
That of course needs our NSW State Government to change the present arrangement with the providers.
I believe it would stop our rates going up all the time since they will make money instead of spending only.
Another benefit would be that locally produced energy does not have to travel so far, therefor it loses a lot less of it on the way. Plus jobs will be created.
My suggestion would be using wind and sun and perhaps making gas from the sewerage.
All that is getting already done somewhere else - look it up on the internet that will even save a trip. All communities should have to do this, until that is happening Dr Nott and I will keep dreaming.
K. Krueger
Central Tilba
Climate change not real
MATTHEW Nott repeats his never-ending litany of alarmist claims in the letter section.
Arctic ice melts seasonally, sometimes widely, sometimes less so. Antarctic ice has increased heavily of late, not mentioned by Mr Nott.
There is no evidence quoted by Mr Nott to support the claimed increase in “extreme weather”, and as for food production taking a hit, that is true, caused greatly by diversion of corn and palm oil crops to bio-fuel production.
The much-vaunted sea level increases are just not happening.
IPPC predictions, and those of Tim Flannery and Robyn Williams, have turned out to be non-events.
The world has not got warmer in the past 12 years, the trend has stopped. Alarmists ignore the fact that the world has moved out of the “mini ice age” of recent centuries.
Carbon Dioxide emissions are increasing, but have not impacted on world temperatures.
The Kyoto Treaty is dead in the water, with the major emitters, China, USA and India ignoring it.
Not muggins Australia - we have the world’s dearest carbon dioxide tax in place, achieving nothing in “climate change” but burdening the economy and industry with higher costs.
Manufacturing in Australia has declined for the past 11 months. This will hurt jobs. We do not need a tax that does no measurable good.
Frank O'Brien
Narooma
Thanks for the gardening help
MY name is Ben Potter, and I am a member of 1st Narooma Scouts.
A couple of weeks ago on December 8, I conducted a community service project in order to gain my Australian Scout Medallion, the highest award in the Scouts division.
I decided to refurbish the memorial garden at Narooma High School as it had become overgrown and unkempt, and in dire need of a makeover.
Unfortunately in the small article about my project which was posted in the Narooma News two weeks later, there was not an adequate thank you given to all of the people and organisations which made it possible.
Firstly, I would like to thank my team of Venturers, Scouts and parents from 1st Narooma Scouts – Dawn & Josh Bowra, Martin & Ashleigh Avill, Enid & Donna Potter, as well as local horticulturist & Cub Scout leader Annette Boulten, who helped with the design of the garden.
This project took months of meticulous planning, and without these people offering their time, help and guidance, I would not have been able to complete this project.
Next, I would like to share my thank-you with the great local nurseries who donated all the plants which we used, ranging from small growing scaevolas to flowering gums and grevilleas.
These nurseries and their owners; Keith from The Spires Nursery in Tilba Tilba, Merryn from South Coast Flora at Dignams Creek, Judith from Bodalla Nursery and Ben at Narooma Garden Centre were all incredibly kind and generous in assisting with this project.
I would also like to thank Trevor Hawkey from Narooma Tree Lopping who donated all the woodchips we required to cover the garden.
And lastly, I would like to give my thanks to Narooma High School, for allowing me to undertake this project on their premises and in this sentimental garden.
Ben Potter
Dalmeny
