“The Green Paper” and council issues
IAN Hitchcock’s letter to the “LEP Fall Out” has revealed many indelible stains that this council will leave in its wake.
The continuing and unconfirmed loss of millions of dollars of public moneys, the approval of the part LEP, the reclassification of public lands “for sale, the belated disclosure of a review of the planning system in a recent mayoral report to council, approval of new contact for the general reminiscent of the controversy upon departure of the previous manager, recognition of publicly unexplained expenditure of in conference expenses attributed to the existing general manager, over secretive flood studies associated with sea level rise and conflicts of interest associated with the zoning and development of council land are some of a few issues.
The latter will cost the Narooma/Dalmeny/Kianga personally and financially and be determined by the so called “Champions of Climate Change“, persons with no accountability and having legal immunity.
We have been betrayed by the council, the NSW government, the Minister, the Director General, pyramids of planners and the savers of the planet, all at the expense of many in our community.
The council has approved a part LEP which is now approved by the minister apparently not knowing that it was approved by the director to go ahead without and Environmental Study as required by the Act.
It is now only a part plan and in the ministers words with guidelines (not local, not environmental and now with guidelines only).
You object to it and you will find out! It is worthy of an Academy Award for the “Yes Mr Minister Series”.
Low and behold, right on the heels of the last system a new one arises –“The Green Paper”.
There should have been no hurry now a new system “the Green Paper” will be released. As many a farmer may say: “Pull the Udder One Mr Mayor”.
In the forthcoming election voters will have a choice to elect new representatives.
Vote 1 for the one you want on the ticket and then as you feel. Voters may be unaware that the person you want elected may is being prostituted by the leaders of that ticket, the system of voting, or has done a deal with other candidates.
Peter Bernard
Dalmeny
Justifiably worried over trawler
RECREATIONAL fishers are justified in being worried about the proposal to allow the Dutch super-trawler, FV Margiris, to operate in Australian waters.
There may well be enough of the targeted species to allow a larger proportion to be taken but there is little science to enable a judgement of other impacts.
Trawlers always have a significant by-catch of other species, and seals, penguins and dolphins could be trapped as they chase the bait fish the Margiris is after.
Jenny Edwards
Mossy Point
Mayoral column – Prices Café at Moruya
LAST Thursday, we had a wonderful trip down memory lane as we revisited Prices Café in Moruya.
South East Arts, under the guidance of Chair Lindy Hume and General Manager Andrew Gray, is organising a project that will provide an opportunity significant local artist, Cheryl Davison, to recreate and celebrate in her work the people, politics, music and dances of Prices Café to provide a fascinating glimpse into the social scene in the town during the 1950s and 60s.
As the promotional brochure says, “Think bodgies and widgies, lime spiders, juke boxes and rock’n’roll dancing in the 1950s. Prices Café was a place where Aboriginal people were welcomed by the Price family and where they could socialise, dance and relax.”
This very special project recognises the unsung generosity and caring nature of one of Moruya’s great families. I hope that many people will come forward to financially support it. To do so, just call Andrew Gray on 6499 2286.
Last Tuesday’s Council meeting was one of the longest in the four years of this term. We had a large number of people in the gallery and many wishing to speak on a variety of matters on the agenda. As Council goes into caretaker mode in early August, there were a number of matters that needed to be endorsed by Councillors before then.
Thursday was also the last meeting of the South East Regional Organisation of Councils (SEROC) before the local government elections, and we farewelled a number of Mayors from across the region who will not be standing for their respective councils at the upcoming elections. Those not coming back will be remembered for their significant contributions to our region, their councils and to local government in general. It has been a pleasure to work with the Mayors who have seen the need to work together on a regional basis to achieve outcomes that benefit the communities which we have the opportunity to represent.
Following the SEROC meeting, we gathered to discuss with the Independent Local Government Review Panel, chaired by Professor Graham Samson, the areas we felt needed to be addressed in the NSW Government’s proposed reforms for local government.
Clr Fergus Thomson
Mayor
Do your research first
I NOTE with great interest the recent letter that Neil Burnside wrote on July 18 with a further instalment of his wisdom and views.
In my four years on Council (2004 – 2008) as Narooma’s only representative and the mayor for three years, I never once saw Neil Burnside in or at a council meeting.
I am not sure if over the last four years he has become involved or attended meetings.
It would seem not based on the never ending dribble he so often hoists upon us in his letters to the Narooma News.
It is clearly obvious that he has little, if any knowledge of how the Council process works.
Whilst his commentary is at times amusing there comes a point where his ridiculous assertions need to be checked especially now he is seeking election yet again to the organisation he so openly despises.
Come on Neil do your research and understand the issues thoroughly before again offering advice and commentary to all of us.
Misinformation and lack of understanding is not becoming of someone who wants to represent our community for the next four years.
As a footnote Neil… your comment about Narooma receiving nothing for the last 10 years is very strange which begs the question… do you actually live in Narooma or do you move around with your eyes shut.
During my term (2004 – 2008), Narooma, or “The South” as he puts it, was the beneficiary of much council spending.
Streetscape improvements on The Flat and middle of town, netball courts, over four kilometres of the cycleway, the upgrade of Smyth Oval and Bodalla Oval sporting facilities to name a few local projects.
I look forward to the inevitable return of serve from Mr Burnside with the hope he can offer something more believable than his last offering.
Neil Mumme
Narooma
On the elections…
JUST a few thoughts on the Eurobodalla Shire Council elections on September 8.
I applaud anyone who has put up his or her hand to stand for Council. I wish them well.
Having covered council as a reporter for about 15 years, I am a great fan of local government as an institution, warts and all, and I appreciate what being a councillor entails.
Each councillor elected to council of course represents the whole shire, not just his/her own area; I believe this is a much healthier arrangement than the wards/ridings system.
However, I know that many people in Narooma believe it as advantageous to have someone from this area on council.
I note though that with the large number of Narooma people standing in this election (and I am not one of them!), we could end up with no one from this area being elected. The local vote could be split big time with preferences going north.
At last count, there appeared to be five different people from Narooma standing for council, either with a team or alone. My understanding at this stage is that their preferences are not going to other Narooma candidates but to candidates in other parts of the shire.
It’s all about the sums.
At the last council elections, 15,730 votes were lodged in the shire, of which 2,884 were in the Dalmeny-Narooma-Tilba area. To be elected last time, each councillor needed to reach a quota of 1966 (the quota varies each election according to a formula – check it out on www.votensw.info/election_information/counting_the_votes).
Almost everyone has to rely on preferences to achieve that quota. If not enough achieve that quota, they then take the next best.
So to get one person up from Narooma this time with the local vote potentially split so much, it will be harder to reach that quota especially when they will have to rely on preferences.
Laurelle Pacey
Narooma
Dead wombat, a good one
South Australians have been dealing with the erosion causing, fence destroying, overpopulated wombats.
Third page of the paper a dead wombat - really. Perhaps the story should have how the numbers in SE have exploded over the past few years and the damage they do to farm land and property and traffic hazard they are.
When we had regular large floods the blood things were drowned in the burrows.
Just a thought, Gillard's carbon tax will cause the climate over Australia to change back as she said and the floods will return hence no more wombats. There may be something in the carbon tax.
Ron Snape
Central Tilba
Not a whinging pom
I WOULD just like to make a couple of comments regarding the big weekend at the Club Narooma.
It was stated in the Narooma News last Wednesday that all members would be given free raffle tickets, well this was not really what happened as I found on going to the club on Saturday morning the only way to get a "free" raffle ticket was to spend $5 at the bar (in other words the more you drank the more raffle tickets you were given, of course non alcoholic did not cost $5!
The second point I would make is that when the speeches were to be given I sat near the front but was told by a member of management that I could not sit there although no reserve tickets were on the one I sat on but was told I should sit on different coloured seats nearer the back.
Well there were a lot of VIP's there with tickets on them but although not conceited I feel I am one of many others who should be considered in that category, we are the ones supporting the club all the year round, I wonder how many of the ticketed people are in the club at other times supporting it.
I suppose you may be thinking here is this whinging pom again but I have been Australian for the last 50 years so that term does not apply.
Ps: The music was superb on Saturday and the barbecue also!
Joan Waite
Narooma