The Topsy Turvey "Brown About"
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THE ever-watching eyes of Narooma News have revealed the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) is calling for submission regarding the significantly contaminated site at 82 Princes Highway.
It was hidden away in the NSW Government Gazette and many questions need to be asked as submissions close next week
1. Why didn’t the council enforce removal of the tanks before commencing works?
2. Public release of all correspondence with the Roads and Maritime Authority, EPA, Work Cover, the owners of the site, their consultants, and third parties to the public (particularly to immediate neighbours).
3. Why did the council commence works before determining the level and types of contamination?
4. Did they consider the effects of upsetting the equilibrium of area, its ecology and creating new pathways for contaminants? According to the EPA contaminants have moved off site and are travelling towards Wagonga Inlet.
5. Did the council consider the ramifications of destroying off-site monitoring wells?
6. Why didn’t the council insist on progressive determination of contaminants particularly those that have moved offsite?
These were never tested in the area where the main constructional works is being carried .This is adjacent to the area of highest level of “off-site “contamination.
7. Why wasn’t a development application number displayed on fence enclosures?
8. Disclosure where all materials disturbed during the total operations have been distributed? Produce monitoring records required by other statutory authorities to points of distribution.
9. Were any materials transported uncovered off and on site to areas within the Narooma golf course? Were these left uncovered and to leach into adjoining wetlands?
10. Why hasn’t council given satisfactory answers to questions raised in public forum and by correspondence relating to the area and its own Sea Level Rise Adaptation Policy?
11. Why questions in open forum concerning Tetra Ethyl Lead and public safety have been ignored?
12. Why and what amount of material removed during the construction work will be moved back onto the contaminated site? Documentary evidence states the site is contaminated with other heavy metals asbestos and hydrocarbons…
13. Why hasn’t all suspected contaminated materials been moved to an approved disposal site? Why did these remain uncovered until citizen requests through Work Cover and the EPA were made?
14. Information prized from council and Work Cover has revealed that suspected contaminated material will be moved back to the “Significantly Contaminated Site”.
15. Has the EPA, Work Cover, Council; RTA approved this bearing in mind that, according to the council the flat and roundabout will be partially tidal in just a few years?
16. Will the public be advised of the impending disposal of waste back onto No 82 Princes Highway? Covering it will not prevent gaseous and many volatile contaminants from dispersing into the atmosphere and adjacent areas.
Public beware!
Peter Bernard
Dalmeny
Shared footpath to Surf Beach
I AM writing in support of the letter from Matt Ratcliffe in last week’s paper.
What a wonderful suggestion about having a footpath from the surf beach to the Narooma Plaza.
There are many old and unsteady people who get around on their electric scooters who would get so much enjoyment out of being able to go where more able people go.
At the moment people coming from Dalmeny, Kianga and the Flat come to a full stop when they get to the Surf-Beach, as there is no more safe path for them to go further if they want to get to the Plaza.
People should have the right to a safe path, and a happy day’s shopping, and conducting their business without having to have to get someone to drive them. I don’t know how to go about getting this done, any suggestions would be helpful!
Ken Burke
Narooma
A thank-you to council
THE council doesn’t get many thank-you’s but to give credit where it’s due, we’d like to express our sincere thanks to the mayor Lindsay Brown, Warren Sharpe and all other council staff involved in the designing, making and erection of the “No Camping” sign on the Kianga Headland.
There has been a problem with illegal camping not only on this headland but right along the foreshore for many years.
These areas are not designated camping grounds.
Kianga Headland has no garbage or toilet facilities and little respect is shown to the environment by many, not all, of these campers who constantly cause degradation to the grassland with their vehicles digging up the headland, not to mention leaving rubbish etc behind for someone else to clean up.
A lot of time and effort went into achieving this end result and for that we again thank all those involved.
K&S Dalgleish
Kianga
Saline Coast sceptic
IS the pressure of the election getting to Mike Kelly, or has he lost his marbles completely?
At the candidates’ forum held on Friday in Narooma, Kelly warned us that unless the Rudd government was returned to implement its climate change policies then the climate would spin out of control and the Snowy Mountains would become the “Sandy Mountains”, the Bega valley would turn into a new Death Valley, and the Sapphire Coast would turn into the “Saline Coast” - whatever that means but it sounds horrible.
Honestly does anyone think that a man who seriously put forward this ridiculous scenario is fit to be our representative in Parliament let alone the next Minister for Defence?
I for one would be worried sick at the thought that if the Rudd government were returned he could be in charge of our defence forces.
RK Flynn
Dalmeny
Why not join the VRA
SOME time ago the Narooma Rescue Squad (VRA) was kindly invited to attend the Narooma Rotary Markets. We finally made it!
On Sunday last we took the new Rescue Two unit to NATA oval to join the other early-morning exhibitors, getting there by 8am means arising earlier than any sane man should on a Sunday morning!
It was interesting to see what the local area has to offer in handicrafts, preserves, bric-a-brac and tools.
But perhaps the most popular stalls, especially early on, were those selling bacon and egg sandwiches and coffee: wonder why that was…
Anyway, thanks again to Narooma Rotary for having us, and to those generous locals and tourists who donated to the VRA.
Every cent thrown into the tin goes to purchase ropes, ladders, lights, extraction equipment and other gear essential for vehicle and cliff rescues and missing-person searches in the Narooma region.
Speaking of cliff rescues, the squad is now focussing its training efforts on preparation for an upcoming series of Vertical Rescue Training weekends, commencing on September 14-15 and continuing into late October.
Anyone handy with knots and a head for heights can join in (if over 18 years of age) by coming to the VRA HQ next door to Marine Rescue on the headland overlooking Bar Beach and the golf course at the end of Golf Lane at 6pm on Wednesdays.
Stuart Kennedy
Narooma VRA president
Mayor's say… It’s all about business
REGULAR readers of my column will know that having a business background, so business development is always a priority for me and I believe that when business, community and government work cooperatively together, much can be achieved.
Last week I attended the Moruya Jockey Club Working Group meeting which brings together interested stakeholders from the Jockey Club, Eurobodalla Shire Council and Clr Rob Pollock representing Regional Development Australia.
The group’s aim is to identify options to grow the equine industry in the South Coast.
At this recent meeting, amongst other items, we talked about how any economic development at the racecourse will influence the appeal of the Moruya Airport to prospective investors and start-up businesses.
Only days later, I was delighted to meet with Member for Eden-Monaro Dr Mike Kelly at the Moruya Airport as he announced $1.49million in Federal funding to deliver vital infrastructure at Moruya Airport.
The grant is offered under Regional Development Australia Fund, and will be used with $658,000 that council has already allocated for this project.
The funds would allow us to enhance road access to the airport, connect 3-phase power to the airport’s commercial precinct, extend and connect a water and sewer pipeline to the airport precinct, and open up 14.7 hectares of commercial land.
Mike and I agreed that the project would benefit the Eurobodalla community through job creation, private investment and give a significant boost to the tourism industry, and that the upgrade will hopefully see jobs directly associated with the airport grow from 25 to around 100.
I have also spoken to Dr Peter Hendy, Liberal Candidate for Eden Monaro about funding the development of this important infrastructure at the airport.
Peter has told me he is personally supportive of the project and in the event that a Coalition Government is elected, we would be working very closely together to achieve support within the Coalition government.
It’s important to have all our bases covered in this interesting pre-election period!
Last weekend in Narooma, we held a street meeting on Saturday and information stall at the Sunday markets to talk to the community about the latest stage of the Narooma Streetscaping project.
Once again I was delighted to hear so many positive comments about the project.
Many people expressed their support of the proposed ‘hub’ near the Narooma Visitor Centre, incorporating Montague Island themes, which will include a small children’s area and landscaping to make it more welcoming and attractive, along with the benefits of connecting easily to the cycle path and wharf.
Please let me know if there is any issue you feel Eurobodalla Shire Council may be able to help you with. You can email me at mayor@eurocoast.nsw.gov.au or phone me on 0418 279 215.
Mayor Lindsay Brown
Eurobodalla Shire
Healthier kids, brighter futures...
ONE in 20 children is born with a congenital abnormality or genetic disease.
Thanks to your involvement in the Jeans for Genes day campaign held on Friday, August 2, and your generous donation, these children have real hope for a brighter future.
Your support of J4G will help the scientists at Children's Medical Research Institute in finding cures to a range of childhood medical conditions.
Medical research is essential in discovering cures for conditions affecting children such as cancer, epilepsy and a range of genetic defects.
Your donation allows us to better understand our biological development and how our genes and cells work, which is vital in the fight against childhood disease.
So thank-you, again.
Merchandise and donation boxes were situated at Narooma Surfn’Skate, Jims Narooma Pharmacy and Narooma Dental Surgery - in which counter space and staff support was much appreciated.
Monies raised from gold coin donations and the sales of merchandise have been deposited at Westpac bank.
Your support bringing tomorrow's cures and treatments closer - for the benefit of children everywhere. And that's what matters.
Corey Mood
Narooma
Climate change off agenda
IN his letter, (Narooma News 21/8) Michael Kocwin seems to have his terms back to front.
He is a believer, despite his denial. The climate change sceptics, whom he calls deniers, are those who see that climate change is not man-made but the result of natural phenomena.
The IPCC, together with British Met and other bodies, have agreed that no measurable warming of the earth has occurred in the last 17 years, despite the significant increase in percentage of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
This fact contradicts the earlier predictions of man-made climate change folk who said we would be gasping in heat by now.
Mr Kocwin's statement that his opponents get too much media space "because they are wrong" is typical of a fanatic and zealot.
No sense of fairness and tolerance there.
He claims that "deniers" - an insulting term in itself - are controlled by “Liberal Party masters” is not supported by an iota of evidence.
Are you a member of a political party Mr Kocwin?
Climate change has slipped off the agenda both here and overseas. Since the fiasco of Copenhagen, the developed world is facing up to economic woes.
The high costs, inefficiecies and unreliability of solar and wind power are adding to these woes.
We have all felt the impact of the carbon (dioxide) tax in everyday living.
Frank O'Brien, Narooma
Liberal Party Member
Wrapped with Love
ON behalf of Wrap with Love, I would like to express thanks to the many people in Narooma and surrounding areas who participated in the recent knit-in.
Six completed wraps and over two hundred 25cm squares, enough to make another seven wraps, were submitted to the Narooma Library.
Thanks to Di Lihou and staff who kindly stored the squares and wraps until collected for transport to Sydney.
From there, these wraps will go via aid agencies to people around the world who are traumatised by natural disaster, war, or displacement.
Together with wraps from Cobargo, Tuross Head, Moruya, Batemans Bay and surrounding areas, the wraps from Narooma formed a dispatch of 77 wraps sent this week.
The squares will be sewn up by our volunteers before being sent to Sydney.
Thank you again to all who participated. Anyone who wishes to learn more about Wrap with Love may contact Jenny Rzepa on 0414 664 077 or may go to the web site, www.artsandcraftnsw.com.au/Wrap.htm
Squares and completed wraps may be dropped off at several places in Batemans Bay, including the Vinnies shop, Orient Street opposite the RTA.
Jenny Rzepa
Batemans Bay
Send him home
Stop the Boats
Let them Float
Stop the Carbon Tax
Let the atmosphere Collapse
Stop fibre to the Home
Leave it at the Node
Stop Abbott by sending him home!
Ray Sillett
Tuross Head